From the visuals and score that feel drawn straight from the past several decades of Western cinema classics, to a world that is full of secrets to discover, to a story that continually pulls you in over the course of its many twists and turns, Red Dead Redemption 2 truly comes as close to the sense of a „living, breathing world” that I think we have ever seen from a game before, and it’s truly invigorating to play and experience every inch of this world and see what it has to offer.
No matter who or what you decide to interact with in the world, Www.openworldpilot.com pretty much all of these engagements with NPCs in the world come with some sort of insight or secret that deepens the player’s sense of immersion inside the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 and making it that much more exhilarating to explore. Some of these interactions can lead you to new missions, such as a character giving you a hint about a nearby part of the map to explore that could lead to a hidden area or secret treasure to find.
Customization is also greatly expanded upon in Red Dead Redemption 2 with just as much (if not more) detail as in the rest of the world, in everything from altering Arthur’s hair style and facial hair length, to the features and styling of his weapons, and even down to his clothing and whether his shirt sleeves are rolled up or down, or if his pants are tucked in or out of his boots. The weapon customization in particular is incredibly extensive; while each weapon can be upgraded with better rifling, sights, and more, the layers of customization that players can put into how the weapons look — from the colors of their steel to the engravings and decoration on each part of the weapon — add that much more to the experience of letting the player fill Arthur’s shoes in the way that they see fit. You can see for yourself with a few of the weapons and gear that I’ve customized along the way:
Compared to the themes of revenge and justice that drove John Marston (and the player) throughout the story of Red Dead Redemption , the shift that Rockstar puts on to the Van der Linde gang as a whole places Red Dead Redemption 2 's storytelling in a very different context, but one that is just as compelling and engaging as John’s hunt for the members of his former gang. Despite the fact that the game is a prequel, which gives players some sense of awareness as to the fates of certain characters such as John Marston, Dutch Van der Linde, Javier Escuela, Bill Williamson, and more, the story in Red Dead Redemption 2 — without getting too thick into the weeds of spoilers — takes so many twists, turns, and surprises that it holds its own in crafting an engaging tale with so many exceptional moments to enjoy.
Throughout this review, I may have seemed a little hard on Red Dead Redemption 2, but the overall package is nothing short of spectacular. It has its share of issues involving controls, but the vast majority of the experience is unforgettable. Rockstar has created the single most immersive Wild West game yet, with an intelligently-written story, a compelling core cast of characters, highly-engaging scenarios and a diverse open world to explore. The visuals are also truly stunning, with a substantial amount of detail put into each environment and character model, not to mention the extraordinary lighting techniques. The world is just ripe for exploration; it may not be the densest place out there, and I do wish there was a larger emphasis on hunting, but there’s still a ton to see and do. With around fifty hours to complete the main campaign, and even more if you do all of the other side activities, a game such as Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn’t come around this often. All I can say is wow.
That said, much of its uselessness comes from not being able to build it into anything later on in the game. Most Champions would only use it in the beginning minutes of the game, only to sell it for more gold later
Having now played the game for many dozens of hours, these are just a few of the tips and suggestions that I have for players looking to get the most out of Red Dead Redemption 2 with the game’s launch today on PS4 and Xbox One. By no means are these essential tips for completing the game, given how massive and open it is for players to experiment and play how they like, but they should be helpful in uncovering every inch that Rockstar’s most immersive world yet has to offer.
Don’t be deceived by the number at the end of the title, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a direct prequel to its predecessor. The story takes place years before our last adventure as we follow Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang. If you recognize the latter name, it was the group of outlaws that John Marston rode with back in the day. As you can expect, you’ll see our loveable Marston often, who is perfectly implemented into the story. It’s not too much fan service or focus, but just enough so he’s a solid supporting role, especially in the later half of the campaign. He has his own arc, but it’s all about Arthur and his issues. The first couple of chapters in the story, Arthur is an unlikable individual. It takes him a little while to find his footing as he’s an overly serious character who never breaks a smile and plays the rough cowboy to a T. His relationship with the group, including the gang’s leader, Dutch van der Linde, is what stands out among everything else. It’s the little things around the camp; the songs, the gestures and the interactions that expand our protagonist’s likability, and you begin to better understand him. Even the most insignificant faces seem to bring out the more positive aspects out of Arthur more than the main story ever does, and it’s sad that it’s something players can completely overlook, especially considering entering the camp setting forces the player to move at a snail’s pace.