Review: Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar Games faced considerable expectations with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 on Friday, October 26, 2018, eight years after its predecessor. As the sequel to the highly regarded Red Dead Redemption (2010), a benchmark title of the previous console generation, it also follows Rockstar’s monumental success, GTA V – the world’s most profitable entertainment product to date, continuing to generate significant revenue through its active online mode. Rockstar’s founders established their reputation in the 90s with the original Grand Theft Auto, cultivating a “rock star” image. Beyond the public persona, they have consistently delivered technically impressive and meticulously crafted gaming experiences. These projects involve extensive teams, substantial development budgets, and have generated billions in revenue, often setting new standards for subsequent game releases. Does Red Dead Redemption 2 continue this legacy of excellence? Embark on a journey through the twilight of the Wild West to discover the answer.

Much of RDR2 revolves around the life of an outlaw, but players can also choose a path of honor and integrity.

This sequel, chronologically preceding the events of the first game, casts players as Arthur Morgan, a key member of Dutch van der Linde’s gang of outlaws, thieves, and con artists. The narrative opens with the gang fleeing Blackwater after a failed heist that promised financial security for all. Pursued by Pinkerton agents, the gang is forced to traverse the expansive landscapes of the American West. Facing harsh weather, injuries, and dwindling resources, they must establish a new existence, aiming to regain their footing and recover the lost fortune. Players must manage the necessities of life – eating, sleeping, earning money – while taking calculated risks, evading the law, and confronting the dangers of the wilderness. This is interwoven with a story populated by both trustworthy and deceitful characters, unexpected events, and intricate gang dynamics, shaping the immersive experience of Red Dead Redemption 2.

Arthur Morgan returns, providing insight into the events that precede the original game.

Open-world games have become a dominant trend in recent years. Many AAA titles now feature expansive “sandbox” environments, filled with a variety of optional and mandatory activities, side quests, and mini-games designed to offer extended playtime. The expectation is that players can invest 50-100 hours and feel they have received value for their investment. However, the quality of the experience is paramount, not simply the duration. Ten well-crafted hours are preferable to one hundred hours of repetitive gameplay. The Assassin’s Creed series, for example, has sometimes been criticized for prioritizing quantity of content over quality in its open worlds. In contrast, The Witcher 3 (2015) exemplified the ideal balance between open world exploration, narrative depth, compelling characters, and technical proficiency. Red Dead Redemption 2 redefines this balance. The open world is vast, with a deliberate pace, well-integrated side quests, a compelling central narrative, and an unparalleled level of detail. The game is replete with intricate elements and remarkable accuracy. The shrinking of horses’ testicles in cold weather is but one example; players can observe animal behavior through binoculars, engage in advanced Texas Hold’em games, dedicate time to fishing, customize firearms extensively, create culinary recipes, and hunt animals in various ways to harvest resources. It is easy to spend over 100 hours exploring activities unrelated to the main storyline, and the online mode has yet to be released.

As the current console generation nears its end, games have achieved remarkable visual fidelity. Red Dead Redemption 2 elevates graphics and presentation to new heights, showcasing exceptional detail and realism. An upgraded console, such as the PS4 Pro or, ideally, the Xbox One X (which offers native 4K resolution), is highly recommended. It is worth noting that the game lacked true HDR support at the time of writing, which was somewhat disappointing. The landscapes, weather effects, animations, wildlife, lighting, and the subtle details, such as bloodstains on wood that fade over time, demonstrate the engineering expertise at Rockstar. This level of detail raises expectations for the next console generation. Unlike many open-world games, such as Witcher 3 and AC: Origins, Red Dead Redemption 2 features minimal loading times (especially when installed on an SSD). The world feels seamless, with one location flowing naturally into the next. The game has a measured pace, and some players may find that “not much is happening” at times. However, this allows for a focus on immersion and the interactions with non-player characters who possess a surprising degree of depth and personality.

“The Family” is initially central in RDR2.

The sound design is equally impressive. The music is appropriately atmospheric and skillfully implemented, and the high-quality sound effects, combined with exceptional voice acting from a cast of 700 actors, evoke the feeling of playing a version of Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. The controls and tutorial system are the game’s weaker aspects, although neither is severely flawed. Combat can feel somewhat clumsy, and the shooting mechanics do not always provide the satisfying experience one might expect. While functional, the controls can feel unrefined and difficult to master. Horse and stagecoach handling can also be challenging, leading to occasional unintended collisions and encounters with the law. These issues are minor but detract from the overall polish of the game. Just as CD Projekt Red continued to refine Witcher 3 after its release, Rockstar may address these concerns through future updates. Even with these minor drawbacks, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains a technically impressive and exceptionally ambitious achievement.

As engaging as the main game?

Summary: While we appreciate the depth of written reviews, assigning numerical scores can be challenging. Red Dead Redemption 2 exemplifies this difficulty. A perfect score should be reserved for a game virtually without flaws. Red Dead Redemption 2 does have some shortcomings: the action controls are less than ideal, and the deliberate pace may not appeal to all players. However, these issues are overshadowed by the game’s overall immersive quality. It is difficult to disengage from the world once you become invested in it. The game is replete with locations, missions, and characters, offering meaningful choices that allow players to shape their own destinies. The extraordinary level of detail ensures that there are always new discoveries to be made. Red Dead Redemption 2 represents a technical and artistic triumph for Rockstar Games, establishing a new benchmark for open-world game design. While individual preferences may favor the urban landscapes of Grand Theft Auto or the fantasy setting of The Witcher, Red Dead Redemption 2 surpasses other games in its sheer scale, detail, and breadth of content. Players can choose to focus on the central narrative or explore the world at their own pace, but the journey, not the destination, is the true reward. We plan to complete our fish collection and dominate the Texas Hold’em tables. If that is not a testament to the immersive quality of this cowboy life simulator, we do not know what is. A modern classic, without question.