Gunman Tales | PS4 Review

Retro inspired indie game "Gunman Tales" from Ratalaika Games is a tough as nails turn based party game, and arcade shooting gallery experience made for one to four players. It features three modes of play with rules tied to treasure hunting, looting, and shooting. Playing as one of four functionally different pistol packing bounty hunters with special abilities you'll encounter helpful townsfolk, and an Indian Shaman as you take on wild western enemies while searching for missing pieces of a map that leads to a legendary treasure. Taking turns each day to explore action stages as the moon cycles, and the threat of werewolves grows imminent. Acquiring items and coin, in turn, that will aid you in your quest. Assisting in your attempt to beat three other bounty hunters to the prize, and make off with the haul.

Packing heat, "Gunman Tales" comes hammer cocked and chambers loaded with oldschool arcade shooting gallery style action to boot. As one of four bounty hunters with unique weapon based special attacks (bombs, wide shot, time freeze, boomerang) you'll be tasked with being the first to the finish line, so to speak. In 'Adventure' mode, in particular, there's a lot at stake including your very life. Using the mapped out point to point locations and town hubs you must spend your daily turn wisely as you try to complete twelve action stages for looting sake. All while trying to find out which of the twelve locations contain the four map fragments required to obtain the legendary treasure. As you take your turn doing so so too do the other three players/CPU opponents, thereafter. While the objective is to beat said players to the map fragments, and ultimately to the loot each of the action stages you'll sometimes have to duel and loot the other bounty hunters to obtain what you need. Be it items, coins, or map fragments. 

Life & Death in the Wild West ...

Your bounty hunter, himself, is mortal in this undertaking, and thus health governs your ability to stay in the game. Utilizing town services like the Saloon, Doctor, Gun Shop, and Sheriff will enable you to partake of side options that can both help, and heal you for your next turn. Things like a Hi-lo card guessing game with potentially lucrative payouts, a deal with the sheriff on hunting outlaws, or a way to gain a better arsenal are available for you to take advantage of. Even the Shaman has services that will better equip you for the tasks at hand by gifting you legendary items for certain trades. Don't piss him off though, because he can also turn you into a horse poop if he finds you too annoying. A penalty that will rendered several following turns void.

The Action Stages ...

When it comes to the twelve action stages in 'Gunman Tales', be it in 'Adventure' or 'Arcade', you get to control your chosen bounty hunter as he strafes from left to right, and rolls evasively at the bottom of the screen. Dodging bullets, explosives, projectiles, and approaching enemy types while returning fire via pistol and special attack. Simultaneously allowing for the targeting of enemies and objects with a moveable aiming reticle. Something that does take getting used to.

Stage themes as well as enemies vary in 'Gunman Tales', and each are housed within a single stationary screen. You'll encounter the stereotypical bandits, and Indian savages as well as otherworldly creatures such as ghosts, and werewolves. Even some innocents make themselves known, and if harmed will cause you to be unable to shoot for a short time. Werewolves themselves, being the bigger threat to life that they are, come out at a full moon during the cycling of moon phases, and unless you have a silver bullet on hand it's best to visit the town for that turn. Most enemies though will bite the bullet and keel over when shot or hit with a special attack.

Being the arcade gallery shooter that it is you'll additionally find power-ups, and destructible stage props that will help in clearing out the quota of enemies needed to complete each stage so that you can recover it's beneficial loot. Loot varies randomly per gaming session, and according to the locations in which the map pieces can be found. Making it a true treasure hunt. Of course health also plays a crucial role in gameplay, and there are various ways to lose heart health including status ailments, getting shot, or being directly attacked. Resulting in a GAME OVER if all hearts are depleted. Health can, however, be recovered by a visit to the Doc. For coins offered for services rendered. Other than that sometimes chickens will drop health power-ups.

While shooting and looting in 'Adventure' mode you'll also gain the perks of the in-game leveling system. Looting, and shooting rewards you points which will enhance passive abilities that change the way your bounty hunter engages the tasks at hand. Allowing for more movement across the map, and immunity to certain status effects like poison or becoming drunk. 

For those of you looking for the straight up arcade version of the game there is a separate fully realized "Arcade" mode in which you score points for successfully shooting up the required number of enemies on a stage by stage playthrough. It is, by all means, a stage by stage action only transition in which heart health carries over, and the items or relics you could obtain in the 'Adventure' mode are absent. Making the experience more akin to something you'd actually find at an arcade establishment. 

Lastly, "Gunman Tales" also has a tacked on mini-game in which PvP pistol duels between two characters takes place. It is called 'Duels', and like a western duel to the death there is a verbal countdown before either player can pull the trigger. The first player to do so wins.

Those of you interested in extras will be glad to know 'Gunman Tales' does have a retro scanline filter, and a targeting speed adjustment. Other than that you get what you see. That, and a very descriptive "How To Play" menu section which details all details for the game.

The Verdict ...

When I say "Gunman Tales" is tough as nails I mean it. That western movie "Unforgiven" comes to mind, because this game does not hold hands. It's brutally unforgiving, and requires control mastery to see any of it's modes through to the end. Out of all the modes though I found 'Adventure', and 'Arcade' to be the game's best offerings regardless of challenge, and the most inviting. The good thing is you don't have to play local couch co-op to enjoy it. It can be played against CPU opponents. For that reason it earns some extra respect from me as I'm a loner when it comes to gaming locally. Overall it's a nice little throwback to arcade gallery shooters of yesteryear, and holds up quite nicely for being that type of experience. It even looks cool by design.

Visit my YouTube channel for additional gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMHEBpfyUi4