With the new release of Red Dead Redemption 2, it seems Rockstar is still considered one of the kings of gaming in the developmental world, but is it really that good? Should you buy now, or wait? How does it look in comparison to the original? (Not just graphical) Also, a few tips to know when dealing with this type of game. There are some tips no one winds up talking about because it’s more of an oversight. This game does look visually impressive, even on base consoles, such as the original PlayStation 4. With a whole weekend of playtime, let’s dive in deeper shall we?
Is Red Dead Redemption 2 really that good?
The short answer is, yes! The long answer is also yes. While Red Dead Redemption 2 has some glaring issues, it’s still one of the best games released this console generation. There are just some small issues that have come up while playing. The story starts off strong, and then it slows down quite a bit, only to pick up again later. It feels as if the game pulls its punches at times, considering Rockstar has recently come out with a statement about new-world American ideology. There are also a few politically-motivated story missions that seem to drag the game some. Forced fist fighting feels a lot longer than it needs to be. However, everything is handled well and seem very thoroughly thought out despite these minor complaints. There are also no prostitute houses, which feels like a missed opportunity.
Here we are to talk about the horse riding mechanic, which isn’t that good. The horses have this sort of rag-doll feel to them. Sometimes you will be in the forest, and for some reason or another your horse will jerk left or right straight into a tree or other object. With cliffs and jumping over obstacles, it can be very inconsistent. Sometimes you’ll be in a field with hopes of jumping over a fence, instead either breaking through or the horse opts to go around. This is with high stamina stats, by the way. Sometimes you will jump over one obstacle just fine, but attempt to jump over it from the opposite side and your horse will trip and fling you off its back. With being shot at from the side, sometimes the horse would actually run towards the bullets instead of away. So, there are minor tweaks to be made with the game. It doesn’t take much away from the overall experience, even with all that in play.
How is the comparison of Red Dead Redemption 2 over the original?
First, Red Dead Redemption 2 is broken up by chapters compared to the original. This may either add or take away from the experience as it feels more episodic. The original Red Dead Redemption has 58 main story missions, meanwhile the sequel has 76. It’s still too early to get a definitive number as to how many side missions there are, but some can be missed if you are not careful. Some side missions could be missed with the original, but only a couple. Horse mechanics were more consistent in the first over the sequel, or so appears to be the case. It could also be that there was not as much forestry as there is with Red Dead Redemption 2. This game has a lot more forest!
Aside from the wilderness, which is surprisingly taking a back seat here, there are trees galore! There are small settlements, farms, rivers, streams, canyons, and so much more added! It feels far more alive than that of the original. Twice as many animals appear as well! In the sequel, you can run over or just run into any bird or small animal to kill them. It can be funny at times, but gets annoying quickly. The fact a bird can die from it running into your horse when taking flight is ridiculous. Compared to the first, the sequel’s main missions feel easier to beat, but perhaps that’s due to further gaming experience. You can also hold up everyone, shoot just about everyone, and rob/antagonize anyone. House robberies, train robberies, even being able to rob the poor begging on the streets. See a blind man with a hat? Take the donations instead to treat yourself! Way different from the original Red Dead Redemption.
Some helpful tips to keep you vigilant..
- Follow everyone and chase everything! If you enter a shop or walk down an alley and see someone running away while spotting you, give chase. Save first, because you never know with this game. There have been instances where people will heckle you, ask for help, or even spot you and run away for seemingly no reason. Those are the people you want to follow! After one mission you get for photographing certain people, you can return to the same building where a guy sitting runs off for some reason. It’s important to follow people no matter what so you can experience everything the game has to offer.
- Manually save often! No matter what happens, you may want to reload just in case you feel you lost too much if something happens. This could mean losing money, your horse, or even an enemy you wanted to keep alive. Auto-save might not be completely ideal for most people.
- Keep things clean. This could mean you, your horse, or even your gun. With the wear and tear of natural use and how you interact with the world, sometimes grime can be a problem. A dirty gun can lead to it not working properly.
- Trust no one! Remember to save? Good! Don’t just take people at face value, actually be cautious when approaching everyone who says they need help. You can be robbed for one, and sometimes you can do nothing about it until it’s too late.
- Pay off any bounties you may have in certain areas of the map before attempting all side missions. Some missions may not pop up if you have a bounty on your head. This includes bounty hunter missions.
Final Thoughts.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a good experience. Everyone should check it out, even if it’s not a genre you normally play. At the very least, borrow the game from a friend, or buy it from someone outright and resell later. It has a lot of content within the missions themselves, but you’re also able to kill and skin animals, wreak havoc on entire towns, even rob a whole train or bank of their valuables. Nothing and no one is safe in this game. You’re able to shoot the hats off anyone and the gun out of anyone’s hand, which are nice features. Compared to the original, it has some flaws that were never apparent in that game opposed to the sequel.
Red Dead Redemption 2 certainly has a lot more to look at with how much of the map is not only desert. Visually, the game looks so much better than its predecessor. When compared to the original, it is a treasure as long as you’re into a western style of gaming. The original should have come out on current generation consoles like with the South Park games, since a lot of people probably never played it. PS Now is an option for PS4 users, but even for someone who has a decent internet connection, it’s nowhere near ideal. We can only hope they can re-release the original Red Dead Redemption, at least on PS4. With some added tips on how to better your experience, we wish you the best! See you when the online portion releases, cowboy!
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