Best Games Set in the Wild West (That Aren't Part of the Red Dead Franchise)

The Red Dead Redemption franchise is exceptional, having earned global renown for its stunning open-worlds and mature narratives. Even the first Red Dead Redemption, which many argue pales in comparison to its award-smothered successor, still holds up extremely well as a piece of interactive storytelling. In any case, both it and Red Dead 2 effectively set the standard for the western genre in the medium.

That said, it’s come to my attention that not everyone enjoys the Red Dead Redemption series. I’ve heard them called a lot of negative adjectives, with perhaps the most prominent being “boring.” While I absolutely love both Red Dead Redemption games, I have to admit that I see where some of these critics are coming from. Red Dead is certainly slower-paced than a lot of other franchises, and as the de facto face of the wild-west in gaming, they might feel a little simple or restrained in some ways. Again, I don’t necessarily agree with this, but I can see how such an idea would manifest, especially when accounting for taste. Thankfully, there are plenty of other great wild-west games that are worth a look, as they offer their own distinct depictions of the mythologized setting.

Evil West

A game that feels pulled straight from the Xbox 360 era of beat-em-ups, Evil West has a special place in my heart. It’s not high-art—don’t expect Red Dead Redemption 2 levels of immersive, nuanced storytelling—but it’s most definitely fun in a specific, campy way. It’s a more or less bog-standard vampire hunter story, but its wild west trappings set it miles apart from the likes of Van Helsing. You certainly don’t lose that coolness factor, though. In fact, it shines through stronger than ever, as you get the hard-hitting competence of a professional vampire killer crossed with the gruff elegance of a cowboy, and that’s a mix that settles rather nicely.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

After the major fumble that was Call of Juarez: The Cartel, Techland decided to bring its wild west franchise back to basics with 2013’s Call of Juarez: Gunslinger. It’s a rather streamlined and lighthearted experience by western standards, with plenty of baked-in fourth-wall breaks, crass jokes, and gratuitous cartoon violence, which works to its benefit. Indeed, Gunslinger is a wickedly fast, stylish, and satisfying first-person shooter with a playful framing device revolving around the protagonist telling stories of his renown to drunken saloon patrons. It’s linear and doesn’t have a whole lot of gameplay variety, even relative to its own predecessors, but it never ceases to impress with its frenetic pace and mechanics.

Techland would go on to develop the well-received Dying Light games, through which it further developed its distinct approach to first-person action design.

Gun

This 2005 third-person action-adventure game feels a little bizarre to play in the wake of the Red Dead Redemption games. Released five years before the first Red Dead Redemption (but one year after Red Dead Revolver), Gun feels like a necessary precursor to Rockstar’s legendary wild-west duology. Players assume the role of Colton White, a gruff but tragic hero making his way through the ethically ambiguous world of 19th-century North America. It’s also open-world and features a time-slowing shooting mechanic called Quickdraw. I’ll stop short of saying that it directly inspired Red Dead, but it definitely feels cut from the same cloth, in a good way.

Desperados 3

From the creators of the highly prized Shadow Tactics series comes the Desperados trilogy, which are all excellent real-time stealth tactics games. While the first two Desperados still hold up, it’s generally agreed that the third game, released in 2020, is the series’ peak. It’s a modernized version of the tough and unforgiving stealth gameplay of the originals, but with a much greater attention to detail with respect to its visuals, sound design, and immersive sim elements. Its methodical puzzle-like mechanics are definitely more niche and "gamer-coded" than the straightforward gunslinging of Red Dead or Call of Juarez, but if you take the time to learn them, they’re incredibly rewarding. Even better, they buttress slick, charming storytelling that punches far above its weight.

Samurai Western

Samurai Western is a kind of game we rarely get these days: a ridiculous, nonsensical premise that works against all odds. It’s not too hard to guess what Samurai Western is about—its title is extremely literal—but the game itself is far from predictable. It’s more or less a character-action game a la Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, but set in an otherwise authentic western world. Admittedly, the star of Samurai Western is its combat, which is balletic, smooth, and satisfying despite its imperfections. If you’re on the hunt for an unusual wild west video game, Samurai Western is well worth dusting off that old PlayStation 2 (or emulator) for.

West of Loathing

If Samurai Western is too straight-laced for you, then maybe consider West of Loathing. Easily overlooked due to its intentionally rudimentary visuals, this game is a success if only for its comedic chops—it’s definitely one of the funniest games I’ve ever come across. But beyond its comic density, West of Loathing is a surprisingly rewarding and complex adventure game with turn-based RPG elements. It’s akin to something like South Park: The Stick of Truth, where the absurdist overtones of the game actually help facilitate unpredictable or unusual game mechanics. West of Loathing is a real treat if you like wild west references, too, as it’s more or less a satire of the entire western genre.