Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Review [360]

Polish developer Techland’s first foray into the western shooter genre, 2007’s Call of Juarez, proved to be a mixed effort. While it sported a pretty sturdy game engine, lush visuals and an interesting approach to the narrative (telling the same story from two different perspectives), it suffered from some awkward gameplay mechanics and unbalanced mission structure. Although playing as the Reverend Ray was undoubtedly fun, as he tore through border towns like a whirlwind of fire and brimstone, Billy’s stealth sections were frustrating and upset both the pacing and balance of the game. Those who’ve been waiting for the definitive Western shooter will be glad to know that Techland has addressed most of these problems in the game’s prequel but, due to some iffy design and some under-developed ideas, their wait isn’t quite over.The main change in Bound in Blood is how the game is structured. The prequel tells the story of the infamous McCall brothers, Thomas and a pre-God Ray (sadly, no Davina), as they desert the Confederate army to protect their homestead. Thankfully, this time around both of the main characters are actually fun to play as and Techland has cleverly offered you a choice of either brother in the vast majority of the game’s levels.  Like in the first game, Ray is a pretty badass gunslinger able to dual-wield pistols and throw dynamite. Thomas is a more subtle combatant than the all-guns-blazing Ray, favouring ranged weapons (he’s a dead-shot with rifles) and silent kills. The first game’s Concentration Mode (think Wild West bullet time) also returns in Bound in Blood, with both characters now able to slow down time. Like before, Ray’s Concentration Mode allows him to tag multiple enemies before taking them down in a flurry of gunfire, while Thomas targets multiple enemies automatically, simply requiring you to pull down on the right stick, as if you were hammer-firing a pistol.The balance between the characters is much better this time around, although the way the abilities are divided requires you to suspend disbelief a little. For example, it’s hard to imagine why older brother Ray can kick doors in and Thomas can’t. Or indeed why Thomas can climb over some obstacles and Ray can’t. It’s also slightly disappointing that the choice of character has no bearing on the story – while Billy’s sections in the first game all too often veered into the realm of tedium, the way that the structure allowed you to view the same events from two perspectives added some depth to the story. In Bound in Blood, the choice of characters has no impact beyond the gameplay.Nevertheless, it’s hard to knock Techland for this when you look at the game as a whole – the overall game structure is undoubtedly better and, with no sneaking sections to worry about, the game can concentrate on delivering action. And there’s a lot of action. Gunplay in Call of Juarez is definitely satisfying – aiming and firing feels quick and responsive, while the weapons all pack a suitably meaty punch, allowing you to take down most enemies in a single well-placed shot. From the opening Civil War section it’s obvious that Techland has kept a keen eye on FPS games over the last couple of years and you can spot the influence of high-octane, cinematic shooters like Call of Duty in Bound in Blood. The game often pits you against a large amount of enemies and doesn’t shy away from the big set piece, with a stagecoach chase and a canoe section being standout moments. {PAGE TITLE=Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Review Page 2}The developer has even adopted the most fashionable of FPS mechanics at the moment, the cover system, albeit with mixed results. With no button to snap the player to cover, the game instead does it automatically if you stand close enough to an object or wall. You then simply need to move the right stick left or right (or up and down if you’re crouched behind an object) to lean out and take aim at the bad guys. However, it feels too slow to enter and exit cover and you’ll occasionally take cover behind an object when you’re trying to walk around it.  For a game that leans more towards balls-out action than tactical combat, the cover system seems both unnecessary and a little underdeveloped, two criticisms that can also be levelled at Bound in Blood’s open-world sections.At two points in the game you’re offered a bit of freedom by Techland. Based at a gun shop, you’re free to take on a number of side missions to earn yourself some cash which can be used to buy/upgrade weapons. These sections don’t work particularly well for two reasons: firstly, the rest of the game is 100% linear so it’s a little jarring to suddenly put the narrative on the backburner as you explore the landscape looking for bad guys. Also, there’s not enough variety in the side missions to hold your interest. While the objectives may differ slightly, all too often the side missions play out in essentially the same way. Ride horse to destination, get shot at, shoot bad guy’s henchmen, have a duel with the boss man. There’s no real need to complete these missions – you’ll earn enough cash during the main story missions to upgrade your weapons anyway – and a more cynical reviewer than myself might suggest that they only exist to pad out what is a pretty short single player campaign (around six to seven hours on the first run-through).But, if there’s one saving grace of the side missions it’s that they allow you to explore the game’s stunningly atmospheric landscapes. Techland deserves credit for the game world it has created in Bound in Blood. Although the early civil war sections show off some pretty impressive battlefields, the environments really start to shine by the time you reach Arizona, recalling John Ford’s iconic Monument Valley films. The draw distance is superb and, when combined with the visual heat-haze effects and the little details like Buzzards circling overhead, it all adds up to a highly atmospheric experience and this is the real draw of Bound in Blood. It feels like an authentic Western movie.Although the story is littered with Western clichés (the troubled preacher, the noble savages, the w***-centric love triangle) it really doesn’t matter because that’s what we want from a Western game. This isn’t Deadwood, this is Tombstone, it’s Young Guns, it’s City Slickers – OK it’s not City Slickers, but you get the point. Bound in Blood revels in the clichés and, while it may not manage to craft a great story, it’s dripping in atmosphere and it makes you feel like the badass gunslinger you wanted to be as a kid. It’s hard not to smile the first time you bust through the saloon doors as concentration mode kicks in and you take down everyone inside in a matter of seconds. And it’s the same when it comes to the duels. Sure, they’re overused in the game and seem to act as a cheap replacement for a boss battle, but they’re genuinely atmospheric. As such, if you have any interest in Westerns you should play Bound in Blood. Its mechanics are better than the first game, as is the structure and the whole game plays out like a clichéd but authentic Western film.  Although it somewhat bafflingly lacks a co-op mode, there is enough variety and fun in the multiplayer game (stay tuned for a MP review next week) to make up for the short single player game, especially in the new Wild West Legends mode. There may not be a lot of competition in the Western shooter field and, until we see what Red Dead Redemption has to offer, Bound in Blood is clearly the fastest gun in the West.