After half an hour walking around the Montana wilderness, I realized hunting requires a lot more patience (even in a PS2 game - which means gaming really has made quantum leaps and bounds in terms of approaching reality) than I thought - or had. I saw some deer tracks, waded along the crystal clear lake, tried several tools of the trade to attract the buggers - but no luck. I ran into a wolf once or twice, and on all occasions had to be "moved out of the area by the forest rangers" (damn lupine bit me). That's it, am playing this game again when I reach Level 7 in my Zen and Yoga studies.
Rockstar's foray into the western genre, Red Dead Revolver, is a bit more my speed, where I can just go in and start shooting. The story is a bit generic - boy's family gets killed, grows up to be a bounty hunter and goes after killers for revenge. However, being Clint Eastwood in a Clint Eastwood movie - now, that caught my eye. I still dream of wearing a cowboy hat (and having a cowgirl and ... ok i digress).
Having itchy trigger fingers, I got sidetracked into its Showdown mode, where you shoot people for money. Ok, its not shooting 'people' as in innocent bystanders (like the Grand Theft Auto series) but duelling with other characters (up to 3) in the story. I personally go for the deathmatch mode where you rack up $$$ as you put more bodies to the ground. I'm getting good at it, still reaching the money limit first even if I had to deal with 3 enemies. If I feel a little more malevolent, I turn the tables and make 2 other characters my teammates (its usually the uptight Annie Stoakes and the go-getter Christina - hmmmm), and the 4th one is the unlucky bastard taking a dirtnap, oh say about 45 times in the next 8 minutes.
Graphics-wise its just okay, and presentation does look cool - there are moments when it looks like you're watching an old western on a grainy B&W TV. Despite some engine/code quirks (an enemy could be headed your way but still shooting at where you were 10 seconds ago), its still an enjoyable, if juvenile (hahaha), romp. You get to stretch your imagination a bit by having Knockdown Pistols, Explosive Shotguns, Venomous Arrows (!), Ice Rifles (!!), and the occasional scalding hot coffee to use on your enemies. I like it when I get the Burning Rage power-up, and I just make a beeline at everyone (yeah, even my girl teammates) and send them all scampering in flames before they shoot me down like the dog that I am.
Hey, I haven't even played the story mode yet. This might be another game I could have the time and interest to finish, just like Manhunt (another Rockstar gem - though I wonder why I never got far in Grand Theft Auto - ah, I know: I suck at driving) early this year ... but in the meantime, I still get kicks out of the Showdown mode, and trying out new characters (to shoot) and new locations (to shoot these characters). So, if you'll excuse me, General Diego, the Guvnor, and that clunky Manny Quinn need some holes in their heads.
Slap leather, ya varmints.
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photos from rockstargames.com/ign.com
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