First person shooters are one of the popular genres in video games today, accessible to veteran gamers and casual players alike. However, with the overwhelming presence of games like Halo and Call of Duty, it can be difficult for less mainstream shooters to break into the market. They need to add either a very special element of gameplay, or offer a distinctive and unique style. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood takes the latter route by delving further into one of the most underdeveloped themes in video games today: the western. It doesn't deviate too radically from the form of most shooters, but it doesn't have to, because all of the little differences really add up to make it unique. Players will need to adapt to weapons with six-shot “clips,” get used to using a repeater rifle instead of the standard machine gun, and — in loving memory of the first Call of Juarez — do a little bit of platforming. When they all come together, they make an exciting and unique game that should not be missed by any fan of shooters or westerns.

The first Call of Juarez followed the tradition of the American western, with a heavy emphasis on exploration and the majesty of the western landscape. This prequel, though, is spaghetti through and through. It's a little more linear, but there is no shortage of action, and the stealth elements that alienated so many people from its parent game are done and gone. Instead of the dualistic mix of stealth and action levels, Bound in Blood offers you a chance at every level to play as one of two brothers, both highly adept at combat in their own special ways. Ray is a returning favorite from the first game, and he is well suited to a run-and-gun style of play. He can wield a pistol in each hand and is armed with a pouch full of highly gratifying dynamite. Furthermore, he reloads faster and is a bit more durable than his brother. Thomas, on the other hand, is a more versatile character, with many options at his disposal ranging for his formidable skills with a rifle, a bandolier of knives that never miss, and a bow at later stages of the game. He moves quicker than Ray, but is also a little more fragile, so players favoring Thomas will need to be more careful. Whichever choice you make, though, the other brother will back you up in any gunfight, and if you find yourself dissatisfied with your choice, you aren't stuck with it, because you get to make it anew at the beginning of each level.

The gameplay itself is, in a word, solid. Other than older weaponry, it isn't a whole lot different from conventional shooters. That being said, any western nut such as myself will be giddy at the chance to wade into combat armed with classic single action revolvers. The tactical elements of the game aren't quite what they could be, with enemy AI being fairly straightforward. You rarely have to worry about them actually attempting to flank or outmaneuver you, so most fights are simply determined by how fast and accurate your aim is. The fights are still fun, though, and backed up by a handful of little tricks, such as concentration mode: a special trick of gunplay that is different depending on which brother you're controlling. One of the most fun elements of the game, though, and perhaps the most western, is dueling. Periodically, you will find yourself facing down prominent enemies in classic standoffs where the winner is the man with the fastest draw. The fast-draw is something unique to westerns, and Bound in Blood is the first game to have a system for it that can match the one found in the classic Red Dead Revolver.

The multiplayer mode in Bound in Blood leaves a little bit to be desired. It's fun, but it could have been much better. With 13 different non-customizable classes and no weapons or power-ups on the map, the whole thing is very cookie-cutter, and it seems like sacrifices of quality were made in an effort to be more similar to other class-based multiplayer shooters. For now, though, it remains the only option for multiplayer western games, and it will have to do. There is something that must be said on the single player mode, though. This is a game that prominently features two brothers with different styles of play that are nearly always acting alongside one another. There is absolutely zero reason for this game to not have included a mode of cooperative play. It would have been so ideal for co-op that the omission of such a mode almost seems like a taunt from the makers.

When all is said and done, though, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, is a very good game with a few flaws that can be easily forgiven. The multiplayer seems like more of an afterthought, but the single player is outstanding. The levels, while a little straightforward, are fun, action-packed, and well-rendered. On top of that, they're backed up by a good story and excellent voice acting, and with two brothers to choose from in the game, there is no shortage of replay value. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood comes together very well in the end, and, for now, it is the definitive western on any console or PC.