Gun is one of the first titles to come out for the Xbox 360. Suffice to say, this is one of the most grueling action adventures yet! The game is based on the gritty Old West where shoot-outs fill the local streets and the outpouring of bloodshed is reminiscent of the Civil War. While those days of transgressions are over, Gun captures it quite realistically. Everything from the use of weapons that are indigenous to that era to the ferocious Native Americans you’ll fight in battlefield, Gun stays true to the early “Western Civilization”. The story revolves around an important artifact that Colton, the main character, and Ned, your mentor, discovered during their confrontation with the local bandits. Colton barely survives after an intense shoot-out and is instructed by Ned to meet up at Dodge City. From that point, Colton’s misadventures begin to unfold in a series of missions, where he’ll deal with a former military officer turned corrupt industrialist and his greedy cronies along the way.

The game didn’t focus too much on the plot nor elaborate on it, but the transition from one chapter to another provides enough rapid-fire action that you could care less about the storyline. In the gameplay department, Gun does an incredible job of combining realistic shooting and the fast-paced commotion of a gun battle. The controls are simple and responsive, allowing you to maneuver your way out of a stray bullet. In your arsenal, you’ve got a good collection of authentic weapons to choose from, which include different types of bows, pistols, rifles, shotguns, and explosives. You can also purchase new items such as scalping knives and hatchets or buy power-ups to boost your character stats. The shooting mechanics of the game are virtually flawless and relatively easy to point and shoot. You also have an auto-aim feature that allows you to switch targets and take out numerous bad guys. It is a good tool especially when you’re trying to hit them while they hide behind cover.

Like Midway’s Mortal Kombat, Gun has tons of gory violence, and we’re not just saying that. The game isn’t just bloody; it’s freaking graphic! You’ll see a body flung to the ground after a head shot with blood spewing everywhere. It’s a very dramatic scene! We’re not surprised that the developer went with this gruesome effect for the fact that life in the Old West is filled with unruly justice. But we are quite amazed with their efforts and details to carnage, which is an experience you’ll never forget. One of the good things about Gun is that you have unlimited ammo, which means you don’t have to worry about reloading when you get into gun battles. This keeps the tempo of the game high and the action non-stop. Shooting is not the only thing you’ll be doing in this game; you get to ride horses and trample foes that get in your way. The riding part is really fun! You can execute quick turns much like power-slides in driving games, and thrust the horse into high gear; but just so you know that if you keep your horse running at full speed, it’s going to tire out.

We are impressed with the way the game handles the camera views; it doesn’t lose its focus. Everything is in third-person perspective, which allows you to see greater depth of what lies ahead. We like the fact that the levels are open-ended and packed with numerous side quests. You can enter different towns and have the option to be a good guy or a troublemaker. If you choose to become a menace to society, killing all habitants therein, the “town patience” meter will run out and you’ll be forced to a “showdown” against a gang of local citizens.  The enemies you’ll face are not that intelligent, but they do a good job of weaving and dodging your shots occasionally. If you feel that your foes aren’t up to the challenge, you can always adjust the game’s difficulty setting. With regards to side quests, these little assorted side missions are fairly easy. They range from poker tournaments to cattle ranching to hunting down runaway criminals. Most of these quests have their own unique twists and fun while they last. Since the game runs on an open-ended design, it’s good to know there’s an on-screen radar to indicate where your enemies are and where to go next.

Another thing we like about this game is the fact that the (story) missions come with multiple checkpoints. So in case you die, you don’t have to start all over again from the beginning. From a graphical standpoint, the game looks quite impressive. The characters are incredibly well animated and convey a near-perfect range of motion. The design of the environments really projects the image that you are in the Old West. You’ll see wild animals in the background and presence of tumbleweeds on the side of the road. The rest of the visual presentation looks great, too! The intermittent cutscenes are nicely done and the horseback riding portion of the game brings about a lifelike experience. In the audio department, the game features excellent voice performances from actors Thomas Jane of the movie Deep Blue Sea as Colton White, Kris Kristofferson as Ned, and Brad Dourif as one of the many villains in the game.

The sound effects for human grunts, horses, and explosions in the background deliver a convincing tone; even the weapons themselves feel like they pack serious wallop! Suffice to say, the music isn’t all that great. Most of the time, it’s muffled and faint.  But that’s going to be the least of your concerns since you’ll be paying more attention to the action than to the music. Regardless of the musical inadequacy, Gun is one of the great shooting games available for Xbox 360. It has some of the best gun battles and gory scenes to hit the video game market. The showdown, fighting countless enemies, and horseback riding are some of the game’s greatest highlights. The little side quests are really fun and boost the gameplay value. Unfortunately, the story missions are way too short, leaving you somewhat stranded. We hope that if there were ever a sequel to Gun, it would be nice to have co-op mode and a multiplayer included. For starting your Xbox 360 collection, this is a good game to get.