Gunman Chronicles

It Must Have been a pretty good day for a few humble modders scattered across the globe when Sierra called them up to tell them their free Half-Life total conversion was going to be put in the shops with Valve's seal of approval. A reward for hard work and talent or a cheap way of getting a new Half-Life product on the shelves? Both probably. And while Gunman hasn't stood the test of time particularly well, it's still a solid shooter with enough Half-Life moments to make up for a daft cowboys-in-space versus dinosaurs storyline. There are also some Xenites and, erm, evil cowboys and such to shoot, plus a few first-person Tomb Raider-style platform hopping touches, but the real innovation is in the weapon department, with each gun displaying a number of settings and adding a slight tactical angle to the relentless combat.

There's also evidence of localised damage and some big set pieces to make the admission price worthwhile, but at a time when we're really looking for something a bit more sophisticated than the usual FPS fare, it does feel overly simplistic and derivative.

Spawning forth from the tree of Half-Life, Gunman Chronicles was originally intended to be a mod for the great game, but was sent to the top of the class by Sierra, who elevated it to the status of a standalone. Set in a futuristic universe, where the aliens wear cowboy hats and kick you when you're down, you play a faceless space sheriff sent to clean up the town. Gunman may not have quite the tense and absorbing atmosphere of Half-Life, but it's still great fun.