It’s safe to say the new game from Rockstar is their finest masterpiece
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Staff Writer
One of the most anticipated video games in recent memory, Red Dead Redemption 2, was released on Oct. 26. In Rockstar Games’ first game since Grand Theft Auto V in 2013, the gaming giant once again sets the bar for what defines the perfect game.
Red Dead 2 is a direct prequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption and the third game in the series overall. Set eleven years before the previous game in 1899, the game follows the exploits of Arthur Morgan, a member of Dutch van der Linde’s gang. Many characters from Red Dead reappear in Red Dead 2, including former protagonist John Marston and his family. Marston is a minor character this time around, but it is nice to see him. The map of the game is enormous with most of the map from the previous game being included within Red Dead 2’s expanded world; only Mexico is excluded. Two iconic locations from Red Dead, those being the towns of Blackwater and Armadillo, are prominently featured. Seeing those locations again after all this time was a great feeling. Red Dead was set during a time when the “Wild West” was dying and no attempt was made to hide that. Red Dead 2, however, shows that type of environment in a much more vibrant light, although it openly implies this is the beginning of the decline. The game is incredibly detailed in a way rivaling any other video game ever made: every non-playable character can be interacted with, for example.
The only legitimate criticism I have of the game concerns its overall length — Red Dead 2’s campaign takes roughly 60 hours to complete and, while that ensures I will be able to play it for many weeks and months to come, it also means I don’t know exactly how the campaign ends yet.
Another pit long-time fans of the franchise may fall into concerns the game being a prequel of sorts. We already know what the end of the road is for the majority of these characters, eliminating any tension or fear we may have for their well-being. Red Dead 2’s focus is mostly on Morgan for this reason, as he did not appear in Red Dead and his story can be told from start-to-finish. However, there is a treat at the end of the game for long-time fans of the franchise. After completing Arthur’s story in the game, the new playable character is John Marston himself. Marston’s involvement in the latter half of Red Dead 2 sets up the events of the previous game.
I don’t know if another Red Dead game will ever be made as the story seemed to come full-circle here. If this proves to be the last game in the franchise, then it is safe to say we all can tip a hat to Rockstar Games for delivering to us one of the best games ever made.
