Arthur Morgan is no John Marston. Don’t be mistaken, Arthur is still a badass gunslinger with a deadeye and an unwavering grit, but he’s no family man and he doesn’t possess a moral compass because the players of this sequel-prequel determine what if any morality Morgan accounts for. Encounters with random NPC folk are directly tied to what Arthur and indeed you want to do and how you want to act. Will you leave a homeless man to rot or will you help him out in some way? Will you retrieve a belonging for a traveller down on his luck or murder him for the ill-gotten gains? This is the freedom and empowerment the player possesses and how much morality Arthur has or doesn’t have is almost exclusively determined by your actions-and those actions will bare rippling consequences as the story unfolds.
This is the astronomical scale R* has wrought beyond the boundaries of a straightforward open-world with straightforward happenings. RDR2 is by virtue of a developer wholly committed to making the most all-encompassing videogames the industry has ever seen, stuffed to the gills with subtle to seismic opportunities for you to take advantage of. Be under no illusion, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a monolithic leviathan, a game so intimidatingly large that it takes roughly 60 hours to conquer the campaign alone. The world is teeming with luscious swathes of landscape to explore and admire wherever you want to venture to, its artistry with brushed with the finest in elegantly lavish details, designed in a way for you to fully appreciate by taking in every subtlety and nuance. From the dynamic and dramatic train robberies and the ornate décor of each and every cart, to the shrivelled-up horse testicles and the artisan way in which Arthur graphically and gruesomely skins animal hides-Red Dead Redemption 2 is indulgently and unashamedly luxurious in how it excessively replicates realism in videogame form. Some may grow tired and feel their time is being gnawed away by the slowness in these moments but rushing through RDR2 does the game a great disservice. Take your time and RDR2 will reward you tenfold by surprising and delighting you in both expected and unexpected ways.
This is the astronomical scale R* has wrought beyond the boundaries of a straightforward open-world with straightforward happenings. RDR2 is by virtue of a developer wholly committed to making the most all-encompassing videogames the industry has ever seen, stuffed to the gills with subtle to seismic opportunities for you to take advantage of. Be under no illusion, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a monolithic leviathan, a game so intimidatingly large that it takes roughly 60 hours to conquer the campaign alone. The world is teeming with luscious swathes of landscape to explore and admire wherever you want to venture to, its artistry with brushed with the finest in elegantly lavish details, designed in a way for you to fully appreciate by taking in every subtlety and nuance. From the dynamic and dramatic train robberies and the ornate décor of each and every cart, to the shrivelled-up horse testicles and the artisan way in which Arthur graphically and gruesomely skins animal hides-Red Dead Redemption 2 is indulgently and unashamedly luxurious in how it excessively replicates realism in videogame form. Some may grow tired and feel their time is being gnawed away by the slowness in these moments but rushing through RDR2 does the game a great disservice. Take your time and RDR2 will reward you tenfold by surprising and delighting you in both expected and unexpected ways.
As a prequel to Red Dead Redemption, RDR2 follows the story of The Dutch Van Der Linde-a band of misfit cowboy bandits and their wives. The crew attempt to find refuge after a ferry heist gone awry and attempt to flea from the law otherwise known as the Pinkerton Detective Agency, as they contend with the realisation that the old west is dying and making way for a huge industrial and technological surge. The gang end up residing in the northern mountains and whilst stationed up there they discover a hostile faction known as the O’Driscolls and they eventually decide to rob a train the O’Driscolls were looking to take for themselves in order to fund their survival. Later on a series of events transpire that force the Pinkertons to give Arthur an ultimatum while Dutch becomes obsessed with robbing trains and performing heists even after promising constantly that “it’ll be the last one”, which leads to growing dissent and tensions within the group.
There are many flourishes in RDR2s story that exemplify just how deep and continually rewarding it is. Watching Dutch make rash decisions time and again tightens the tension and drama throughout, and later on the ongoing hounding of the Pinkertons and the many twists and turns that occur smartly weave a narrative that ferociously and relentlessly engages you, making you want to find out what happens next, consistently prodding at your curiosity time and time again as it takes you to new, exciting and breath-taking places . This is brought to the absolute pinnacle come the endgame where the unexpected will hit you in the face like a railroad spike. The characters you meet along the way range from the smart and savvy to the downright perverse and highly volatile. Great backstory can be gleaned from listening to conversations between Arthur and his associates, as well as from the photographs and newspapers that keep you up-together on the affairs and happenings of the world. RDR2 is never afraid to shock you and to make you think about the choices you have at your disposal, it puts the peddle to the absolute metal to ensure your entire attention is invested and bewitches you into complete devotion.
There are many flourishes in RDR2s story that exemplify just how deep and continually rewarding it is. Watching Dutch make rash decisions time and again tightens the tension and drama throughout, and later on the ongoing hounding of the Pinkertons and the many twists and turns that occur smartly weave a narrative that ferociously and relentlessly engages you, making you want to find out what happens next, consistently prodding at your curiosity time and time again as it takes you to new, exciting and breath-taking places . This is brought to the absolute pinnacle come the endgame where the unexpected will hit you in the face like a railroad spike. The characters you meet along the way range from the smart and savvy to the downright perverse and highly volatile. Great backstory can be gleaned from listening to conversations between Arthur and his associates, as well as from the photographs and newspapers that keep you up-together on the affairs and happenings of the world. RDR2 is never afraid to shock you and to make you think about the choices you have at your disposal, it puts the peddle to the absolute metal to ensure your entire attention is invested and bewitches you into complete devotion.
The enormity of RDR2 is exhaustive but every inch of it is remarkably honed for you to spend hours and hours chipping away into. Don’t go ahead and expect to see the whole picture and everything the game has to offer in a single playthrough because there are many ways and instances which will change the course of Arthur’s adventure. Your best bet is to get stuck in by lapping up as much of the world this gargantuan wild west playground has to offer as you can manage. Taking on the game’s first few missions will help you understand how to survive as well as thrive in the wilderness such as tutorials on how to hunt, cook food and invade strongholds, along with acclimating you with your campsite settlement and its features. Here you can donate money to a tithing box to further fund and make the gang more prosperous, participate in games like Five Finger Fillet and dominos, banter with your comrades, and at night you can sit and either listen to or singalong by a campfire with your hombres.
Tutorials early on are very useful at getting you acquainted with the basics before the ruthlessness of RDR2s pastures sets in. You will find yourself on the defensive at times, where bounty hunters mercilessly track you down on horseback if you fail to uphold the law and the game’s array of unfriendly types will do their utmost to sniff and snuff you out-suffices to say RDR2 is unpredictable and dangerous, but Arthur is just as callous and deadly, and there are many ways in which its mechanics ably and superbly grant you the toolset to unleash your own brand of cold hard vengeance.
Returning from the original Red Dead Redemption is Deadeye-the ability to temporarily slowdown time and pop heads in succession. The feature is as gratifying as it was the first time around and will really help you when you’re surrounded and under heavy fire from enemy bandits, but you do need to keep the Deadeye meter replenished by stocking up on chewing tobacco or miracle tonics in the item menu wheel. Deadeye can be upgraded three times which will gradually increase its efficacy-so you can target your prey’s weak spots efficiently and kill with immense precision.
Tutorials early on are very useful at getting you acquainted with the basics before the ruthlessness of RDR2s pastures sets in. You will find yourself on the defensive at times, where bounty hunters mercilessly track you down on horseback if you fail to uphold the law and the game’s array of unfriendly types will do their utmost to sniff and snuff you out-suffices to say RDR2 is unpredictable and dangerous, but Arthur is just as callous and deadly, and there are many ways in which its mechanics ably and superbly grant you the toolset to unleash your own brand of cold hard vengeance.
Returning from the original Red Dead Redemption is Deadeye-the ability to temporarily slowdown time and pop heads in succession. The feature is as gratifying as it was the first time around and will really help you when you’re surrounded and under heavy fire from enemy bandits, but you do need to keep the Deadeye meter replenished by stocking up on chewing tobacco or miracle tonics in the item menu wheel. Deadeye can be upgraded three times which will gradually increase its efficacy-so you can target your prey’s weak spots efficiently and kill with immense precision.
Missions in typical R* fashion are always bombastic or otherwise infused with intrigue and unforgettable encounters with pacing that delightfully ebbs and flows so you aren’t backed into a barrage of action-heavy sequences nor allowing you to become restless and waiting for the action to get started. A smattering of heists and train robberies inject a surge of adrenaline and unpredictability while down time is served up in some tranquil and surprising ways. You will be taught how to hunt and fish effectively, knowing the best ways to track down and slay scampering animals such as rabbits and deer and are given the essentials you need to wind up the best catches when fishing. Continuous dialogue and banter between Arthur and his associates en route to destinations feels comforting and you are compelled to listen to all lines of dialogue before business is taken care of.
Traversing RDR2 is fraught with wonderment and a brazen tilt towards authenticity. Shades of GTA IV might be evident to those who were troubled by its physics, and RDR2 doubles down on its own representation of realism by making Arthur’s walking feel hefty. This sense of weight complements the game’s bent towards realism in a serviceable manner, but inpatient gamers will grow annoyed by its slowness and minor clumsiness to the degree it’s off-putting and a hassle to get to grips with-but Red Dead Redemption 2 wasn’t designed to be played in a rush and the choices made are reflective of the need to take your time and truly soak in the moments the game has to offer.
You won’t get far in RDR2 without a trusty steed to get you from point A to point B. Horses are high maintenance animals you’ll need to take close care of as they aren’t simply four-legged vehicles you can mess around with like cars in GTA V. Companionship is key as you will have to bond with your horse by making sure it’s well looked after, fed, groomed, and given rubs and strokes to calm it down to secure its obedience. Treat them as you would an NPC ally otherwise they’ll be difficult to handle and buck you off without hesitation. You can purchase horses from stables you’ll find numerous amounts of on the map and there are a decent variety to choose from. You can customise them in a similar fashion to Arthur with his mop and facial hair-except with Arthur you must wait until he grows his whiskers first. Arthur can be decked out in a range of new gear too, and there are seasonal variations that are suitable for specific weather conditions and sometimes they are necessary for Arthur as they provide requisite stamina.
Traversing RDR2 is fraught with wonderment and a brazen tilt towards authenticity. Shades of GTA IV might be evident to those who were troubled by its physics, and RDR2 doubles down on its own representation of realism by making Arthur’s walking feel hefty. This sense of weight complements the game’s bent towards realism in a serviceable manner, but inpatient gamers will grow annoyed by its slowness and minor clumsiness to the degree it’s off-putting and a hassle to get to grips with-but Red Dead Redemption 2 wasn’t designed to be played in a rush and the choices made are reflective of the need to take your time and truly soak in the moments the game has to offer.
You won’t get far in RDR2 without a trusty steed to get you from point A to point B. Horses are high maintenance animals you’ll need to take close care of as they aren’t simply four-legged vehicles you can mess around with like cars in GTA V. Companionship is key as you will have to bond with your horse by making sure it’s well looked after, fed, groomed, and given rubs and strokes to calm it down to secure its obedience. Treat them as you would an NPC ally otherwise they’ll be difficult to handle and buck you off without hesitation. You can purchase horses from stables you’ll find numerous amounts of on the map and there are a decent variety to choose from. You can customise them in a similar fashion to Arthur with his mop and facial hair-except with Arthur you must wait until he grows his whiskers first. Arthur can be decked out in a range of new gear too, and there are seasonal variations that are suitable for specific weather conditions and sometimes they are necessary for Arthur as they provide requisite stamina.
No matter where you go, what you do or what you see, Red Dead Redemption 2 is stuffed to bursting with gorgeous views, extraordinary subtleties and incredible an all-encompassing presentation. RDR2 is unstoppably picturesque, unafraid of showcasing new verdant views, jaw-dropping vistas and a cornucopia of amazing sights and sounds. Sometimes it’s inviting to freeze whatever activity you’re doing and just get sucked into your surroundings. From bitingly cold hypothermia-inducing mountains to lightening lashing across skies at night, the environments and the weather is scrumptiously and ridiculously enrapturing to behold. The story takes you to some very dapper interiors as well like a smoky casino and crowded garden parties, with a pretty significant and surprising divergence towards the end you won’t see coming. Lighting is very deftly handled too with rays of sunshine slicing through dense green forests, fires that torch their surroundings with a dangerous glow and rain showers are forcefully battering.
If you get tired of viewing RDR2 in the third person, you can switch to first-person like you can in GTA V-and this will make you admire everything up close, a novelty you may not always use but the excellence this perspective change brings with it cannot be understated or exaggerated. You will feel a greater sense of bonding and connection to those around you by seeing the game in first-person, making the players feel like they are Arthur rather than merely playing as him. Every second spent in first-person makes you more personally involved as Arthur and that’s a huge difference from playing the regular way given the dimensional shift in perspective.
The sheer madness inherent in all the little intricacies and details are too numerous to list but they reinforce just how insanely predicated on realism R* have been in designing RDR2. Corpses will decay, attract insects and leave only bony remains behind, guns will require shining to be at their best, gang members will get defensive if Arthur gets aggressive and townsfolk will defend other townsfolk if Arthur is out of line. The richness of what’s on display is undeniable and stunning-ensuring players will have their own stories to tell in RDR2-which goes above and beyond conventional open-world storytelling and then some.
Easily one of the most immersive and impressively realised open-world games ever made, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a near-immaculate triumph of open-world, visual and story design, it’s minor details astonishing and vast to behold and there are very few flaws holding back this staggering achievement. Maybe the realism overstretches itself, making certain moments a nuisance to deal with such as the overlong skinning of animals showing the enforcement of certain actions on the player, but these blemishes are molecular when up against the colossal might of everything RDR2 does to keep you hooked in. From beginning to end there has never before been an open-world that invites you to breathe in every relaxing moment then exhale to continue your pursuits by lapping up all the morsels of entertainment you can muster. The days of the old west maybe gone but RDR2 is very much alive and well. This remarkable adventure consume all your time and dedication if you let it-inviting you to sink helplessly into its enduring essence- the payoff of which is absolutely sensational. Go take a dip in its enchanted waters and you will not regret it one iota.
If you get tired of viewing RDR2 in the third person, you can switch to first-person like you can in GTA V-and this will make you admire everything up close, a novelty you may not always use but the excellence this perspective change brings with it cannot be understated or exaggerated. You will feel a greater sense of bonding and connection to those around you by seeing the game in first-person, making the players feel like they are Arthur rather than merely playing as him. Every second spent in first-person makes you more personally involved as Arthur and that’s a huge difference from playing the regular way given the dimensional shift in perspective.
The sheer madness inherent in all the little intricacies and details are too numerous to list but they reinforce just how insanely predicated on realism R* have been in designing RDR2. Corpses will decay, attract insects and leave only bony remains behind, guns will require shining to be at their best, gang members will get defensive if Arthur gets aggressive and townsfolk will defend other townsfolk if Arthur is out of line. The richness of what’s on display is undeniable and stunning-ensuring players will have their own stories to tell in RDR2-which goes above and beyond conventional open-world storytelling and then some.
Easily one of the most immersive and impressively realised open-world games ever made, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a near-immaculate triumph of open-world, visual and story design, it’s minor details astonishing and vast to behold and there are very few flaws holding back this staggering achievement. Maybe the realism overstretches itself, making certain moments a nuisance to deal with such as the overlong skinning of animals showing the enforcement of certain actions on the player, but these blemishes are molecular when up against the colossal might of everything RDR2 does to keep you hooked in. From beginning to end there has never before been an open-world that invites you to breathe in every relaxing moment then exhale to continue your pursuits by lapping up all the morsels of entertainment you can muster. The days of the old west maybe gone but RDR2 is very much alive and well. This remarkable adventure consume all your time and dedication if you let it-inviting you to sink helplessly into its enduring essence- the payoff of which is absolutely sensational. Go take a dip in its enchanted waters and you will not regret it one iota.
STORY: 10/10
GAMEPLAY: 9/10
PRESENTATION: 10/10
LIFESPAN: 10/10
SCORE: 10/10
Sensational and breath-taking from top-to-bottom, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the ultimate videogame indulgence which can get a bit carried away with its immersive realism but is otherwise a masterful open-world game rife with enduringly rich details and subtleties. A Deadeye dream.