When Call of Juarez arrived on the Xbox 360 in 2007 many praised the game for its storyline and slick visuals; however, many criticized the game for its performance issues and some lackluster character modeling.

Call of Juarez is a completely missed opportunity. Rather than capitalizing on the quality of its forebears and building it into a successful franchise, The Cartel takes everything back ten steps, planting its feet firmly into the muddy doldrums of mediocrity.

Up to this point, Call of Juarez has managed to distinguish itself as a flawed but likable series, one that's brought some interesting ...

Heroes' hidden agendas are a nice touch; Competitive elements make co-op more fun; Gets a little better in its final chapters

Looks unpolished to the point of hideousness; Mediocre voice acting and terrible combat banter; Wastes great ideas on a mediocre-at-best shooter

Of all the things to loathe about Call of Juarez: The Cartel , there is perhaps nothing greater than your two AI teammates, a couple of foul-mouthed clichés (no matter which of the game's three characters one chooses to control) who provide next-to-no combat assistance and yet have the gall to...

Call of Juarez is one of those peculiar mid-range series that have somehow survived an industry climate that is supposed to have finished off everything between tiny indies and blockbuster juggernauts.

It's really not my fault. In fact, I call entrapment. I feel like I was getting mixed messages from Call of Juarez: The Cartel. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to do what I did. In fact, I'm still not sure whether I was or wasn't supposed to do it.

Call of Juarez: The Cartel has lost its way with this departure from the traditional formula. It's not the worst FPS out there; it's just very average and feels rushed. It's clear that the game needed much more time to become a quality product and it shows from the beginning till the end.

I was a fan of the series until this game came along and after playing The Cartel I think the main problem is in the transition from past to present, the game lost much of its charm. It decided to get serious on us, and that really doesn't work in a game like this.