Thoughts by Wandrell (11 Mar 2009) – PC (DOS)
When people start filming a western the local cowboy ghosts seem to dislike the idea and start causing mayhem. The only solution is calling Carnby, who will come, kick some asses, solve absurd puzzles and save an old friend.
I didn’t recall Carnby was such a tough guy. Well, it’s just on the intro, and maybe it’s thanks to the voices. Still it’s the first symptom of the game’s illness, and overdone series, or maybe just lazy and quick design.
Just look at the story, this is about ghosts, cowboys and some kind of Indian artefact, and probably something else which I didn’t get. I nearly didn’t even get the green mineral is uranium, I still don’t know what the golden eagle nugget is, and I’m pretty sure the Aztec empire didn’t reach California.
I hope you didn’t get what I’m talking about. Neither do I. With those absurd twists it ends looking like a lot of scrapped plots sewn together. You just have to take a look at the last part, with that turn to weird technology that lacks any sense.
So you have a bad story. Add to it somewhat ugly graphics (too often those 3D models are a confusing mess of colours) and the linear game, the only nice thing that is left are the controls. Way better than the human-turrets of the Resident Evil saga this series would father.
Wait a moment, I didn’t talk about the puzzles. Well, saying they are linear says everything you wish to know. "This is an adventure game and there are supposed to be puzzles and adventure”, they thought, and so they added fights and room after room with some kind of puzzle.
One room after another, like you open a door and enter into another puzzle (it literally happens some times). And I say puzzle because they are quite puzzling, who could have thought it was a sensible solution dropping a night valet to make an stupid goon fall to his death?
It may be fun at the beginning, but it becomes more dull and silly as it goes. Also a game that makes me look a guide to find a silly solution can offer a limited fun.