Aside from the numerous options to customize Arthur’s physical appearance and gear, the other core relationship that players will develop throughout the game is that of Arthur and his horse. Red Dead Redemption 2 has expanded immensely on making your horse more than just a mode of transportation, and there are numerous ways that players can invest time into developing their bond with their horse and, as a result, increasing its ability to take players through this Open World Games Crafting Guide. These actions start as simply as riding the horse and utilizing its saddle to store all of your equipment and gear between missions, but as you spend more time for your horse and care for it — feeding it, brushing its fur, petting it, etc. — you’ll be able to increase its stamina and health.
With so many different facets to the gameplay and interacting with the environment, the number of systems and mechanics at play in Red Dead Redemption 2 is staggering, and in some instances can even sound a little overwhelming. However, after having hands-on time with the game and first-hand experience with these mechanics, these touches truly feel like meaningful ways to make Red Dead Redemption 2 feel alive and dynamic, for the players that really want to go deeper into it. As Rockstar emphasized to us during the demo, these more survival-driven mechanics aren’t meant to feel like « chores » that the player has to do — they’re optional — but instead to develop that idea that Arthur is truly a part of this world and more than just a vehicle for players to explore what it has to offer.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson ( Boogie Nights , Punch-Drunk Love ) and featuring a towering Academy Award-winning performance from Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood ‘s emphasis on the struggles between the old ways of the West and the impending boom of the oil industry carries with it several ties to the time period that the Red Dead titles have explored, and likely will play into the themes of Red Dead Redemption 2 .
Sweeping vistas, flowing rivers, and stunning mountainsides are all just a few of the spectacular sights and locations that you’ll find in Red Dead Redemption 2 , and seamlessly going between such varying locations and environments is astounding, other than the occasional (and small) frame rate drops I would get here and there. As the game takes the Van der Linde gang through snowy mountains, treacherous swamplands, and (eventually) deep into the heart of the big city, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a visual marvel on both a technical and artistic level, accompanied by a soundtrack that truly entrenches it in the atmosphere of the best Spaghetti Western films out there.
One of the biggest ways that Rockstar accomplishes this in Red Dead Redemption 2 is by integrating a new « Focus » ability for Arthur to interact with virtually any object, person, or animal that he comes across. By holding the L2 button (as we played the game on PS4 Pro) without a weapon holstered, Arthur can choose from a variety of ways to engage with oncoming travelers, shopkeepers, and other NPCs in the environment, whether that’s to greet them, antagonize them (likely resulting in a violent conflict), rob them, and more.
As the oldest of the entries here, there wouldn’t be a list of Western films complete without at least one entry from the extensive canon of legendary Western actor John Wayne. However, among all of the actor’s work in the Western genre, The Searchers (from director John Ford) still ranks tall among its all-time greats, and is certainly worth a watch for those looking to hop into Red Dead Redemption 2 .
As a subgenre of Westerns that mostly came to prominence in the 1960s and named for being produced and directed by Italian filmmakers, Sergio Leone’s trilogy starring Clint Eastwood became the standard in bringing flair to the Western genre that was marked by a heightened sense of cinematic technique and style.
Earlier, I mentioned how important Native Americans were to Western culture and how excited we are for the possibility of them sharing center stage. Another character that doesn’t get enough play in the Western genre happens to be the female outlaw. In the closing scene of the teaser trailer, it seems as though the left most rider happens to be a lady. Their clothing is brighter than the other and her body structure seems to lend itself to a more feminine figure. A lot of players feel as though there isn’t enough diversity when it comes to protagonists in video games. Having a leading lady that also happens to be a badass would be a great, but not necessarily a new addition to the Red Dead series. There have been plenty of awesome females in the franchise, but it would be great to finally play as
Throughout these two hours with Red Dead Redemption 2 , we certainly got many questions answered about what is arguably the most anticipated game of the year. The story, action, and spectacle that we saw from the game (so far) shows that Rockstar Games is firing on all cylinders to deliver what I’m already confident to say is going to be an unforgettable experience, combined with its world that is full of detail and immersion. The degree to which Rockstar is crafting the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 to its full potential is simply incredible, and I can’t wait to see what more that it has to offer. Thankfully, there’s just a few more weeks left until we can all ride out West and discover it for ourselves.
