Red Dead Redemption 2 is a sprawling western tale of loyalty, conviction and the price of infamy, all set in Rockstar's most authentic and lived-in open world ever. There are so many things to do, so many people to meet and so many places to explore. Red Dead Redemption 2 isn't just Rockstar's greatest achievement to date, it's a game so lacking in compromise, it's tough to know where best to start discussing it.
Intro So, let's start at the beginning. It's 1899 and American Outlaws are an endangered species. Dutch Vandalin and his gang are on the run after a botched heist in the growing town of Blackwater and they've retreated high into the mountains where an atrocious blizzard is covering their escape.
We slip into the spurs of Arthur Morgan, an exceedingly cool and capable outlaw, and settle in for a roughly 60 hour story. It's a self-contained and linear introduction, but it's a clever one. It heightened the impact of having the full map open up to me a few hours later. Being set loose in the true open world after toughing it out in this intentionally oppressive environment really underscores the incredible feeling of freedom the full map offers.
And what a world it is. More beautiful, broader and more varied than the one we explored in 2010's Red Dead Redemption by a massive margin. There are snowy peaks and dank alligator infested swamps, thick forests and open plateaus, quaint homesteads and grand plantations, narrow streams and great lakes, Dusty gulches and dim caves, there's the muddy livestock town of Valentine with its wooden buildings and rustic charm, and then there's the imposing city of Saint Denis, a grimy and growing metropolis full of modern extravagances like electric trams, paved roads, and Chinese restaurants.
The vast assortment of ecosystems and environments seamlessly stitched together here is nothing short of remarkable. The ability of this game to keep itself fresh after so many hours is extraordinary, and not entirely due to just the size and diversity of the world. It's how alive all those places feel. The countryside of Red Dead Redemption 2 is absolutely brimming with wildlife to discover, people to interact with and potentially help, and places to scrutinize.
The more laid-back pace of Red Dead Redemption 2 compared to something like the slightly more breakneck GTA 5 is also a big part of how it encouraged me to slow down and drink in all the world has to offer. Bodies have to be manually looted. Single action pistols need to be cocked before firing. Coffee needs to be brewed before drinking it. I suspect some folk may regard this sort of stuff as chore-like, but I really dig it.
There's something methodical about it that really helps ground Arthur in the world, rather than have him feel like he's gliding through it. I love the deliberate and mechanical process of cycling a new cartridge with a lever action rifle via a second pull of the fire button. You can even pause for dramatic effect halfway through.
Rockstar's designers didn't need to factor that in, but I think they understand that tiny, almost trivial instances of subtle control like this subconsciously seep me into the world as Arthur even more. The main story missions themselves are a cocktail of high-stakes heists, deadly shootouts, desperate rescues and thrilling chases, mixed with a lengthy list of other tasks. Many of those function as ways to teach us about new side hustles and other activities that can be undertaken from selling stolen horses to playing poker or fishing. It all feels great to play, similar in a lot of ways to its immediate predecessor but injected with a pile of new animations and multiple layers of inner activity. Shootouts are supremely cinematic thanks to plenty of gun smoke and the same style of on-the-fly ever-changing death animations that have characterized Rockstar Games.
since GTA 4. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an undeniably pretty game across the board. The lighting is fantastic, the facial animation is a noticeable step up from GTA 5, and the level of granular detail is almost absurd. From the way blood smears on Arthur's shoulder after carrying a kill, to the way individual strands of his majestic mutton chops quiver in the breeze.
Remember this is a game where horse testicles shrink when the weather is cold. Equally impressive is the audio from the satisfying metallic crunch of a reload to the twang of a Hollywood inspired ricochet. Bullets fired on mountaintops ring with cracking echoes.
Completely different to the sound of bullets fired indoors. Again, little seems to have been missed. And the music?
Absolutely outstanding. Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar's most serious and earnest story to date, and certainly the best written. Only the feeblest of men take jobs in the government. Watching Dutch's gradual descent from being the charismatic, successful and clever leader of a gang of deadly outlaws, to someone on track to become the cold-blooded and beaten man being hunted down by Marston 12 years later, is captivating.
We get to watch an incredibly nuanced performance as Dutch's confidence ebbs and his restraint fades. Excellent too is main man Arthur. Not only is there an infectious authenticity to his low and smooth tone of voice, but when Arthur himself is a far wearier man by the story's climax, his delivery is doubly potent. Combined with strong writing and direction, the result is a game that's sincere instead of satirical.
and funny while remaining capable of some supremely well-owned emotional moments, especially throughout the truly excellent crescendo and epilogue. And even after completing the epilogue, I still have a stack of strangers that need helping, gangs that need killing, and fish that need catching. There are 30 different types of fish in this game about cowboys. I've caught four.
Ha ha, wow! Red Dead Redemption 2 stands shoulder to shoulder with Grand Theft Auto 5 as one of the greatest games of modern times. It's a gorgeous depiction of an ugly age that's patient, polished and a huge amount of fun to play. And it's combined with Rockstar's best storytelling to date.
Even after finishing the lengthy story, I can't wait to go back and play more. This is a game of rare quality. A meticulously polished open world ode to the outlaw era. Looking for one of this generation's very best single player action experiences? Here's your huckleberry.
For plenty more on Red Dead Redemption 2, check out the first minutes and our graphics comparison.