Over the last few months, a hot topic of discussion has been the possibility of anewRed Dead Redemptiongamefrom Rockstar. Rumors of the supposed game have been dominating headlines, as fans wait patiently for an official announcement from theGrand Theft Autodeveloper.
While fans wait for information on the newRed Dead Redemption, we decided to take a look back at gaming’s history with the western genre, picking out the seven games we believe are the best. Gamers that can’t wait to hop back in the saddle for another Old West adventure in aRed Dead Redemptionsequel may want to consider giving these seven games a look to help tide them over.
7Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
TheCall of Juarezseries got a little off course withCall of Juarez: The Cartel, which abandoned the original’s western setting in favor of modern times.Call of Juarez: Gunslingergot things back on track, featuring classic pistol duels, thrilling encounters with outlaws, and some RPG elements sprinkled on top for good measure.Call of Juarez: Gunslingeris also notable for its unique approach to storytelling, using an unreliable narrator to humorously cause abrupt changes to the plot. Overall,Gunslingeris probably the bestCall of Juarezgame to date, and you may read ourCall of Juarez: Gunslingerreviewfor more information on the underrated western FPS from Techland.
6Gun
Before Rockstar Games wowed the gaming world with its take on an open world western, theTony Hawkdevelopersdid it first withGun. At the time of its release,Gunwas praised for its engaging story, well-written characters, and for itsGrand Theft Auto-style open world gameplay, helping it to win some year-end awards in the process. DespiteGun’s success, we still have yet to see a sequel, but if a tease in theNemesisDLC forCall of Duty: Ghostsis any indication,Gun 2may still be in the cards.
It’s impossible to talk about the best western games without mentioningRed Dead Redemption. Many considerRed Dead Redemptionfrom Rockstar Games to be a masterpiece, as it won numerous Game of the Year awards back in 2010, and is generally considered one of the better games of the entire seventh generation of gaming. As a testament toRed Dead Redemption’s popularity, as soon as it was added to the Xbox One backward compatibility lineup, itssales increased by nearly 6,000 percent, showing gamers are as hyped as ever to see where Rockstar takes the franchise next.
4Sunset Riders
A side-scrolling run and gun co-op game from Konami,Sunset Riderswas a popular fixture in arcades in the early 90s, and also earned recognition for its Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo console ports.Sunset Riderswas notable for its sense of humor and fast-paced gameplay, as well as its intense outlaw boss battles that capped off each stage.
3The Oregon Trail
Even those that may not consider themselves gamers may be familiar withThe Oregon Trail. The game was used as an educational tool (primarily in the 80s and 90s) to teach elementary-aged kids about what pioneer life was like in the 1800s, and is one of the best-selling video games of all time.The Oregon Trailwas inducted into theVideo Game Hall of Famein 2016, and its continued cultural significance means we’ll all probably be dying of digital dysentery for years to come.
2Wild Arms
While not explicitly set in the Old West,Wild Armsdoes take place in a fantasy world inspired by it, called Filgaia.Wild Armsis largely defined by its western-inspired setting, which helped it stand apart from the legions of similar JRPGs that dominated the PlayStation’s library in the 90s. The series has been dormant since 2008, but fans are able to revisit the originalWild Armsand some of its sequels thanks to thePS One Classicsavailable for download on PS3, PSP, and PS Vita.
1Wild Gunman
One of the earliest western video games wasWild Gunmanfrom famous developer Gunpei Yokoi. It originally appeared in arcades in the 1970s, but didn’t hit the peak of its popularity until it launched for the NES a decade later as one of the few games to utilize the NES Zapper peripheral.Wild Gunmancontinues to be acknowledged by Nintendo to this day, as it was released forWii U Virtual Consolein 2015 and elements of the light gun shooter were added to theSuper Smash Bros.games.
FromCall of Juarez: GunslingertoWild Gunman, we believe these are the best western titles in video gaming so far. However, with aRed Dead Redemptionfollowup said to be in the works, the best could be yet to come for video games set in the Old West.
Which western game is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
