Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?
Westerado: Double Barreled by Ostrich Banditos is an 8-bit western epic published by Adult Swim and that should be an indication to let you know whether you will like this game or not. If you're a fan of Adult Swim's comedy there is plenty here to keep you amused. But there are some genuinely touching moments along the way as well.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that the only cowboy game in town is Red Dead Redemption and with its much anticipated sequel recently announced I'm not surprised. But let me tell you that you'd be missing out on a great game if you simply dismissed Westerado based on its looks. Waking up on a sun drenched morning you're greeted my your Ma who tells you to go and help your brother to round up the cattle. 
This opening sequence introduces you to the game's controls as your big brother teaches you the ways of the cowboy. But it's not long until disaster striker and one stray bull runs off and you set off after it. As the camera pans out you're treated to a comedic scene as your character is seen chasing the bull across a barren wasteland. After a night spent in the desert you arrive back at the farm to be greeted by a scene of total devastation. Butchered animals are strewn across the floor, building are on fire and your family lay slaughters on the ground. With his dying breath your brother calls you over hands you his gun and instructs you how to use it as he begs you to finish him off. As amusing as Westerado is there are also some very dark moments.
This introduction highlights the harsh realities of what life must have been like in the lawless Wild West. There is a fantastic speech branching mechanic that is really unique and something I have never come across. When you strike up a conversation with an npc you can kill them any time you want without hesitation. To be honest it becomes kind of addictive but even better is when there situations turn into a dual. This creates a huge amount of replayability because at the moment I've chosen to pretty much slaughter everyone I can (I'm having a bad week at work so sue me). But on a different day and with happier heart I might choose not to kill anyone and see what difference it makes to the game as I progress. The shooting mechanic is quite limited and if you're use to spraying bullets everywhere it might take some getting use to. You can shoot in two directions and that's it. As you can imagine there is a nice selection of western themed weapons to choose from including a rifle, shotgun, dual revolvers and a tomahawk.
Your desire to avenge the killing of you're family is constantly pushed forward by clues and hints that slowly but surely help you towards your ultimate goal of finding and killing the vermin that slaughtered your family. The story is engrossing and it really strives to keep you going until you have had your vengeance. It is extremely short though and you can finish it in one sitting if you have the time to do so. There are a lot of quests and exploring to do which help to fill out the game.
For an indie title the open world you're given to explore is small but it seems much larger because within that world there are multiple duals, quests and bounties for you to complete and that's not all. As you explore the world of Westerado you can play poker but be warned it's very hard to beat anybody or it's just that I'm crap at it. But even losing has its benefits. Through casual conversation I managed to find out snippets of information regarding my nemesis which brought me one step closer.
Westerado Double Barreled is a pixelated slice of Wild West heaven. It's a potty mouthed, smut filled world full of fantastic humour and really dark moments. The only downfall is that the game is quite short but if you want to mercilessly gun down innocent citizens while belly laughing about it Westerado Double Barreled is the game for you.
Developer: Ostrich Banditos
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Website: Westerado: Double Barreled
Twitter: @OstrichBanditos / @adultswimgames
Review code supplied by XCN.