GUN

As the stranger entered the dusty streets of Empire City a gunfight erupts between two men that had locked eyes and suddenly drew their guns. The stranger doesn’t even bat an eye as the gunfight ensues since this kind of thing happens often in nearly every big town, and as one of the men drops dead he climbs off his horse and enters a casino where his life will change. This is the world of Gun, a western game designed by the same good folks that have brought us many a Tony Hawk Pro Skater game but before you start picturing the gun-slinging hero performing a 360 Boneless or a mad grind on a hitching post with his horse this is a bullet-fueled action game.

Sadly the action western genre is largely ignored in the gaming world and that’s really too bad. The PS2 has seen two western-themed games with Red Dead Revolver and Samurai Western but it is Gun that truly does a brilliant job of capturing the essence of the wild west. Gun tells the tale of Colton White who, with his father Ned, hunt game for the steamboats traveling the Missouri. It isn’t until one fateful day aboard one such steamboat that Colton and his father fight off a wave of hungry killers searching for an “artifact.” The fight ends badly and Ned tells Colton to meet a girl named Jenny at a saloon in Dodge City and there the story twists and turns. Who really was Ned White, the man he has come to know as his father? What is the “artifact” and what does it have to do with the Coronado expedition of 1542? All these are questions Colton seeks answers to and it takes him to the wildest of frontiers where his gun is his only ally.

The wild frontier is open to Colton who, early in the game, comes to learn how to handle a horse and finally his gun and knife. Trust me when I say that Colton will often run into all sorts of trouble that require his gun to speak for him such as the many times you’ll be attacked by wandering bandits. Making your way to the famed Dodge City you’ll find a town with a fully functional saloon where you’ll meet Jenny or participate in a poker tournament. The world is alive with town folk and other characters that talk the way they would during those times without sounding cheesy. It is here that you can check out wanted posters and hunt for men wanted “dead or alive,” or deliver items or other articles for the Pony Express.

It isn’t until Colton arrives to Empire City that the game really does open up enough that you can go exploring across the dusty trails and take up various different jobs before launching into a story-related mission. You can dig for gold, head over to a ranch and jump into a cattle drive (where you attempt to steer some cows and longhorns) or hunt wild game for the Indians. You can head into town and temporarily fill the role of deputy or even marshal and break up bar fights, wipe out bandits hiding out or clearing out raiding Indians that have been killing off workers attempting to build a bridge.

Seeing as you’ll need your gun to do the talking in this game, you’ll start off with a six-shooter and work your way up to a Schofield. Aside from pistols, though, you’ll also have shotguns and rifles and make good use of your knife or tomahawk. You’ll even get a bow and quiver of arrows. The best part is that you can head into town and purchase upgrades for your weapon (make more damage or lead faster) and each mission you complete results in skill upgrades (gun and melee upgrades). You can perform rolls and even lean to fire your gun but the best feature is the Quickdraw that changes the perspective to first-person and slows time down enough that you can get a more accurate shot. It doesn’t last very long but it sure makes for some brutal headshots (that are pretty gruesome).

The game’s story-driven missions are excellent, though, and extremely exciting. One mission has you helping saloon gal Jenny fight off a wave of marauders attempting to burn down the Alhambra, Dodge City’s saloon/brothel while another has you escaping from jail after having been accused of a crime you didn’t commit. There’s even a mission that has Colton keeping a stage from being brought down by wild Indians. Just about my only complaint is that the game is pretty short. It’s finished just as things are getting interesting and that’s a real letdown. Secondly, the need to pull out a flask of healing liquid in the middle of a gunfight is not the brightest of ideas, since Colton just doesn’t take a short sip. Couldn’t we just assume he drank it instead of going through the motions while the enemy is shooting at you?

Visually the game looks great on the PS2, although the lighting might not be so great at times. It’s soft lighting issues, though, pale compared to the great amount of details the environments and character models possess. The towns, for instance, blow dust devils as tumbleweed will tumble past town folk. Careful where you step because horse pies litter the streets. The character models look excellent from afar but up close you’ll be able to check out the leathery faces of your enemies and the grease stains on their shirts. The blood flows freely in the game and Quickdraw shots to the head are gruesome sights but nothing beats watching your enemy slump off his horse realistically and then drop dead.

Your boots will creak the floor boards of the saloon entrance and once you enter said saloon you’ll be bombarded by its sounds of clinking glasses, laughter and the piano player tickling the ivories. When you pull out your gun and fire you’ll hear the hammer being pulled back and the blast of your Schofield. There’s even a great soundtrack that might not be up there with what we hear in Sergio Leone’s westerns but it’s still pretty good. There’s a great cast of talented actors here such as Thomas Jane (from “The Punisher” fame), Ron “Hell Boy” Perlman, Lance Henriksen (from “Aliens”) and a great performance by Kris Kristofferson.

Gun delivers a solid action title with a lot of grit, bullets and great missions that will hook you into its wild western frontier. While it's just a tad too short the game certainly keeps a steady pace and has you doing everything from cow poking to delivering parcels for the Pony Express, but best of all it brings the Wild West to life like no other game on the PS2. If you’re looking for a gun-slinging good time then look no further, pard.

Gameplay: 8.0
The west is wild and the game certainly does a great job of portraying that. The controls are handled nicely on the PS2, making everything from riding your horse or pushing the lead really satisfying. The story-based missions are wonderfully juicy and the side missions aren’t that bad at all either.

Graphics: 8.2
The scenery is just plain gorgeous even on the PS2 and the character models (from afar and up close) just look great. The PS2 sees some soft lighting that doesn’t really work but it's hard to complain about a game that brings old western towns to life as well as make the action look downright cool.

Sound: 8.5
The game’s sound is done right with a pretty decent soundtrack that would feel right at home in a western and sound effects that sound beautifully genuine. The voice acting is top-notch, especially when it comes to Thomas Jane as Colton White but then again Kris Kristofferson’s grizzled voice just about steals the shows, in my opinion.

Difficulty: Medium
Gunslinger need only apply since there are plenty of enemies that can shoot straight. You’ll be up against everything from a band of bandits to renegade Indians that know what to do with a bow or a tomahawk. There are some boss fights that are actually pretty tough.

Concept: 8.0
The second you step foot on the dusty streets of Empire City you’ll feel the west come to life and that’s what the game does best. The side missions range from bringing in desperados, herding cattle and hunting down dangerous game. There are some great weapons to master and bandits to shoot. Riding down the dusty trail never felt this good.

Overall: 8.2
Genuinely enjoyable from start to finish, Gun is quite possibly one of the best western-themed action games on the PS2. It’s a game that truly brings the Wild West to life with its good story, interesting side missions and leather-slapping action. While it’s on the short side, the ride is fun while it lasts. Give this one a try, cowpoke.