I held off on writing my review of Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Old West until after I had a chance to play the online portion of it’s nearest cousin: Red Dead Redemption. I felt it was a fair decision; even though we’re looking at an independent studio’s effort and a triple A title from a major developer, the price delta and the limited points that of comparison add some balance.
That said, these are two very different games. Red Dead’s Free Roam mode lobby is a game unto itself, something you could spend hours with. The competitive multiplayer is good… but it’s completely eclipsed by the fast-paced five on five that you’ll find in Lead and Gold.
FatShark has done some great work with Lead and Gold and I can soundly say that whether or not you’ve bought Red Dead you’ll find that Lead and Gold is absolutely worth your $15. The gameplay is furiously fun; the variety of classes makes it a game of cat and mouse like Team Fortress 2, with the different skills of each class reinforcing that of those around them. I love the way that team play is encouraged; you can go it alone, but sticking with your posse is the best way to get an edge on your opponents.
Finding a game isn’t hard even with a variety of different gaming modes. You can stick with your friends, or head out into a land filled with “pubbies”. While teamwork is more prevalent here than in any other online game I’ve played recently, you’ll find that rounding up a gang of reliable buddies makes Lead and Gold much more fun.
I’m also thrilled to see FatShark’s commitment to Lead and Gold in lockstep with their Valve brethren; much like TF2, Lead and Gold has already seen free DLC that has added a new game type and another map.
Red Dead is a lot of fun, but when it comes to frantic, fast paced, fun online play, Lead and Gold duels it and disarms it with a shot from the hip. In a perfect world you’d own both. Hell, in any world you should own both. Go forth and make it so.
