Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

Duels are kinda hard while mouse for focus, but the story is a 7.

great game

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a Western first-person shooter in which the old bounty hunter Silas Greaves recounts his life to the patrons of an Abilene saloon in 1910. His tales cross paths with Billy the Kid, Johnny Ringo, John Wesley Hardin, the Dalton brothers and the Wild Bunch, among others. The unreliable narrator is the masterstroke, since the game world visibly rewrites itself as the story is corrected. A claim of being surrounded by a hundred Apaches snaps the enemy count down to a handful, and an admission of running out of bullets drains the ammo counter mid-fight. The cel-shaded comic-book look is a genuine asset, ageing far better than the photo-realistic shooters of the era. The character intro cards for each outlaw are stylish, and the saloon frame story adds humour as the patrons trade doubts about the tale. The arcade gunplay is fast and satisfying, with a concentration mode that highlights enemies and executions that reward good aim. The historical nuggets hidden around each level are a delightful hook, presenting real facts about each legend that check out against outside sources. The duel stand-offs return, complete with a reaction-time display and a hand that stubbornly drifts away from where it is placed. Shielded enemies almost demand headshots, and enemies frequently blend into the scenery. The game is noticeably shorter than its predecessors, but the density of ideas more than compensates. Launch trouble required fiddling with the setup before the campaign would run. Overall, the storytelling design is the finest in the series, and the ending lands with real weight. It is the best of the Call of Juarez games and well worth the short ride.