Call of Juarez

"Great Concepts do not equal Great Games"

If there is one particular historical setting, one genre of fiction that is almost never touched upon in video games, it's the American Western. Even considering that, for the vast majority of gaming's existence most games have come from Japanese or European developers, this particular little world seems like it would be perfect for any number of games. In particular, a Western first-person shooter is, on paper, a solid idea for a fast-paced, kill-everything kind of experience. Unfortunately, what we're left with is Call of Juarez, a game that tries to be everything at once, and ultimately fails to deliver on the most important aspect of any game: fun.

Graphics: When Call of Juarez was released, the graphics were already a mixed bag. The environmental effects were, at the time, quite beautiful, if not absolutely amazing. The game's desert setting allowed for a large number of particle effects and similar tricks to be utilized to their full potential, creating one of the most enticing settings seen in any video game. If you could see that swaying grass or rushing river when this game was released, the sight will stick with you forever.

Then you run into other characters, and all that attention to detail is crushed by the horrible character and weapon models. Half the time, it's hard to tell whether someone is composed of polygons or simply has no face. The other half, the characters are so clear that you wish you couldn't see them. The guns all have a fake look and feel to them, further drawing the player away. Overall, it's sad to see a game with graphics this good and bad at the same time. (6/10)

Sound: I'll just skip this section. The only thing you need to know is: music good, voice acting bad. (7/10)

Gameplay: The developers obviously couldn't decide on what kind of game to make, so they split the whole thing into two alternating characters: Billy and Reverend Ray. Billy's sections play out like a cross between a platformer, a shooter, and a stealth game. Ray, on the other hand, simply goes through a series of classic shooter-esque stages, all ending with the traditional gun duel. Billy can swing from a whip and climb ledges, while Ray can "quick draw" his guns and take a lot more damage. While this sounds cool on the surface, in practice it's a major hindrance.

Let's start with the good. Reverend Ray is by far the funnest of the two characters, both because he channels the spirit of every fundamentalist Christian to have ever lived, but also because his levels are straightforward kill-fests. If you go ten seconds in a Ray level without shooting at cowboys, bandits, Native Americans, banditos, or every non-believer you can find, you're obviously lost. This, unfortunately, is quite common, as Ray's levels are far too large for his kind of gameplay. It's simply too easy to end up wandering around, only to have to spend ten minutes going the other way.

Furthermore, Ray's guns have a habit of breaking down as he uses them. This means he has to keep finding new weapons to keep his stock up. Unfortunately, this also means it's very possible you'll suddenly find yourself with a smoldering gun butt and ten baddies shooting lead in your direction. One final irritant in Ray's levels has to be the duels. Basically, once the signal begins, you push down and then up on the right stick to draw your gun, and then use the left stick to dodge and the right stick to aim and shoot. This is actually pretty cool the first time, but after that becomes boring and repetitive. They even have a minigame with nothing but duels, unfortunately.

Now, Billy is a whole other story. See, he doesn't get any form of protection until halfway through his second level, meaning he has to sneak around enemies. Unfortunately for you, this means crawling from one bush to the next, keeping out of sight until the guards turn their backs and you can mosy along. There's no way to judge if the guards can see you unless you're crouched in the bushes, which means you can never safely move towards your objective. Furthermore, getting caught will either result in Billy's death or his having to start all over, thereby increasing the frustration tenfold. Billy can also use his whip, but it's a nightmare to properly utilize, and feels like it was tacked on at the last second.

The multiplayer modes in Call of Juarez leave a lot to be desired. There's all the basic modes, but the game itself is so laggy, and the classes so unbalanced, that there is little to no fun to be found in any of the games. If you want solid multiplayer, fire up Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4, because this is NOT it. (3/10)

Story: Call of Juarez is about the legendary gold of Juarez, hidden hundreds of years in the past. Billy Candle is returning to his little home town after failing to find the gold, and after getting in between a ranch owner and his daughter. Soon after returning, however, he finds his mother and stepmother brutally murdered. Even worse, Reverend Ray's sermon was interrupted after screams were heard, and he stumbles upon the seen right after Billy arrives. As a result, Billy is forced on the run, with Reverend Ray assuming his self-imposed role as God's wrath to "come not in peace, but with the wrath of the Lord!"

All quotes aside, the story isn't that bad, and is the main reason I slogged through the single player. There are the usual twists and turns aplenty, and although none give Final Fantasy a run for it's money, the tale is enjoyable and wide-reaching. Too bad it has to be placed in such a poor game. (8/10)

Overall: Call of Juarez has so many great ideas, it's sad to see it fail like this. It'll be a long time before we ever see a good western game, I guess. Until that time, I will be passing my time with Sunset Riders and reruns of Gunsmoke.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 01/04/08

Game Release: Call of Juarez (US, 06/07/07)