Gunman Tales is a 1-4 player game, in which you are a cowboy in search of four pieces of a treasure map that leads to…well….you’ll have to find out, won’t you? Working against you are three other cowboys – controlled by AI if other players are not available – that are also after the same thing. The game is broken up into two main parts; the overworld, which highlights interactable parts of the landscape; and action-centric stages that can either be the aforementioned Wild Gun-esque shooting gallery scenes, gunsights on horseback, or quick-draw showdowns – dependent on the particular scenario.
Presented in a colourful, pixelated palette, Gunman Tales is a swift game that is great fun, and that joy is amplified when other human-controlled players join in the turn-based action. Fans of Moonstone will certainly be on familiar ground here, as the overworld works in a similar vein in terms of having towns that offer locations for healing, gambling (a simple hi-lo card game), a bounty-hunter side-game for earning cash, as well as a store to purchase firepower. The map also has a couple of other locations such as a mine, and an Indian campsite for trade.
The players have a certain amount of movement each turn with which to traverse the landscape, and a single action to make - will you head back home for an extra life? Take on another player for a chance at stealing a piece of the treasure map that you know they have? Use an item to further your chances? Take on the wandering werewolf with your single trusty silver bullet? It’s up to you, partner.
The main shooting gallery stages are also good fun in the fluidity of design and satisfying mechanics. There are several scenes available, each with certain environmental targets that can be shot at for a handful of coins, along with each cowboy having their own special abilities ranging from bomb-throwing to freezing time (my fave). The ability to roll for cover adds a dash of strategy, and the variety of enemy types feels just right for the type of game that Gunman Tales is. It all adds up to a vibrant experience that blends the elements of an accessible digital board game with arcade instancy. All very much helped along by jaunty music and tight design.
Admittedly this is a game better suited for short bursts – and really shines in multiplayer modes, but it still holds up well in single-player modes, the only actual glitch that we came into contact with was a slightly bizarre one whereby no players could play the hi-lo card game for one gaming session. There’s also an oddity in that all players have to pass a controller around, aside from the two-player showdowns, where a second controller is necessary – but not very well explained. That said, these are pretty minimal things when looked at overall in a game that delivers as much gold as Gunman Tales does - at around a fiver!
SUMMARY
If you are a fan of the mechanics of Moonstone or classic gallery shooters, Gunman Tales is a great game to play with friends and will very clearly be a staple of my multiplayer gaming sessions. I can very much see this appearing in my end-of-year list, and I’d give a stolen wagon of hooch for a sequel, yee-haw!
How I adore this game. I don't know what she did to me, but it's just a masterpiece from all sides.
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