Parents' Guide to Call of Juarez: The Cartel

There's little denying that Techland is grabbing at the tail of something unique and interesting in this occasionally clever shooter. The idea of players working cooperatively in frenetic gunfights and yet keeping secrets from each other and occasionally wandering off to secretly do their own thing for a few seconds is both original and compelling.

However, this brilliant bit of design is too often obscured by a wide variety of problems. During our evaluation, the game froze several times, forcing a restart. What's more, the graphics are dated, the onscreen text is riddled with typos, and bits of action dialogue are repeated to the point of annoyance. Most disappointing, though, is the developers' decision to use mature elements such as strippers and profanity to a conscience-numbing degree. It may be targeted at an older audience capable of safely consuming such content, but focusing on these elements makes it feel as though the game was made to appeal to high school boys looking to indulge in something forbidden. Worse, it draws attention away from what should be the game's main draw: its zigzagging narrative and clever hidden agendas.