If director Sam Raimi’s classic Western "The Quick & the Dead" can be said to have an analogue in the video game world, it is unquestionably Techland’s "Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood." They both serve up cheeseball stories and feature colorfully one-dimensional characters. Game and film alike also offer a helluva fun ride, building a deeply entertaining experience around the established tropes of the Western genre.

"Bound in Blood" is all the more impressive for being a sequel that completely eclipses its predecessor. The original "Call of Juarez" had its high points, but any fun was marred by a slavish adherence to Techland’s shooter/platformer/stealth vision for the game. "Blood" abandons the latter two gameplay styles, focusing instead on tightening up the core experience of forging a trail across the Wild West with your guns blazing.

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Well, I warned you. I said there'd be weeks like this one coming. Weeks where your new gaming options are, well, limited. Unless you're a big, big fan of "Harry Potter," retail stores won't exactly be brimming with exciting new content. Thankfully there's always downloadable games!

Pick of the Week: "Worms 2: Armageddon" (XBLA)
I'm willing to accept that not everyone loves "Worms" as much as I do, but considering my loving dedication to the franchise, understand that it's been a long, long while since I've seen a "Worms" game this rock solid. You're gonna have a hard time finding a better use for 10 bucks this week.

Runner Up: "Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood" (360/PS3/PC)
It's not great, but it's good...especially if you're a fan of westerns or straight-up shooting games. This sequel chucks all of the annoying stealth and platforming bits from the first game, leaving you with some intense (and extremely difficult) gunfights. Again, not going to burn your house down, but if you're desperate, it's not a half-bad option.