Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 has finally been released after a long wait of 8 years and its suffice to say that fans have been eager to play.
Right from the get-go, you realize the game looks phenomenal, which is presumably why it comes on two discs. As like most action-adventure games you are greeted with an opening cinematic that lays out the story. For newcomers of the Red Dead series I can see this being very handy; not that there is much to tell, however, due to it being a prequel.
The environment is one of the initial features that caught my eye due to how dynamic everything was. You can see characters footprints in the snow along with animal tracks which is a small detail but adds to the overall immersion. The wildlife is varied with hundreds of unique animals and opportunities to interact with them, with some having a legendary status that when found drop rare pelts. The first legendary animal you’ll stumble across is a dangerous bear in the wilderness. If you manage to take it out you are rewarded with a rare pelt that can be exchanged with specialist tailors like Trappers and Fences. These black market dealers offer a range of items however the more luxurious ones may need extra materials.
Arthur, the protagonist moves really slowly when not on horseback. This can become quite a hindrance at points, especially as your stamina depletes fairly quick. Simple tasks like looting take up quite a lot of time as well as picking up objects however tasks like cooking are completed in only a few seconds. Looting becomes a lengthy process so patience is required in this aspect. Combat is heavily reliant on aim assist when shooting but is very solid. You can use “Dead Eye” which is a feature that allows you to slow down time and precisely aim your weapons. This is really beneficial when going against multiple enemies at once as you can focus on individual targets quickly so you don’t take heavy damage.
Being an outlaw you are bound to run into trouble on your travels as a consequence; there have been many occasions where I’ve had a bounty on my head, fleeing from the law. If you find yourself with a bounty on your head you might want to lay low or pay it off. Unfortunately, there have been a few instances of which I’ve happened to accidentally receive a bounty due to running into someone with my horse or other mishaps. These can be avoided but they are awfully annoying when you have bounty hunters chasing you down for little mistakes.
While I’m only a handful of chapters into the main story I’m already engrossed and can’t wait to jump back into the wild west that is Red Dead Redemption 2.