C&VG


Gunfright
By Ultimate
Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #52

Gunfright

Howdy partners. This is Sheriff Sabreman talking to you from the troubled city of Black Rock. We're having a lot of trouble with a mean bunch of outlaws right now. There's Buffalo Bill, Billy the Kid and a host of other infamous names out to give me and the peaceful folk of Black Rock a tough time.

Luckily I've got my trusty six-shooter and my faithful steed Nightshade to help me run these varmints outta town - but I'd like you along as parta my posse. Fancy comin' along to help me clean up the town? Then grab this badge and pin it on your Spectrum boy...

Take a whole lot of Nightshade, add a couple of "duck shoot" arcade bonus creens, spice them up with some nice Western graphics and you've got Gunfright. The idea is that as the sheriff of Black Rock you have to get rid of all the baddies inhabiting the town.

Gunfright

The locals help you by pointing the way towards the particular baddie you're hunting as you patrol the streets in the guise of Sabreman in a stetson.

Once you've found him you have a gunfight. The 3D style screen changes to a 2D heads up view of the baddie you've come across - with a crosshair sight.

You have to move the crosshair and draw your gun in time to shoot your opponent down.

Gunfright

Each time you wipe out a baddie, you get a bounty. Cash which enables you to buy more bullets to go out hunting the next baddie. The price of bullets - like petrol - varies from time to time so you need all the cash you can get if you're to succeed in cleaning up the town.

The townsfolk can be helpful - but they do tend to get in the way when you're hunting down the villains. Shoot an innocent bystander and you lose cash. Bump into one and you lose a life.

The graphics are identical to Nightshade - except for a few Wild West touches to spice them up. Beside the main play area window a colourful wanted poster appears showing you the particular baddie you're looking for.

Gunfright

Buffalo Bill is the first and he's pretty easy to gun down. After that you're on your own! Billy the Kid and the rest are pretty tough to kill and your TV could end up riddled with bullet holes. Sound effects aren't up to much though.

Gunfright doesn't have the puzzles usually associated with an Ultimate arcade adventure - but it is unusually playable. I don't think it'll have the usual lasting appeal however.

The packaging also includes a few hints and tips on gameplay - another first for Ultimate!

At first I found it difficult to tell which were the baddies and which were the male inhabitants of the town. Then I worked out that the little men jumping up and down and pointing weren't going to shoot me down and were just showing me where the baddie was hiding out. Lots of bounty money was lost before I'd worked this out.

Still, if you're after a souped-up version of the ancient old Gunfight arcade game then this is for you. But all the frills and pretty graphics don't make the game worth nearly £10.