Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood

About

"Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" is a first-person shooter game set in the American West during the late 19th century. Players control the McCall brothers, outlaws seeking to save their family farm while being pursued by the law and rival bandits. The game features fast-paced gunplay, horseback riding, and environmental destruction, with a heavy emphasis on multiplayer modes.

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Play Modes

Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood screenshot

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,697 reviews

story440 positive mentions

stability20 negative mentions

Engaging story with strong character dynamics between the McCall brothers.
Improved gunplay mechanics and satisfying shooting experience.
Visually appealing for its time, with well-designed environments and atmosphere.

Dueling mechanics are frustrating and poorly implemented, leading to repeated failures.
Linear gameplay with little room for exploration, often feeling like a guided experience.
Voice acting quality is inconsistent, with some characters sounding poorly recorded.

story
1,094 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
5%
The story of "Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" is a compelling prequel that follows the McCall brothers, Ray and Thomas, as they navigate themes of loyalty, greed, and betrayal against the backdrop of the American Civil War and the Wild West. While the narrative is engaging and features strong character development, it often treads familiar territory and suffers from linearity, limiting player agency. Overall, the game is praised for its immersive storytelling and emotional depth, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “The story is well-written and continuously keeps the player engaged with the characters’ choices, leading to a satisfying, albeit tragic, conclusion filled with consequences.”
- “Bound in Blood tells the story of the McCall brothers, Ray, Thomas, and William, and like any good story about brothers, it revolves around a woman.”
- “With a brilliant dynamic cover system, clever dual-wielding, and a very enjoyable 'semi-freeroam' setup in the story mode, this is a thoroughly enjoyable game to play.”
- “The story is mediocre.”
- “The story is forgettable unless you've played the first game, but still even then there isn't really anything special holding everything together into a coherent plot other than 'gold' and 'family.'”
- “The story is a prequel to the original call of juarez, and while the story isn't all that great, the atmosphere is really evocative of that period, also thanks to a great soundtrack.”
gameplay
515 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
10%
The gameplay of "Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" is generally praised for its satisfying gun mechanics and engaging combat, particularly the unique abilities of the two protagonists, Ray and Thomas, which add variety to the experience. However, the dueling mechanics are often criticized as clunky and frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While the game features a solid cover system and improved shooting mechanics compared to its predecessor, some players find the gameplay repetitive and dated, with occasional bugs and control issues.
- “The gameplay is fantastic, and while not as good looking or fun as Gunslinger, it is still one of the best western games ever.”
- “The dual-wielding mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy to the gunfights, making each encounter a test of reflexes and tactics.”
- “Developed by Techland, the game excels with engaging gameplay, an emotionally charged story, and an authentic atmosphere that makes players feel like part of an epic western adventure.”
- “The gameplay of this game feels so horrible compared to what I remember, but the storyline itself isn't that bad. I would only recommend it if you can deal with bad controls.”
- “The shooting mechanics were a bit clunky and not entirely accurate, better suited to keyboard and mouse rather than controller.”
- “The dueling mechanics are gimmicky, and some people will find that annoying.”
graphics
317 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
54%
9%
The graphics of "Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" are generally regarded as decent for a game released in 2009, showcasing vibrant environments and a strong wild west aesthetic. While many players appreciate the artistic design and improvements over its predecessor, there is a consensus that the visuals have aged and can appear outdated compared to modern standards, with some textures and animations feeling rough or lacking detail. Overall, the game is praised for its immersive atmosphere, though it may not meet the expectations of those accustomed to contemporary graphics.
- “The environments are vibrant and varied, ranging from desolate villages to majestic landscapes, and the design team did an impressive job capturing the aesthetic and atmosphere of the wild west.”
- “While the game doesn’t feature ultra-realistic graphics, it does present detailed textures and fluid animations, with an artistic design that effectively conveys the wild west atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are surprisingly beautiful for their time and the voice acting is done well.”
- “People around my age, like middle age and senior, might be able to cope with the graphics, and it sure has aged like milk: it looked amazing in 2009, but now?”
- “The graphics and cutscenes could easily pass for an early to mid-2010s shooter, and the voice acting is rather perfect for what it is.”
- “The graphics look worse than the first game when played on DirectX 10; not only that, the whole game lost its charm—details like the blood gushing out or the bullets hitting the enemy or the amazing sound of the slow motion (concentration mode) are all gone.”
music
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
5%
The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its ability to capture the western atmosphere through a blend of twangy guitar melodies and intense battle scores. The soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, complementing both action-packed moments and quieter exploration scenes, although some critics noted that it can be repetitive at times. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its immersive storytelling and setting.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the western vibe, with twangy guitar melodies and intense battle scores.”
- “The soundtrack, which blends epic themes with more melancholic tones, creates the ideal atmosphere for each moment in the story, whether during a tense shootout or a quieter exploration scene.”
- “The music is really twangy and the cutscenes are like comics.”
- “Audio: this is probably the worst component of the game; the music is fine, but the sounds, voices, and ambiance are horrible.”
- “The music is bad.”
- “Even the music sounds out of place; it's all bombastic generic brass sections and choirs chanting almost inaudible phrases, just like every other video game soundtrack.”
atmosphere
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The game successfully captures the essence of the old west, featuring a rich and immersive atmosphere that ranges from dusty towns to vibrant landscapes. Players appreciate the engaging characters, dynamic soundtrack, and detailed environments that enhance the overall experience, making them feel part of an epic western adventure. Despite some minor flaws, the atmospheric design and cinematic elements contribute to a compelling and authentic wild west vibe.
- “Developed by Techland, the game excels with engaging gameplay, an emotionally charged story, and an authentic atmosphere that makes players feel like part of an epic western adventure.”
- “The environments are vibrant and varied, ranging from desolate villages to majestic landscapes, and the design team did an impressive job capturing the aesthetic and atmosphere of the Wild West.”
- “The soundtrack, which blends epic themes with more melancholic tones, creates the ideal atmosphere for each moment in the story, whether during a tense shootout or a quieter exploration scene.”
- “Unfortunately, some of that atmosphere is ruined by the banter between the brothers since they end up repeating the same combat dialogue multiple times throughout the game.”
- “Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood is a game that tries to recreate that atmosphere of a western movie within an FPS game, and while it succeeds in more places than any game I have ever seen attempt this, it still falls short in the end.”
- “While the game doesn’t feature ultra-realistic graphics, it does present detailed textures and fluid animations, with an artistic design that effectively conveys the wild west atmosphere.”
replayability
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
56%
9%
The game offers moderate replayability primarily due to the option to play as two distinct characters, each with unique abilities and paths, which can enhance the experience. However, many players note that the overall story and level design do not significantly differ between characters, leading to a mixed perception of replay value. While some find the variety and character choice engaging, others feel the game lacks enough content to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “Both characters offer unique abilities, adding replay value.”
- “The story took me 9 hours to complete, and it appears to have a fair degree of replayability due to the variety of locations, the number of hidden secrets, and the fact that most of the levels can be played as either of the two main characters, who have their own combat styles as well as differing paths/objectives in certain story locations.”
- “A great prequel to the first Call of Juarez which greatly improves the shooting and level diversity with two different characters to play through for almost each mission, adding tons of replayability.”
- “The ability to switch between the brothers doesn't add a whole lot of replayability, but it does add another aspect of creativity and customization to the game, as you will likely become accustomed to one of them over the other.”
- “Pay no more than $4.99 for this, as the game is ~6 hours long and the replay value isn't quite there.”
- “The game does have some replayability, letting you play as both Thomas and Ray, but I will not be replaying everything just for that.”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
7%
"Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" is praised for its emotionally charged narrative that explores themes of loyalty, family, and moral conflict through the intertwined stories of the McCall brothers. Players report a deep emotional impact, particularly in the game's climax, with many expressing that the story evokes strong feelings, including tears and reflections on personal relationships. The game's ability to create an immersive and authentic atmosphere enhances its emotional depth, making it resonate with players on a profound level.
- “The game excels with engaging gameplay, an emotionally charged story, and an authentic atmosphere that makes players feel like part of an epic western adventure.”
- “The story gets very emotional towards the end; tears formed and gasps were made.”
- “The emotional gut punch of him saying why he is who he is actually got me to cry.”
- “The voice acting is laughable, and the story fails to engage emotionally.”
- “Despite solid gameplay, the story lacks any emotional depth.”
humor
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting the witty banter between characters, particularly the comedic interactions between the brothers Ray and Thomas. Many found the over-the-top scenarios and absurd moments, such as the "riding on a cart while having a turret" section, to be hilariously entertaining. Overall, the voice acting and character quotes contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it a fun experience filled with memorable and funny lines.
- “Every level has a set of collectible scrolls hidden around; these unlock cool artwork and funny commentary from the protagonists.”
- “Everything in this game is hilariously over the top.”
- “Had a blast playing this game, Ray is so funny I couldn't stop laughing at his lines especially the chapter when you're up on the cliffs going down the elevator.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
4%
83%
Overall, the game's stability has improved compared to its predecessor, with many players reporting a smooth experience on modern systems and no crashes during gameplay. However, some users noted persistent glitches, particularly in character animations, hitboxes, and graphical issues, especially on certain hardware configurations. While the game runs well for most, a few bugs and performance inconsistencies remain, particularly for those using Windows 8 or higher.
- “The game itself runs great without problems on modern systems like Windows 10, and I encountered zero crashes during the whole playthrough.”
- “Surprisingly, for a 2009 game, it runs great on modern hardware.”
- “The game is also optimized very well, so no glitches are found throughout the game.”
- “Unfortunately, its mechanics are a bit wonky and it's too buggy on modern PCs.”
- “There are some graphical glitches and performance issues; for some reason, if you are running Windows 8 or above, the game does weirdly play upside down.”
- “What a bloody buggy mess this game is!”
optimization
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
52%
19%
Overall, "Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" demonstrates solid optimization for its release period, delivering a stable frame rate and impressive visuals on most systems. While many players report smooth performance, some have experienced minor issues such as crashes, stuttering, and graphical glitches, particularly on certain platforms. The game is generally better optimized than its predecessor, though some users noted that controls felt more suited for consoles than for keyboard and mouse setups.
- “In terms of performance, 'Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood' shines, especially for its release period.”
- “Techland managed to balance visual complexity with good performance, ensuring a stable and smooth frame rate.”
- “Almost all the flaws from the first game are gone here; 'Bound in Blood' runs smoothly, has beautiful graphics, great atmosphere and soundtrack, a cool plot that will keep you in tension for the whole game, and an epic finale that will probably make you shed a small manly tear.”
- “This game seems to have improved on most things, including performance, compared to Call of Juarez, but there were some things I preferred from the first; however, nothing terrible.”
- “I'm really shocked; if they can make this an actual game, Techland should stick with linear-based shooters and not open world non-optimized pieces of filth diarrhea!”
- “There are some graphical glitches and performance issues; for some reason, if you are running Windows 8 or above, the game does weirdly play upside down.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
Character development in "Bound in Blood" receives mixed reviews; while some praise it as outstanding, particularly highlighting Ray McCall's transformation and the depth given to supporting characters, others find it somewhat shallow, especially in the early acts. Overall, the narrative is noted for its engaging twists and memorable character arcs, though some characters, like Thomas, are less developed.
- “I am not a religious person, but Ray McCall's character development is one of the best you could ask for given his attitude.”
- “The story as a whole had some great twists and solid character development, particularly with one of the brothers, Thomas.”
- “Everything is tied to the original plot so well, it also gives a lot of character development to its characters, like Ray, who transformed from a jerk and a killer to a preacher, while also bringing personality to his two brothers who were barely mentioned in the original. It's commendable.”
- “Character development is somewhat shallow.”
- “The first two acts, for instance, are rather dull and don't show much character development.”
- “Better character development.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to boredom and frustration. While some appreciate the emotional depth of the story, many criticize the excessive grinding and monotonous gameplay, particularly during duels and showdowns that disrupt the flow of the game. Overall, the grinding detracts from the experience, making it feel unnecessarily prolonged and less engaging.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “That said, certain parts of the game feel slow and tedious, and it can drag at times, leaving you a bit bored.”
- “But there is just so much choice taken away from the player in terms of actions and approaches and level design for so many chapters of the game too, and then to put the rancid cherry on the fecal sundae, virtually every chapter grinds to a halt for a tooth-grindingly frustrating, game-flow destroying duel.”
- “Gameplay is repetitive and boring, and the showdowns that conclude every level feel exactly the same, each as broken and tedious as the last.”