Evil West

This action-packed Western fantasy doesn't quite have the sophistication or polish of a big-budget shooter, but it still provides plenty of bang. Evil West starts off with little in the way of introduction, throwing players into the aftermath of a train wreck that's spilled countless coffins into the desert -- from which vampiric experiments and monsters have risen. Players get a crash course in how to punch, kick, and shoot the undead before capturing one and using him to find another vampire that Jessie and Edgar have been tracking. It's not until the third chapter that things finally begin to come into focus, with a bit of backstory revealed through a series of cinematics and collectible lore items that help explain this crazy alternate history world.

The strained narrative probably won't matter too much, though, since the story is really just a frame over which to hang the game's carefully crafted over-the-top action. Dispatching Evil West's vampires and their minions requires strategy and skill. Some monsters are best destroyed by getting up close and personal, using the shock gauntlet to draw them to you, stun them, and then punch them into spiky obstacles or piles of TNT. Others demand that you keep your distance and rely on your guns, aiming at specific weak points to blow off limbs or sever their heads while dodging area-of-effect attacks. New abilities are introduced frequently, and it's easy to forget all the inventive ways Jessie and Edgar can do violence, but you can opt to receive move reminders with instructions when you haven't been using all of the abilities at your disposal. Evil West isn't the kind of game that wins awards, but its weird world and well-honed action work well enough to earn a modest recommendation for players old enough to stomach its inventive gore.