Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Where are the Western FPS games?

With the exception of Call of Juarez, the Western FPS sub genre has gone largely neglected. I think the subject matter is rife with possibilities. As my friends know, I am not that good at multi player FPS games. Part of the reason is that I am just not that into them. I don't enjoy getting sniped from 200 yards away or getting chewed up by modern firepower at close range. I was very excited about Call of Juarez when I first heard it was being produced. That excitement ended about a half hour into the game. I had expected something akin to the classic western FPS called Outlaws from Lucasarts. What I got was a poorly designed, uninspired crap fest.

It has been over ten years since Outlaws was released and there hasn't been one good western themed FPS (or other genre) game in that time. There have been a plethora of World War II games in that time. I'd like to see a AAA publisher use something like the Unreal 3 engine and give the western theme another go. I am skeptical that this will happen since you won't have huge explosions and guns that can shoot through schools, but I can dream. Hell, I'd even like to see a computer adaption of Kenzerco's Aces and Eights table top western rpg. Imagine, no flak jackets, scopes that let you shoot someone from half a mile away, frag grenades, or air strikes. It would be mano a mano with six shooters, rifles and bows.

Are there any settings that you think are being neglected?

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