Neversoft has had sweeping success
with the Tony Hawk Skateboarding franchise. So much so, in fact, that the
development team has had little time planning out different games to create.
GUN is their first attempt in a long time to break away from the TH
series; and while GUN features an outstanding cast of actors and a
storyline that rivals major motion pictures, the game is a mixed bag of creative
gameplay elements like Quickdraw and somewhat simplified fighting scenarios and
campaign.
GUN is purely a
western-shooter. Much like Rockstar’s Red Dead Revolver released a couple
of years ago, GUN pits the main character, Colton White, against some of
the most eccentric villains one would expect from a game like this. The story
starts out on a steamboat as Colton White has received a startling confession
from Ned Colton, the man who has raised him since he was a boy: Ned is not his
father. Bandits raid the boat and kill all passengers, but not before Colton is
thrown into the river for safety. Now, with more questions about his life
unraveling, he must discover the truth behind the steamboat attack and stop
those who are responsible.
This is the West, baby: gritty,
suspenseful, and always action-packed. The designers have done a great job in
creating the West and their attention to detail is top-notch. Using advanced
motion capture technology, actors and stuntmen perform all physical activities
like walking and fist fighting which is embedded in the animation sequences for
added realism (this technology has rarely been used in games due to the high
cost of implementation).
Outside of the main game, you can do
all sorts of things a lone cowboy would want to do like poker, collecting
bounties on wanted fugitives, riding horses, or temporarily ruling the busy
Dodge City as deputy. The weapon selection for GUN is quite a treat,
featuring everything from two-barrel shotguns to machine guns. When you
eventually meet up with the Apache Indians, you are given a bow and arrows that
work surprisingly well in precision. They can eventually be upgraded for
effectiveness. Other non-conventional items in your arsenal include tomahawks,
whisky bottles, and bayonets.
Neversoft has designed their own
version of "bullet time" called Quickdraw. Just like it sounds, when in slow
motion, you can aim and shoot baddies much faster than they can hit you. To
replenish your Quickdraw meter, you must kill more enemies. Quickdraw, which
toggles to first-person, becomes especially valuable when pitted against a large
number of bandits. When not in Quickdraw mode, however, the control scheme feels
a bit simplified. Besides the ability to roll around and dodge (which depends on
the locking system), Neversoft has almost made it too easy to target characters.
If and when you do get shot, you can
gain health by pouring an elixir on Colton’s body (This looks a little weird in
play, especially during a fight sequence). The boss-fights take a lot longer to
complete and usually take a couple deaths before discovering the boss’s weak
points. Like I said before, Colton must ride horses to get from place to place
and to fight in vast environments. The controls for the horses are pretty solid
and allow you to focus your attention on enemies rather than the horse.
GUN‘s open-design and large
levels help make the missions a little more fun despite being quite short. The
sidequests Colton can complete help make an otherwise quick game longer. One
thing you will notice with the vastness of the environments is that in between
battles with Indians and bandits, it gets awfully lonely on the trail. Neversoft
tries to offer more content in the game outside of Dodge City where Colton can
hunt animals and mine for gold but it just isn’t enough to add longer replay
value to GUN.
Graphically, I’m disappointed with
GUN. Simply put, Neversoft designed this game for current-generation
systems and then upped the quality for the Xbox 360. This results merely in a
higher resolution image and higher polygon count. Compared to other 360 titles
currently available, GUN is unimpressive even considering the grand
landscapes and good character models designed for PS2, GameCube, and Xbox. The
sound, on the other hand, is put together quite nicely with a respectable cast
of voice actors ranging from Thomas Jane (The Punisher) as Colton White
to Kris Kristofferson
(Blade) as Ned Colton and a well orchestrated soundtrack suited
for a western-game. The sound effects come from direct sound recordings
Neversoft used on all weapons and explosions and are very realistic.
Western games haven’t been given
much attention in the industry which is a shame considering the incredible
potential the genre has to offer. GUN proves itself to be the superior
title compared to Red Dead Revolver, but lacks in certain areas that
could have made it a star. It’s a fun adventure that doesn’t take much skill to
complete. If you were one of those lucky individuals to pick up an Xbox 360 on
launch day (or pay well over a grand for one on eBay), you may find GUN
to be a good game to saddle up with…or at least rent.
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Gameplay: 8.1
A well thought-out effort on Neversoft’s part, GUN
features an assortment of gameplay elements that help make up for the short
campaign and over-simplified targeting system.
Graphics: 6.8
Next-Gen Graphics? Unfortunately, no. As the thorn in
GUN’s side, the graphical presentation is pretty weak compared to other
launch titles.
Sound: 9.0
A very nice collection of realistic sound effects, a
soundtrack ideal for the genre, and voice-acting straight from the Hollywood
hills.
Difficulty:
Easy/Medium
Concept: 8.5
It sure beats playing "Cowboys and Indians" with the
neighborhood kids.
Overall: 7.9
I had high expectations for the game, especially as a
launch title for Xbox 360. After playing through it once, I was left feeling a
little disappointed. GUN is still a fun adventure, but lacks in some
elements that could have made it a real hit.
