Commodore User


Gunsmoke
By Go!
Commodore 64

 
Published in Commodore User #56

Gunsmoke

I have seen many a Wild West game as I mosey on down with life. But, I have never seen one of this quality. It is bad. Real bad. Let me explain.

You're a Western Marshall assigned to clean up Dodge (you got anything more original?) City.

When the game starts, you are shown a picture of the person that you are required to kill. Then it's time to pick up your trusty Smith and Wesson and blast some perps.

Gunsmoke

The game takes place on a particularly ugly vertically scrolling 'city-scape' and none too good it looks. You are always under attack from gun-wielding baddies, whether they're walking down the street or hiding in buildings. You can gain help by shooting oil drums, containing a bullet, cowboy boots or a horseshoe. I'm not quite sure of the first two but collecting a horseshoe makes a horsey grow out underneath you.

When you reach the end of the level, you end up in a face off with the criminal, set apart from others in that he has an energy rating, moves twice as fast and is twice as deadly. Kill him and you get to go through to the next level.

It takes only a couple of minutes to complete a level, and apart from the end baddie being toucher and the scenery changing slightly you simply do the same thing over and over again. Your character is awkward to control. The graphics are large, blocky and badly animated. The sound is flat and uninspiring. The whole gameplay has as much appeal as a fat man with B.O.

This is a classic example of expensive bad quality software. It's very similar to the cowboy game on SEUCK, except that was better. Avoid this like you would avoid a rotting herring's underwear in a heatwave.

Mark Patterson

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