When Rockstar Games roll around with a new release, it feels like something of Bank Holiday. The whole world still seems to stop functioning as we eagerly await to see what they have to offer after years of patient speculation. But despite this, there’s always a few fence-sitters unsure on whether to take the inevitable life-eating plunge. Well, luckily for you I’ve spent the last few, highly caffeinated days blazing my way across the wild-west; and I can say with the upmost confidence that the hype is more than justified. But it may not quite be what some are expecting.
I want to make it transparently clear that I haven’t actually beaten the game yet, but not just because I’m incredibly bad at my job (which may also be true). The game is patient and methodical. It wants you to take your time and soak in every last drop of this stunning open-world; to live it, to breath it. So, to rush through the main story would be doing a great disservice to what Rockstar have created. But fear not, I’ve seen enough. But enough horsing around, let’s start at the beginning – shall we?
The year is 1899, and the age of the outlaw is over. The few that remain are being aggressively hunted down as the modern laws take effect and the once quaint towns become bustling metropolis’. We are dropped into the muddy boots of Arthur Morgan, a gruff career criminal and second in command to the notorious Van Der Linde gang. After a botched bank heist the gang and its silver-tonged leader Dutch are on the run, whilst all the time searching for the last big score to help them disappear for good. This creates a palpable backdrop to begin with, as right from the outset you understand that this way of life is coming to an end and there’s an underlying air of inevitability; as if everyone subconsciously knows that their path has an unavoidable and grizzly end.
The trailers did very little in making Arthur seem like an engaging character, but once I dove in I found myself rooting for him more than I was expecting. The group looks up to him, which he makes abundantly clear may be a mistake. What makes him unique is that he knows he’s a bad man, and he isn’t really trying to turn over a new leaf. He has moments of genuine kindness but always within the context of a dangerous collection of outlaws, which is very different from the good deeds the rest of society would expect.
The story is always an important part of any Rockstar release. If you were worried that the astronomical success of GTA Online would cause the single player to be put on the backburner in favour of tackling the social scene, let me reassure you – this is some of the best writing and character work the company has ever produced. Everyone you meet on your path, particularly your gangmates, has an intriguing story to tell and their interactions with you and each other make for some genuinely memorable dialogue. There’s a real sense of camaraderie within the camp and I found myself sincerely caring about their history, and later, their wellbeing. Returning to our humble abode after a long journey feels like coming home, and I was eager to catch up with everyone to hear what mischief they had got into in my absence.
The first thing that will strike when you boot up the game is how undeniably pretty everything is. I can’t even count the number of times I interrupted my travels and just gawked at the gorgeous scenery or dynamic wildlife. From grand snowy peaks to the finer touches, there is a level of detail that I’ve never seen a game of this size. Mud cakes to the wheels of wagons as roll through the sludge, light pokes through the empty chambers of your revolver and your horses’ testicles shrink when the weather turns cold. That last one is extremely important. But it can’t be over-emphasised just how real and alive this word feels. Every NPC has something to say, sometimes just inconsequential small-talk, but sometimes it leads to an activity that you would have bypassed completely if you hadn’t stopped to talk. The best example of this from my own experience is the occasion I saved a stranger who had been bitten by a snake, I gave him some medicine and went on my way. Hours later, miles away from our first encounter, I stumbled across him; he remembered me and offered the chance to claim a free weapon on his tab at the local gunsmith. Its simply crazy how deep it all goes, I literally have no idea how this game even runs.
At the beginning when I said it might not be exactly what people were expecting, the reason for this is Red Dead Redemption 2 is an unapologetically slow affair. The first chapter in particular, which serves as the prologue, is seriously lacking in the bombast that its big brother GTA 5 flaunts. This doesn’t necessarily mean its dull, but it certainly started to wear thin after the first couple of hours as the main map is inaccessible. This pacing is very deliberate though, as it goes a long way in planting you into the world and into your gang. Without this slow start, you would lose the affinity you now have for specific partners in crime and the linear structure adds to the feeling of liberation when the shackles are finally off. In hindsight, I’m grateful for the more understated beginning.
The speed doesn’t really accelerate once the map opens up either, which is where this game is going to become divisive. If you want the high-octane action of a more contemporary setting like GTA, if you want to roll a Lamborghini down a mountain in ball of flames, you may find the laidback atmosphere of Red Dead bland and frankly it might not be the game for you. However, if you want to be fully immersed in a world which feels daunting and harsh yet quiet and beautiful, look no further. Everything you do in Red Dead takes time. You have to clean your weapons, take care of your horse, make long expeditions across the countryside, eat, sleep and wash yourself. On paper I know how tedious that sounds, but it just makes every little thing you do seem important and helps you feel the journey you are taking. After a long trip away from camp, you sense Arthurs weariness and you long for some quiet time to relax. You sense that you’ve earned a trip into the saloon for a stiff drink. The whole thing has a simulation aspect to it and it feels like more than just a game. If you’re the kind of person who tends to burn through and complete the campaign, there’s still plenty for you here. But if you don’t fully commit to what this diverse, handcrafted expanse has to offer, you are depriving yourself of something truly special.
You’re probably getting the vibe by now that I think this game is an astounding achievement, and you’re darn tootin’. But does that mean it’s without its faults? Not at all. First of all, the menus are incredibly cumbersome and it takes far too long to locate and use an item. In another title, this would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience; but in a game where you constantly have to consume food and other resources to refill your health/stamina or read a map in the name of side mission, it can be become tiresome just how cluttered everything is. Another gripe is how downright heavy and unresponsive movement can be, especially during combat where precision is key. I’m never 100% sure where Arthur is going to end up when I attempt to vault into cover or quickly dart around to flank an enemy. Quite often I find myself getting stuck on a random piece of backdrop, or taking cover on the wrong side of rock slap-bang in front of a dozen armed bandits. Which is exactly what you want.
My most salient problem, however, is the complete disregard Red Dead seems to have for player convenience. Its mantra seems to be: “lets be as unlike a video game as we can”, and in so many places this philosophy is what I love. The lack of classic video game tropes only sucks you in further to your western fantasy, making for much less instances of having to suspend your disbelief and break your immersion. For example, the absence of loading screens or only being able to carry the weapons you can fit in your holsters makes everything feel seamless and realistic. Compared to other games where you can pull a full RPG out of your back-pocket. But some tropes are there to stop players from being bogged down by the dull things, aka, the parts of the fantasy that aren’t enjoyable. In short, I don’t want to have to loot every single body manually, just walking over it will do. You don’t have to unequip my guns and leave them on my horse every time you get the chance, just leave them be. And I don’t want to have to change my clothes on a particularly brisk day so I don’t freeze to death, I want to dress like a badass cowboy, whatever the weather. This sounds petty, I know, but after dozens of hours of play-time, it starts to feel like the game is holding you back from the interesting and the outlandish, in favour of the boring real-life. Its like being told you can go out and play with your friends, but you have to tidy your room first.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of those ever-so rare games that fully encapsulates you in nearly every way. Its dense and beautiful, patient and immersive, and its characters are so full of heart that the world is brought to life more vividly than you could have ever imagined. When I’m not playing it, I’m thinking about it, planning my next robbery or my next legendary hunt. The prospect that I still have dozens of hours-worth of content to tackle before I’ve seen everything, is as daunting as it is tantalising. This game will quite rightly go down as one of the best open-world titles ever produced and has a real claim to be the cream of the crop. A true modern masterpiece.
My score: 10/10
