Platform: PC

Genre: Action

Publisher: TBA

Developer: Iridon

ETA: Q4 2003

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Wanted Guns

Shootouts in the Old West are something we don’t see nearly enough in games. We get a piecemeal offering every once in a while, and a whole lot of promises that more are on the way, but rarely do Western games see fruition. That being said, Iridon has a new action shooter based in the Old West coming to the PC by the name of Wanted guns, combining first and third person action elements with a touch of stealth.

Set in Mexico during the time of the American Civil War, Wanted Guns’ hero is one Reverend Devlin, a grizzled, gritty old man of the cloth with a shady past. In his younger days he ran with a gang of bandits pillaging Mexico, only to eventually stab them in the back by stealing all of their booty. He didn’t get away scot-free though, being chased down by one of his ex-comrades, Santiago Pedraza. Eventually the two clashed and when the dust settled Devlin came out the winner, but not before losing an eye. Leaving Pedraza for dead, Devlin set off to start a new life, working as a priest. Ten years pass and one day on his way home Devlin returns to see it in ruins with everyone dead and his stolen gold gone as well. It turns out that a gang known as the Blood Hounds had struck, led by the man he thought was dead, Pedraza. Now Devlin has to set out to get his gold back and exact revenge for all those killed in the gang’s attack.

Devlin will get his revenge in Wanted Guns by traversing various dust soaked environments shifting back and forth between a first and third person perspective, armed with the expected mix of weapons from the era: dual pistols, barreled shotguns, a Winchester, dynamite, a small crossbow, and an Apache knife. First person mode is like your typical FPS perspective complete with crosshair, while third person mode is done from almost directly overhead. Unfortunately there’s no word on how the targeting will work in third person mode, but if we had to guess, some sort of auto-lock system seems the most likely choice. But Wanted Guns isn’t all about walking into town and mowing down the bad guys, guns blazing. There will be some instances where stealth is necessary, sneaking up and slitting throats or using your crossbow, adding a touch of strategy to the game.

Features:

A story driven western shooter that combines third and first person gameplay, set in the dried up deserts of Mexico as well as the legendary Wild West.

Players will be shooting, riding, and sneaking their way through a variety of locales including the Mexican ghost town of El Cuervo Perdido, the abandoned mines of the McCrary brothers, and the renowned mountain woods of Colorado.

A slew of trigger happy enemies - ride 'em down with your horse or kill them using an impressive arsenal of typical western firearms including dual revolvers, barreled shotguns, Winchesters, and dynamite. In addition, enemies can quietly be assassinated using the deadly Mexican cross-bow or a razor-sharp Apache blade.

A modernized western soundtrack inspired by the most classical “western noir” motion pictures of the 1960’s.

Really, if you’re looking for a chance to slap on the chaps and be the new sheriff in town your choices are extremely limited in gaming. We’ve heard about the occasional game in development tapping into the Old West theme, but they’re a rarity indeed. Hopefully with Wanted Guns and its grittier motif we’ll have at least one worthwhile title to fill the void.

- Mr. Nash

(November 13, 2003)