Set in the Wild Wild West, Western Press is a game focused on pistol duelling. You need to be quick on the draw at dawn, at dusk, or at any other time. It’s a game of skill and speed, but tumbleweed is all you’ll find if you’re looking to play online.
When Western Press starts, introduces you to the philosophy of the duel. The perfect equaliser, the only sure way to rectify a grievance. Who can draw the fastest and leave the other bleeding? As the game tells us, the duel abides.
The game starts with our first duel against a pile of cans, the natural training ground of any straight shooter. These are an easy target, and a good training ground for what you need to do to win. The letters appear on the screen and you have to type them fast.
Of course, what is a shootout without a little banter? Shouting at cans may seem pointless, but it’s good practice for the sharp wit needed to distract actual live opponents.
Also, you can play as a pile of cans now, if you like.
Our next opponent actually draws breath as well as guns. You’ll need to be quicker on the draw, sorry, quicker on the typing if you expect to survive.
These practice rounds against AI opponents will continue, getting harder and harder as you progress. Stats at the end of each round will reveal your skill with the gun. Keyboard, I mean skill with the keyboard.
You may lose a match here or there, but overall the AI opponents are easy enough to beat. It just takes practice.
What I like about this game is the quick restart. If you want a rematch you can jump straight back in and try again. You only have to wait for the timer.
Then comes the final opponent. Wyatt Hurt is hard. Really hard. There are a couple of things different about this duel. The letters don’t slowly appear as they do in other rounds. They all appear instantly. Wyatt charges through them quickly, but it takes my brain too long to parse the word and start typing.
Sure I can type fast, but I can’t start fast enough. The other thing different about this round is the longer countdown. It feels like an age. This means the quick restart isn’t all that quick anymore. I keep trying, but eventually I start to get impatient.
Oh well, let’s take a break and see what else this game has to offer. Oh look, you can play against other players!
Ah. It seems that Western Press is a ghost town these days. It’s a bit of a shame. It’s a nice idea for a quick, competitive game that can improve your touch typing, but unfortunately it’s not a game that’s going to build a long term community.
I keep coming back and trying to beat Wyatt. I can’t do it. I need to practice a lot more. But I’m running out of time. There are more games in my library to play. I hang up my keyboard and leave the town of Western Press. Maybe I’ll return someday when I’m quicker on the typing.
Wyatt Hurt, you’re days are numbered. I’m a-coming back for you.
