Why There Will Never Be a Replacement for Red Dead Redemption 2

Even though I think Red Dead Redemption 2 is a masterpiece, I will concede that its earliest critics make some fair points. The most common and obvious critiques of RDR2 center on its gameplay, which leaves little room for meaningful experimentation or non-linear progression. If you compare the moment-to-moment gameplay of RDR2 to Elden Ring or even a newer Assassin’s Creed, it’s going to look shallow and bland; it certainly lacks the vast RPG systems of those games. But what Red Dead Redemption 2 does offer is something that the gameplay of Elden Ring and Assassin’s Creed could never make up for.

Red Dead Redemption 2’s Writing Isn’t Good—It’s Exceptional

Image via Rockstar Games

Big, expensive games marketed as “cinematic” or “story-driven” are not always well-written, as some of the titles that strive to fit that description wouldn’t get a pass in any other medium. Even stories with strong ideas can be bogged down by excess, often driven by rote game design practices, which fail to make them as emotionally affecting as they could be.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, storytelling is its most important pillar; everything follows from the narrative, rather than the other way around. For example, while a lot of stories would have Charles play the standard “best friend” role, existing solely to prop up Arthur, Red Dead 2 takes a different approach. Charles has his own aspirations and values separate from Arthur, as evidenced by his collaboration with the Wapiti tribe, as well as when the pair clash or disagree. He feels like a real person, not a prop for Arthur’s journey. Basically, Red Dead Redemption 2‘s story is taken seriously. A lot of other games seem to include certain characters, plot beats, and thematic messaging as afterthoughts, or only to fulfill certain tropes or conventions.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Is More Mature Than Most Games

One of the most consistently frustrating trends in modern gaming is the lack of real human drama. I love a positive, uplifting message as much as the next guy, but when I play a game like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which waters down elements from the source material, I can’t help but feel underwhelmed. This isn’t to say that every story needs to be a grimdark, edgy, Last of Us 2-style horror show, but there’s no need to be so afraid of the dark, especially when a game is meant for adults.

Red Dead Redemption 2 strikes a good balance here, depicting troubled characters without feeling the need to be preachy or undermine narrative conflict. For example, Micah Bell is a famously despicable character: he murders, cheats, lies, and manipulates until the very end, until he’s shot by Dutch and when he’s put down by John. Not arrested or killed in self-defense—put down. Killed for vengeance. By having John enact his wrath on Micah, RDR2 can make nuanced, messy points about morality, rather than the all-too-common “violence is bad” theme that games fall back on when they have nothing else to say. The game doesn’t have a “come to Jesus” moment where all the characters hug it out, nor does it end with the main cast holding hands and watching the sunset: Red Dead Redemption 2 ends with death and betrayal on all sides, and never does the story try to insist that this is wrong or right.

By not shying away from ugly or upsetting subject matter, Red Dead Redemption 2 is more memorable and powerful than the vast majority of AAA games on the market. Arthur himself is far from a typical hero, killing, robbing, and assaulting his fellow man with abandon. At one point, he even suggests leaving fellow gang member Sean MacGuire behind enemy lines, if it meant giving the rest of his pack a better chance at survival. He has a code of honor and is relatable, but these traits don’t come at the cost of his complexity. Let me put it this way: there’s a reason why Arthur Morgan is more widely beloved and memorable than the likes of Aloy, Rook, and Kal Cestis, despite him being so much more abrasive and morally compromised. These characters are smooth, flat, and one-note by comparison; they lack the sharp edges of not only Arthur, but every member of Red Dead 2‘s cast.

Games with Mature Stories Like Red Dead Redemption 2

• Cyberpunk 2077
• The Witcher 3
• Disco Elysium
• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Kentucky Route Zero

Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Impressively Detailed

In conjunction with its narrative, Red Dead Redemption 2‘s attention to detail helps establish it as truly one-of-a-kind. Seemingly small inclusions, like absurdly realistic horse anatomy, tend to get the most attention, but RDR2‘s granularity means much more than these humorous features. Design choices like giving every NPC a detailed routine make RDR2‘s world infinitely more believable and compelling, as do the hidden conversations that Arthur can have with his gang mates at camp. Arthur’s interactions with his gun are a standout, too.

Most games won’t attempt to include this level of detail, which is admittedly understandable. While a good script isn’t necessarily more expensive to write than a bad one, hidden NPC interactions, realistic foliage, and other minuscule details often come with bigger price tags that most players may never encounter. But it’s still worth praising RDR2 in this respect: by being so attentive and exhaustive, Rockstar made a AAA game that feels like it’s truly earned the title, using modern tech to go above and beyond with its presentation.

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Games Whose Level of Detail Approaches Red Dead Redemption 2’s

• The Last of Us Part 2
• Death Stranding 2
• Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain
• Hitman: World of Assassination
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Open-World Design Makes Red Dead Redemption 2 Come Alive

I’m not going to try and argue that Red Dead Redemption 2 has the best open-world out there. Games like Elden Ring, Breath of the Wild, and even Ghost of Tsushima have it absolutely wiped in terms of environment design, traversal, and discovery. But at the same time, you simply can’t deny how effective Red Dead Redemption 2 is with its realistic, lush, and diverse environments, which offer other unique strengths beyond typical, “gamified” exploration.

Making your way through Red Dead Redemption 2‘s world is a uniquely tranquil experience, buttressed by dynamic lighting, impactful weather systems, subtle visual effects, and comprehensive sound design. Again, the game’s attention to detail is crucial here, helping to establish a plausible illusion that the world you’re seeing is, in fact, real. Going even further, one could argue that Red Dead Redemption 2‘s open world is hyperrealistic.

I spent many of my childhood years in Florida and visiting family in Georgia and Louisiana, regions that inspired the deep-south state of Lemoyne in Red Dead Redemption 2, and I can say with confidence that Lemoyne isn’t a 1:1 recreation by any stretch. But when I ride to Saint Denis straight from the Bayou Nwa swamp, I’m not preoccupied with the fact that big swamps aren’t usually that close to major metropolitan areas: the game’s world is an expressionist depiction of the US, as if manifested from the memories of those familiar with states like Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana. In short, Red Dead Redemption 2‘s map feels realer than real, a detailed painting of the US countryside that hones in on its most essential aspects, not its most geographically accurate.

Games With Tranquil Open-Worlds Like Red Dead Redemption 2’s

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Ghost of Yotei
• No Man’s Sky
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

There’s No Such Thing as Perfect, But Red Dead 2 is Pretty Close

Image via Rockstar Games

I wouldn’t say that Red Dead 2 is my favorite game. It might crack my top five of all time, but it probably wouldn’t make the top three. Its strengths are numerous and significant, but it also suffers from bland combat, shallow exploration, and outdated mission design. It excels with its narrative and attention to detail, but these are where its innovations end. On the mechanical side of the equation, Red Dead Redemption 2 falls behind many of its contemporaries and has most definitely been surpassed by many of the best open-world games of this decade.

However, what’s so interesting about Red Dead Redemption 2 is how little these elements matter, not just to me, but to audiences at large. It’s an important reminder that video games don’t have to be judged solely, or even primarily, on the basis of their mechanical depth. RDR2‘s impeccably written story, unforgettable cast, and wealth of meaningful, nuanced details are precisely what make it masterful; the gameplay is there to elevate the story, not the other way around. By contrast, AAA games’ stories sometimes feel perfunctory and derivative, perhaps only there out of obligation and expectation. It’s this steadfast commitment to a creatively rich, complex narrative and game world that establishes Red Dead Redemption 2 as one of the best video games ever made, and what audiences will remember about it, long after so many other AAA games have been forgotten.

Released

October 26, 2018

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol