The game's also abolished the weapon degradation system of the original (nothing like having your favorite pair of handguns blow up in your face after being fired too often) in favor of longer-term inventory management. There are now many opportunities to stock up on cash, which can be spent at weapon shops to pick up fancy new weapons to try (such as new shotguns, bows, rifles, and handguns).

This combines with the side-quest segments, where in between some levels you'll end up in a massive 'overworld' map where you can pick out some optional side-jobs to do and stock up on cash. There are other cool touches too - horseback riding is featured in several parts of the game, and even the "duel" system has also made a comeback and is more bad-ass than ever. The concept, in the PC version, of having to use your mouse to literally 'reach for the gun' as the bell sounds to take down a given boss in a level looks really slick and feels ultra-satisfying... at least, if you manage to pull it off the first time. You can expect to become a bit annoyed if you end up having to repeat the same duel several times over however. Of additional note, the developers have gone for a significantly less abusive level design, so don't expect to die over and over again at the same scripted insta-death trap unless you're really not paying attention.

While the game provides one intense thriller after another all the way up to the ending, something suspiciously absent from the game is an actual multiplayer co-op option. So much of the game involves both you and your AI-controlled brother duking it out in the same playing area that I'm surprised support for co-op wasn't built in. Another part of me does understand some of the challenges involved in making this work properly (particularly in some of the cutscene-heavy areas and segments that have you working separately from your brother), but otherwise something like this would have been really cool and could have meshed nicely with the game. At the very least, the existing objective-based multiplayer options are pretty interesting and good for a lark, but I feel the game's strength otherwise lies in its well-crafted single player component.

Aiding this further is the insane amount of detail the game provides. Thanks to some incredible use of texture rendering, depth of field, and other shader-driven effects, the game provides a graphical presentation so convincing and immersive that you can practically smell the gunpowder. What amazed me further was just how well the thing ran; granted, my 8800GT-equipped desktop system with 8GB of RAM is hardly a pushover, but with games starting to focus more on the newer graphics cards on the market, I was surprised when I found I could crank the game up to 1680x1050 and turn everything to maximum with no slowdown. I was really thankful for it too - being able to turn around and survey an amazing 3D-rendered backdrop full of curvy mountains, forests, and all sorts of other little details really left me with a memorable impression. The only complaint I have is on the vegetation draw distance - it's still a bit too easy to see the detailed vegetation (grass and so on) start suddenly 'popping in' from nothingness as you cross open terrain, rather than being a smooth gradual transition.

From start to finish, the single player campaign of Bound in Blood definitely provides one of the most memorable FPS gaming experiences of the year. Even though running through a town gunning down dozens of bad guys does get a little repetitive after awhile, the often-hilarious lines of battle dialogue that occur between Ray and Thomas keep things fresh and interesting, along with the well-animated cutscenes and constant opportunities for Eastwood-esque bad-assery.

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