Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

If you have a hankering for a Western Video Game or need something a little different than the classic Red Dead Redemption than Call of Juarez Gunslinger is for you that successfully manages to refine this genre and include a few tricks up its sleeve. Add in the great price and there's very little to complain about.

I didn’t care much for the series after CoJ: The Cartel, so I was very surprised by the fact that the modest digitally distributed effort to return to the Wild West turned out to be the best Call of Juarez ever. It has brilliant storytelling, looks great and offers pure, unadulterated fun. At this price it’s a steal. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.66]

It feels like the developers at Techland did a little soul searching on this new game trying to come up with ways to creatively tell players are story, not cover up a poor narrative with swearing and racial stereotypes.

After an über-boring trip to the present, Call of Juarez has finally realized what makes it special. Code word is a pulp thrill ride, but this is what Techland does best. It ain't a milestone in gaming history, but it is a nice shooter with a pretty good narrative. [Aug 2013]

A few rough spots do little to tarnish this energetic and purely fun and unpretentious FPS. [Aug 2013, p.78]

Gunslinger is the best game in the Call of Juarez series and a gargantuan improvement over The Cartel. I thought that game might have killed this series, but thanks to a few smart moves on Techland’s part, I think they’ve cleaned this brand up a bit. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is definitely worth your time.

Although short, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a fun, exciting, and story-driven game. The way in which Silas recants his tales, the rewarding leveling system, the variety of locations and situations you play through, and the superb voice acting make the game memorable and worthwhile.

It may lack the sprawling epic world of Red Dead Redemption, but this is your next best choice for a Western fix that satisfies.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger lifts the franchise after the failure that was The Cartel. When you find yourself in a duel with sheriff Pat Garrett, you’ll forget everything about Battlefield and Modern Warfare. At least for a while.

Possibly the best thing about Gunslinger, though, is how little it costs. At just $15, it’s one of the best bang-for-the-buck games I’ve seen so far this year, and has a slickness and confidence that belies its budget price.

Gunslinger is a dynamic first person shooter, characterized by a charming setting and an engaging narrative plot.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger may be the most genuine take on an interactive Western yet, and that's including a certain color of dead redemption.

It is a great game no matter the price, but for about $15 it feels even better. A must-have for shooter and/or western lovers.

Gunslinger offers a bunch of enemies to shoot, and an interesting kill with skill gameplay.

Gunslinger is one of the best downloadable shooters on consoles and easily the best entry in the series.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Gunslinger's shootouts. The game certainly doesn't turn any FPS conventions on their ears, but it still presents tense and entertaining shootouts frequently.

What is surprising, however, is that content of this quantity and quality costs just $15. With its meaty eight- to ten-hour campaign and near AAA-caliber execution (plus an endlessly replayable arcade mode), this game could have easily been a full-priced offering just two or three years ago.

There's so much stupid satisfaction to be had from Gunslinger's bloody headshots and from nailing sweet combos that its flaws quickly disappear in a flurry of gunpowder and shotgun shells. It doesn't look half-bad either, with a semi-cel-shaded design and some nicely detailed environments that drive the Wild West theme home.

This Gunslinger isn't fancy or high tech. It excels where it matters most, with satisfying gunplay in a colorful old west setting that’s satisfying enough to have you forget or overlook the game's faults. If you're looking for a shooter that lets you spit fire into the hearts of your enemies, strap on the spurs and become a Gunslinger yourself.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger offers little challenge for experienced players, although its fun level design and high replay value make the experience worthwhile.

Techland managed to put the CoJ series back on track, delivering an entertaining and humorous FPS even if a little bit unpolished. If you like western films and games, this is a sure bet.

After the disgraceful neo-western The Cartel, Techland goes back to its Call of Juarez-roots with Gunslinger. And while the arcade mechanics rarely go beyond average, the imaginative narrative and the visual style draw you deep into the alternative history of Billy the Kid, Jesse James and Silas Greaves.

Fast, fun and stupidly simple, Gunslinger's easy to pick up...and easy to put down. [Aug 2013, p.67]

Gunslinger is a solid return to form for Techland, anchoring their colourful arcade take on the Old West in a story told with a great deal of heart and good humour. If only other parts of the game showed such originality.

Call of Juarez takes us straight to the middle of the O.K. Corral with its straightforward arcade gameplay. Unfortunately a dull AI almost ruins the breathtaking firefights, making the game much too similar to a shooting gallery.

Playing the game is a blast, as the whole "desperado" feeling comes through in spades. Story is a fun play through, and could be done in one sitting. But the Duel and Arcade modes offer a good amount of re-playability.

There's a laser-like focus on gunplay here that strips away much of the fluff. [Issue#99, p.81]

There are worse ways to spend a weekend than playing through your own trashy western novel. [Issue#136, p.119]

For less than 15 euros, Techland gives us an honest game which can stand the comparison with blockbusters. The developers took great care in making a nice environment through the use of cel-shading for graphics, music, and the voice that makes the game entertaining. But Call of Juarez Gunslinger ain't faultless. The game is quite short, the AI and the dullness of the gameplay are serious faults. Gunslinger is an arcade title that you should play like an arcade game: intensively and quickly!

If all you want is to gun down wave after wave of enemies set to the pleasant Southern drawl of its narrator, hang up your spurs and have at it. If however, you demand a little innovation with your arcade shooters, then much like Silas himself, tales of Gunslinger's greatness may be greatly exaggerated.

Gunslinger wipes away the disappointment of the previous Call of Juarez. The affordable price of this shooter makes up for its short adventure and its shortcomings: mainly a poor AI and the lack of multiplayer. Its overall good storytelling, and the fitting cel shading of its visuals make up for those as well.

Despite its successes and mild inventions, Gunslinger can't quite manage to struggle free of the general sense of ennui surrounding the corridor shooter in 2013.

Gunslinger offers an entertaining romp through a stylized Western world. The famous name dropping doesn't add much spice to Silas' revenge story and their gameplay implementation is even less memorable. But where Gunslinger falters with the legends of the West, it succeeds in creating a score-based shooter with an interesting, constantly morphing environment and charming narration.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger has some good ideas, especially the playful storytelling and how it directly affects the gameplay. And it's only $15 as a digital title. However, it gets bogged down with its on-rails confinement, its slow, overly precise aiming, and its tedious dueling system.