Neversoft western open world in a violent and cinematic Wild West. Gunfights, horse riding and revenge are the keywords. Authentic western atmosphere, varied missions and engaging storytelling make it an excellent PS2 open world action game.
Your verdict
Category
Open-World1 player18+
Description
A Western open world by Neversoft and Activision released in 2005. The story follows Colton White, a cowboy crossing the 1880s American West on a revenge quest. Shotgun and revolver gunplay, horseback riding and bounty hunter side missions: a Western GTA that runs short but lands well.
Gun review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
The art direction sets a grimy, disenchanted American West, far from the heroic western. Muddy mining towns, smoky saloons, dusty plains and Native American camps compose a barren, violent 1880 frontier, ochre palette and low light in tow. The imagery owns the rawness of a revisionist Wild West, that of survival, blood and the law of the strongest.
The music summons the whole imagery of the spaghetti western. A dry guitar with Iberian accents, a plaintive harmonica, whistles, broad strings and solemn brass raise a Morricone-like score, by turns contemplative and epic. This great sonic breath accompanies the long rides as well as the gunfights, lifting the hero's hunt to the rank of a twilit frontier legend.
Colton White, a hunter raised far from the towns, sees his father shot down and discovers the secret of his origins. His quest for vengeance throws him into a merciless West, among secret societies, gold-seekers and threatened tribes. Carried by a renowned voice cast, the adult story owns the harshness of its era, scalps, betrayals and massacres composing a dark, uncompromising frontier fresco.
An Activision open-world action game in a twilight, violent Old West, praised for its atmosphere and its freedom on horseback and on foot. Still common in the West, its interest lies in this western setting little explored on the console rather than scarcity. An affordable piece for fans of open-world and western atmosphere of the PS2 era, accessible on the market.
