First Impressions of Red Dead Redemption 2

COURTESY PHOTO

Red Dead Redemption 2(2018) is the long-awaited sequel to Red Dead Redemption(2010). Red Dead 2 is another Grand Theft Auto-style game set in the old west with cowboys and Native Americans. Upon my very first impression of the game, I quickly noticed the developers put a ton of detail into the world and story. The beginning of the game is reminiscent of The Hateful 8from 2015. A group of outlaws who are traveling through a blizzard to get away from the sheriffs from the last town they were in. You play as Arthur Morgan from the Van der Linde gang. You are told by the gang leader, Dutch, that you are going to look for food for the group. When walking through the storm your horse makes an actual disturbance in the snow resting on the ground, leaving a permanent trail in the snow.

Moving to the first objective, the snow decreases your field of view. You can’t see very far in the storm and most of the time I was just looking for the lanterns that the other people in the search party are holding. You then reach a log cabin and take cover because one person looks “less intimidating” than 3 big outlaws with weapons. After waiting behind a small stable-looking building, Micah finds a dead body in a wagon with a tarp over it. Not much longer after the body is discovered the people in the cabin that Dutch is talking to notice who he is. This is when you should start shooting.

 Without messing with any settings beforehand there is little auto-aim assist. After finishing someone you can’t just hold the aim button to zip to another person and unload on them. This gives the game a slightly realistic feel meaning you must aim somewhere in the vicinity of an enemy. You have to actually become a competent gunslinger to survive. After you are done with the immediate threat, Dutch says they must have been from the O’Driscoll gang, who are the rival gang members and main enemies for the first major part of the game.

The startling realism of the in-game physics is astonishing at times. You have to pick up your hat and gun that you drop during a firefight, or you just won’t have the items until you either equip them again at camp or you steal someone else’s. You’re taught how to bond with horses, which increases its trust in you. I figure this means it will be easier to handle the horse. It also increases the horse’s attributes. The more of a connection you build with your horse will allow it be able to run farther, faster and increases its health. 

This is only a small description of the first mission and the graphics and content have already made me want to play so much more. From the snow being realistic to the bushes and branches actually moving as you hit them, this is a very good quality game with immersive details. The game has about 60 hours of gameplay and if it is all as good as the first hour this could easily be one of the best games I have played this year.