Since its launch, the Kinect has seen its fair share of ups and downs in terms of accessibility in gaming. Now, what if I told you lifting a marionette “up and down” might prove to be the start of a whole new era in breaking down these barriers.

Publishers Microsoft team up with Developers Twisted Pixel to bring you The Gunstringer, a revenge tale that is a cross between Duck Hunt and Dirty Harry...with a dash of Pinocchio. Players assume the role of The Gunstringer, a former man who was betrayed by his old posse and left for dead in the dessert. He has now risen from the ashes as a “vengeance seeking skeleton” that will stop at nothing until justice has been served.

When I initially had the opportunity to play this game at PAX Prime this year, I was concerned because the Kinect sensor didn’t seem to be picking me up too well in my wheelchair. I still wanted to give my gun-slinging abilities a shot, so I did the best I could based on the environment I was in. I knew the true test would be to try the game out in the comfort of my living room (as that is where I play the majority of my games) and I have to tell you, I have never been more amazed by a Kinect game in my entire life. Not only did the game recognize me in my wheelchair, but I was even able to play while sitting back on my couch. If that wasn’t enough, the game picks up even the slightest movements of my hands, so it doesn’t take a lot to move the on-screen crosshairs.

Players manipulate the crosshairs by moving their dominant hand to aim and fire with basic arm gestures, while their non-dominant hand is reserved for player movement. Speaking as a person with precision and fine motor skill issues, I was surprised to see how accurate the on-screen motion is. Be it that Twisted Pixel uses their own proprietary engine known as BEARD, I can only assume it’s with this in combination with the Kinect’s hardware sensors that they’ve been able to achieve such a feat.

The games setting is like nothing I’ve seen before. Players control the marionette in front of a “live” audience that reacts to every action that is happening on stage. I mean, I’ve heard, “the whole world is a stage” before but in this case, it is literally true. Story mode includes: 4 main plays, 2 acts each, plus an intro and finale. As the player progresses they will earn in-game cash at the end of each act which in turn can be used to purchase modifiers such as “No Fail Mode”, game “commentary” and yes even “HARDCORE Mode”. Each act is pretty quick to work through and I found myself wanting more the longer I played, it becomes addicting because it is one of the only games (besides Fruit Ninja Kinect) that I’ve enjoyed playing with motion controlled peripherals. Speaking of Fruit Ninja Kinect, you’re all in for a treat; included with the retail package of the game is a token code for a full downloadable version of Fruit Ninja Kinect!...I know, I was blown away too, it’s like an accessibility power pack!

Now I know that for some of you, “basic arm gestures” aren’t so “basic” and are actually quite difficult, as for me, moving my right-arm can be a challenge from time to time, well, there is some ways around this. Firstly, if you’re a lefty like me you’ll be pleased to hear that there is an option called “I suffer from left-handedness and need LEFTY MODE to play” this will default your shooting arm as your left arm and make things a bit easier. For gamers with the use of only one arm, you can still play through the entire game in “drop-in, drop out co-op mode”. You see, the game defaults the first player as the person who controls player movement and their gun, so, if players with one arm join as the second player, all they have to worry about is assisting the first player is shooting enemies, making for an extremely fun co-op experience.


The game also includes additional options such as: Subtitles, Sound Effects, Music and Voice Commands (for pausing) all of which can be toggled on and off. If you’re a competitive cowboy, you can always check the Leaderboards for each and every play to see how you fair against your fellow gunslingers.

Accessibility Issues/Concerns:
Because this is a motion controlled game, I know that no matter what is modified, it is still going to be difficult for gamers with severe precision issues to enjoy. With that said, this game offers some of the most comprehensive options I’ve ever seen in a Kinect game to make things a bit easier, so I feel it’s a step in the right direction.
At a Glance

Mobility: As mentioned above, a motion controlled game isn’t going to be for everyone but with the use of drop-in, drop out co-op and the slick and sensitive BEARD engine, this game moves to among the top of my favourite motion controlled titles. Recommended score: 8/10

Hearing: With the ability to highlight important objects with your crosshairs and subtitles to be able to follow the storyline, gamers with hearing impairments can look forward to a fun 2D/3D gaming experience. Recommended score: 10/10

Vision: Some of the enemies may be hard to spot from a distance, but for the majority of gameplay colors have enough contrast and vibrancy that it makes it easier to spot even the toughest of bad guys. Color-Blind gamers should also know that the actual color of characters or objects does not play a crucial role in the completion of the game, so there shouldn’t be major issues there. Recommended score: 9/10

Overall: This is the most fun I’ve had with a motion controlled title since Fruit Ninja Kinect and with it being INCLUDED with the retail package for a cost of only $39.99 USD how could you possibly say no to this game? If this is any indication of where motion controlled gaming is headed, then I may become a fan after all. Thank you Microsoft and Twisted Pixel.