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Finally a good game for Western aficionados

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 18 / 19
Date: June 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Deliver some lead in this spaghetti western videogame!

Red is a gunner with a Clint Eastwood face (I would not be surprised if good old Clint sued Rockstar for using a skin that is a bit too close to his likeness). His parents were murdered when he was a child, his father's legendary gun, "the Scorpion Revolver," robbed. Now that he is old and skilled with all sorts of weapons, Red is on a quest to avenge his parents, get that gun and kill anything that gets into his way.

This game is an excellent western, and here are its game characteristics:

Graphics: 9 out of 10.
^^^^^^^^ Its like being at the movies, great 3D animation and wonderful graphic engine. The wild west finally revives...

Sound: 10 out of 10.
^^^^^ Music seem to come directly from the The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Sound FXs are perfect, voiceovers are well done.

Atmosphere: 9 out of 10.
^^^^^^^^^^ Story, voicovers, music, and graphics will all contribute to a perfect western experience. Gun slinging, western humour, duels... you get everything.

Gameplay: 8 out of 10.
^^^^^^^^ Yes good, but a bit too arcade "kill them all." You will have a LOT of fun though, expecially if you like things simple and entertaining. Plus, not only you command Red around the game, you will use also a cast of other 5 perfectly designed characters.

The Bottom Line:
Thus is a GOOD BUY:
1) for western movie fans.
2) for Rockstar Game fans.
3) for action oriented gamers tired of battling undead that jump out of the sewers or aliens in airshafts.

For all others, this is a possibly good game on which to spend your money, as its overall quality is undeniably great.

Fun, nice to look at, but lacking in depth.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 23 / 33
Date: May 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

It's been said of Stephen King before that he could publish a grocery list and it would sell a million copies. The perception of Rockstar Games is very similar these days. From GTA3 forward, the Grand Theft Auto series have been instant classics. That Rockstar is promising to "blow people away" with the upcoming San Andreas title is a scary thought considering how far they pushed the envelope with Vice City. With titles like State of Emergency, Max Payne, and Manhunt, they further solidified an already stellar reputation. Here's a company who puts out games the way gamers want them. No compromises or shortcuts, this crew clearly lives and breathes gaming and it's evident that they enjoy what they do. These days that's something pretty special, as huge production houses churn out/rush out titles that feel like they were made by people who never played them.

The point of all of this is that many people (myself included) probably went out and bought Red Dead Revolver more because it's a Rockstar game than anything else. Sure, it hits shelves at a time where HBO's Deadwood might have rekindled some national interest in Western-style media. But if I'm honest, I don't know that I buy this title on the first day if it's coming from EA, UBI, or some other company.

In that light, Red Dead Revolver is going to be a bit of a disappointment in the long term with people who buy it before checking the reviews. Make no mistake, the game is fun, the storyline compelling, the characters fun and interesting. The game play is solid, the controls easy to get down, there are no major flaws with the game. Except that it's relatively shallow. It is as linear as games can get. There's nothing to be determined or decided, save your shot/hit ratio, the damage you take during a given chapter, and what little extras you unlock. My experience playing is going to be exactly like yours, and yours like anyone else's.

Not that this is a bad thing for everyone. Red Dead plays like an arcade shooter. You play as one of a few different characters, but mostly the main protagonist, Red. With a variety of weapons (which can be upgraded throughout the game) you take down waves of opposition in a number of gritty Western movie-style settings. A ghost town, a graveyard, up in the mountains, on a train, on a ranch, etc. Beyond the normal aim, shoot and run, you also make use of something called "Deadeye Mode", which is a familiar slow-time mode where you can make a series of precise shots against one or more enemies. The third mode of play is QuickDraw, which is just as it sounds. The screen comes up, you pull down on the right stick, push up, and try to line up a number of shots before a slow-time clock runs out. I would have liked to have seen this worked into the game a bit better.

The game as a whole is fun once you put aside what could have been, accept it for what it is and enjoy the experience. It is not a title I will keep long-term, once done with the single player mode, it will get traded in towards something else. There is a multiplayer mode, but it's limited, and doesn't add (in my opinion) anything to the long term playability of the title. I felt Rockstar could have done much more with this title. There are times where you run around town between chapters with no real purpose. Let me get myself in trouble at the Saloon with a bar brawl, or end up in a Quickdraw shootout because I hit on some saucy barmaid that some other tough unwashed thug is interested in. Without some of the freedoms and depths Rockstar has worked into its other titles, you do eventually feel like you're just pulling the trigger in one chapter after another, just going through the paces until the inevitable finale with the men who killed your parents.

I highly recommend renting this game before buying it. I'm glad I played it, and I enjoyed it, but when you're done, there's nothing drawing you back in. Even Western fanatics might not find this one worth keeping long term. Definitely worth playing, but you might be better served hanging on to that purchase money for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas if you're a fan of that series. Make no mistake, this isn't about Red Dead not being considered on its own merits. I'm not holding it up against Rockstar's previous home runs, despite that being what drove me to buy it blind. This game isn't a flop, and it's not going to ruin the image of Rockstar, but my opinion is that it's one of their weaker titles. This game was handed off a couple times, starting with Capcom, ending with Rockstar, perhaps that has something to do with the lack of depth.

Positives:
Graphically impressive, everything is convincingly gritty and bleak. Everything has a spaghetti Western-style feel to it visually.
Solid storyline.
Fun arcade-style gameplay.
Hard enough to be a challenge, easy enough to be fun.
Bull/horse riding, stagecoach driving and train-related opportunities really add to the fun factor.

Negatives:
Restrictively linear, no opportunity for playing outside the lines.
Shallow. I know I keep harping on this, but depth is a hallmark of Rockstar titles.
No real replay value.
Weak online aspect doesn't really add to the game.
After about half the chapters, you start to feel like you've been there and done that.
Wants to be both an action shooter and a story-based adventure game. Doesn't really grab onto either and is sort of missing a real identity.

Rent it. Play it. Enjoy it. Then move on to something else.

High end of the 3 star rating for me.

Good Game challenging but not impossible

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: June 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Good game which I enjoyed. The game is challenging in some places but not impossible. To me its more of an old school game were you might get beat a couple of times until you change you strategy and I would rather get some challenge with a game then speed through it.

There are some levels in the game which are frustrating for one reason or another. The most annoying I can think of is the Diago stage since the game is very vague about explaining what your supposed to be doing while your getting shot at with cannons which is a bad thing. The key to making the game easier is to focus on getting head shots. Focusing on head shots makes the game a lot less frustrating.

The atmosphere and music in the game was very well done a lot of the voice acting is over the top and funny in a good way. The voice acting of the main character was little to similar to Solid Snake. The music is similar to Kill Bill which I thought had a great soundtrack so its a plus here.

The graphics are good, and I like that the cut scenes were done to imitate old movie reels with scratchs and dirt. Character models are well done and the levels are well designed.

There have been a lot of complaints about the dueling system which isn't perfect but isn't impossible. The key is drawing your gun out quickly. Theres a slight pause when the game is showing Red and the enemy and then goes full screen. If you time it right you can usually get a shot off first. I didn't have a problem until the end when the time gets a lot shorter for you to shoot.

The story is your basic revenge story so while it does a good job of drawing out the outcome, the outcome is always assured. Playing as different characters throughout the game adds some variety to the levels. Also having a town as a homebase works well. Red Dead Revolver also has a fun multiplayer mode with over 20 characters.

So overall Red Dead Revolver was a fun game that had some frustrating parts that were challenging but not impossible. It does a great job with the western genre but its not that long of a game so you'd probably be better off renting it first. Just remember to focus on those head shots!

I'd like to clarify a mistake many buyers seem to make

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: May 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

A lot of buyers seem to think that, because this is a Rockstar game, it'll have a Grand Theft Auto feel. However, Rockstar acquired the title very, very late in its development cycle after CAPCOM left it dead in the water. The most Rockstar did was polish it up (after the bulk of it was already programmed under Capcom's watch), and then they published it. So this is much more a Capcom game than anything else.

I myself have been waiting for it since it was with Capcom, starting about three years ago, and I'm satisfied. I possibly had too high of hopes for it, but after trying to find a Spaghetti Western fix elsewhere (Wanted: Dead or Alive, Dead Man's Hand), it's satisfying to finally get a game that was made with a passion and skill. The atmosphere is impeccable, the soundtrack is fantastic (when can I get it on CD?), and the gameplay surprised me. Usually I don't much care for games where you play as a character other than the protagonist, but in Red Dead Revolver, the six or so characters you get to play as (briefly; characters other than Red himself get two stages at most) mostly feel different enough that it's a welcome feature. I especially enjoyed playing as Shadow Wolf the Native American: how thrilling it is for a bad guy to fall over with an arrow visibly sticking out of him!

Replay value, too, is here, with the unlockable Bounty Hunter mode (in which you play through the game again, this time with odd goals specific to each stage such as "finish the level without getting injured," "finish the level with all headshots," etc.), unlockable "journal pages," and maybe most appealing, unlockable weapons. The most powerful pistol in the game, for instance, you don't obtain until the very last cinematic of the game. And for social gamers, the multiplayer aspect of the game seems like it'd be a cut above the rest with its distinctly different playable characters.

The only flaw I can think of is an unfortunate collision glitch (I guess that's what you'd call it; occassionally your shots don't register on a character as hits if he's in the middle of a pain animation from your previous shot into him, which is particularly annoying since one of the main aspects of combat is linking combos).

The music, though, is definitely the high point for me, with tracks taken from Spaghetti Western films, with such composers as Sergio Leone, Bruno Nicolai, Franco De Masi, and more. If you're a fan of the genre then there's no question that you have to get this game, and even if you just like action shooters and have no taste for the tumbleweeds, I think you'll be pleased. Just, please, don't expect "Grand Theft Auto on horses." That's silly.

Taking aim at "Red Dead Revolver". . .

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: May 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

If you're an avid fan of the western and a gamer to boot, then "Red Dead Revolver" is the only game in town that should get a tip of your hat. Western-themed games are rare to say the least, and good ones are rarer still. This is the latter kind, and its mature themes make it even more remarkable - it's as close as you'll ever get to playing through an old Clint Eastwood film.

You're cast as Red, a bounty hunter who's seeking to avenge the murder of his parents. His quest takes him through many bizarre locations and pits him against a wide variety of murderous outlaws. It's his job to shoot first and ask questions later... then again, he doesn't really ask questions, he just shoots people and leaves it at that.

The game's levels are usually brief affairs that revolve around one particular set piece or another and are jam-packed full of people to kill. Fortunately, all that killing is mighty satisfying. There's hardly a wide variety of weapons to help you along despite the designers' best efforts to bring variety to the period setting, but the weapons that exist are cool enough to compensate. Area specific damage and gouts of blood and gore keep things visceral and compelling. Red can fire from cover if things get too hectic, but it's generally not an essential tactic - even if it is a welcome option. He's also got a Max Payne-like ability called "Dead Eye," which allows him to slow time and take steady aim at his opponents.

You don't only play as Red during the course of the game. There are several other characters and storylines to delve into, and while they sometimes steer the focus of the game's story in the wrong direction, it's generally a welcome change of pace. Red's native cousin, Shadow Wolf, enjoys a particularly entertaining mission that encourages stealth and a fair aim with a bow and arrow. Some of the other character missions feel tacked on, though - such as the Buffalo Soldier's wagon ride back to town.

What's a western-themed action game without the occasional duel? Drawing on opponents is handled like a sort of minigame that generally fits well into the scheme of things. Unfortunately, it's too frustrating, particularly later in the game. It's more a matter of a luck than skill, and certainly could have been handled with more flair.

It's far from perfect, but "Red Dead Revolver" should provide hours of fairly mindless but addictive fun. With the lack of competition, it easily earns its place as the best western-themed game ever released. If this kind of thing rubs you the right way, go grab a copy.

Final Score: B

The Game I've Waited Years For...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: July 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Not since Wild Gunman on the old NES platform have I so throughly enjoyed a western game. First off, there aren't too many western games on the market to begin with but Red Dead Revolver gets it right. Rockstar Games has produced another winner. The game has sick graphics and smooth gameplay. The shootouts and levels are challenging but not frustrating. An average gamer can navigate the levels fairly easily. The weapon selection is large and varied, as are the levels. Red Dead Revolver could never be accused of being repetitive. You can change characters, ride horses and other animals, have a shootout on top of a moving train or just a simple bar fight. The targeting system is accurate and the duels are ultra cool. Rockstar even licensed some of the music from the classic Clint Eastwood westerns to give the game a complete touch. Also, the ability to take cover against rocks or walls makes the gameplay even more true to life. Overall, this is one of the best games I've played on the XBOX system and without a doubt the best western game ever made. Highly Recommended.

Know what, the experts were wrong!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: July 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Don't let the magazine and internet reviews by groups such as ign fool you, this game is really fun. Yes, the controls are not that great, the graphics are blocky, and unfortunately the game is short and does not offer xbox live support...but, the game is a blast to play, the theme is unique, the artistic quality is superb and the acting is attractive and well developed. Plus, it has a great story. I recommend buying or renting this game.

Sergio would be proud.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Being a huge fan of the spaghetti western genre, the commercials for Red Dead Revolver had me actually excited. The music that played while showcasing the action was nearly identical to that found in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. And how about when it ended with the cannonball heading right towards Red on horseback? I'm serious, I haven't been that hyped for a game since I saw the commercials for Donkey Kong Country back in '94. But when it came out, it got average reviews, and the price kinda threw me off. Sure, I shouldn't have let that get in my way, but I'm not exactly a fan of Rockstar's other games. So I waited for the huge price drop before picking it up. Was it worth it? Well, you obviously saw the 4/5 rating above this review, so yes.

Red Dead Revolver starts out with Red's dad returning home. Red's just a young boy here, so he's no experienced bounty hunter yet. But his dad comes home, showing off his new Scorpion revolver, one of only 2 made. Soon, the family is attacked by bandits. It's up to Red and his dad to take care of 'em. They hold their own well, but it's an uphill battle, and his parents are soon taken out. With his last ounce of energy, Red picks up the Scorpion revolver and blasts off one of the bandits' arms. Time passes, and Red's grown up. A rough-neck Clint Eastwood lookin' bounty hunter, and is a man of few words. He wanders around collecting bounties, and soon helps out the sheriff by taking out local problems. Along the way, Red befriends Jack Swift, an Englishman toting two revolvers, and a few others. All of which you play as at different points in the game. I especially loved playing as the Buffalo Soldier as he stands on top of a moving carriage, shooting bandits on horseback to make it into town in once piece. Kill guys, earn money to buy new weapons and multiplayer features, get revenge on your family's murder, and enjoy some of the best atmosphere in a game this generation. That's the basic premise of Red Dead Revolver. Not to put it down, but it is a tad bit linear. While Rockstar is known for free-roaming games, the only free-roaming you'll do here is in the town to go to different shops before heading on to the next mission. That's it. Another con is that it's mighty glitchy. Sometimes, enemies don't attack you. They just stay with their backs against the wall, and let you shoot at them. But guess what, sometimes your shots don't do anything. I shot one guy in the head 11 times, only to have him remain standing and talking smack. This was just one case of about a hundred I encountered. The game's also relatively short. I bought it last friday, and completed it just yesterday afternoon. And I probably only played 2-3 hours a day. I was disappointed when "THE END" appeared, but because of the Bounty Hunter mode (a little harder with cooler objectives), there was still a reason to go back and play it again.

A key gameplay element in Red Dead Revolver that makes it stand out is the Dead Eye feature. After you kill enough enemies, you'll be able to use this special attack. It slows down the action and you're able to target multiple parts on an enemy or more if they're around. This is a required feature, as there'll be many times where so much is going on, that you'll be glad it can slow down for a second. Also found in the game, is drawing. You know those long scenes in westerns when two cowboys are staring eachother down, one goes "Draw", and only one is left standing? Yep, that's here too. And it functions in almost the same way as the Dead Eye mode. When the time arrives, Red will stare down an enemy (usually a key character), and the camera will go down behind him right to his gun holster. Pull back on the right thumbstick, then push it forward quickly, and you'll have a few seconds to target the enemy and shoot. Yellow and red targets appear, where the color represents how much damage you'll do. It sounds easy, but sometimes you'll be taking care of 3 enemies at once in this mode, and sometimes the opponent will have the upper hand (especially later on).

The graphics leave a lot to be desired. I'm not saying they're bad by any means, but it really looks like it was slated for the ps2 and not Xbox as well. I'm convinced that Rockstar doesn't want to make the best of modern graphics in their games after playing through this sucker. Character designs were great. Red has a distinct look to him, Jack has that classic look that we all see in old westerns, and even the enemies (common and bosses) stand out from eachother. What's also great is the framerate. I never encountered any slowdown at all, regardless of how many enemies I was shooting up, or how many explosions were going off around me. But then there's the graphics themselves. I'm tempted to say that it runs at 60 frames per second because of how smooth everything is. Everyone here looks like they came from a rodeo in the GTA world. That means blocky bodies, blurry faces, and the usual fare. If it had been touched up more for this Xbox release, and it could've been done, I'd give this 4.5 stars. We all know graphics don't make the game, but this was released in 2004. Enough of that. The visual style in Red Dead Revolver is great. In cutscenes, there'll be pseudo-grain and lines over everything, giving it that old film reel look. I love it.

As I mentioned, the soundtrack is very epic. It's almost like they ressurected Ennio Morricone and had him make a new score for the game. There's not a bad track on here, and once it's over, you'll wish Rockstar had made a soundtrack for the game to purchase. The music that plays during duels is especially mood-setting. It has bells ringing, making it very chilling. Surprisingly, the voice acting is above average. Red himself doesn't talk much, but when he does, he talks just like Clint did in the Man With No Name trilogy. Supporting characters have voices that fit them, but some of the acting could've used work. And check out some of the boss lines. "I'M GONNA GIT YOU" doesn't sound that menacing from a skinny guy with a coffin on his back.

I wouldn't reccomend buying this unless you like the western genre, or are looking for something slightly new in your game collection. Red Dead Revolver's a great third person shooter, and you'll never feel cooler while shooting up people in a game. Just don't expect it to last you as much as it should. I demand more games come out like this one. Rip-offs (as long as they're done right) or not. And so help me god if you get Dead Man's Hand over this.

The most addictive game I've played since Doom 2!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Ok...I'll admit...I was really in the mood for this game on the heels of watching this season of "Deadwood" on HBO and reading Stephen King's "Dark Tower" books. Nonetheless, this is a solid 3PS game that never bored me. The levels go fast, the ability to play the occasional side character is compelling, and the whole theme a welcome change from standard XBOX fare. It's just hard enough to keep it interesting, but not hard enough that it ever really becomes frustrating. I'm not an avid gamer by any means, but I finished this one in about 10 adrenaline-fueled hours. Bravo to the developer for doing something new in a saturated market. Please PLEASE do a sequel!

I Thought it was Pretty Easy, and very fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

(...) Professor Perry and Mr. Black are pretty easy to beat. In fact, I went through the whole game in probably about one week, WITHOUT CHEATING. It's a little off the wall with all of its different characters and bosses, but it's an overall fun and entertaining game. (...) If you were able to, reaper104, you'd learn that beating the game unlocks new difficulty levels and the bounty hunter mode, which is where you're told to do certain tasks during each level, such as ALL HEAD SHOTS or something like that. It's a very fun game to play the first time through, then you have new options if you want to play again. Also, this game has the best soundtrack in a game that I've ever heard since Tony Hawk 2. It almost sounds like Kill Bill Vol. 1 at times, which is awesome. An interesting game that isn't Rockstar's best, but it was originally Capcom until Rockstar picked it up late into production. I think the reason so many people beat the game so quickly isn't entirely because of it being so easy, I think it's more that it's a very SHORT game. If you're an experienced gamer, it'd be best to rent it because you'll beat it within the rent period. Definitely worth playing.

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