GUN
It's kind of funny in a way because developer Neversoft hasn't really strayed from their Tony Hawk series. If Gun is any indication of what they are capable of the future may be bright indeed. Right from the start the game grabs you and doesn't let go thanks to the fantastic presentation of the twisted and sordid tale. The story focuses on a guy named Cole who is a hunter living in the boonies of Montana. One day while he and his father, Ned, are out tracking some game things take a turn for the worst.
Upon boarding a steamboat, the vessel is attacked by a pack of savage men who would like nothing more than to cleave Cole's skull in two. After a lot of shooting and killing our protagonist is cast into the river when the ship blows up, but before that can happen Ned gives him an object and drops the bomb that he's not his real father. Naturally Cole is confused as heck and since his only clue is to head to Dodge City, that's where your journey starts.
It may not sound like much, but the way the story is told thanks to wonderful dialogue and the overwhelming sense of mystery, the game takes on a life of its own. A lot of what makes this game successful has to do with the fact that it feels like an open range; meaning there's a lot of freedom for you to explore at your own pace. It comes across as feeling Grand Theft Auto-like in its execution, but stirs up similarities to Deadwood and grittier western tales. This is a game that breaks the "me too" attitude that many titles have now-a-days and you can tell that the developers really had fun with it.
Gameplay:
The main focus of the gameplay is Gun is, well… gunplay. This is the Old West after all so it's only natural that everything and everybody is going to get riddled with bullets. The action in the game is strongly reminiscent of the Max Payne series and features a third person character with first person controls. You can cycle through weapons on the fly and even enter something called "QuickDraw" which is basically a method of bullet time. Everything slows down to a crawl and you get plenty of opportunity to line up those headshots.
QuickDraw is really your best bet for taking out enemies because the control in the game is very twitchy. The look and aiming mechanisms are extremely sensitive so having the ability to slow things down really helps. The only problem is that this maneuver can only be used when the meter is full so you'll often be jumping in and out of slow-motion. My only real beef with the gunplay in the game is that it's almost a little too easy to hit your target; even if you miss. Neversoft extended the targeting perimeter beyond the center of the crosshairs. This means that as you move the curser around, the reticule will turn red as it nears your foe. It's a little campy and detracts from the hardnosed nature of the gameplay but it keeps things easygoing, fast and entertaining.
When you aren't killing Indians or outlaws you're going to be doing a lot of running around and riding on a horse looking for something to do. The story is broken down into various missions as Cole seeks to uncover the truth behind Ned's mystery. These quests involve all manner of Western staples such as protecting a stage coach, saving a whorehouse or straight out killing people. There's enough variety and changing objectives to keep things fresh as you make your way through the game. There are also plenty of side quests to undertake that extend the experience and flesh out the world.
This particular aspect of Gun is what gives it that GTA feeling. If you happen to get bored with the main focus of the game you can always stop to deliver mail at the Pony Express, bust some skulls as a deputy or even lend a hand to a rancher in need. The benefit from doing these missions comes in the form of extra money to buy upgrades and such. Oh and for all of you with the Midas touch, you can also traverse the terrain and mine gold.
While the control itself may feel a little loose, getting around is relatively easy thanks to some simple to use horse riding techniques. In order to mount up all you have to do is walk up to the creature and press the white button. From there the control is essentially the same though you can spur your horse to ride quicker and also make him jump over some small obstacles. The real fun comes from trampling opponents under its hooves or breaking out the pistol for some horseback gunplay. Riding the animal too hard or taking it into combat can be risky though because it has a health meter of its own and nobody wants to ride a dead horse.
All told the gameplay in Gun will last you roughly thirteen hours or so depending how actively you participate in the side quests. The game has its flaws thanks to some sensitive controls and relative ease in difficulty, but the experiences as a whole is what counts. This is easily one of the best Western games that I have ever played and one of the better action games of late. I am definitely interested in watching to see what Neversoft does next as the Tony Hawk franchise starts to wane. If you're a fan of cowboys and Indians it's time to saddle up!
Graphics:
Just like the story in Gun, the visual aspects of the game feature more grit than you can shake a cattle prod at. Faces are leathery, clothes are dusty and everything has a certain "line in the sand" feeling to it that makes it feel like a Clint Eastwood movie. Characters models are good for the most part and are nicely rendered though sometimes the animations can come across as a little awkward or stiff. Enemy design is also somewhat limited and many foes look EXACTLY the same with sparse textural differences between them. This was fine in games from a decade ago, but now-a-days you need an engine that is more diverse in order to keep the player from feeling like they've been killing the same bad guy for the past two hours. Fortunately the environments are greatly detailed and even though many of them feel sparse the Old West concept comes through in spades. Some pop-up was noticeable here and there but for the most part the graphic engine in the game is smooth sailing.
Audio:
I was completely blown away by the caliber of the voice acting in Gun. Names like Ron Perlman, Kris Kristofferson and Thomas Jane really add some Hollywood quality personality. Secondary characters sound a little cheesy, but the main players propel the story along with a finesse that few games are able to achieve. The music is a mixed bag of quality and so are the sound effects. There are also some issues with overlapping sounds and drowned out audio which bring quality assurance questions to mind. Overall though the game sounds decent enough but the ace up its sleeve is the voiceover cast.
Conclusion:
Gun may be a flawed game, but it's definitely easy to overlook the little nitpicks because the good outweighs the bad. The game is a blend of GTA's mission-style gameplay, Max Payne action and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. The narrative is what really sucks you in with some great production quality and the ease of gun-fighting will keep your trigger finger itching. If you're looking for a solid action game that is big on adventure but light on polish, this one is for you. Recommended