This is another one of my favorite run and gun games but also my personal favorite video games of all time. Konami is a specialty company when it comes to the run and gun genre and this game hit the target and proved they haven't run out of ammo yet. It was a different kind of run and gun because it was one set in the West. This I thought was awesome because there really haven't been many games in the run and gun genre that take on the Western genre and not that many since.
To me this was a real treat as a kid from the 90's despite not being a big fan of the Western genre I still had a fascination for it, as there were two Western TV shows that are favorites of mine "Guns of Paradise" and "The Young Riders". And the movies like "Young Guns" and "Tombstone"; so, it makes sense we would have this game from the slight resurgence of the Western genre in the 80's and 90's, but also the fact that the genre is known for its gunplay.
The graphical presentation is great, it looks like this game could of almost of been based on a 90's cartoon as it has that same sophisticated art style that was common in most of their shows. And it fits right not just with the decade but also to help give the game its dry, gritty, wild and dangerous Western world. However also to give the game it's sense of humor, as violent as the game is it really doesn't take itself too seriously, from just the painful expressions the characters make, running on a stampede like a treadmill, and other bits of humor.
The gameplay is great, it's pretty much like "Metal Slug" almost as you are pretty much going from point A to B while gunning down anyone that's trying to gun you down. I really like how each of the four character you pick each shoot with different gun types with strengths and weaknesses depending on who your comfortable with the most. I like playing Billy as his is the single shot but has good stopping power and sometimes the purple Desperado as his riffle shots scatter shots which can take down a lot of enemies but its stopping power is a little weak. You can collect some power ups which will strengthen your weapons power, however if you get hit then you go back to square one so don't get hit.
I really like how in each of the stages there are some things that you can shoot down which act as traps for any of the opposition that get in the right place, so if you can make them count. Also really like how the levels are formatted, each of them is different which keeps the game fresh and most importantly gives you that great feel of "Western" action goodness. From fighting in a Canyon level there was something cool about that setting as it has danger written all over it as there's almost no limit to the possibilities of it. But of course, one of my other favorites is the moving levels when you're on horseback and you have limited time in trying to gun down the bandits stationed on the train.
The game also has a bonus stage which is cool as it's kind of almost a light gun shooter as you must move your crosshairs at all the targets that appear. This stage in a way is sort of a foreshadowing on Konami's light gun game "Lethal Enforcers 2" which came out years after this game.
And of course, there is the music, which is just great, there are a lot of memorable tracks that are on my favorites list and even a few I might listen to during a workout. But each of the tracks just sing out Western action and just add to the feel of being a cowboy in a Western.
"Sunset riders" is a vintage classic that has its place in the sun.
Rating: 4 stars.
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