Red Dead Redemption 2 is the Deepest, Grandest World That Rockstar Games Has Made Yet

With Red Dead Redemption 2 ‘s prior trailers featuring staggering cinematography on par with that of the striking images and scenes that There Will Be Blood features, Anderson’s film is a notable departure from the typical “Western.” However, there’s no denying that the film’s deep exploration of a volatile turn of the century in America is one that shares some similarities with the time period that the Red Dead titles have taken place in, along with featuring a brilliant (and terrifying) character in Day-Lewis’ role as Daniel Plainview.

Best part of this meme though? His brother, the only one who could never mistake him, walks in on him. That and the fact that Renekton is the “evil” brother. Seeing the evil brother (imagine Loki) dressed up like Sona is so comical that we want this to be a skin. Please, Rito, make this a real skin. Definitely Not Renekton, ma

So let’s get this out of the way first before delving into the deeper parts of this review: Red Dead Redemption 2 is an exceptional game that pushes the bar for open-world titles, and will more than likely be considered one of the best games of this generation. Much like its predecessor, Red Dead Redemption 2 ‘s blend of storytelling, gameplay, and artistry are all working together to form a game that works on every level. In the way that Grand Theft Auto III set the foundations for the open-world genre nearly two decades ago, Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like the culmination of everything Rockstar Games has done to develop a world that feels not only grand in scope, but even deeper when it comes to the levels of interactivity and immersion that it offers players throughout its journey.

Let’s be honest, life can be pretty boring at times. In fact, more often than not, what you do in a given week is lame. Sure, there are highlights and moments in everyone’s life that you think back on frequently but most of the time, what you do in a day isn’t exciting. Think about it: every morning you surely wake up, take a shower, go to work, eat some food, come home and go to bed.

The same can be said for Arthur Morgan. Are there moments of intense excitement in his life such as when he’s robbing a train or watching the sunset over the plains? Absolutely. But even in the life of an outlaw on the run, you still have to make small decisions about whether or not you should take a bath or shave your face.

What Rockstar has built with Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t just a vast world of splendor and beauty within which they have place random mission markers and enemy bases to go clear. Instead, this is a place that they’re legitimately wanting you to live in. Can it be tedious at times? Sure. But more often than not, I think it gives me a stronger sense of intimacy with both Arthur and this setting of the Wild West, and that’s something I haven’t felt in an open-world title in quite awhile.

In the buildup to Red Dead Redemption 2 ‘s release later this month, those looking for some inspiration to satisfy their craving for Western-themed experiences won’t need to look further than our picks for the Western films you should watch before playing Rockstar’s own Western epic, given the numerous cinematic references that the studio has drawn from in their previous titles.

By forcing you to slow down and complete duties that seem lackluster, you slowly start to feel more present in this world and grow closer to your own version of Arthur. If Red Dead Redemption 2 was just all about riding around the West and shooting up saloons with your revolver, you’d likely feel disconnected from your avatar. The game then just becomes a power trip and the character that you end up playing is just an amplified version of your own wants and desires. Doing simple chores though such as chopping wood, skinning animals and dragging them back to my horse, and donating to the gang’s larger pool of money has made me feel more of a bond with Arthur than any other character I’ve played as in recent memory. My bond with the character thus far has been established in these small moments, not the large ones.

Just like Arthur himself is meant to feel like a living character for players to embrace and play their role as, the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 feels ripe for exploration and unexpected sights to behold. While roaming across the landscape on horseback, I saw majestic mountain passes and calming rivers full of opportunities to hunt and fish, especially as wildlife like deer and rabbits strode by. Just before that, I had Arthur and his horse perched on the top of a hill, only to see that a storm was brewing out in the distance, watching as clouds and mist rolled over the mountains. Standing there for a few minutes, the result of the passing rains ended up being a brilliant rainbow out on the horizon, something that even caught the Rockstar reps with us during the demo by surprise.

What’s worth noting though is that I don’t think what Rockstar has done with these ideas is really all that revolutionary by any means. No: Palworld new Content 2025 instead, they’ve just leaned into these things that other developers would certainly stray away from for the reasons that I’ve already heard many complain about this weekend — it ends up being too slow and too boring. However, Rockstar knew before release that Red Dead Redemption 2 would sell millions of copies no matter what they did. This notion allowed them far more experimentation and more willingness to take chances compared to what other studios might attempt. For the most part, I think it’s an experiment that has worked to Red Dead Redemption 2 ‘s benefit so far.