Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4, Xbox One) (Rated Mature)
I can vividly remember anticipating Red Dead Redemption, the idea to live out a western fantasy was a dream, I got so hyped during the lead-up and pretty much saw every western ever made, to say that I was excited is a massive understatement. I even made a fan trailer that gained tens of thousands of views, it was a good time. Now nearly a decade later I get the game I saw in my head while waiting for RDR. While the first was a brilliant open-world western, it did lack features I was expecting such as camping and the ability to feel as if I was truly living in the old west. Now after countless hours of exploring, grooming my horse, camping, engaging in duels, horse chases, train robberies and so much more, all I can say is whoa. Think of a western cliche, it is in the game.
The game's opening thankfully has a much faster pace than the original, you're thrust into a pretty epic gunfight less than ten minutes in. For the next two hours, you will be on a mostly linear adventure before the game truly opens up. The prologue is a great entry point to the game, its exciting and will teach you the basics, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Once you are in the game proper, you're going to be awestruck at the immense beauty, scale, and sense of being in an authentic living, breathing world. You could easily describe this as the ultimate western role-playing experience.
Walk into stores and you will be able to buy items off shelves, set up camp to cook food, store weapons and clothes on your horse, kill an animal and you will see the most detailed and realistic skinning animations to date. There is no detail denied in what is Rockstar's most impressive game by a long shot. These survival elements really help to immerse you in the world, though they are not forced upon you like so many games, rather they offer useful benefits that are both logical and extremely helpful.
For example, you will need to brush or bathe your horse in large sources of water to keep it healthy, you also need to feed it, and after it is fed it does what most of us do, but so rarely see in video games. You will also bond with your horse to level it up which will unlock new abilities such as rearing and skidding to stop. Another immersive touch is that your horse will only hear you calling it, if it is in a decent proximity, otherwise you will have to huff it.
Now, what would a western be without visceral gunfights? RDR2 improves upon an already solid foundation with better environmental effects, A.I and some incredible weapon handling mechanics. Something that wowed me is firearms that would require cocking before a shot, need to be cocked before you can fire. You either pull the fire, or aim button to cock your rifle, pistol or shotgun. This is an insanely cool feature, that does take a bit of time to master, but once you do it becomes one of the most cinematic features you'll use in a game.
Other than the game's slick new mechanics, combat features solid aiming & hit detection along with some very spirited animations. The game much like GTA 5 can be played in both third and first person, RDR 2 feels even better in first person than GTA thanks to being built with it in mind. What makes RDR 2 spectacular, is not it's action or even the game's incredible story. It is the fact that not only do you truly live in this world, but there is so much more to do than the game's well written and enthralling story.
You are going to rescue strangers from bandits, or rob them, help those under heavy objects or provide medicine in the nick of time. These objectives are simple, but it is the performances along with the brilliant integration that sells these activities. You'll also have your normal bounty missions, and also grand and not so grand robberies, this all ties into the game's honor system. Depending on how you play, your ending and the way other characters treat you will be very different, this is an exquisitely executed morality system with actual consequences.
The game's story will last you anywhere from forty to sixty hours, and much like the entire game, it is Rockstar's best effort yet. This is a prequel which means you will be seeing a lot of familiar faces, however, I was shocked at just how good the story is. There is fan service and the things you would expect in a prequel, yet the execution is so sincere and passionate that it never feels patronizing or forced.
I also really appreciated the attention to Native Americans and their history, I also loved that the story did not shy away from slavery like the first. This game truly left no stone unturned, weapon customization and a wide clothing selection as seen in GTA 5 are present, and really help to personalize the experience. So long as the western or open world themes are appealing, you're going to find a near perfect experience. It is also one that you need to play, to truly understand the beauty of its incredible immersion.
I could mention that the game does have some collision detection issues in rocky terrain, but I am fairly certain it will be patched before most even see this review. I never had a drop in frame rate, crash or any issue that would cause frustration. If you're on the fence, there is no reason to be, this year has seen a few immaculate games, and this is without a doubt the cream of the crop.
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