TIGSource clued me onto this particular stand alone mod for Quake 3 (the next iteration of the engine used by Gravity Bone) called Smokin’ Guns, which takes the legacy of the Western Mod of Quake and turns it into it’s own thing, complete with bank robberies, duels and, of course, much knifings, ’cause, ya’know, everyone was knifing everyone back then. I rustled up a group of friends to play the game with (due to me inexplicably having no servers to browse apart from… one) and, all for you, took out some personal justice on them dirty gunslingers.

As one of the players I played with pointed out, the game looks worse than half life, but really, it doesn’t have to look great, it just has to sound it. And it does. The pistols have a great little prrreeewwwoooinnggg! sound, the rifles have a great big kachow! crack, and the shotguns sound like shotguns should do. All of them are horrifically inaccurate, which is just as well, because it has two men circling each other while trying to empty chambers into one another, then, pistols empty, they just charge with bowie knives. It’s both hilarious and as manly as you can get, really.

The game modes, as I mentioned, vary from Deathmatch to Team Deathmatch, then get a little bit fruity with Bank Robbery and classic with Duel. Due to the server we were on (the only one I could join, as I’ve said), I didn’t get to try out Duel or Deathmatch, but really, Deathmatch is a no brainer, and duel probably sounds better in my mind than it would be in reality. The two I did get to try out were dominated by getting shot at, not knowing where, letting your opponent get a few more shots off at you as you scramble for cover, then trying to return fire. The inaccuracy of the guns made the fights as much up to luck as skill, and that’s really what you want from a western game. I mean, where’s the fun in skill winning out? When you’re all stuck in a stable with just five bullets left in your pistol, three guys sneaking up the alley towards you, you don’t particularly want it all up to luck. Nerves have your hand shaking, so the chances of pulling off three headshots are unlikely. So you pop up, fire away, and crazily, they all drop dead. Much, much more satisfying.

So, if you’re not a graphics prude, give it a try. Be warned though, there have been myriad bugs reported, so try not to mess with the settings too much. You can download it here.