Spoiler-free!
Red Dead Redemption 2. Maybe you’ve heard of it. The blockbuster western has been making headlines lately, for its universal critical acclaim, its absurd attention to detail and for being the fastest-selling piece of entertainment this year, even beating Avengers: Infinity War. The game has been out just over a week and the dust of excitement has started to settle down. But despite all the praise the game was bestowed, some people ain’t feeling the slower-paced game. And I can understand why. But ultimately, I think the slower pace is actually a service to the game and its story. Here’s why.
From the get-go, the game establishes that it’s going to play by its own rules, expectations and gaming norms be damned. Unlike Rockstar Games’ predecessor, the insanely lucrative Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead 2 has a pretty cold opener. I mean that literally as well as metaphorically as the band of outlaws, including protagonist Arthur Morgan, are stranded in a blizzard on the game’s equivalent of the Rocky Mountains. From there, the biggest priorities are finding food and a missing John Marston, the protagonist of the first game. But this isn’t a quick, run through the mountains, be done the tutorial area in forty minutes affair. From the moment you climb on a horse, you realize how the tiny details make you work for the game. Want the horse to go faster? Tap X/A in rhythm with the horse gallop. It’s really cold on the mountain? Make sure you have a winter jacket. Need to hunt deer for food? Better slowly crouch through the woods following a trail and line up a perfect shot, lest you ruin the pelt. From there, you can bring the carcass back to Pearson, the gang’s cook and butcher for food. He’ll then make a stew which will grant you some buffs.
Once you leave the mountains and set up camp near the town of Valentine, the game really opens up. And for some, it really slows down here. But I relished it. I’ve been playing a week pretty regularly and I’m still in chapter 2, specifically shortly after “the Strawberry incident” and saving Mr Maguire. How is that possible, to have played for so long and barely have progressed the story? I’ve been lost and transfixed in the world, playing how the game was designed and taking full advantage of it. The other day, I played for two hours and didn’t even touch a story mission. And I found that to be great!
And spending extra time yields story rewards as well. Playing dominos will open up unique dialogue options may even present a new side quest. Greeting your fellow gang members may result in a brief exchange or an insight into their personalities and their backstories. Explore the camp, and you’ll not only gain backstory for Arthur but you may gain new quests tied to his past. When the camp holds a party, don’t skip out. Join in and let Arthur sing, dance and join in storytelling. You end up feeling like you’re part of something bigger and that the familial bond between them is very real. After dancing with Mary-Beth, Arthur was told it was nice to see him not being “sad and angry” all the time, which made me wonder more about who Arthur is as a person and why he’s the way he is. Unlike John Marston, Arthur is a bit of a pessimist. He’s always ready for the worst to happen and doesn’t get along with everyone in the gang. In short, he’s a bit grumpy. So seeing him let loose and bond sounds important to him.
The world reacts and remembers all your actions. I once greeted someone in Valentine only to be socked in the face by him. We got into a fistfight (which I won) and I looted his KO’d body in the mud (which left a body-sized impression on the ground). While fighting in self-defence is okay, looting him was not and I quickly had a bounty on me after a witness reported my misgivings to the sheriff. Upon my return to town, a few people seemed agitated near me, commenting that they didn’t want any funny stuff or more trouble from me.
Many open-world games have amazing words to explore, full of detail and wonder. But the truly great and inspiring ones are much shorter than that. The world map in RDR2 may seem smaller due to the lack of highways, cars, planes and what have you, but it’s so much more alive. This is one of those few rare times when slowing down and becoming a person rather than playing as a video game character has benefited the story, the world and ultimately, the game. What about you though, have you been playing Red Dead Redemption 2 by jumping straight from mission to mission, or are you taking your time in the world? Let us know and be sure to check out our latest entry in our 1001 Movies series, A Brighter Summer Day and our breakdown of everything we know about the Game of Throne’s prequel series.
I love this blog and I love Red Dead! Please check out my Red Dead action clips on my youtube channel. Arts and Video Games with Jacob L Kyle!
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