The Outlaw, The Drunk, & The Whore (PC) Review

The titular trio of characters has a simple task: get rich by stealing some shiny federal gold. Upon starting their quest, however, something happens that causes their early demise, and, being the sinners that they are, end up right next to the devil himself, who, just like a good Samaritan, decides to send them back to the Wild West in order for them to try and get rich. For those who haven't figured that out, The Outlaw, The Drunk, & The Whore doesn't take itself too seriously.

That's good, as the purposely crude, Blazing Saddles-esque humour makes this a pretty charming title, something aided by the catchy tunes that bop along. This, of course, is not an RPG or an adventure, thus don't expect tons of dialogue. This is a pure action title; a top-down arcade journey, where the purpose is to hack and shoot your way through a series of aptly themed levels, making sure to collect money in order to upgrade your gear - a must if you expect to survive.

Each of the playable characters has its own set of strengths and weaknesses - and, nope, the impressive cans of thuh Whore aren't amongst those, partner! All have a melee, a ranged, and a special attack, but they are different for each one. The shovel-wielding Drunk, for example, has a longer melee reach, the Outlaw is better with a pistol, and the Whore can set some lethal insects loose to do the killing for her.

Due to their differences, players are advised to try all of them out, before attempting to reach the end. No matter who you choose, however, be prepared to get annoyed from the melee range and speed of your attacks. Especially when playing as the Outlaw or the Whore - melee attacks are a crapshoot that tends to damage the player, as well, since enemies are very fast and durable, and your weapon's range and speed is worthless.

This is not a minor thing. Since bullets and special abilities are (quite) limited, melee seems to be the main means of attack here, and that simply isn't fun. Other than that, The Outlaw, The Drunk, & The Whore isn't something that there is much to say about. It's a simple and cheap hack 'n' slasher game that scratches that nostalgia itch, but nothing more than that. Sadly, like with most of DXF's releases, it's more like a decent student project than an indie gem with a retro look.