REVIEW | Red Dead Redemption 2
Written by Michael Richardson
Published 23 December 2018
​
All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Opinions expressed in this review are of the reviewer alone.
Game Copyright 2018 Rockstar Games, Inc.
Available on PS4, X1
Reviewed on PS4
​
Firefight With Redemption
“Everybody, we’re safe now. There ain’t nobody following us through a storm like this one, and by the time they get here… well we’re gonna be... we’re gonna be long gone.
We’ve been through worse than this before. Mr. Pearson, Miss Grimshaw, I need you to turn this place into a camp. We may be here a few days. Now all of you... all of you, get yourselves warm.
Stay strong.
Stay with me.
We ain’t done yet.”
Red Dead Redemption 2 begins against the white backdrop of a blizzard, in stark contrast to the yellow, sunny landscapes associated with westerners. Within the opening minutes, its apparent that the wild west era is coming to an end, which emits the tone for the rest of the adventure; that Rockstar is going to defy initial expectations. The player must stride with the Van der Linde gang as they run away from the only civilized society they have ever known, encountering an unconscionable number of tragedies, betrayals, and losses that threaten their morals. The original Red Dead Redemption succeeded in creating a narrative that weaved its way into my heart, bolstered by satisfying gameplay and an unparalleled atmosphere. Thus, when I saw the same aspects replicated within the opening minutes of the sequel, I was euphoric; the rich atmosphere, the superb voice acting, the fun gameplay, it was everything I hoped for. With a few big hiccups, Rockstar maintained that level of awe throughout. While Red Dead Redemption 2 suffers from pacing issues that hinder its narrative impact, my consistent astonishment with how it translated its realistic setting into an innovative gameplay environment make it an experience that I will forever cherish.
​
Setting Up Camp
​
Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place twelve years before its predecessor. After a robbery goes array in Blackwater in 1899, the Vande der Linde gang are forced to flee an increasingly industrial society to maintain their western customs. You play as Arthur Morgan, the gang’s senior debt collector, and undergo tasks to ensure the gang does not fall apart as it constantly relocates because of approaching authorities. When the gang’s ideals get jeopardized, Arthur must choose between loyalty to the gang that raised him or confront the society that has disdained him for decades. RDR2’s story packs an overwhelming emotional punch, but often grinds to a halt before memorable plot points. Like a television show, RDR2 spends its chapters, equivalent to ‘seasons’, leading up to a cinematic ending. However, several missions that lead up to these critical moments are forgettable. Especially towards the beginning of the game, I was at a loss as to why I was even doing some missions, and even once I realized what was going on, I was bewildered why the seemingly useless scenario was incorporated into the final product. Moreover, the substantial amount of narrative filler degrades the experience and had me wishing some missions were reinvented. Additionally, the overuse of fast-forwarding in the narrative makes the story lack interconnection, which reduced my immersion.
The most egregious example of breaking immersion lies in the lack of explanation surrounding a fundamental plot point: the Blackwater robbery. How this was not better implemented into the story shocks me, because Rockstar well justified most of the plot. Consequently, my experience with the game was overshadowed by an overarching confusion surrounding the heist. While I adore the opening, Rockstar would have benefited from a prologue detailing the events leading up to the robbery, potentially set in the large, barren portion of the map that reeks of missed potential. Additionally, some of the gang members lack development. After playing the original Red Dead Redemption, I was eager to see how characters such as Abigail, Bill, and Javier joined the gang, but their backstories are virtually nonexistent. Furthermore, extra context surrounding the Blackwater robbery and the presence of gang members would have increased the satisfaction of the narrative.
However, my qualms with the context do not undermine the overall memorable and beautiful story. Several events left me on the verge of tears and eager to chat with friends, and the way Arthur’s reputation factors into the story made every decision feel impactful, and even warrants repeat playthroughs. Particularly, the ending is the most risky endeavor I have seen a developer tackle, and is concluded with graceful reverence that ties together an unbelievably complex narrative. RDR2 weaves a lot of family themes into its story, so it's not shocking that the characters pull the story forward. Arthur Morgan is among the most well written characters I have journeyed with, and exhibits a believable character arc with noticeable personality flaws that made his story impactful. I truly felt for Arthur throughout the entire adventure, and rooted for him to succeed. Similarly, Rockstar handled the main antagonists with an unparalleled level of depth that kept me intrigued in their actions, and the fact that every character is uniquely affected by every action adds to the immersion. Also, Rockstar’s excellent use of symbolism and foreshadowing should be applauded, because even after the main credits rolled, I was motivated to replay several missions and was impressed by their subtle narrative clues within. With remarkable depth to each character, poignant climaxes, and incredible figurative devices, Red Dead Redemption 2’s tale attached me in a way I can only describe as an experience, and will likely influence stories for decades to come.
​
Managing the West
Red Dead Redemption 2 expertly translates its story to create a realistic and immersive gameplay environment. The newest addition to Red Dead’s formula comes with the core system. To explain, Arthur’s heath, stamina, and deadeye increase over the course of the adventure by gaining rpg-like experience. The ring outside an attribute displays the remaining amount, and is affected by the meter inside the circle, the core. Cores dictate how fast an attribute recovers, and if a core completely disintegrates, Arthur must feed himself to replenish it. If Arthur’s health becomes completely impoverished, its game over. While RDR2 struggles to teach cores well, just like many of its systems with ineffective and easy-to-miss tutorials, I always found myself wanting to strengthen an ability. I would run around for a while, hunt small rabbits, and subdue enemies in fist fights to gain experience. Having to manage fitness throughout the game never felt like a chore because my actions were consistently provoked. For instance, Arthur’s weight realistically corresponds with how much he consumes, affecting health and stamina. Even though Arthur cannot die of starvation, I grew to be so invested in his health that I happily roamed the wilderness to level up cores and keep him nourished.
Arthur will move alongside the Van der Linde gang’s camp throughout the game. Camp serves a base of operations for the player, where Arthur can chat with his contemporaries, buy supplies, sleep, shave, perform chores, and more. Most notably, money can be donated to the ledger in order to purchase camp improvements, which makes visiting camp often worthwhile to browse the new utilities. The amount of character interaction on display in camp is nothing short of stellar, and caused me to adore every second I was with the gang. While I wish Arthur moved faster in camp, I usually found myself wanting to calmly soak in all the hideout details. After almost every mission, gang members exhibit new dialogue and animations, such as Javier singing full length tunes with his acoustic guitar, with Arthur appropriately commenting on them. Also, hearing young Jack’s comments on his home or having a humorous conversation with Dutch always brought a smile to my face.
However, the camp exemplifies the most backwards-thinking aspect of an otherwise innovative experience: the inconvenient fast travel. Not only must the option to fast travel be brought for a hefty fee through the ledger, but the camp is the only area with fast traveling accessible. Especially compared to the original Red Dead Redemption where fast traveling was readily available through setting up tent in the desert, this decision baffles me because the option to build a small camp remains in RDR2. While quick locomotion is available at stagecoaches and trains, they are frequently a distance away and require no bounty on Arthur’s head, which is superbly difficult to do when simply bumping into townsfolk can trigger the law. Consequently, the frustration from constant long horseback rides sets in early. Combined with the overuse of travel during story missions, I grew to detest the fast travel system. While the world is dense with things to uncover, riding on a horse for upwards of eight minutes serves as an inconvenience to a game that balances most of its mechanics.
​
Minor Interactions
Red Dead Redemption 2’s greatest achievement lies in its dynamic open world, especially when it comes to the stellar implementation of minor characters. For instance, I was impressed when I saw someone on the road that got bit by a snake, and upon giving him whiskey, had a short conversation and then left. However, I was astonished when that same person showed up later in a mining town giving me a free weapon purchase. The unprecedented level of realism seen in this minor encounter translates to the entire experience, making every interaction feel impactful. This level of immersion would not have benefitted without RDR2’s fantastic reputation system. Similar to L.A. Noire, Arthur has a plethora of conversal options at his disposal, with the ability to greet, antagonize, and rob most characters. Appropriate actions such as stopping a murder yield high honor, and conversely, mass genocide will reek blood upon Arthur. High honor makes it so stores discount items up to fifty percent off, which feels rewarding given RDR2’s balanced economy. Additionally, while the main story is not affected by reputation, subtle visual differences kept me intrigued in every interaction. Going for high honor throughout the game, I made sure not to harm civilians, and legitimately cringed whenever my gang made a lethal decision. Moreover, RDR2 made me feel like I had an unprecedented level of influence on society through the reputation system, which made me appreciate the world.
The main story comprises a substantial amount of content, with my playthrough clocking in around sixty hours. The mission structure pioneered since Grand Theft Auto IV remains engaging, allowing the player to experience stories at their own pace, and the purposeful banter within missions made long stretches of traveling more bearable. Aside from the main story, there were a plethora of other activities that kept me engrossed in the American landscape. The world itself is full of ecosystems to discover, with the satisfying ability to harvest fauna and skin animals returning from Red Dead Redemption. Similar to 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, each animal has a corresponding rarity that can be determined by looking at their tracks with binoculars; the higher the rarity, the more the pelt will sell for. To score a perfect pelt, that organism must be killed with a certain weapon type, such as rifles for large mammals. After skinning an animal, Arthur will always put their meat into his satchel if he has enough inventory, but the pelt must be stown on the horse and then sold, preferably to a trapper to create unique equipment.
Because Arthur constantly needs to eat to maintain good health, he can craft provisions with a mini camp anywhere in the wilderness. Although the ability to cook meats caused me numerous fun hunting distractions, I found no use for crafting different ammo types. To elaborate, RDR2 allows the player to craft an assortment of ammunition to cope with different enemy types, such as split point and high velocity cartridges, but I’d be hard pressed to remember a time when I needed to use them. Similar to the large, desolate portion of the map, I question why different ammo types were included in the game since they serve little purpose. Moreover, further incentive to use unique bullets would have enticed me to experiment with my ammunition.
Red Dead Redemption 2 translates more than a robust reputation and crafting system to its realistic world. If Arthur gets covered in filth, he can either take an interactive bath or go for a swim. A weapon’s condition deteriorates over time and must be washed with gun oil to alleviate negative effects such as reduced reload speed and damage. The fact that Arthur’s beard realistically grows is a particular standout, because I made sure not to shave in order to ensure a humorously mammoth amount of facial hair. Even further, the horse bonding mechanics in RDR2 are the best I’ve ever encountered. Rockstar was not kidding when they claimed a horse would become the player’s best friend in the world, because my steads quickly grew on me. Horses can either be hitched throughout the world or bought at stables, and become more acquainted with Arthur as he feeds, pets, and rides with them. Bonds with the horse increase through experience just like Arthur’s cores, but reward a new maneuver at each bonding level.
Riding on horseback is still incredibly easy and fun, and letting the cinematic camera make the horse go on autopilot allowed me to take in the beautiful vistas of the American heartland. However, horses can die in RDR2, which exponentially increased my immersion. While I would normally be callous and run towards a battle guns-blazing on horseback in the original Red Dead Redemption, in RDR2 the harsh reality of losing my horse had me take a methodical approach to each encounter, such as letting my horse flee. Horses can still be revitalized using a reviver, but I tried to avoid any potential damage because I truly cared for my steads. I was teary eyed and speechless when two of my horses, Buell and Nia, met their tragic demise because they had become my best friends in a society disdainful of Arthur. I applaud Rockstar for enriching my understanding of not only what it takes to immerse players in a world, but what it means to care for a loved one.
I also enjoyed partaking in what the numerous pedestrians around the world had waiting for me. Fun and varied side-quest like stranger mission strands pop up around the world depending on the location of the story. Some of these eclectic characters were superbly entertaining to watch, and the recurring nature of these individuals made them memorable. Some non-stranger characters will periodically show up and challenge Arthur to world events, such as racing, duels, killing a rampaging coyote, donating to a blind man, saving someone from a bear trap, fishing, interacting with someone desperately searching for Gavin, and more. Additionally, Arthur can go bounty hunting, legendary animal hunting, visit a barber shop, watch unbelievably long theatre presentations, play poker, five-finger fillet, blackjack, and even get drunk. I was frequently impressed by the depth of each interaction and ran towards each challenge like a giddy child.
While I enjoyed talking with characters, the nature of RDR2’s world had the most profound impact on me. Simply put, Rockstar meets, perhaps even surpasses, the level of environmental storytelling and atmosphere that I loved so much about the original Red Dead Redemption. Everything, from a run-down conestoga to a decayed animal corpse in the mountains of Ambarino, has a story to tell that interested me in the world’s history. While biomes constantly feel isolated, that’s all purposeful towards the narrative, and the world feels more dense for it. Furthermore, RDR2 contains one of the most dense open worlds I have ever encountered, with a myriad of activities to undergo. Together with seamless character interaction and environmental storytelling, I kept coming back to the game in search of more to discover, despite a poor implementation of fast travel.
​
"Whoa"
​
The realistic gameplay would not be as impressive without an appropriate engine, and Rockstar masterfully delivers. Simply put, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the prettiest game I have ever played. The attention to detail the R.A.G.E. engine provides is nothing short of exceptional, with lively animations and ambient lighting that often had me question whether I was watching a movie. Skinning animations are incredibly realistic and unique to each animal, with Arthur’s knife creating believable incisions without the need for camera cuts. Foliage is particularly impressive, with individual blades of grass reacting to Arthur’s movement. Listing just a few more examples of incredible detail: horses dyanimally defecate, guns are realistically stored on Arthur’s back, and the general stores are the best I've ever seen in a game, with extensively detailed and authentic item catalogs within each location. Additionally, the game pops at a 1080p resolution on a standard Playstation 4, and consistently runs at a smooth thirty frames-per-second. Moreover, I cannot count the amount of times I said “whoa” throughout my time with RDR2, starting from the moment I booted up the game. I am bewildered how games have reached this level of visual fidelity within a few decades, and RDR2 makes me excited for what the next years will provide. Rockstar has crafted a game where new details will be discovered constantly, which is a testament to its graphical beauty.
The audio design is similarly fantastic. Firing a gun feels satisfying and the aim assist seldom frustrates because the game steadily increases in difficulty. The chirping birds and stomping horses make the world feel lived in, amplified by the great soundtrack. Primarily composed by Rockstar veteran Woody Jackson, the soundtrack superbly captures the atmosphere and pops in at just the right moments to create moments of auditory bliss. One particularly well choreographed moment beautifully blends atmosphere and audio, to the point where I believe the scene will go down as one of the greatest moments in videogame history. Additionally, voice acting remains sublime across the board, and brings these wonderful characters to life alongside professional motion capture.
However, the movement controls and user interface frustrate. The map leaves no indication of the distance remaining to reach a destination, which proves to be an inconvenience and caused me to open the map more times than I would have liked. Given how often I was riding on horseback, a distance marker would have helped alleviate the annoyance. Additionally, while the movement controls are the best Rockstar has crafted, they are still flawed. Arthur never feels as precise as he should be, with me mistakenly bumping into civilians at points and triggering a fistfight that I felt was out of my control. The control scheme is incredibly unintuitive, with Arthur running by tapping a button rather than clicking on a stick, and several inputs require multiple buttons at the same time, such as the poorly designed weapon wheel, and trying to accomplish anything on horseback. I often got flashbacks to the game of Twister when I was trying to use the cinematic camera on horseback on my Dualshock 4. However, the intuitive and cumbersome control scheme never hindered me to a point where I had to stop playing, although Rockstar desperately needs to fix movement in future titles to prevent added frustration. Furthermore, despite subpar controls, Red Dead Redemption 2’s masterful visuals and superb soundtrack consistently had me impressed and acts as a new industry standard.
​
Verdict
​
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a once per generation experience that reminded me why I love video games. Arthur Morgan’s journey truly is an emotional rollercoaster that kept me on the edge of my seat, despite some boring missions. The superbly well written dialogue immersed me in the characters and their struggle, and had my jaw dropped at points. Most impressively, Rockstar created an unprecedentedly dynamic open world that beckoned exploration and successfully integrated realistic and meaningful character interaction, combined with satisfying gameplay and an exceptional presentation. Bolstered by an amazing atmosphere and a purposeful score, I felt thoroughly immersed in RDR2’s world. While compounded by intuitive controls and a baffling fast travel system, I wholeheartedly recommend Red Dead Redemption 2 to anyone interested in the game. Especially with the newly added online element, RDR2 is a game I see thriving for years to come. The tale of the Van der Linde gang may shock you with how much it strays away from ‘civilized’ tradition, but will nevertheless make you feel right at home with an experience that will influence the gaming industry for years to come.
