I have a very soft spot for the Call of Juarez series, a Wild West themed first-person (mostly) shooter license by Polish studio Techland (also the makers of the severely underwhelming "Dead Island" series). I even found things to like in the universally-panned third game, subtitled "The Cartel".
Yes, it was pretty terrible all around and I once reviewed the game myself, but I dug the spaghetti-western effort in a contemporary setting, despite inherent and deep flaws in both gameplay and that ridiculous story. In fact, for reasons I have yet to comprehend, I kinda liked that game exactly because of the glorious ways it was failing in; if you're going to fail, fail big. Nobody likes a pretender.
But truth be told, that game was not the legacy an otherwise great little outsider series should have left behind. So, instead a budget shooter spinning off the main series called "Gunslinger" was drawn up.
The story entirely drops the hunt for the treasure buried in the Mexican town of Juarez (the titular "call" of Juarez) leaving only indirect references to the them both. Instead, Gunslinger is a classic revenge story, detailing the tales of bounty-hunter Silas Greaves as in his quest for vengeance he chronicles his adventures alongside (or against) infamous figures of the Old West, such as Billy The Kid and Jesse James.
The story is fairly straight-forward; there is one twist at the end, but it's pretty easy to figure out early on if one pays attention. Despite the lack of surprises, the dialogue is great and coupled with an excellent voice-cast, the delivery is both solid and very much in line with its 1910's America setting.
The gameplay is also a simple affair for the genre. It's what we mostly refer to as the "shooting gallery" type of shooter (i.e. standing enemies that shoot back with no tactics connecting each segment). In rare occasions there is the odd platforming section, but they're basic and the mechanic is just a little off. Silas is apparently made of biscuits and any drop bigger than a coin-flip will instantly break him into a million little pieces.
I particularly liked two adorable glitches: in the first one I forgot to sprint before jumping and even though I just barely reached the platform, I still died because Silas' invisible feet touched the invisible wall an inch below.
The other one was even more annoying, as I died because I dared step into the water two steps away from the intended path, which in retrospect seems to support my biscuit-theory.
Objectives rarely change and the shooting gallery is occasionally spiced up with an enemy behind a shield or a turret and boss fights on raised platforms.
The Concentration mechanic from the previous games makes a return (a mix between bullet time and the T-800's targeting system), while a new system allows dodging bullets from pre-determined enemies in slow motion by moving left or right. There is also a QTE mechanic integrated in the shooting as (also) pre-determined sections require hitting the right button for an impressive quick take-down of the enemies in an area. In case of failure, the game reverts to the previous "Sense Of Death" and the standard shooting mechanics.
Seriously, it's not until you experience this mechanic that you realize for all the times you've used a keyboard, you really have no idea where each key is placed.
The only other time the standard mechanics are put aside is the "Duel Mode", which pits the player on an one-on-one, fastest gun, classic Western duel.
The Duel Mode mechanics have never been one of the series' strongest points, but they really hit bottom of the barrel in this installment and it's honestly the biggest flaw of the game for me. The idea behind it is solid enough: keep the enemy in focus, adjust the right hand for maximum drawing speed, shoot when the time's right.
The problem comes from the fact that you have to focus on reading numbers. Both the focus and the drawing speed are represented (mainly) numerically. Leaving aside the fact that you shouldn't be reading numbers on games, maintaining focus is already hard enough and needing to keep your eyes on two counters and the focus rectangular (especially with the mouse) is far more bothersome than it should be.
The duel mechanic is inherently flawed and the fact that the constant retries in the more difficult encounters break the game's flow (including the finale of the story mode) make it an addition I could've done without.
Based on the above, there is really nothing noteworthy about Gunslinger and truthfully enough, you won't be missing out on anything if you pass. However, where it excels and gets very little credit for is the presentation.
Graphically, the game uses a mix between traditional graphics and the cell-shading technique. I was never a big fan of it, but it's barely noticeable here. It is just enough to make it fit with the theme, as the game is supposed to be a retelling of the story from the protagonist done in the style of an old dime novel.
What is truly interesting is that the way the story progresses, it's done in combination with the gameplay. Most of the dialogue isn't actually in cutscenes, which themselves are beautifully presented in a motion-comic-book style, but rather during gameplay.
As you push further into a level, shooting bad guys in droves, Silas' narration explains the objectives and often-times the witty banter between the characters is more interesting than the shooting itself.
Whether this is a good or a bad thing I leave up to personal preference, but from where I'm standing, Techland knew they had a short and basic game in their hands (it's a budget title after all, for Ubisoft merely a quick buck based on name recognition) and they did their best to make it as interesting as possible considering the restrictions.
There are several examples of this effort. I was impressed with the way the game deals with its inherent linearity. There are sections where you are required to complete an objective before moving on. Instead of being locked away with invisible walls and "return to the combat area" prompts (an established and genuinely shitty way to go about it, by the by), you are merely not given a way out in the actual environment.
Then, when the objective has been completed, Silas will add to the story and all of a sudden a ladder will fall from the sky or a path with appear where there was none.
Another truly glowing example comes early on, when you're looking for a way into a mine. The game lets you enter the wrong way and play a sizeable chunk of the level, before giving you an unavoidable game over. Then it simply rewinds and Silas actively changes the story, pointing you to the correct route.
Between those touches, the good dialogue and the solid voice-acting, the game is really successful in creating the illusion that you are another character listening to Silas' story and you really want to hear what comes next. But you are not interested in just seeing the story, like we usually are in most games, you are instead interested in listening to it, experiencing it through the words of Silas Greaves, even while holding a gun and shooting down bad guys. It really puts the player in the position of the grandson listening to his grandad's old war-time stories and that's an experience not many games have managed to offer.
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a budget game, with whatever that entails. Techland did the best they could and in fact managed to offer a fairly unique FPS experience that doesn't exceed its welcome (around 5 hours for the campaign). It has a decent amount of replayability value, at least based on what that term means for modern shooters, with collectible "Nuggets of Truth" that reveal details about the series' history and the actual history of the Old West, as well as the standard New Game Plus mode and harder difficulty settings that enhance the experience by upping the challenge. These can at least double the time you spend on the title, while the "True West" difficulty can test twitch-reflexes and patience.
I wouldn't whole-heartedly recommend it; though it's a quality game, it's an experience that could've been offered for a lower price (it shouldn't exceed 10 bucks at most) and there are, in fact, better indie titles and old games on sale.
But it's a game that deserves to be played somewhere down the line. It's enjoyable for its duration, it's memorable enough and I wouldn't pass it up if found on sale. Generally recommended.
Yes, it was pretty terrible all around and I once reviewed the game myself, but I dug the spaghetti-western effort in a contemporary setting, despite inherent and deep flaws in both gameplay and that ridiculous story. In fact, for reasons I have yet to comprehend, I kinda liked that game exactly because of the glorious ways it was failing in; if you're going to fail, fail big. Nobody likes a pretender.
But truth be told, that game was not the legacy an otherwise great little outsider series should have left behind. So, instead a budget shooter spinning off the main series called "Gunslinger" was drawn up.
The story entirely drops the hunt for the treasure buried in the Mexican town of Juarez (the titular "call" of Juarez) leaving only indirect references to the them both. Instead, Gunslinger is a classic revenge story, detailing the tales of bounty-hunter Silas Greaves as in his quest for vengeance he chronicles his adventures alongside (or against) infamous figures of the Old West, such as Billy The Kid and Jesse James.
 |
| The story takes place in the death of the Old West and it's presented beautifully via the motion comic technique. |
The story is fairly straight-forward; there is one twist at the end, but it's pretty easy to figure out early on if one pays attention. Despite the lack of surprises, the dialogue is great and coupled with an excellent voice-cast, the delivery is both solid and very much in line with its 1910's America setting.
The gameplay is also a simple affair for the genre. It's what we mostly refer to as the "shooting gallery" type of shooter (i.e. standing enemies that shoot back with no tactics connecting each segment). In rare occasions there is the odd platforming section, but they're basic and the mechanic is just a little off. Silas is apparently made of biscuits and any drop bigger than a coin-flip will instantly break him into a million little pieces.
I particularly liked two adorable glitches: in the first one I forgot to sprint before jumping and even though I just barely reached the platform, I still died because Silas' invisible feet touched the invisible wall an inch below.
The other one was even more annoying, as I died because I dared step into the water two steps away from the intended path, which in retrospect seems to support my biscuit-theory.
Objectives rarely change and the shooting gallery is occasionally spiced up with an enemy behind a shield or a turret and boss fights on raised platforms.
 |
| The touch of cell-shading in the visuals add colour and the illusion the story is told by a book. |
The Concentration mechanic from the previous games makes a return (a mix between bullet time and the T-800's targeting system), while a new system allows dodging bullets from pre-determined enemies in slow motion by moving left or right. There is also a QTE mechanic integrated in the shooting as (also) pre-determined sections require hitting the right button for an impressive quick take-down of the enemies in an area. In case of failure, the game reverts to the previous "Sense Of Death" and the standard shooting mechanics.
Seriously, it's not until you experience this mechanic that you realize for all the times you've used a keyboard, you really have no idea where each key is placed.
The only other time the standard mechanics are put aside is the "Duel Mode", which pits the player on an one-on-one, fastest gun, classic Western duel.
The Duel Mode mechanics have never been one of the series' strongest points, but they really hit bottom of the barrel in this installment and it's honestly the biggest flaw of the game for me. The idea behind it is solid enough: keep the enemy in focus, adjust the right hand for maximum drawing speed, shoot when the time's right.
 |
| The Concentration Mechanic gives the player ample time to score quick kills and clear a tough room. |
The problem comes from the fact that you have to focus on reading numbers. Both the focus and the drawing speed are represented (mainly) numerically. Leaving aside the fact that you shouldn't be reading numbers on games, maintaining focus is already hard enough and needing to keep your eyes on two counters and the focus rectangular (especially with the mouse) is far more bothersome than it should be.
The duel mechanic is inherently flawed and the fact that the constant retries in the more difficult encounters break the game's flow (including the finale of the story mode) make it an addition I could've done without.
Based on the above, there is really nothing noteworthy about Gunslinger and truthfully enough, you won't be missing out on anything if you pass. However, where it excels and gets very little credit for is the presentation.
Graphically, the game uses a mix between traditional graphics and the cell-shading technique. I was never a big fan of it, but it's barely noticeable here. It is just enough to make it fit with the theme, as the game is supposed to be a retelling of the story from the protagonist done in the style of an old dime novel.
 |
| The Sense of Death mechanic spices up the shooting gallery gameplay and requires the player's constant attention. |
What is truly interesting is that the way the story progresses, it's done in combination with the gameplay. Most of the dialogue isn't actually in cutscenes, which themselves are beautifully presented in a motion-comic-book style, but rather during gameplay.
As you push further into a level, shooting bad guys in droves, Silas' narration explains the objectives and often-times the witty banter between the characters is more interesting than the shooting itself.
Whether this is a good or a bad thing I leave up to personal preference, but from where I'm standing, Techland knew they had a short and basic game in their hands (it's a budget title after all, for Ubisoft merely a quick buck based on name recognition) and they did their best to make it as interesting as possible considering the restrictions.
There are several examples of this effort. I was impressed with the way the game deals with its inherent linearity. There are sections where you are required to complete an objective before moving on. Instead of being locked away with invisible walls and "return to the combat area" prompts (an established and genuinely shitty way to go about it, by the by), you are merely not given a way out in the actual environment.
Then, when the objective has been completed, Silas will add to the story and all of a sudden a ladder will fall from the sky or a path with appear where there was none.
Another truly glowing example comes early on, when you're looking for a way into a mine. The game lets you enter the wrong way and play a sizeable chunk of the level, before giving you an unavoidable game over. Then it simply rewinds and Silas actively changes the story, pointing you to the correct route.
Between those touches, the good dialogue and the solid voice-acting, the game is really successful in creating the illusion that you are another character listening to Silas' story and you really want to hear what comes next. But you are not interested in just seeing the story, like we usually are in most games, you are instead interested in listening to it, experiencing it through the words of Silas Greaves, even while holding a gun and shooting down bad guys. It really puts the player in the position of the grandson listening to his grandad's old war-time stories and that's an experience not many games have managed to offer.
 |
| "Gunslinger" is fairly simplistic, but some attention to detail and environment has been added for taste. |
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a budget game, with whatever that entails. Techland did the best they could and in fact managed to offer a fairly unique FPS experience that doesn't exceed its welcome (around 5 hours for the campaign). It has a decent amount of replayability value, at least based on what that term means for modern shooters, with collectible "Nuggets of Truth" that reveal details about the series' history and the actual history of the Old West, as well as the standard New Game Plus mode and harder difficulty settings that enhance the experience by upping the challenge. These can at least double the time you spend on the title, while the "True West" difficulty can test twitch-reflexes and patience.
I wouldn't whole-heartedly recommend it; though it's a quality game, it's an experience that could've been offered for a lower price (it shouldn't exceed 10 bucks at most) and there are, in fact, better indie titles and old games on sale.
But it's a game that deserves to be played somewhere down the line. It's enjoyable for its duration, it's memorable enough and I wouldn't pass it up if found on sale. Generally recommended.
"Call of Juarez: Gunslinger" was developed by Techland and published by Ubisoft.
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