Call of Juarez Will Be Bound in Blood

Ubisoft is sending word that it plans to release a prequel to its Call of Juarez Western themed shooter. The new game will be called Bound in Blood and will arrive for the Xbox 360 from Microsoft, the PlayStation 3 from Sony and the good old PC sometime in the second half of 2009.

Developing studio Techland is again handling production duty on the game and the new title is set to be a re-telling of the adventures through which Thomas and Ray McCall, Billy’s step father and uncle (the character from the first game), go through in their youth.

John Parkes, who is the marketing director at Ubisoft EMEA, stated that “Call of Juarez was well received by gamers and critics. We’re confident this new collaboration with Techland will bring an even bigger and better adventure to fans of shooters and the lawless Wild West.”

The main idea behind the prequel is that the new time frame will encompass the American Civil War and the trials and tribulations of the McCalls as they go through adventures from Virginia to long lost Aztec ruins where treasures and danger await them. The Bound in Blood title is a direct reference to the harsh life of the people on the fringe of society of those days.

The bullet time mechanics that powered the one on one duels in the first game will probably return as will some stealth bits where players will be required to sneak around foes and take out high value targets. Gamers will probably play the title from two different perspectives and the story is likely to have its fair share of twists, charismatic antagonists and treasure hunts.

With Ubisoft not committing to launching a new Assassin's Creed in 2009, it sorely needs a high powered title that can generate sales and Call of Juarez’s good reception bodes well for Bound in Blood.