Price: Free Score: 7/10    Category: Games

Everyone wants to compete against their friends in a good old-fashioned shootout, right? ‘High Noon’ for the iPhone and iPod Touch delivers such an experience and plenty more to iOS gamers looking for simple but addictive gameplay.

‘High Noon’ pits you against your friends and nearly four million other online competitors in western shootouts. The gameplay, at its core, is simple and intuitive. To aim, tilt the device. To shoot and reload, tap the screen.

While Happylatte’s second title sports a steep learning curve, ‘High Noon’ isn’t unfair by any means. The winner is whoever can deplete their enemy’s health points first. Too simple, right? The game takes the western shootout idea several steps further, implementing a complete weapon upgrade system. Users can purchase items, such as a lasso, which renders your opponent temporarily helpless, along with more powerful weaponry.

While High Noon’s upgrade system offers depth and replayability, it’s also one of the game’s biggest flaws. The game’s most powerful and awesome items are only available for purchase with Wampum, a currency entirely separate from gold. While users earn gold from winning matches, Wampum is uncommon. Unless you buy it. This lends quite an unfair advantage to those willing to purchase the virtual currency, as skill no longer equates to a victory.

The game itself is free, and Happylatte needed to get something out of their investment. Personally, I would have preferred to pay four or five bucks for the complete experience over spending my money to purchase virtual currency in a game.

In the end, ‘High Noon’ is an entertaining diversion worth its price tag (free, for the most part). The game is filled to the brim with addicting gameplay, smooth shootouts, and robust customization options. If you don’t want to spend the cash, though, don’t expect to defeat those who are.