GUN
November 15,2005 -

At first glance, GUN looks like it could be deemed “Grand Theft Horseback.” However, this romp through the gritty Wild West is not quite what it seems. While the game does attempt to be somewhat of a “sandbox” style game, it falls short in a number of areas and has virtually no depth. The game ends up being a short, sometimes frustrating, shallow attempt at a free-roaming western adventure. Nevertheless, it does have its moments and the experience actually ends up being mildly enjoyable.

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Check out some of the villains of GUN.

You take on the role of Colton White, a surly but modest man with uncanny firearm abilities. After a short day of hunting with his father Ned, Colton finds his world in turmoil. Ned and Colton are traveling on a steamboat that is carrying some trinket that only Ned knows about. Next thing you know, a crazed priest and his bandits are raiding the boat in search of said bauble. The steamboat sinks, killing Ned. Colton barley escapes with his life. Carrying a special item Ned gave him, Colton makes his way to Dodge City where he begins his search for answers.

While the story is an interesting one, and is one of the main highlights of the game, it passes all too quickly. Lasting less than eight hours, the game slices through the storyline like a hot knife through butter. This hurried pace keeps most of the characters from having any real depth, and there is practically no time to get to know anyone in the story aside from Colton. Even though the story may leave you feeling a little dazed, it still ends up being a rather enjoyable romp through the dusty west.

The short-lived storyline leaves you with a minimal amount of missions. Nonetheless, the tasks are quite eclectic. There is a good variety of shooting, riding horseback, and blowing stuff up that will keep you occupied for the duration of the narrative. If the story is not to your liking, you can always participate in some side quests. The side missions range from playing poker to hunting wild game, and they help build your stats as well. The side missions can be a good time, but they lack any real sagacity. Sure, you can build your stats up by participating in the missions, but ultimately it does not make much difference at all. You can complete the entire game without taking part in a single side quest. GUN would have benefited greatly from a better reward system and some real stat building.

With a name like GUN, you can bet your spittoon that gunplay is a big part of the game. There is plenty of variety in the action due to a good selection of weapons. Your pistols will dominate a good portion of your time due to Colton’s quick-draw power. Quick-draw slows the action down for a limited time, allowing you to line up multiple foes for quick execution. Each of the other weapons have distinct strengths and weaknesses, and you will find each useful at various points in the game. The bow and arrow is great for a stealthy approach, while the rifle and sharpshooter are great for long-range attacks. Colton also has fun with dynamite, Molotov cocktails, and his trusty knife. The variety in attack options is great, and you always have a choice of how to dispose of your enemies.

The actual action of running and gunning can become quite frustrating at times. The aiming reticule is quite small, and the controls can be overly sensitive. This causes you to speed the aim past your foes all too often. With this spotty aim, taking on multiple baddies at once becomes a daunting task. The only way to effectively take out large numbers of enemies at once is with a quick-draw shot. If you do not have your quick-draw available, you are in deep trouble. The gruff evildoers will wait for you to reload and then jump out and bombard you with lead. While not perfect, the AI is decently smart and enemies will dodge bullets, run for cover, and pop you in the head if you stand in one place too long. Luckily, Colton has some special juice in his trusty flask. If you happen to take some damage, you can take a swig out of the flask to completely replenish your health. Refills for the flask are abundant (especially on easy and normal difficulty), so refilling your health is never too difficult. The combination of frustrating aiming, tough AI, and easy health refills leaves the game feeling unbalanced.

Graphically the game is solid from head to toe. The essence of the Wild West is captured perfectly in so many ways. The characters all look great and they are dressed in time appropriate attire. The horses look fantastic and they animate extremely well. Towns look grand, and the interiors of the buildings look spiffy to boot. However, the real graphical charm comes through in the cut scenes and battle sequences. The cut scenes offer some great cinematic flair along with some of the best-animated characters we have seen in awhile. The gruesome headshots in quick-draw mode are also a real treat, even if they are a bit over the top. Generally, aside from a few hiccups in the framerate and some very slight mishaps in animations, the game is prettier than a brothel full of buxom beauties.

GUN is extremely solid in the sound department as well. Everything from the gunshots to the gallop of the horses is well done, but the real pleasure is in the voiceovers. With the help of some top-notch actors, the voice acting is unparalleled. Recruiting the likes of Kris Kristofferson (Blade: Trinity) as Ned, Ron Pearlman (Hellboy) as bad guy Hoodoo Brown, and Thomas Jane (The Punisher) as Colton White, ends up being a recipe for success. Each actor gives a great performance and the characters are extremely believable from beginning to end; it’s just a shame that the end comes so soon.

Overall, GUN turns out to be about average at best. The great voice acting and the solid graphics are just not enough to keep the game afloat. Somewhat shoddy controls and the lack of depth just drag this title down too much. If you are looking for a quick, well presented and mildly fun experience then you should give GUN a rental. Recommending this game for purchase is like recommending that you poke a badger with a spoon; it’s just not a good idea.

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