If you are new to cowboy games, a few titles come up again and again when players talk about the genre. Here is a plain introduction to some of the best-known ones, and what kind of experience each one offers.
Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2
These Rockstar Games titles are large, story-driven Western games set in an open world. Red Dead Redemption follows former outlaw John Marston, while Red Dead Redemption 2 follows Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang. Both mix a central story with exploration, horseback travel, towns, and side activities.
Gun
Gun is a Western action game in which you play a bounty hunter on the frontier. It is more compact and action-focused than the large open-world Red Dead games, with missions, shooting, and travel across a Western landscape.
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a first-person Western shooter told through the stories of bounty hunter Silas Greaves. It is a good example of a cowboy game that puts fast shooting and duels at the centre, rather than a large open world.
Desperados III
Desperados III is a different kind of cowboy game: a tactical stealth game set in the Wild West. Instead of charging in, you plan each move, use each character’s skills, and work through missions carefully. It shows that cowboy games are not only about shooting.
How to choose one to learn more about
- Want a big story and open world? Start with the Red Dead games.
- Want faster action? Look at Gun or Call of Juarez: Gunslinger.
- Want planning and strategy? Desperados III is the tactical option here.
Always check a game’s platform and age rating before playing. This site provides information only and does not offer downloads or playable games.