New Guidebook: Gun

Without a doubt my favorite project of 2005 was authoring the strategy guide for Gun. It's been virtually forever since a good western-themed videogame has come along and never before has one captured the scale and beauty of the Old West such as Gun. The game pits you as Colton White, a frontiersman skilled in the ways of hunting and self-preservation. After an unexpected ambush on one of the Missouri River's steamboats, Colton learns that the man he's been callin "pop" all these years isn't his real father. Colton is pushed overboard to safety and watches in horror as his mentor is killed. But not before he is given a clue as to where he can learn his true heritage.

Gun is a third-person action-adventure game that features an expansive environment, loads of gunplay, gold mining, hunting, ranching, and even a little bit of gambling, not to mention several other Old West professions. As Colton seeks revenge and begins to unravel the threads of his past, he is caught up in the ongoing struggle between the rich railroad builders and the rebels fighting to keep the land free.

The strategy guide provides all the info you'll need to complete all 18 story missions and how to defeat each of the diabolical boss characters. Additionally, we show you where to find all 44 goldmines and how to max out Colton's stats with detailed tips for all of the game's dozens of side-missions. The book also has some really nice concept art scattered throughout its pages.

I'd offer to give away signed copies of the book , but I've already given a bunch away to people who asked early. Nevertheless, Gun was a lot of fun, is very easy to control (and easy to play depending on the difficulty setting you select), and my pick for one of the best games of 2005.