Get a rope
The Gunstringer, and the bundled Fruit Ninja Kinect, are probably the best Kinect games out there. Sadly, that isn't saying that much. Like other Kinect games, the You Are The Controller technology works well enough most of the time, but, particularly in menus, I can't shake the feeling that the whole experience would be better if it were tuned for a standard You Hold The Controller. Once the novelty of waving your arms around wears off, and the shoulder pain wears in, its the game itself that has to carry your attention and the game itself is... actually kind of great.You control the titular Gunstringer in a marionette play about his revenge fueled shootouts versus the people -- and wavy tube men -- that once betrayed him. With your left hand you control the Gunstringer's motions. With the right you select targets and then, with a sharp snap back of your right hand, you take them out. Other sections have light platforming, which you control solely with your left hand. Some helpful text says that if you are afflicted with left-handedness, the hands used for each task can be remapped.
The fact that The Gunstringer is in a play is never far from your awareness. Frequently you'll see the live action audience, most of which probably helped make the game, overacting like their lives depended on it. It's hilarious, particularly at the end. Sections of the game are quite funny as well, with ridiculous enemies and increasingly absurd situations. There is a fair amount of repetition, particularly the boss fights, but the game is so short it doesn't really have time to wear too thin.
The Gunstringer was originally going to be a downloadable title, and it shows. The biggest plus of it becoming a full disk release, however, is that the achievement points are stupid easy. I hit over 700 on a single play through, with each act of each of the four chapters awarding at least 20 points. If that sort of thing appeals to you, think of it as shoulder exercises that also help your gamer score.
There are tons of unlockables that are all varying degrees of silly, and you even get The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles downloadable for free. For some reason Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Films, and some guy named Alex Navarro, repeatedly get quoted between levels. Alex's quotes are pretty funny. Lloyd's make me feel uneasy, much like Lloyd himself. It's short, it's fun, it's nutballs batshit crazy (which I like), and includes the only other quite-decent Kinect game. If you have a Kinect -- and aren't stoned or four years old -- what other choice do you have?
