Call of Juarez: The Cartel

43%
Game Brain Score Based on 130 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Call of Juarez: The Cartel Game Cover
Having lost touch with the series' roots, The Cartel offers a hollow and unsatisfying run and gun experience that it is mildly redeemed by strangely addictive and fast paced gunplay and some interesting ideas
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"Call of Juarez: The Cartel" is a shooter game that can be played in single-player, co-op, or multi-player mode with up to 2 players. In this modern day Western shooter, players join a task force to dismantle a Mexican drug cartel after a bombing of a U.S. law enforcement agency, and must protect their witness and bring the Cartel down by any means necessary. The game has received criticism for bugs and glitches.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

43%
Audience ScoreBased on 130 reviews
story17 positive mentions
gameplay11 negative mentions
  • The game features fast-paced gunplay and responsive gameplay mechanics, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate action shooters.
  • The co-op gameplay introduces interesting mechanics, such as hidden agendas for each character, which can add a layer of strategy and fun when playing with friends.
  • The graphics and soundtrack are decent, providing a visually appealing experience and a fitting atmosphere for the game's setting.
  • The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including audio problems, bugs, and poor AI, which detract from the overall experience.
  • The story is convoluted and poorly executed, with one-dimensional characters and a lack of connection to the previous titles in the Call of Juarez series.
  • Many players found the driving mechanics frustrating and the missions repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement and enjoyment throughout the gameplay.
  • story80 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it weak, poorly written, and filled with clichés. While some appreciate the unique backstories of the three main characters and the attempt at a complex narrative involving secret agendas, others criticize the overall execution as disjointed and forgettable. Despite its flaws, a few players noted that the story has moments of intrigue and could be enjoyable for those who prioritize action over narrative depth.

    • “The story surrounds three characters with unique backstories that tie into the natural enemies of the teamed-up trio of crimefighters – the cartel, and the FBI that hired them.”
    • “The idea behind the story is great, with all three playable characters operating with their own motives and secret objectives.”
    • “Personally, I thought the story was pretty good and I felt like the wild west was still there amid the busy streets of LA, the ancient ruins of Juarez, and the deserts of both Mexico and California.”
    • “The actual story is all over the place, with poor writing. At first, it seemed like the main characters were sent into the gang world to stir it up and make the gangs kill each other, but then they flipped that and went the corruption route, teasing us with a treasure hunt that never happened.”
    • “The story is terrible, the characters are flat, and your AI partners are extremely annoying. The gunplay is average at best, and the scenarios and objectives are often poorly thought out and awkward to play. The whole thing is a mess.”
    • “Well, the story is a mess. There are lots of uninteresting dialogues and complicated plot points about 'who betrays whom.' The story here is much worse compared to all other Call of Juarez games.”
  • gameplay37 mentions

    The gameplay of "The Cartel" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players citing unresponsive mechanics, poor audio integration, and a lack of innovation. While some appreciate the co-op features and find the core gameplay somewhat solid, the overall experience is marred by generic mechanics, subpar graphics, and a disjointed narrative, leading to a consensus that the game fails to meet even basic standards for its genre.

    • “Gameplay is very responsive.”
    • “At the heart of the game is fairly solid gameplay that plays like all the other entries in the Call of Juarez series.”
    • “Though the game has received backlash for its graphics, overall gameplay, characterization, and storytelling, 'The Cartel' manages to do great in the co-op department as well as an interesting multiplayer mode, co-op mechanics, and gunplay.”
    • “An utterly appalling game, it’s bad enough that the actual gameplay, theme and settings of this game are poor, but what tops it off is that it’s completely unplayable. The sound keeps cutting off and funny enough when I play a video game I like to hear what’s going on. Apparently, it’s an issue with 7.1 sound and as I have a laptop with 7.1 speakers, there is nothing I can do to fix this issue. Very disappointed as I wanted to complete all Call of Juarez games so I could have my own personal achievement of completing all the Call of Juarez series. I’m very disappointed; if this game would work it would be a 4/10, the fact that it’s unplayable makes it a -100000000000000000000/10.”
    • “The mechanics are horrible, as if you were sailing under the influence of alcohol while smoking pot.”
    • “The plot is moronic, the graphics are sub-par for its era, and the gameplay is totally lacking in any depth.”
  • graphics31 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players describing them as subpar or dated, especially for a title released in 2011. While some users noted decent visuals that do not detract from the gameplay experience, others criticized the level design and character models as poorly executed. Overall, the consensus leans towards the graphics being mediocre, failing to impress in both aesthetic quality and technical execution.

    • “Call of Juarez: The Cartel: graphics look great, sounds are great and music was good.”
    • “Pretty fun, with a gripping plot, great graphics and innovative (but repetitive) gameplay.”
    • “Great graphics & gameplay.”
    • “Awful game with a terrible coop connection and very bad graphics, also forces you to install Uplay and make an account.”
    • “The graphics feel dated; the coop seems broken too.”
    • “Despite some cool concepts and set pieces, the graphics are subpar, even given when it came out.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it excessively loud and distracting, while others appreciate its quality and fitting blend of modern western metal and period-appropriate scores. Overall, the soundtrack is generally well-regarded for enhancing the game's atmosphere and complementing its setting.

    • “Music is well written and fits the period well, with modern western metal mixing with a score.”
    • “+ perfect blend of wild west/modern music”
    • “The soundtrack is actually pretty good.”
    • “Boot it up in DirectX 11 and was instantly overwhelmed by the loudest music I've ever heard; turning all audio settings down did nothing.”
    • “The soundtrack feels too western and lacks variety.”
    • “I had to turn off the music and lower the voice level just to concentrate on the gameplay.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is generally criticized, with users reporting various glitches, including audio issues and mission-related bugs that can disrupt gameplay. While some glitches are humorous, many players find the overall experience to be marred by frequent crashes and a lack of polish, leading to a perception of the game as cheap and unfinished. Despite these issues, some players acknowledge the potential of its co-op features, which are overshadowed by the technical problems.

    • “Audio broke and the game is buggy; Ubisoft abandoned this game.”
    • “I'm just updating it because I had previously not recommended due to broken sound preventing me from even playing the game (freezes/crashes).”
    • “Interesting co-op concepts are lost in a title riddled with copious amounts of gameplay and audio/visual glitches.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mixed bag, with some players finding amusement in quirky glitches and character interactions, particularly with Eddie Guerra's attempts at humor. However, the overall experience is marred by technical issues and poor gameplay, leading to frustration rather than consistent laughter. While some moments are entertaining, the game's shortcomings overshadow the comedic elements.

    • “Some weird glitches (some are funny).”
    • “The story isn't bad, but some characters are just hilarious, like Eddie Guerra trying to be a 'homie'.”
    • “It's fast-paced, funny, and entertaining for all its length, and never bored me.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is noted for its immersive environments and engaging story, creating a compelling adventure despite some criticisms regarding gun physics and AI challenge. However, some players feel it lacks the atmospheric depth found in earlier titles in the series, citing poor graphics and synchronization issues. Overall, the atmosphere is a mixed bag, with some praising its vibrancy while others find it lacking.

    • “The cartel manages to create an atmospheric adventure, with believable environments and gaudy villains.”
    • “The story, the setting, the atmosphere, and the soundtrack all come together beautifully.”
    • “This game has nothing to do with the awesome Call of Juarez games 1 and 2; it has no atmosphere, bad synchronization, bad graphics, and weird driving. Read other reviews for more detailed info.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, primarily through the option to play as different protagonists; however, this is diminished by the need to take a break from the game to fully appreciate the experience, as the environment feels somewhat restrictive. Overall, many users feel that replay value is lacking.

    • “The chance to play as the other protagonists offers some replay value, but only after leaving the game to let the memories of a somewhat caged environment fade.”
    • “The game does lack replay value.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and boring, with missions that feel repetitive and unengaging.

    • “The missions are so tedious; it's very boring.”
    • “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore with no real reward.”
    • “I spend hours doing the same tasks over and over, and it just isn't fun.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the character development in the game is poorly executed, with many players expressing dissatisfaction with the dialogue and overall depth of the characters.

    • “The graphics are decent, and the gameplay is 'okay', but the dialogue and character development is complete garbage.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for not delivering on its advertising promises, with players finding the gameplay to be largely unexciting and lacking the high-energy experience suggested in promotional materials.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

52% average critic score

Buy Call of Juarez: The Cartel

Play time

8hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
7hMain story
18hCompletionist
6-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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