western posts

Games that are coming out soon have a lot of unknowns that the average person might not know. Who is this character inspired by? Is all the talk of volumetric fog or cel-shaded graphics really worthwhile? Do the game mechanics really seem solid, or are they lackluster? In All You Need To Know we provide information to help you fully appreciate what these upcoming games have to offer.

Feed your head after the jump.

Sometimes you just need to sit down, slide a floppy into your A: drive, and enjoy gaming retro style. We know this all too well! That's why we have a list of the best and brightest from days long gone. These are some of our favorite games of all time, and we're sure that you'll love them as much as we do, if not more. Welcome to Boot Disk, and enjoy the retro ride!

There's two great Western-themed games coming out soon. The first is Rockstar's sequel to the original Red Dead Revolver. The second is multiplayer third-person title Lead and Gold. However, both of these games, and virtually every Western game, owes a debt to a LucasArts classic. Before they pimped out the Star Wars license like no other, LucasArts did work in other areas. This includes Outlaws, which was one of the first truly atmospheric Western games. Its graphics may be quite dated at this point, but there's no doubt that it's a classic.

Games that are coming out soon have a lot of unknowns that the average person might not know. Who is this character inspired by? Is all the talk of volumetric fog or cel-shaded graphics really worthwhile? Do the game mechanics really seem solid, or are they lackluster? In All You Need To Know we provide information to help you fully appreciate what these upcoming games have to offer.

Feed your head after the jump.

Check out our collection of Lead And Gold related downloads here on Big Download!

1. Summary
2. Background
3. Hype

Western games are a polarizing franchise. On one hand, there's games like Outlaws or Red Dead Revolver, which really capture what makes us so smitten with the setting of the Wild West. The lawlessness and faux-honor of it all. On the other hand are games like Gun, which might be good, but somehow fail to emulate what we love. Lead and Gold aims to be a multiplayer shooter that fits solidly into the first category, but it has pretty big boots to fill. As it is an indie game, it's not received a whole lot of hype from the mainstream media, but that doesn't exempt it from a critical eye. It's time to take a peek at this upcoming multilayer-only title and see if it will measure up to the expectations created by other great games.

Welcome to Freeware Friday, a weekly column showcasing excellent games that you can play free of charge!

Gamers have been clamoring for a genuinely great western-themed game since Lucasarts' seminal Outlaws. While some have come close, none have quite reached that level of excellent gameplay merged with an engaging and believable story. While Smokin' Guns has no story, it's certainly one of the best western shooters around, and is a good contender to steal that title from Outlaws. It's rippin', roaring', take no prisoners western multiplayer action for absolutely no cost. Well, except for maybe your life. This game is addicting like only the best multiplayer shooters are!

messhof has released another of his strange, charming games for consumption by the general public. This time, it's the same-screen multiplayer game Cowboyana. It's a western-themed (you don't say?!) arcade game where you get involved in train shootouts, get hammered by drinking too much, get into a duel with your buddy, and various other activities revolving around you and your partner.

The game itself has a charming feel, capturing the western look with no fancy artwork. The special effects add to it, especially since while the smoke from shooting your gun is realistic, the characters are anything but. The music and sound adds to the experience, making it feel like a western movie condensed into pixel form. It's a lot of fun, even if you can't play the game on your own.