Appidemic: Bloody Western for iPhone, iPod touch

Mobicle’s new game, Bloody Western, is one of the best new social games to launch in the App Store this season, and it’s bound to equal and outpace many other games for guys with its gritty, gunslinging attitude.

What is it?

Welcome to the West, before it was won. You can choose one of two character categories, each with three classes to choose from to give your character a bit more depth.

The two main categories are Sheriff and Outlaw, but, of course, not every sheriff walks the straight and narrow and not every outlaw is scum. Your choice will shape the types of quests and money making opportunities you have, so playing different characters really ups the replay value of this game.

Bloody Western’s title is pretty much the entire game’s motif, so if you wanna keep your hands clean, this isn’t the game for you. But if you like serious games with a violent edge, and you enjoy RPG social network games, Bloody Western is a fantastic gameplay experience.

How does it work?

The game is played like many other familiar social network games; it’s menu based with quests to complete, businesses which provide income on a schedule, equipment to collect that enhances stats, the ability to duel against other players, and so on.  The main screen is packed with easily tapped links to all of these functions.

One of the inspired improvements on the typical SNG model is the increased interactivity. Unlike some games of this type, when you duel another player, you can increase your odds of winning through gameplay. In the case of Bloody Western, that’s done by tapping the shot “bullets” after the red circle appears around each one.

This is one of the best aspects of this game, in my opinion. It serves two purposes: first, it gives you more flexibility in your dueling choices, and second, it makes dueling somewhat more fair. If you haven’t gotten around to banking your cash, it’s a bit of a comfort to know that whoever took a shot at your gold had to do some work to make off with it.

There’s also a gambling mode, which allows a certain amount of interaction; you choose an opponent, an amount to bet, and flip cards. If your four cards tally up to a total less than that of your opponent’s, you win the amount you put in. You can also fold after each of the four cards is flipped. You forfeit a proportional amount of the bet by doing so, but if you’re set to lose with a high score already, you can cut your losses a bit that way.  You can also bet for gold, and just play for the fun of it.

Is it contagious?

Bloody Western is more than competitive with other online worlds in terms of character design and atmosphere. Every aspect of the game, from the businesses (farms) to how you refresh your HP when you’re in a hurry (a massage or sleep at the lodge) has been dressed up with a dark, western theme.

When you click on the lodge, for example, you’re greeted by a lady of ill-repute (one would assume); a feisty looking saloon girl. You can also equip your character with gear and see it in place; it’s another way to be more engaged with the game.  Menu choices and success/failure when dueling, gambling, and so forth is narrated by a rough sounding male voice that sounds like Clint Eastwood in a very bad mood, which is another nice touch.

Category: Games
Developer: Mobicle
Cost: Free
Download: Bloody Western