And The Ugly
Riding a horse is a crucial skill for many of the missions and is a relatively easy task. Just mount the horse by pressing the ‘Y’ button and take off into the sunset by digging your spurs into the horse’s ribs to gain speed. The actions of the horse are incredibly realistic. Turn the horse around 360 degrees and the horse’s head will lead into the turn just like real life. Buck the horse by pressing the X button and watch the horse jump upwards in an aggressive motion. Bucking is extremely useful for killing any animals you may encounter. However using the horse to kill animals is where the realism ends. The horse doesn’t appear to trample over these creatures but walk straight through them. The animal dies but it doesn't really feel like you had any part to play in it. Whenever your horse has any interaction with its environment it doesn’t quite ring true. Bump into another horse and it won’t push it out of the way, you’ll just rebound back off it. If you can forgive these minor flaws then horse riding is still a lot of fun.
Click for larger imageThe enemy A.I is notably efficient. You’ll occasionally get the odd cowboy who appears to be running around in circles with no idea where his target is located but 95% of the movement is fluid and everything you would expect from a Wild West game. Some enemies will even try and flank you whilst you aren't watching.
GUN has many missions and side missions. Sometimes you’ll be donning a badge and fighting for the law, sometimes you’ll be a renegade, and sometimes you will work for the Indians. You’ll attempt a variety of exciting objectives over the vast landscapes, including defending a stagecoach from would-be thieves whilst on horseback. You’ll roam around the vast landscapes on horseback looking for gold to mine or to visit the Indian shopkeeper to stock up on some arrows.
Click for larger imageGUN isn’t completely free roaming though. You’ll encounter a number of invisible walls that shatter the illusion and once you’ve got fed up of riding around on your horse for too long you’ll be straight back to the main towns to press on with the main objectives. There is a great incentive in completing the side missions which often provide a rest from the tougher objectives. Take part in the Pony Express, which involves delivering packages or messages within a certain time limit, or, herd some cattle into a pen and earn yourself $10 which will go nicely towards upgrading your weapons and the town’s store. Weapon upgrades include fast reloading gadgets and powerful add ons for your rifles. The money that you earn can also be used in the saloons. No Wild West game would be complete without a game of poker and you have the chance to win some extra cash buy entering Texas Hold em competitions. It’s a simple but necessary addition to any western.
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