Red Dead Redemption 2 Sets the Bar High

One of the most anticipated AAA games of 2018 are Red Dead Redemption 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Marvel’s Spider-Man. The series is one of the finest open-world adventures, second only to Grand Theft Auto from Rockstar Games.

Several well-known gaming websites, including Games Radar, Gamespot, and IGN, have given RDR2 extremely high scores, between 9 and 10 out of 10. However, other gaming websites have given the game mixed reviews, blaming an excessively lengthy tutorial mode, a lack of fast travel, and the sheer volume of activities for the lower scores. Just to be clear, I mostly disagree with their assertions.

One publication even compared the narrative of Red Dead Redemption and said it lacked curiosity and enjoyment, and the characters lacked any genuine appeal.

The most recent entry in the Red Dead Series, which is published by Take-Two Interactive and developed by Rockstar Games (Grand Theft Auto, Bully, L.A. Noire), has already surpassed this year’s first-week sales record, which was established by Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 earlier this month. With Rockstar Games announcing 67,000 work weeks this year alone and more than 1000 workers on the production team, the game has also been hailed as one of the most costly and labour-intensive games ever made. The overall cost of the game’s creation has not yet been revealed (as we speak).

Red Dead Redemption 2 gives you the idea that it will be something exceptional. The game immediately delivers the dramatic, narrative-driven plot that Rockstar Games has become renowned for as a diverse gang of criminals on the run make their way through a snowstorm, equally passing the wounded, men, women, and children.

Dutch, the leader of the motley crew of miscreants, seeks refuge in the cabin, where he delivers a remarkably motivational speech that emphasizes his feeling of duty while being utterly desperate in his delivery. The creators did an excellent job of conveying this unsteady attitude and feeling of responsibility, which works nicely and has a purpose later in the game.

Your survivors ultimately find a cabin that will serve as their haven for at least one night as they struggle through deep snow and whiteout conditions.

When the party arrives at the cabin, which was formerly a mining facility, it is obvious how desperate their position is. On the run from Blackwater after a botched assignment, the tight-knit group has run into trouble since they had to leave everything behind and depart immediately. Some people made it through the adventure, but others did not.

The incredible attention to detail  is instantly noticeable as soon as the game starts and after the opening scene. The effects that you believed to be a pre-rendered cut-scene apparently, are not.

You can see the deep tracks being left in the procedurally generated snow of the immediate environment as ice and snow form on both the horses and the characters as you take control of the game’s playable character Arthur Morgan (on horseback) and set out with Dutch in search of some supplies for the group.

Arthur and Dutch eventually come upon Micah, a gang member who had scouted ahead and discovered a cabin occupied by people to rob them of some essential goods.

You are navigating the deep unknown with just a noisy light, and the blizzard conditions provide a powerful feeling of creepy dread. It is at this point that you will fervently hope that the remainder of the game feels as amazing as this—and it does!

Since Red Dead Redemption, the game’s atmosphere has entirely altered, and that’s a good thing.

RDR2 borrows style from more contemporary Westerns like Quentin Tarantino’s most recent films The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained, and it has been executed exceptionally well; the voice acting and animations alone are award-worthy, being so good that you will occasionally forget that this is a video game. Whereas Red Dead Redemption was inspired by Sergio Leone’s classic, Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

When you arrive at the cabin, you first experience Red Dead Redemption 2’s superbly designed (and very simplified) fight system. Let’s just say that this is the beginning of the end!

Grand Theft Auto V players will feel right at home since the controls are precisely the same. Aiming is simple. The fighting mechanism in RDR2 is far more precise than GTA V’s.

It’s a lot of fun and precisely what you would expect to use a traditional long-barreled revolver for ducking into and out of cover while attempting headshots. When hit in the head, they dramatically collapse dead, when wounded in the leg, enemies stagger; and if they believe they cannot win, they may even limp away while clutching their shoulder. The incredible music and sound effects transform everything into a Western movie experience while making it look and feel fantastic.

Rockstar Games thought that special music was needed to go along with this outstanding opening combat scenario because of the dramatic impact of darkness and snow.

This mission’s music is a depressing string piece featuring elements of Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning soundtrack and Ennio Morricone’s iconic themes.

Guns have a loud bang, and bullets ping and pew off the surfaces around you, and this all continues throughout the entire game whenever there is an encounter or a fight or a special cinematic sequence like making your way to a new camp later on. The incredible score is enhanced by the special sound effects that sound like something from the movies.

Although RDR2 only has one playable character, the game’s intricate community system is designed to provide you with as much information as possible about other characters’ views without letting you take direct control of them.

This may be accomplished by loitering about the camp (or other locations, such as towns), listening in on discussions, greeting people and speaking to them, or interacting with characters in-game. Most people have intriguing things to say, and depending on their mood or attitude, they can urge you to help them out or be kind to them. Of course, you can reciprocate in the same way.

Giving others favors will increase your honor, which is the result of all the good or bad activities you do where many of which are permanent and influence your performance. For instance, if you save a guy from a bear trap, you can later run into him and get a reward like free merchandise from the shop charged to his account.

RDR2’s hunting component is amazing and must be experienced as part of the game’s overall survival experience.

The hunting component helps you practice the tremendous sense of obligation you will inevitably feel for the campers. Participating in camp activities will make you feel like these kids are actual individuals with real concerns and a true need for direction, making performing the duties seem more like an honor than a job.

There are moments when I honestly feel like I could identify with Rick Grimes’ sense of responsible leadership in the popular T.V. series The Walking Dead, and I can’t help but believe that this was done on purpose by the game’s authors and creators.

Aside from making financial or material contributions to the camp’s coffers, honour may also be earned by helping out around the camp with tasks like feeding the horses and giving the cooked grain. Naturally, each of them is optional and up to the player’s preference.

Speaking about horses, RDR2 has made significant improvements to the horse system. Regarding what you may and cannot do with your horse, a bonding system has been implemented and considered. For instance, a greater bond will enable you to ride your horse faster or, in certain cases, cause your horse to slip while moving quickly, among many other advantages.

There are many different horse breeds in the game, and each has certain traits and characteristics that make it more or less suitable for certain duties. For instance, Shire horses are more suited for pulling carts, but Nakota horses are better suited for racing.

While none of the other animals in the game—aside from a mule—can be ridden, they can all be hunted (or fished) for pelts, meat, and other items used for crafting or sold for money. Other animals in the game include birds, woodland creatures, and fish, which can all be found all over the map. This game’s implementation of hunting is so good that it could stand alone as a game.

Bait and traps must be used for smaller animals, some must be trailed (while masking your smell), and some must be stalked. The number of animals in the game is too great to list here, but suffice it to say that there are well over 200 species to be discovered, and the animal kingdom has its ecosystem. For instance, vultures and other scavengers can be seen around corpses and carcasses, and if you watch closely enough, you may even see a predator hunting for its prey.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a really impressive game. I won’t go into more detail here so as not to ruin your enjoyment of this great title since I want you to read it for yourself. Here are some links, however, if you feel like you need additional details or assistance with one of the game’s numerous topics:

You will fall in love with Rockstar Games’ newest blockbuster from the game’s superbly directed opening.

Any lover of Westerns will feel at home, old or new, young or not. The main characters in the game are very multifaceted, with each one having its own goals, ideologies, and backstories that you may discover and enjoy.

Given that there is so much to do, so much to explore, and so many tales waiting to be discovered, immersing yourself in the gaming world has never been as enjoyable or engaging as in Red Dead Redemption 2.

With Red Dead Redemption 2, you are in for the long haul, but I promise that at the end of every gaming session, you will feel like you have ridden off happily into the sunset.

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