The “Call of Juarez” series finally makes a much-needed jump out of the Old West and into the present. After a Mexican cartel bombs a U.S. law enforcement building, a special interagency task force is slapped together to bring the bad guys to justice. This three-member team goes on a blood-soaked quest for revenge.
Play as any of three — Ben McCall, an LAPD cop and descendant of the previous game’s protagonist; DEA agent Eddie Guerra; or FBI agent Kim Evans — while following the cartel leader’s trail from Los Angeles to Mexico.
While “The Cartel” sports a riveting story, a number of quirks in the game will leave you wondering “What if they had fixed this?” In many of the cut-scenes, the audio and video don’t sync up — which gives the game a bit of a sloppy feel right from the start. On top of that, the team members controlled by the computer will repeatedly heckle you even if you are playing well. This seems unfitting and childish for such a serious game that revolves around a terror attack on U.S. soil.
| ‘Call of Juarez: The Cartel’ |
| » Systems: Xbox 360, PS3, PC |
| » Price: $59.99, $49.99 |
| » Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars |
The in-game graphics are fantastic, but a wonky shooting system can make the beautiful battles slightly frustrating. Your character needs to be standing relatively still to be able to shoot accurately.
There is a very nifty and realistic cover system, though it’s hampered by not having a sprint feature to get from spot to spot.
This modern-day Western is filled with tons of good ideas, but it just misses the mark in so many places.
