Back (quite literally) in the saddle, Call of Juarez Gunslinger is the download-only equivalent of a whitewash over the series' last iteration. The future hasn't happened; Marty McFly hasn't kissed his mother; nor has Luke Skywalker his sister; things are just how they should be - in a gruff, non-incestuous, and tobacco chewing sort of way.
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Moving away from the series stalwarts, the McCall brothers, Ubisoft are fully flinging their arms around Wild West legend and holding close those outlaws such as Billy the Kidd and Butch Cassidy: sadly the Sundance Kid is yet to be announced.
Our protagonist this time around is the gravel-voiced Bounty Hunter. Taking up residence within the local saloon, slurping down whiskey, and batting away questions from the locals, our hero opens up about his past life as a no-good, rooting-tooting outlaw, and his run-ins with the Old West's more famous personalities.
Utilising an in media res narrative arc, each segment of the chapter-driven game is voiced by our tale-spinner as he recounts his exploits. The demo shown features appearances from folk-hero and a decisively wrinkled-looking Billy the Kidd, as well as the crooked lawman Pat Garrett.
Helming the controlled play through is Ubisoft's product manager Aymeric Evennou "Call of Juarez Gunslinger is the 4th entry into the series, and this time around we are looking at some of the more famous faces of that time period. Moving things on a little, we have a new graphic novel style injected into the visuals, as well as an emphasis on more fast paced, arcade action."
And that last line has never been a more truer statement of intent. From the moment you can twiddle thumb sticks within the world, bullets fly and the red stuff starts to soar. The new stylised art direction has seemingly given the developers free reign over blood packs, with each bullet wound treated as a Mardi Gras for Splatterhouse effects.
Without resorting to hyperbole and mewing like a demented goat, Gunslinger looks a treat. The browns and murky yellows remain, but in a Borderlands-like twist, are transformed into a more attractive package. The vibrant hues of blood flow contrast with the dusty atmosphere; while characters look like rag-doll royals with clothing that looks more befitting of the Child Catcher on a particularly flamboyant day.
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The game seems to be running on a modified version of Bound in Blood, rather than in its time-travelling forbearer. The satisfying interplay between revolvers and rifles remains, with enough thumb-barrel-cracking and spent-shell-spilling to make you feel weak at the knees. Red Dead Redemption may have been a work of art, but Call of Juarez is, and will always be unashamed, balls-to-the-wall entertainment.
Almyeric elaborates further "We wanted to bring back that core experience of the Juarez games, while also upping the arcade stakes. This is an explosive tale of the Wild West, and one that promises to be a lot of fun."
True to its title, this Wild West adventure fulfils its mission statement. Battles between never ending streams of outlaws burst from every pore of the land. Taking cover behind anything that remains static, players have to slaughter their way through to objectives, triggering set-pieces, and furthering the narrative.
While all of this will sound familiar to anyone that has eyed up an FPS game for the past few years, Call of Juarez Gunslinger looks distinctly fun. Murder is no laughing matter, but throw a cowboy hat and a sheriff's badge into the scenario and you can't help but think you're The Man with No Name. Bullets whizz , fizz, crackle, and pop, and in-between it all your jaw will be swinging somewhere towards the floor: your vocal chords listlessly gurgling for more.
Other interesting ideas are thrown into the arcade-mixer too, with a skill and level progression system to contend with. Choosing from three separate skill paths: gunslinger, ranger, and trapper; players can tailor their play styles to which guns and accessories they prefer to use. Accompany this with a bullet-time dodge mechanic, in addition to concentration mode, and it'll be a while before you can coax some gamers down from the ceiling.
In all, Gunslinger seems less an exercise in Old West gaming, and more like a considered attempt to make me, a 21-year old man child, furiously soil my pants. Everything is designed to capture that errant wish of being a 19th century desperado and to put it succinctly Ubisoft have outdone themselves.
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Somewhere high above, the gods of gaming are smiling upon us this day. Call of Juarez is back doing what it does best, with a little added BBQ sauce thrown into the mix to make it that bit more smoking. Arcade, cowboys, high-scores, and bullet-time. I seriously need to go get a towel.
Expected sometime in 2013, this downloadable entry into the Wild West series is one that should definitely be on your radar. My cowboy hat is already out, dusted, and primed in anticipation.
