Red Dead Redemption 2 Review

Red Dead Redemption 2 -The Review

Note: This review pertains only to the single-player campaign.

Released on October 26^th, 2018 Red Dead Redemption II (RDR2) is one of the most highly anticipated games of the year. Set before the events of the original Red Dead Redemption, RDR2 takes place in 1899 in Rockstar’s version of the United States. For example, the city of Saint Denis is based on New Orleans (there is even mention of the bayou) which is in Lemoyne, an American territory.

The main protagonist in RDR2 is Arthur Morgan who is an outlaw, and important figurehead, in the Van der Linde gang. The game tells the story of the struggles of the gang’s survival against a rival gang the O’Driscolls, the Pinkerton detective agency, and a seemingly shrinking Wild West. Main story line aside, you have the opportunity to do a wide variety of side quests and your decisions will change your reputation, either for good or for bad. That’s right, Arthur Morgan can become known as a soft-hearted criminal or a ruthless killer and some people will react accordingly.

One of the greatest features of RDR2 is its bigger, open world from the predecessor of RDR. There are swamps (watch out for the gators!), grasslands, snowy mountains, forests and so much more. There are small, wannabe resort towns, like Strawberry and a beautiful French inspired city called Saint Denis. While you can absolutely go ahead and explore the vastness of the world on your own, the game does a great job at slowly introducing you to those areas through the quest line.

The attention to detail that Rockstar put into this game is revolutionary. Some of these details include (but is NOT limited to): Arthur will gain/lose weight depending on how often (and how much) he eats, his hair will grow, your hat will almost always get knocked off in a fight, weapons get dirty over time, dead animals decompose, oh and your horse poops.

Pros

•          Graphics (scenery, facial movement, etc)
•         Rockstar’s attention to detail
•         Open world exploration
•         Lengthy game
•          Character development

Cons

•          Slow to start
•          Horse-riding can be tricky (but the fails are HILARIOUS)
•          A few bugs (rare, but can affect quests)

Conclusion: Red Dead Redemption II was worth the 8 year wait. RDR2 takes strides over its predecessor and rivals GTA5 as Rockstar’s best game. For such a huge game, RDR2 manages to excel in immersing the player into a whole new world. Overall, Red Dead Redemption II earns a 9 out of 10 for an excellent story, attention to detail, and incredible world. I look forward to seeing what the online version has to offer.

Do you think Red Dead Redemption II was worth the wait? Comment down below!