The old west is one of the most mythologized periods of the modern era. Immortalized in pulp novels, films, and television shows, the era is inseparable from modern pop culture. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that some excellent video games have been made set in the time period. In this article, we are taking a look at a few excellent western games for any fan of the genre.
Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2
The Red Dead Redemption series by Rockstar Games breathed a new life into the western genre. The first game was released in 2010, and followed the pretty standard western revenge story. However, it wasn’t the story that won people over. Rather, the characters and the world made RDR a massive success.
Players control of John Marston, an outlaw whose seen it all. Within the game, you not only get into shootouts and gunfights, but can also drink, ride for days, and gamble. Now, gamers are no strangers to gambling, as online casinos are actually quite popular among people who love video games. And since recently Canada has been relaxing its restrictions on online casinos, anyone interested can go to this site, and find the best legal, reliable gambling websites in the country.
The success of the first game spurred Rockstar to create a sequel, which hit stores in 2018. Completely new characters, an even broader world, and vastly improved graphics made Red Dead Redemption 2 an instant success.
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is the fourth, and widely-considered best game in the “Juarez” series, developed by Techland. The story follows an unreliable narrator, the bounty hunter named Silas Greaves, who just happened to be there for all of the most notorious events in the old west. A love letter to the western genre and the late 19th /early 20th century American history, Call of Juarez is guaranteed to present players with a fun time, interesting characters, and surprisingly well-done comedy. If you find yourself enjoying this game, then also check out the rest of the Call of Juarez series, which is just as entertaining.
Red Steel 2
Our final entry on the list is a Wii-exclusive game released in 2010. Developed by Ubisoft, Red Steel 2 is a sequel to the less-successful Red Steel. While the original can’t really be described as a western, the sequel definitely combines the tropes of Japanese samurai films with those of the American western, to create a visually stimulating tale about a lone swordsman roaming a futuristic desert landscape.
The hero of the story is the last survivor of the Kusagari Clan, a notorious clan of bounty hunters and martial artists who combine sword and gun skills to create their own unique fighting style. The game takes advantage of the Wii’s motion controls, creating a truly unique hack-and-slash experience. Inspired by greats in the genre like Devil May Cry, Red Steel 2 is guaranteed to present any fan of high-pumping action with a wonderful time.