Red Dead Revolver is a tale of vengeance against the forces of greed and corruption. The game begins with a young Red Harlow learning how to wield his trusty shooting iron when his mother and father are brutally murdered. Unable to stop his family's slaughter, Red grows up and becomes a formidable bounty hunter. He speaks little, and shoots often. In other words, Red is your typical Western protagonist. To balance out Red's linguistic limitations, Red encounters numerous other playable characters that are more animated and unique in nature. These characters include an English pistolier named Jack Swift, the female rancher Anne Stoakes, a stealthy Native American known as Shadow Wolf, and an African American US soldier known only as Buffalo Soldier. For the majority of the game players will be assuming the role of Red, but the other side characters have their own levels and side stories that add to the overall plot which as a whole is average at best. That doesn't mean its bad, it just not great. I won't go into too much detail, but many clichés from the western genre have been intermixed and tossed into Red Dead Revolver. So don't expect any huge revelations or surprises from this game. Action is the main focus here, plain and simple.

     Speaking of the action, Red Dead Revolver is a decent third person shooter with some interesting game mechanics although some of them aren't exactly perfect. The core elements of a third person shooter make their appearance in Red Dead Revolver. Players will aim, shoot, hide under cover, all things have done before and they all work as they should. Two new elements however make things a little bit more interesting. As players eliminate their enemies, they will be able to gain access to Dead Eye. Dead Eye is similar to Max Payne's bullet time as to it slows down everything around Red. Red goes into a sort of tunnel vision, where all the focus goes onto the target. Making it easier to pull off headshots, or riddle a target with multiple shots. Another distinct feature to Red Dead Revolver is the quick draw. That's right, quick draw. Throughout the game, players will encounter certain situations where Red has a stand off against an opponent. With pistols holstered, the player must draw their weapon, aim, and fire while their adversary is doing the same. The one with the slowest draw, or misses...well you get the idea. This is without a doubt, a love/hate feature. Although unique to the game and genuinely fun, can also be very difficult for even seasoned players. If Red Dead Revolver is going to cause some nerd rage, this is exactly where its going to take place. When it comes to the quick draw, there is no margin for error. Some enemies are easier to defeat then others, while some will make you want to toss your controller through the TV. Luckily, players have unlimited continues. There are also some bizarre difficulty spikes throughout the game, which can cause some heartache. But with a little persistence I don't see level difficulty stopping anyone from completing the game. The most disappointing aspect to Red Dead Revolver was the lack of free roaming. Being a game by Rockstar, many gamers were expecting a more GTA like approach to the old west. Although players are free to roam about town to buy new items, and listen to town folk chit chat, this only made me want to jump on a horse and see more of the western frontier. Being unable to did hurt the overall experience, especially when the tag line for the game was "The OPEN frontier of the West". It is very misleading, and as a result caused Red Dead Revolver to feel very confining. Red Dead Revolver also offers a multiplayer mode that allows up to 3 other players to join in for some gun slinging mayhem, but overall really isn't anything to brag about. New characters can be unlocked by purchasing different items throughout the story mode, and there are a few different game modes. None of which are really a whole lot of fun. Red Dead Revolver is better as a single player experience, and even though it is nice to have a multiplayer, isn't necessary for this game.

     Graphically, Red Dead Revolver isn't exactly ground breaking yet they get the job done. There is a very distinct visual style that effectively gives Red Dead Revolver that familiar Spaghetti western flare. Character and level designs, some of which are over dramatized, all look like they belong in the western genre. The overall visual experience can be marred from time to time by blocky movements, and frequent frame rate issues. These flaws aren't exactly deal breaking, have to be mentioned. Considering how Red Dead Revolver was originally going to be made by Capcom, and was rescued from going dormant by Rockstar Games, I'm actually surprised there weren't more issues. It isn't uncommon for games that are sold to other manufactures to be plagued with problems. Fortunately Red Dead Revolver comes in just above average in that department, but just barely. The same could be said for Red Dead Revolver's use of sound and voice work. Although the sound effects, and musical score add to the western experience most of the game's voice work aren't so hot. The majority of the voice acting is very clichéd and lacks any imagination. For example the character Red, the tough, rugged, mute bounty hunter has very few lines through the game. But when he does speak, the voice doesn't exactly seem to fit the character. Although Red's voice work in particular aren't really bad, they simply just don't seem to fit the bill.

     When it is all said and done, Red Dead Revolver is an average gaming experience. It has great elements, a true western feel, but unfortunately just comes up flat in certain areas. Fans of the old west will certainly get a kick out of Red Dead Revolver, and does merit at least one time played through for action gamers. I can't help put think if a little bit more effort, Red Dead Revolver could have lived up to the hype that was surrounding it, and even surpassed it. Red Dead Revolver isn't exactly a misfire, but I can't full heartedly recommend it to everyone.

Written by RB

Over and Out.

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