CALL OF JUAREZ : GUNSLINGER : Review

Relive the hunt for the biggest bandits Western anyone? If so, that's good because that's what Techland offers through a nervous title with a tasty atmosphere and a unique narrative quality. It embodies Silas Greaves, bounty hunter in his spare time, telling her in a saloon feats to a captivated audience. The homecoming of the series is it successful, and most importantly, the quality is it to go with such a small price?

"A bad episode, that you can plant a series! "Said one day an old farmer in Arizona about the saga of Call of Juarez. After a third episode missed frankly, things have, it seems, evolved. Determined to make their mea culpa, Polish developers have now understood that a game on the Wild West has to happen at the time of the Wild West. The result today is a nice arcade FPS's claims formed, leaving only in dematerialized and an introductory price attractive. It is clear that the title, despite some flaws, is fulfilling its objectives and will keep you entertained for 6-7 hours, or even a little more if you are focused on scoring.

When "budget" rhymes with "limited ambitions"

Let's start with the realization since we always learn the bad news first. First, know that its graphic aspect, the game features a cel shading rather economical, allowing a Chrome Engine 5, a little older, a breather. The motor home, used since "The Cartel" episode starts to show its limits (who said "Riptide"?) And we feel that Techland has wanted to give a second life to this album. The transition to such a report, inevitably recalling the Borderlands is a success for a first try, even if one could blame him some imperfections. Some textures are a bit limited and the clipping is a little too far. Everything remains fluid at all times and relatively pleasing to the eye.

However, we quickly get used to the technical choices that allow for a consistent style while avoiding the developer to squander the budget as where it could clearly not excel. Remember that this is probably the "result of the last chance" for the saga. The artistic touch is relatively well controlled and it is with great pleasure that we visit typical of a good western atmospheres: abandoned mine, ghost town, saloons and other populated expanses of wild Indian in short, the works! The cut-scenes We note in passing very "cartoon" bringing a little more fun in a way not missing lightness.

The soundtrack on the other hand is generally a success. The music is pleasant without being masterful and well accompany the fight sequences. In terms of voice, again the work is quality. The voice acting of the main stakeholders, VOST, perfectly punctuate your missions, dialogues are well written and often bring a touch of humor. Special course to doubling the hero who leads his boat a deep, pleasant voice mention contributing to the quality of the narrative. This is a point to which we return later because the speech Silas holds a crucial place in the game

On the menu tonight: arcade gameplay effective and advanced variety

Do not see Gunslinger as a title that showcases the subtlety. It is actually a nice big arcade défouloir said that giving the player more tools to manage its gunfights. Besides the QTE multiple executions and dodging bullets fatal, include among others the now classic bullet time, which will save your life more than once. Next up, the skill system allowing you to specialize your hero through three trees used to build character bounty hunter will be appreciated. So you can spend your points earned in battle and become a master of guns, a sniper made a castagneur or a mixture of all three. All of which allow you to vary the pleasures in effective but too little diversity action sequences.

AI enemies to perfectible and level design dirigiste

If we dig a little deeper into the critical, one could say that the fighting regulate mostly taking cover to eliminate one by one each enemy themselves are often stashed. And since the gunfights are almost all playable stages, we would have liked a wider "bestiary" to avoid some redundancy over hours. There are many Indians, sometimes favoring the body-to-body, the sturdiest enemies that you must slay, or the boss, but the limits of AI and scripts are quickly felt. On the enemies of Completion for example, we must admit that they leave us wanting more, and while some out of the ordinary (including one thinks of hide and seek in the sawmill), their sequences are set globally all in the same way: take cover with the right timing and buggers blows dynamite and bastos in the face.

That said, make no mistake, although improved, AI is rather good job when it comes to follow the predefined route, to hide and take us to view as a rabbit. The real concerns are hardly visible, even if the scenes on trains you will see a typical behavior of FPS AI unsophisticated: the enemies you aim and shoot, even when you're not in the room . The "fault" is due to the level design, which at these levels, is intended to be very narrow and not necessarily adapted to the scripts of your opponents. Reassure us immediately, these sequences are few problems. Speaking of level design, it is good to define Gunslinger as a FPS deliberately very interventionist in order to trigger the appropriate narrative. Remember that you are playing in the memories of an old man telling, years later, it happened at precise moments of his life. So do not expect out of predefined rails during your part: you have a well marked path and very few alternatives.

A narrator in the heart of the plot and game design

Too few games where the story takes a major place, and that's a pity. Gunslinger is one of those games that, like a "Bastion" or "Alan Wake" put the narrator at the heart of the adventure. Here, the interest is based on the status of the latter, and the evolution of his story. Silas, decidedly focused on whiskey, will tell his story sometimes rough way, changing some details in the evening or returning to historical facts, which directly affects the part of the player. An example of a stalking bounty hunter takes him to the door of an abandoned mine. The narrator explains that he had, at that time, the opportunity to borrow a difficult path and populated with enemies. The player, who is obviously not a choice, enters a gallery infested with bandits, who also eventually collapses on itself. Is then expected to have the game over screen when suddenly the narrator speaks again and evokes this dangerous path, saying that it was obviously a bad idea to borrow and he finally chose to stay a safe level. Rewind the action, you're back near the entrance of the mine and a ladder appears before you magic! This is obviously an example and it is best that you discover these "stories tainted" by yourself in order to maintain the element of surprise which adorns most chapters.

The narration altered: we want more pleasure!

We note nevertheless a certain inequality levels vis-à-vis the concept of narrative altered. If chapters such as marshes are an opportunity to observe an impressive range of processes such as changes in climate or environments building before our eyes, it regrets that some sequences just confined to the appearance of scales or opening passages. Nothing serious about 6-7 hours of play, of course. Let's just say that the concept is so valuable that we would have liked to see much more often exploited, and especially more equitably distributed between each level.

Between revenge and redemption ...

Always about the content, we welcome the presence of a New Game Plus Mode to test different levels of difficulty while keeping its objects and improvements. If you wish, you can also play without HUD, which will enhance the immersion to repeat the adventure as a real cowboy and discover the two epilogues proposed. Besides the story mode, there is an Arcade mode you will face hordes of enemies, and that showcases the scoring and online rankings. Similarly, if the many duels the story mode you liked, remember that you can relive them through a dedicated mode, giving the opportunity to chain millimiters clashes where reflexes count as much as placing your hand over your six-shooter.