Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood (PC/PS3/360)

[Phar]

Just got this today and done the first few missions so thought I'd leave a few impressions, I'm a huge fan of the original so I had high hopes for this and from what I've played so far it more than delivers.

Techland have done away with the stealth elements from the first game which was the part that frustrated a lot of people, so it's basically all the Reverend Ray bits, which were by far the best, it's just all out Action for the most part. The shooting feels very solid and overall more satisfying than the original, they've also done away with the element where your guns became damaged after extended use, so no more searching around for a new gun, although you can still replace yours with guns dropped by enemies.

Like the first game theres also a second character to control, this time Rays brother Thomas, like Ray he's also an action based character but they have carried over a few bits from Billy in the first game. Billy had a whip which you could use to wrap around trees and pull yourself up with, Thomas has a lasso which you can aim at branches with, one really good thing they've added is once you've aimed at an object you then with the right stick rotate it to throw.

Rays concentration mode is back, for those that never played the original it sends everything into slow motion giving you a chance to take out 5 or 6 people at a time, in the original game on PC you pressed mouse button 1+2 to do this then you free aimed at enemies, in this you place the cursor over as many enemies as you can within a given time and it then automatically shoots them for you.

Thomas has his own version where it auto selects enemies but to fire you flick the right analogue to cock back the hammer.

As much as I loved the first game this just seems like a far better game already, missions feel a lot more varied and I'm not even that far into it. Also the graphics are fantastic, the first game in DX10 on PC looked brilliant but this is way above that, probably one of the best looking games I've seen this gen. There are one or two issues, theres quite a bit of tearing and the game pauses for around 4 seconds for checkpoints which can interrupt the flow of the game but it's not enough to ruin it for me

[Phar]

Just been playing up to Act 5 and been enjoying it immensely, highlight so far was a shoot out in a Mexican town after a bit of trouble in a saloon, shooting everything insight was great in the original game but wading in with your brother behind you all guns blazing is something else, theres the odd bit of teamwork involved as well like helping each other to climb walls and kick open doors, distracting a target while the other takes them out. Ray is an absolute ruthless badass in this as well, I know he was pretty badass in the original but that was in the name of God, but in this it's all about the money, he's just cold blooded.

If you've played the original Ray mentions not speaking to his brother in years, in this you can kind of see where it's going and exactly why fairly early into the game, it'll still be interesting to see how it's done though, the bickering between them during missions is great as well, especially if you take out a target your brother was shooting at.

The high noon shootouts have been over hauled, the original PC version just had you move the mouse as quickly as possible when instructed, this on the other hand involves keeping the other person in you field of vision with the left stick as you circle each other, the right stick draws you gun, you can inch your hand nearer so your quicker but you can only draw when your hear the bell, it is handled really well though as you have complete control of your right hand.

One other thing they've added is the ability to do side quests if you want to take a break from the main plot, just saved it at that point so haven't done any yet but I saw quests for retrieving cattle, looking for a wanted man and the retrieval of stolen property, so it's looks like theres going to be plenty to do outside of the main game.

Just noticed a great acheivement/trophy as well called High Noon, you have to kill 4 enemies between 12:00pm and 12:15pm local time

[fishbowlhead]

Dont suppose this has co-op?

[Phar]

Dont suppose this has co-op?

No, although there is an option on the menu for DLC content and one for entering codes so it's possible that it may be added at some point.

[Uli]

a quick question: is the predecessor any good? i have a promo copy somewhere in my shelves, never bothered to play past the first mission though...

[yesteryeargames]

i liked the 1st game allot, i thought it was one of many xbox games that went by unloved by many. the online was good fun in the 1st game, is it better in bound in blood . im hoping to pick up a copy

[Dazzyman]

Played it for an hour on PS3 yesterday (has full 1080p suport) and tearing aint that bad on it but it does have about 5 seconds pause at checkpoints.

Games good though and I got it on impulse so cant say I was expecting much but its really suprised me. It has great atmosphere to it. I didnt think the graphics where amazing prob average but the whole particles and audio do make it what it is. I started on medium and was way too easy so hard seems perfect.

So far so good

[MetalJoe]

Cheers for those first impressions.

Really like the first one, so more of the same sounds good to me. I'm a big fan of Westerns and I loved the atmosphere of the last game.

I reckon I'll def be picking this up when I can afford it.

[Brad]

Dazzy, but full 1080p do you mean that with both 1080p and 720p ticked in the display settings it outputs at 1080p? Cheers.

I forgot this was out today!

[Phar]

a quick question: is the predecessor any good? i have a promo copy somewhere in my shelves, never bothered to play past the first mission though...

Yeah it's definately worth playing through, especially if you like westerns, although it's not essential to play the original first i'd still recommend doing it before playing this one, as this game answers a few questions from the original.

Dazzy, but full 1080p do you mean that with both 1080p and 720p ticked in the display settings it outputs at 1080p? Cheers.

I forgot this was out today!

It defaults to 1080p if you have both ticked

[Brad]

Nice. I have become a temporary graphics whore since the arrival of my big 1080p TV

[Dazzyman]

Yea 1080p if you tick the lot (ie you dont have to force it). Its something I always point out same if its got 7.1 or not for PS3 versions as Im a 1080p and 7.1 whore

[Phar]

Just done my first side mission bringing in some Wanted Mexican bandits, they were holed up in some little fort, so I

->Open Spoiler<-

blew the doors off with some dynamite then proceeded to take them out, got inside the main building, shot a few more going upstairs, then some decided to make a run for it down the back stairs and fled on horseback, jumped onto my horse and gave chase, finally caught up with them hiding out in a small hut, took out the remaining Bandits except for the Boss who wanted a showdown, was quicker to the draw and finished him off as well to collect my reward,

excellent stuff, also randomly whilst heading back I saw a bunch of Bandits trying to rob an old couples coach so put a few holes into those fellas as well

[mr_woo]

Finally got to put this on tonight and it's great fun. The story's well told, (even if standard western fare) and the most important thing, the gunplay is really well done. The guns are loud, brutal and it's very satisfying seeing the enemies keel over with a few shots. Graphics are very nice as well though the animation during cutscenes is more than dodgy. Sound in general is really good and the music is decent as well.

Tried a bit of online and it seems fun though I was doing terribly and getting killed left and right. The spawning in Manhunt in particular is VERY dodgy, I've lost count of the number of times I've spawned in front a few members of the other team. Hopefully it's something they can patch up and fix.

It doesn't seem to have a party system as such with you only able to create a match and have private slots for player matches, not ranked matches. I'm not sure if after each create match you stick together or get thrown out to the main but after each custom/quick match I tried tonight you get kicked out to the menu.

I'm pretty certain that upgrading only occurs within the specific matches, it's not a persistent ranking which goes on. Anyone know how to actually upgrade during a match ? I still can't figure it out!

Also, with my Gamestop copy I got a code that you put in under the 'Exclusive Content' option on the main menu. I think it might be a code everyone can use as it's an Ubisoft game and I didn't download anything.

The code is 585A926D

This gave me guns called Super Rangers for the first two chapters of the game (it says specifically for the first two chapters only when you use the code) and it also unlocked a 'Heavy Scoped Rifle' though I've no idea where in the single player that would occur, maybe if you use Thomas as I'm just using Ray at the minute. It also unlocks a multiplayer skin called 'Hombre' and gives you a good bit of cash to get whatever guns you want early on in the single player game. Feel free to give the code a whirl and see if it works, though beware that the Super Ranger guns are gold, just in case you want a realistic rusty weapon to use

[Sketcz]

they've also done away with the element where your guns became damaged after extended use, so no more searching around for a new gun

Awww man, that sounded ace.

I really like it when guns jam in FPSes. It was great fun in STALKER, never knowing when one would seize on you.