Westerns are a staple of Hollywood, especially following the massive popularity of the so-called ‘Spaghetti Western’ sub-genre in the latter half o the twentieth century. It’s therefore understandable that these movies resulted in more and more entertainment lovers looking for video games that followed a similar premise, which we saw come to the fore in the early 2000s. This article will look at three of the very best Western video games that have been released, packed full of cowboy-shootin’, and gun-slingin’ action.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)
Red Dead Redemption 2 was released almost five whole years ago! This was one of the most anticipated video games ever to be released, following on from the universally loved first installment. Serving as a prequel to the first game, Red Dead Redemption 2 follows the story of Arthur Morgan, a man on the run, and his gang of fellow outlaws trying to survive on the new frontier. While the stories of the first and second games aren’t overly connected, you will notice some familiar characters.
The influence of the Wild West is, of course, visible in plenty of other entertainment sectors including that of the casino industry with titles such as Bounty Raid, Wild Showdown, and Desperados Wild Megaways on offer. However, the influence of the online casino industry can also be seen within the mechanisms of Red Dead Redemption 2, as players can dabble in games such as poker, blackjack, Dominoes and Five Finger Fillet.
Clearly, Rockstar has picked up on the widespread appeal of immersive online gaming in the form of online live casino titles, which allow classic table games to be played with a real-time croupier. They’ve followed suit, matching similar options provided in the likes of GTA, and delivered their own version of interactive mini-games.
Gun (2005)
Source: Pixabay
One of the first Western video games to be released on a modern console, Gun was an incredibly engaging video game that was well ahead of its time. While it may not look all that impressive when put under a modern lens, it was a real trailblazer in the mid-2000s and is still playable today, even if some of the dynamics feel a little clunky. With a really engaging plot and side missions that actually make the protagonist stronger and harder to kill, Gun is a really fun game and definitely worth playing if you haven’t already.
It’s hard to explain just how ahead of the curve this game was, and while our next inclusion, Red Dead Revolver, was actually released in the year prior, Gun has such a strong impact on the genre as a whole and undoubtedly brought in a huge chunk of the market, which provided a strong platform for the latter Red Dead installments. Gun was a real trailblazer and one that’s still loved by many gamers today.
Red Dead Revolver (2004)
Red Dead Revolver walked so Red Dead Redemption could run. Released six years before the first Red Dead Redemption, Revolver (which is how we’ll refer to it from now on) served as a spiritual prequel, not directly impacting the games to follow but instead serving as a source of inspiration. The connection between the games is very clear to see, with several features being present in all of the Read Dead games, including Dead Eye, which allows the player to slow time and perfect their quickdraw skills.
While there aren’t a tonne of video games in the Western genre, they seldom disappoint. Rockstar Games have really led the way in investing and developing the genre, releasing three games over the past 19 years that are all loved for their unique quirks and storylines. If you’re looking for a game to play, any of our inclusions would be a great choice – we’re sure you’ll love them!
