Gunsmoke Review
Time for a new Game Review and valuation of a game. this time it is the Gunsmoke Review. If we first open and see what we can read in the inlay (See image below) – this is what we should understand from the otherwise so blurry cover. So, did it meet up to my expectations?
This is after all a game I’ve never played before. I will give you my five cents in the rating part below. But firstly read the different reviews and information about the game and form yourself an opinion.
OUT WEST
Gunsmoke Review, Software Invasion, Model B (Price 1983: £7.95)
I’VE ALWAYS fancied being in a wild west shootout and Gunsmoke from Software Invasion made me feel like one of the magnificient seven.
After the title page and instructions, the background graphics screen is loaded. This depicts a classic wild west setting of bars, hotels, sheriff’s office and stores. Finally, the game is loaded and announces itself with a western theme song.
To play the game, you control the gunman in the foreground and the objective is to shoot down the bandits who pop up inside (and on top of) the buildings. Needless to say, the bandits are shooting at you! The gunman is controlled from the keyboard and you can move him left or right and control the angle of his gun and firing. An extra ‘life’ is gained after shooting 16 bandits (you start off with three lifes).At first, I was being shot so often I wondered wheteher I had any future in the gunslinging business. But with practice the second screen came up, where day turned to night and I was faced by not just one bandit but two. I was quickly laid to rest by this onslaught!
The graphics are good, as ar the music and sound effects. Overall, I was impressed with this offering and look forward to other releases from Software Invasion.
Review by Jeremy Vine – Acorn User November 1983
One of the early ones
Have you ever wanted to become one of those rootin’ tootin’ sharp shooting cowboy you see in the films? With GUNSMOKE you really get the feel of being the “Best in the West”, as you shoot your way through lonely vigil to rid a small Shanty Town of marauding bandits. You swing round on your heels to pick off one of the gang in an upstairs window, only to find his partner emptying his gun at you from the roof of the Saloon. Be careful as you dodge his bullets, that the Saloon doors don’t swing open to reveal a new marksman behind! As you become something of a “Crack Shot”, word soon gets around and reinforcements begin to overpower you. It’s then only a matter of time before you’re filled with lead and forced into an early retirement! This game is proving very popular, but we carry large stocks and most orders are despatched within 24 hours. GUNSMOKE runs on a BBC micro model and Acorn Electron
From Full-side Advert by Software Invasion – Acorn User November 1983
For more game covers
The Game-Cover-Gallery for BBC/Acorn Electron
Our Rating
To give this Gunsmoke review a fair rating we need to play it. After playing it several times, I here by give you my objective but frenetic judgment of the game. To start with the graphics are really ok for being on the BBC even though the character flashes a little and when coming close to the bullets it becomes hard to see and avoid them.
Secondly, a part from the visual part that affects the calibration in your steering, and remember we all know that it cannot be the age taking the grip, the steering itself is a little non-perfect and by this makes the game harder to perform in and creates more a sensation of anger than the feeling of I want achieve this.
Lastly but not less important is the tune and the sound effects – the melody is more of a relief on that we have come a long way in digital music today. Not a favourite is my judgement. The sound effects though are quite annoying in the longrun – but then I need to be careful here as it might aswell be my frustration again.
Gunsmoke gets three cowboy heros out of five. Worth trying it? Yes, so thirdly run and find the game and give it a try.
