Dead Man's Hand
Dead Man?s Hand is a welcome departure from the run-of-the-mill first-person-shooter with unique environments and a cool Western theme.
The Wild West had been one of gaming?s least-explored frontiers, but that?s slowly changing with the upcoming Red Dead Revolver and Dead Man?s Hand. A first-person shooter, Dead Man?s Hand doesn?t make any real technological strides with its licensed Unreal play engine?its real strengths are the level designs, weapons, and various enemies. Via slightly sluggish controls, you play as the vengeance-seeking El Taj?n and follow his crusade to ventilate his nine former buddies who sent him to jail. Battles take place in mountains, on trains, in mines, and even on horseback at linear locales from Mexico to Montana. Missions are packed with interactive objects that can help or harm you during battle, and half the challenge is deciding the best way through each Mission. There?s no shortage of weapons?shotguns, pistols, rifles?and you can resort to dynamite and whiskey bombs when a double-barreled shotgun just won?t do the job. If the one-player game isn?t enough, up to eight wannabe gunslingers can exchange lead on the online open range.
Yet like any B-grade Western film, Dead Man is frayed at the edges. The rag-doll physics engine is unintentionally funny (enemies collapse in awkward poses and behave like mannequins when shot), and the graphics could have used additional fine-tuning. Despite its failings, Dead Man?s Hand has enough character and style to make it an enjoyable time killer.
