The premise of Gun is simple. Run around in a free-roaming environment, get in some gory gun battles, and bring in those bounties. The free-roaming environment is one of Gun’s most endearing features. And the horseback gun battles even make things better. Unfortunately a short story-mode and graphical issues on all version of the game will leave you wanting.

In Gun you walk in the shoes (or more accurately, boots) of Colton White. White had a falling out of sorts with quite a few people. Actually he was betrayed, and now it is time for revenge. You spend a good deal of the story reaping revenge and bringing in the bounties. The story is good, but ultimately a little too short. Also there is a great deal of violence, gore, and vulgar language. At times the language and gore felt forced, as if it was only there for show. You will also have a few side-missions, but they aren’t anything special, and they won’t keep your attention for long.

The main story starts off with White and Ned. Ned raised White and is wonderfully voiced by Kris Kristofferson. Ned and White find their way to a steamboat which is carrying an important artifact. Ned seems to have knowledge of the artifact, but the boat is besieged. White escapes, and makes his way to Dodge City. He will face corrupt lawmen, a murderous preacher, renegade army psychopaths, merciless outlaws, and warring tribes. The story is compelling, and the cut-scenes keep you wanting to move forward.

And the story keeps you moving forward. It keeps you moving forward way too fast. I enjoyed the game and its concept, but six to ten hours of story just isn’t enough to warrant full price for this game. There were several points in the game where it seemed a rather important plot element had been introduced, and then all of a sudden everything changed before the developers took advantage of some excellent gameplay opportunities. Gun could have easily been stretched out to fifteen or twenty hours with the same plot. They could have just added more substance, more missions.

You have several ways to make your revenge. You spend a good amount of the time running and shooting in a third-person perspective. White has some pretty authentic weapons at his disposal including pistols, rifles, shotguns, rifles, bows, and dynamite. He also has a magic flask that refills his life when he drinks from it. Well it’s not exactly magic, but it seems that way.