Howdy! The Western genre makes for great video game settings. So here are 10 of the best cowboy and cowgirl games that take place in the Wild West.
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The 10 best turn-based singleplayer games
Gun (2005)
In this action-adventure game set in the late 1800s, you follow Colton White, a young gunslinger seeking to avenge the death of his father. With its open world, varied missions and satisfying gunplay, it offers a solid western experience. But it will feel dated to many of you in 2024.
© Neversoft
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (2010)
While it could be bought as an add-on for 2010's Red Dead Redemption, Undead Nightmare was also available as a standalone game, and rightly so.
Set in an alternate reality where a zombie outbreak has ravaged the Wild West of RDR, this entry did an amazing job at blending horror with the western genre. It had a thrilling story, an engaging open world, and even a horde mode. And who can forget the epic quest to find all four horses of the apocalypse, which would unlock the unicorn!
© Rockstar
Hunt: Showdown (2019)
This first-person shooter also combines western and horror elements, but it focuses the action on the Louisiana swamps of the late 1800s, where you take on the role of a bounty hunter chasing down monstrous creatures.
While the full package doesn't come together quite so masterfully as in Rockstar's Undead Nightmares, the tension and atmosphere are fantastic in Hunt: Showdown.
© Crytek
Weird West (2022)
This action-RPG combines western and supernatural elements in a surreal and mysterious world. You will navigate through a variety of interconnected stories filled with strange creatures, occult rituals, and moral choices. But it should have been turn-based.
© WolfEye Studios
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath (2005)
Oddworld: Stanger's Wrath is similar to Weird West in that it blends western elements with the supernatural and bizarre, but in the case of Oddworld the tone of the game is more overtly comical. You take on the role of Stranger, a bounty hunter armed with a crossbow that fires living creatures as ammunition, as you hunt down your targets.
© Oddworld Inhabitants
Red Dead Revolver (2004)
The first installment in the Red Dead series, Red Dead Revolver, was released in 2004 and is a third-person shooter set in the 1880s. It's radically different to the Red Dead Redemption games, but is still worth playing on its own merits.
Players take on the role of bounty hunter Red Harlow as he seeks revenge on those who killed his parents. The game features a mix of gunplay, duels, horseback riding and bounty hunting.
© Rockstar
Desperados 3 (2020)
In this 2020 real-time tactics game set in the Wild West, you control a team of characters with unique abilities as they undertake various missions across the frontier. Known for its challenging gameplay, strategic depth, and immersive atmosphere, it's a modern take on the classic Desperados series.
© Mimimi Games
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (2013)
Call of Juarez is a first-person shooter, in which you experience the story of bounty hunter Silas Greaves as he recounts his encounters with famous outlaws in the Wild West. Known for its stylish presentation, fast-paced gunplay, and compelling story, it's considered one of the most outstanding western games of its generation.
© Techland
Red Dead Redemption (2010)
Of course, how could we not include this masterpiece? One of the most important games in the genre, this 2010 western game follows the story of John Marston, a former outlaw who is tasked with hunting down members of his old gang in the early 1900s. Featuring a vast open world set in the American Old West, the game received critical acclaim for its incredible storytelling and gameplay.
© Rockstar
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)
You already knew it. 2018's Red Dead Redemption 2 is truly an epic and incredible open-world action-adventure game set in the late 1800s, following the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang, as they navigate the American frontier. Known for its stunning visuals, immersive world, and compelling story, it's widely regarded as one of the greatest video games of all time.
© Rockstar
Howdy! The Western genre makes for great video game settings. So here are 10 of the best cowboy and cowgirl games that take place in the Wild West.
