This game is worth playing for its superb atmosphere (including a wonderful musical score) and its gameplay when set to the "ugly" difficulty level (the ONLY way to play this game, btw... it just turns into a regular shooter if you set it to the easier levels.)

Not that I don't die with some degree of regularity playing on Ugly difficulty :) It's just that I like the tactical gameplay that the level forces you to adopt. The manual even refers to it as "the true Outlaws experience", which I can only agree with. Sure you die easily, but then so do they!

You just have to adopt the mindset that you're going to get the drop on them before they get the drop on you. Make good use of any available cover, snipe from long distance as often as possible, be aware of your surroundings, and don't forget about the benefits of dynamite :)

I like reloading. Outlaws taught me the immersive joy of weapons that didn't magically insert new ammunition when the old was expended. Suddenly you can't just step out and spray endless bullets at people... you have to think about how many shots you'll get off before having to get behind cover again (the first shotgun in Outlaws could hold only one shell!), and it forces you to adapt your tactics. Just having the feature there tends to make it a more immersive experience -- even just the occasional feeling of panic when you step out, take aim, and... *click*... "empty clip! argh!" makes it worth it IMO :)

Graphics aren't what counts in Outlaws, though, which is why it's still fun!

Once you've practiced enough to familiarise yourself with it, ignore the first two difficulty levels (Good, and Bad) and only play on the 'Ugly' setting (gotta love the theme) On this setting, bullets are deadly. Most opponents will go down with one or two shots. The flip side is that you can't take much damage either.

The name of the game then becomes tactics. Staying behind cover; taking note of the surroundings; popping out to unload a shotgun round, then ducking back behind a wall again to reload; using your rifle scope to take out enemies at long range; throwing a stick of dynamite at a nearby group. Your vulnerability induces quite a bit of tension!

The enemy A.I. is poor, but they're still deadly if you leave yourself exposed.

Some reviewers made much of the fact that this was a shooter with a plot, but to be honest, anyone who had played UU or System Shock would have just laughed at this suggestion. While LG's plots are thoroughly integrated into the gameplay, Outlaws merely has cutscenes, with almost no hint of the plot during the levels, and the story is really very shallow. The opener does put you in the mood, however.

The music is fabulous; truly some of the best game music ever written, and all completely fitting the western theme. In fact, the entire presentation is superb in that regard.

You ought to be able to find it cheaply, and I highly recommend it. It's not perfect, but for what it is it's very well done indeed, and there's nothing else like it out there. (A sequel made with modern technology could be utterly brilliant.)