Western is the only cinema junk whose death was announced at least a hundred times (we personally did this back in June, in previous Red Dead Redemption ) and which, nevertheless, stubbornly refused to lie down in the grave prepared by him in the middle of the praerie. True, this does not apply to cinema: the last western on the big screen-“The elderly is not a place” (2007)-and it doesn’t look like Western at first glance, although if you wish, you can find all the characteristic attributes of the genre, with that only one the difference is that the traditional human morality in the new millennium was out of work. Evil of the new formation silently steps in white socks, killing everyone. It does not recognize the rules, it is impossible to agree with him, and the old sheriff can only state his helplessness, constantly comparing himself with the heroes of the past-their fathers and grandfathers were also killed, but they were fighting!
For a handful of dynamite
Call of Juarez , Of course, it is extremely far from the work of the Cohen brothers. This game is generally not up to psychologism, metaphors and complex subtext (although if you wish, you can find morality and several subtle hints), but there are horses, cowboys, Indians, busty women, salons and prairies. This is a refined wild West – without shocking anatomical details, but also without unnecessary troops, without unnecessary pathos.
The first part of the game, not even sweating, worked out almost the entire obligatory genre program: a charismatic arcer shooter with two revolvers and the dark past, a Mexican villain, robbery of the train and the search for the treasures of the Aztecs. It was best in the game that a trick worked with a show of game events on behalf of two completely different characters. Playing for 19-year-old Billy, we hid the level of level with onions in the bushes and stole horses from the stall. Under a hail of bullets, sparkling with buttocks, cigent from the window of the brothel and for half an hour climbed onto a tall rock in search of an eagle pen.
His native uncle and the worst enemy – the Monk Rei – felt much better on a flat earth. Walking in the footsteps of a non-battered nephew, with the stubbornness of a religious fanatic, he watered with lead everything that moves and holds in his hands at least some barrel. A special button served in order to let the enemies let all sins a second before his death – during the shooting, the Monk easily pulled out the Bible from his pocket and read out selected quotes from there. It makes no sense to say that contemplative walks and acrobatic exercises performed by Billy many then seemed something like the necessary evil, which should be endured for the sake of another bloody massacre. The crazy preacher stolen all the show, and it is not surprising that they decided to devote to him precisely.
The difficulty is that the history of the first part was quite self-sufficient and did not really need continuation, so Call of Juarez <: Bound in Blood– This is a prequel, its action takes place twenty years before the events of the original. Looking ahead, let’s say that this solution turned out to be one of the main shortcomings of the game, because most of the plot of Bound In Blood was diligently chewed in the first part – if you, of course, listened carefully to the monologues between the missions between the missions. In general, with maintenance of intrigue in Techland This time it was not asked from the very beginning – the first video in the game gives an exhaustive answer to all questions about which of the characters will reach the final credits, and who does not. So, even if for some reason you missed the first part, we advise you to stock up on a popcorn and lean back in your chair-the Poles finally learned how to make it beautifully in Bound in Blood (it is not a shame to show the faces of the characters now; You can’t say about their facial expressions), but they have nothing to say.
Turn them higher
However, we are not offended by them for this. Having cut out all hints of stealth from the game, walking missions and physical puzzles (a la, build a staircase of wooden boxes), Techland compacted the action so that you will only have enough free time in the game. Fifteen levels fly in a maximum of 6 hours with the speed of shooting a machine gun Gatling. It all starts in the trenches of the Civil War of 1861-1865., where Rei (then by no means the Monk) and his brother Thomas fight on the side of the slave -owning south of the United States. Already here the developers, as they say, give Call of Duty (only with capsule pistols and smoky gunpowder; Bound in Blood is the first decent game that gives us such an opportunity): the brothers are rushing around the battlefield, stoically firing from the advancing Yankees (see. Epic episode with an easel machine gun against the backdrop of the flag of the Confederation of the Confederation Flag), drown from the gun, and in the finale – they explode the bridge for a couple.
Having encouraged plenty, the brothers decide to desert from the army: in the dangers the family estate of McColov, and, ignoring the order, they go to the protection of the house. The brutal Yankees rob and kill the plantators met along the path, while the brothers make their ways with fields and gardens. Having put a couple of hundreds of enemy soldiers along the way, upon arrival, they find only the youngest of the brothers – William, who returned from the theological seminary,. Meanwhile, the war ended in the victory of the North, the estate was destroyed, and the vengeful Colonel Barnbby (remotely similar to the eerie Mexican Danny Trekho from the films of Robert Rodriguez), who wants to find and hang brothers for desertion, followed on the heels. Taking William with them, Ray and Thomas hit the run, hang around in the most lawless places of the Wild West and look for adventures on their heads. And, to the horror of the peaceful William, as a rule, find.
Despite the fact that there are three brothers, you can play only for the elders – Ray or Thomas, choosing one of them in front of each mission (the second will be controlled by AI). William got the role of the narrator: most of the plot monologues “behind the scenes” belongs to him. At the beginning and end of the game, events are presented on behalf of the oldest – Ray, who, despite the familiar voice and steel cuirass, is still far from as charismatic without the Bible as in the first part. Well, Thomas – unshaven cowboy and womanizer in a hat – the rights of voting outside the script scenes were not given at all.
For a pious seminar, both older brothers are the animals who have lost human appearance, ready to gnaw throats in the struggle for gold and women. But for you and me, they are still different: Rei traditionally knows how to fire with two hands, set fire to a dynamite from a cigar and even shoot a six-barrel machine gun on the move, like a terminator. Thomas is already the nearest analogue of Billy from the first part: not so strong, but Lasso can use and climb high obstacles. On this, by the way, many joint actions of the brothers are built: Thomas every now and then helps the heavy ray to climb high ledges and presses the remote levers to lower some bridge.
But they best manage the jointly stripping of the premises from enemies: Call of Juarez still shamelessly uses Bullet Time, which is not embarrassed to turn on without your participation. This happens: in some places of level (usually near closed gates and doors), special icons appear, standing on which the brothers can take some kind of joint action. At the expense of “three” they take out the next gates, behind which a bunch of bandits/Yankees/Confederates/Indians hide, and shoot those four hands.
Alternative firing modes that become available after several successfully demolished heads are also tied to constant murders. Each of the brothers also has its own way: Rei knows how to stop the time (the screen at this time becomes black and white, and the enemies are highlighted) and put the points on fixed enemies, then to lay everyone in one gulp. And Thomas-to lower the shutter manually, choosing the goals automatically (at the same time we just need to eat the mouse back and forth). This for the most part is distinguished by the passage of the game for different brothers – the levels for all are common, and in especially responsible situations we are simply deprived of the right to choose a character.
Red sun
Despite the fact that the levels of Techland Traditionally made with a lounger for gigantism, Bound in Blood is a typical corridor shooter, in which they strict the ruler on the fingers for retreat from the provided route. When playing for Thomas, you can throw Lasso and start jumping on the roofs, shooting the puzzled enemies from there, but most levels are designed to ensure that the brothers pass them shoulder to shoulder. Some cooperative would come in handy here, but it, unfortunately, is not provided for. Logic is clear: Bound in Blood is a short, through a scribbled, extremely saturated performance for one player.
There is not a drop of visionary, not a single new idea, but there is no time to pay attention to this – the density of events goes off scale. We just fired from a machine gun in the trench, and after fifteen minutes – we are hiding from the brutal abolitionists in the sprouts of corn. And in the first five minutes of the next level we will have time to shoot a sheriff’s duel, escape from a burning saloon, hide the wagon and break out of the city with a battle. The developers drag us by the hand by levels, preventing us from recovering. While we are taking a spirit during the next script scene, they catch Paphos: Colonel Barnbby, tinkling with medals, solemnly swears that he, “like a gentleman and a southerner,” cannot give “these villains” to hide; Well, a sheriff, before calling our heroes to a mortal battle, picturesquely throws his badge into the mud.
It is only worth ending with the next protracted dialogue, as it all starts again – shooting, chases, explosions, picturesque enemies, chasing again, spitting, spitting through teeth and delicious curses (you need to hear the harmless self -forgetful “Son of a Bitch with self -forgetfulness!"). Any attempt to explain the charm of this game will certainly reduce the retelling of the chosen moments. Bound in Blood is a swift and spectacular action movie in which there is nothing superfluous.
Techand try to shoot as much as possible and be distracted as little as possible. Health is now restored automatically, and the weapon no longer breaks after a couple of dozens of shots. So, if you wish, you can carry at least the whole game with you-the cartridges under your feet are still in bulk (although, in a good way, they could abolish them-they are distracted only from shootings). True, a couple of times the locomotive of the game nevertheless makes a short stop and gives us freely walking on a small piece of the open world-there you can stock up on weapons, cartridges and complete a couple of tasks for catching especially dangerous criminals. The cards, unfortunately, are outrageously empty, so you hardly want to linger there for a long time. Who needs horse racing on absolutely empty prairies, when such an action occurs in the plot missions?
The brothers travel from one city to another, run away from the military, participate in duels, each time leaving a mountain of corpses, until in a random shootout somewhere under the sun, Mexicoes do not provide a service to the leader of the local banditus, who draws them into a deadly hazardous adventure with the participation of the dark -haired beauty of Marissa, the young leader of the Apaches, the already familiar Colonel Barnbby and the damned gold of the Aztecs. Needless to say, from such a union it will not be greeted to absolutely everyone – the Apaches, Navajo, Mexicans and the military? Having been captured by the Indians, in the next few minutes we defend the village from the attack of the colonel’s people, so that then the other tribe that guarded the ancient medallion is already cleaned up. Which in the end will lead the brothers to the already familiar lost church and three graves indicating the path to the treasures.
Despite the fact that most of this we have already seen in the first game (and the level of the storm of Fort Huarez is generally copied from there), the prequel retained its Lady Linda Casino main advantages – the graphic engine and the amazing work of artists. The gamma of the game is no longer limited by all shades of yellow and brown-we will find green forests and amazing golden autumn of Georgia, drowning in the fog of a ghost city, orange rocks arisons and many other completely unforgettable landscapes. At the best moments, Bound In Blood is insanely beautiful, and only a short -term visit to the Red -skinned village of the Red -skinned village stands all hours of gameplay.
* * *
Techland did what they expected from them-they corrected most of the original roughness, taking only the most popular action-attractions and rallying them in several hours. But along with the increase in the number of explosions, it was far from so interesting to pay attention to everything else. So if you haven't played Call of Juarez yet, then you are doubly lucky. Find the first part (and be sure to install an official DX10-APDET on it) after passing the prequel is the best option to get acquainted with the history of the McColov family.
Reigracy – yes
Cool plot – no
Originality – no
Easy to master – yes
Evidence of expectations: 80%
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 7
Sound and music: 8
Interface and management: 8
Waited? Like the original Call of Juarez, Bound In Blood – this is a swift action movie about the wild West, in which the scenery and game situations replace each other almost faster than you manage to press the trigger. We are waiting for Rockstar response with their Red Dead Redemption!
Mania rating 8.0
"Great"
[[Break]] at noon near a saloon
Since the first part of the duel, the game has changed significantly: it is ridiculous to evade bullets in the neus -style bullets. Now everything happens very quickly and depends entirely on your accuracy.
During a duel, opponents go in a circle, like two cats before the attack. Try to ensure that your enemy is always strictly in the center of the screen.
The right hand must be held as close to the revolver handle as possible, so that at the right time pressing the mouse button to grab it.
Bell! We grab the revolver and combine its sight with the body of the enemy. Remember that you have only one shot in stock – the enemies in the game are very well -aimed.
Have or not
Trying to make the game more dynamic, the developers cut out from Bound In Blood many opportunities that worked perfectly in the first part of Call of Juarez. Playing the prequel, we are guaranteed to not be able to:
Theater of military operations
Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood – an incredibly dense and saturated shooter. Within the framework of one level, you can have time:
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