Gun

Before purchasing this game, I had to sit and think for a spell as to whether or not it was worth my hard-earned cash. After all, this game was developed by Neversoft Entertainment... the same guys that make all those silly Tony Hawk skateboarding titles! Did I really want to take a chance? I had to admit, however, that the theme of Gun did call to me as there has been quite a dearth of titles that deal with the "Wild West." I have always found this odd as gun-fighting "on the range" seems like such a natural venue for gaming! Ultimately, I decided that courage was the order of the day and belted on my six shooters, along with my wallet, and went out and grabbed me a copy of Gun. It was time to see if Neversoft could hit the target…

Right off the bat, I discovered that the graphics where average to slightly above average---no big deal all things considered. However, if you play Gun on a TV with superior speakers, this will add some spice to the action as the music and sound effects during the heat of battle can be simply amazing---we’re talking about realistic sound effects, good enough to have you in total suspense during a gun fight. It is no exaggeration to say that you can actually hear individual shots ricocheting right next to your head! The soundtrack, likewise, provided an emotional impact that the graphics could not, proving to be a perfect match with the game's era, story, and content. Simply put, it’s the "cowboy style" at its finest. All things considered, the audio portion of the game is really quite an exquisite piece of musical artwork!

What the game lacked in graphical pizzazz was more than compensated by the terrific storyline and excellent control scheme! Your name is Colton White, a man who has some surprises in store for him. Briefly, White’s foster father had been hiding a secret that will ultimately cost him his life---during a gunfight, of course. This forces your character to discover more about his father’s shadowy past, resulting in White crossing the Old West, shooting his way through copious criminals, outlaws, apache indians, corrupt sheriffs and even politicians. Yes, this is the typical Western storyline, possessing all the hallmarks of the fabled intensity and savagery of the Old West most of us are all familiar with from countless movies---nonetheless Neversoft should be praised for bringing it to life so thoroughly.

The control scheme is another beautiful aspect of Gun. Generally, the third-person viewpoint can be a little bit confusing to utilize in any game that deals with precision shooting. But Gun implements its own system, entitled QuickDraw, which immediately switches to a temporary first-person mode while using a "slow motion" Matrix-like feature that allows you to aim correctly, giving you a chance against quick enemies on horseback or simply against a gang of numerous bandits. QuickDraw creates a good workaround solution to precision shooting (albeit, you still have difficult time aiming when you are not using the QuickDraw system). Overall, the controls are easy to learn and very well implemented for easy gameplay.

Alas, like an aging cowboy with a shaky hand, it all ended too soon. Gun proved to be rather brief. Just as the game was becoming truly challenging, and, for that matter, engrossing, I found myself looking at the ending credits with a deep pain within my very soul. All in all, I finished the game in just seven hours. Even after returning to the game a second time so as to be sure of completing ALL the side missions, the conclusion of Gun was reached in just under nine hours. Quite frankly, even if Gun was the perfect game for gun slingers, which, despite its charm, it is not, I would be forced to ask myself if a game this short is really worth the MSRP of $49.99. After all, even if you continue to play the game just for the thrill of having some pointless fun (those gunfights are mighty fine!), without a plot-driven mission, you will definitely tire of Gun in short order.