Demo Review 35: Fast Draw: Showdown

This game begins with live-action footage of a man explaining the Western tradition that is the fast draw showdown. Poor me, the only Western films I ever liked were the Lucky Luke animated films... and Blazing Saddles.

It’s a very simple game, but it needs ultra-quick reflexes if you so wish to have a chance to win. In this Demo, you first pick between a single player or two-player game, after which you can select a difficulty level… though, since this is only a demo, only the Easy difficulty is available. Afterwards, you’re treated to six different opponents. Each of them has their particular name, as well as a very important stat: How many seconds (and hundredths of seconds) it takes for them to pull out their gun and shoot. For some of them, it takes less than a freaking second. Sheesh, I'd hate to see the harder difficulties!

In each encounter, you must keep your gun in your holster (by keeping the Wii remote pointing down), and when the opponent is about to shoot, you have to be quicker than him: Raise the remote, aim and press B to shoot the guy!

Oh yeah, and did I mention that every scene in this game is live-action? Yes, every level is filmed like an old Western movie, with low-quality video and stuff. If you do manage to shoot an opponent, he will fall to the ground; but of course, you need to pull up your weapon before the opponent does so and then shoot, without really having the time to aim. And if the opponent aims and shoots before you, which is certain to happen at least once? He shoots through the screen and kills you.

…Nah, just kidding. The bullet appears to go through the screen, and you get the mention “Lost” on the results screen.

There are six encounters on the Easy difficulty, and possibly in every difficulty afterwards as well. When you win an encounter, the results screen indicates the seconds (and hundredths of seconds) you took to pull up your firearm and shoot. Since my first attempt at playing this game was rather pathetic (I won only two of the six encounters), I got a pitiful score and got told to try again. I mean, dammit, I’m not the man who shoots faster than his own shadow!

Should you try it? Well, maybe. I always tell you to try every single damn demo anyway. But if you feel like this one isn’t a thing you’d like, or if you don’t believe to have reflexes quick enough, don’t bother. Though it may be worth a try just to watch the live-action scenes. It gets pretty funny when you win.

On my second try, I got different opponents, and I also got 3 out of 6. Still not good, but slightly better.