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Red Dead Redemption 2 |OT2| For A Few Hours More
- Thread starter More_Badass
- Start date
What are people's thoughts who've played both that the Game Awards chose God Of War over this as Game Of The Year?
Personally I disagree, but I definitely love both games so it's whatever to me :)
Personally I disagree, but I definitely love both games so it's whatever to me :)
I don't know if all of them appear in the log. I just happen to have 2 that are in my log and say that. Thought it might be the case with yours, too. Don't think you have anything to worry about.
Oh god the way Arthur just keeps riding got a real belly laugh out of me.
And done with Chapter 5. 90 hours logged in since launch day. Nice.
I don't get that hate with Chapter 5.
This game man.
I don't get that hate with Chapter 5.
Guarma was pretty and unexpected. It was just a few missions, and I thought they were all pretty epic besides the first chain gang walk and the stealth one where you save the dudes hanging. Hercule was really cool too, I enjoyed fighting with along side him.
Once you get back you have this excellent song play and the game basically tells you "put this ride back in cinematic mode and enjoy it". Then there's a great mission with the Pinkertons and Sadie being a fucking boss. And then is done.
Oh and Arthur is sick and I'm so fucking sad.
Once you get back you have this excellent song play and the game basically tells you "put this ride back in cinematic mode and enjoy it". Then there's a great mission with the Pinkertons and Sadie being a fucking boss. And then is done.
Oh and Arthur is sick and I'm so fucking sad.
This game man.
I wrote so much of my thoughts about the game the other day but I am hesitant to post it here since it will be a large post. I'm thinking of posting it but spoiler-ing the entire thing to save real estate.
I don't normally enjoy open world games, but RDR2 has a hold on me something fierce.
But also, fuck Micah. Only in ch2, but still.
But also, fuck Micah. Only in ch2, but still.
I'm just minding my own business by a house out on the plains I thought was empty. Warming some coffee and some dude threatens me with a rifle. No option to defuse the situation. I killed him and robbed his house blind, but I felt bad - especially when I saw his dog watching.
That sounds really awesome. I'm sure you'll appreciate it way more after beating RDR2.
Finished the game with 120 hours on the counter.
Epilogue want on for a bit to long imo but i liked what they did.
Man this game is something else. At one point i was so addicted to it by that i needed to put it down for a week.
I absolutely loved everything.. the story and world itself was so good that it totally forgave the mediocre gameplay non-stop.
The slow pace was epic. I love when stories take their time to told.
The soundtrack was great as well. Really typical western music but presented in a fresh way so it sounds familiar and new in the same time.
Graphics were jaw-dropping beautiful. On a 4K tv on the X this one is the most beatifull games i ever played, probably the most.
Awesome game, absolute masterpiece and one of the best games i ever played.
10/10
Epilogue want on for a bit to long imo but i liked what they did.
Man this game is something else. At one point i was so addicted to it by that i needed to put it down for a week.
I absolutely loved everything.. the story and world itself was so good that it totally forgave the mediocre gameplay non-stop.
The slow pace was epic. I love when stories take their time to told.
The soundtrack was great as well. Really typical western music but presented in a fresh way so it sounds familiar and new in the same time.
Graphics were jaw-dropping beautiful. On a 4K tv on the X this one is the most beatifull games i ever played, probably the most.
Awesome game, absolute masterpiece and one of the best games i ever played.
10/10
When you finally find an animal that you have searched for hours and then it appears in masses...
I feel like every animal should have a 100% guaranteed spawn. Don't like this random system, but at least you can increase your chances by a huge amount by just Saving and Loading that Savefile again.
I feel like every animal should have a 100% guaranteed spawn. Don't like this random system, but at least you can increase your chances by a huge amount by just Saving and Loading that Savefile again.
I'm kinda annoyed that John can't swim at all. Arthur could swim until his Stamina ran out, but John just loses all of his Stamina, as soon as he touches deep water.
I can't even remember, if that was ever explained at all?
I can't even remember, if that was ever explained at all?
Chapter 4 spoilers (I'm on Ch 5, so don't read the spoiler unless you've gotten past Ch 4):
Anyway, chapter 5 has some intrigue, but I can see why a lot of people aren't as big of a fan of the chapter.
That entire chapter was intense. We lost, what? Three of the guys from camp? I was all ready to deliver that item to Kieran, and he comes back mutilated. At first, I was in such denial I thought he was playing some kind of elaborate joke because damn it, I have a task I needed to finish lol. They got the info from him, we get set up at the post office, we get set up at the bank, and poor Lenny gets blasted. The whole thing was crazy. Sean dying pretty much geared me up for more potential deaths throughout the game, but I also figured, being a prequel and seeing as many of these guys weren't in the first RDR to the best of my recollection, that some of these guys were gonna die in the game.
I was also impressed at how Dutch was basically responsible for all this bad shit happening to everyone. I wish there was a, "Hey Dutch, no more ideas from you," dialogue option.
I was also impressed at how Dutch was basically responsible for all this bad shit happening to everyone. I wish there was a, "Hey Dutch, no more ideas from you," dialogue option.
Anyway, chapter 5 has some intrigue, but I can see why a lot of people aren't as big of a fan of the chapter.
Regarding you spoiler about the epilogue
Yeah it's mentioned several times that John can barely swim. Arthur trades him and Abigail says it again in the epilogue. John also died instantly in water in RDR 1, to make certain the player don't get to places he shouldn't be at that moment. It was memes pretty heavily and I suppose this is Rockstar's nod to those memes.
Are you sure you are quoting the right person? I didnt mention anything about what you said in your spoiler ;) only said it went on for to long Hahaha. But Yeah, its a cool nod for sure
Playing through chapter 6 now and every chapter opens up so much new content. That is really amazing because you can always choose what to do.
On another note, I had my first RL horse riding lesson yesterday. It was really cool and I can definitely appreciate riding as a sport now. There are so many things to consider. Don't know if I will keep it up, but it was a really nice taste of a field that I didn't think was that vast.
On another note, I had my first RL horse riding lesson yesterday. It was really cool and I can definitely appreciate riding as a sport now. There are so many things to consider. Don't know if I will keep it up, but it was a really nice taste of a field that I didn't think was that vast.
I spoiler'd my full thoughts on the game to save space. I adore the game despite some of the flaws and annoyances I have with it.
There's a good man within you....But he's wrestling with a giant.
After this many hours and 70+ gold medals, I have finally finished Red Dead Redemption 2 fully.
(I can assure you that a bunch of hours was also spent with me leaving the console on to have to do quick errands or leaving it as background noise so maybe 150 hours in total? I did retry a lot for the gold medals!)
Where to begin. The feeling I feel right now is one with emptiness. I feel like I do not know what to do with my life now that I beat this game because it was the only thing I was completely engrossed in for the past month or so. Like finishing a great show, all you keep thinking about is the moments and what they mean to you. I will preface this by saying that I absolutely adore the western genre so for me, it would be easy to make me at the very least like the damn thing. Is it flawless and unpredictable? Fuck no. In particular it does not necessarily do new things when it comes to western stories and there are annoyances when it comes to the gameplay and mission structure. However, its execution in how it tells its story, the presentation as well as despite the stubbornness in how you engage with it gameplay-wise it ultimately pays off in dividends thematically by the end. Thinking about it now, it is a game all about payoffs so long as you're engrossed in the world and characters because it does right by them. The characters are all wonderfully written, understated, extremely well acted and well realized. It's a game that stands on its own but also enhances the first Red Dead Redemption in ways I did not expect. I would lie if I said I didn't immediately put Red Dead Redemption 1 after beating the game and played 2 hours of it, I would have played more of there wasn't any other games because I missed the first game and I wanted to go through the story again with the added context and history.(The controls are a bit tighter than RDR2 but still clunky like all R* games except for Max Payne 3 which is to a lesser extent.)
The game paints a full picture of these characters and the world they inhabit. Jumping to RDR1 did not feel jarring except for the fact that the graphics in RDR2 is insanely good and the facial animation is head and shoulders beyond the first game. The world just by itself in RDR2 feels alive and the sound design is sublime. Seeing animals roam around you as the grass moves from their movement, with the breeze blowing while you hear life happening around you is a thing that never got old to me. There was nothing I wanted to do but be in that world after a long day out, at volume MAX 100 and just lose myself in it, that and the writing I feel are the things that came across as somewhat jarring in RDR1. It's very hard to talk about the game because it has a lot of little details from the missions to the characters to the mechanics and the like that ultimately all add up to serve the narrative. I don't want to sit here and write 10,000 words but I will try my best to express how I feel about the game because I feel like wanting to do nothing but just talk about all the interesting things I've found from the individual missions, to camp interactions and story beats. The most surprising thing I felt is R*'s subdued and very understated approach to this whole thing that makes it quite a breath of fresh air when compared to all their other games(to a lesser extent RDR1). It's a very slow burn of a game but one if you stick with it, assuming you enjoy the cast of characters and the world, you'll be rewarded with a consistent and satisfying story that even if you can predict(it's a prequel) it is still executed extremely well. There are some surprises to be sure but I feel that one of the impressive things they do is how they are able to maintain tension throughout the game despite it being a prequel.
What I loved
What I disliked
- The average gameplay. The best thing about it is still the euphoria engine because seeing the enemy reactions to my shots with the sublime sound design never got old. However, it is nowhere near how Max Payne 3 plays and that's because their approach here was different but, I point it out because they clearly demonstrated that they know how to make a heavy action shooter game. How I played is basically I aimed(auto aim), Dead Eye, Headshot. Rinse and repeat. I had fun because it made me feel like a badass but it could have been so much more. There are definitely guns that are more fun to shoot than others!
- The missions are too restricting, more often than not it results in you getting BS game overs. I learned however very early on to play how the game wanted me to play and I found myself enjoying my time way more. I realized that I adapted a MGS approach to this game in the sense that I always looked forward to what's happening next and the character interactions not so much just me playing it? It's weird to explain, it's not like I hated playing it. I liked it but It could have been better for sure. Such negatives really stand out because the rest of the package is fantastic.
- I hate when games force me to walk to my destination and this has an abundance of them. It takes me out of the game. It's true that the game's deliberateness and pace hinges on the fact that thematically by the end it pays off(which it does if you give yourself to it). However, I'd like to think there is a way to achieve that without hindering anything gameplay-wise. It's the same thing with the animations, sometimes you have to be in the right spot for it to work correctly without it looking janky or just does not work like you want it to.
- The cores mechanics as well as the economy that is related to the camp(and in general) is not as important or as balanced as they make it seem to be which is a shame because if it were, the impact it would have had in the narrative would have been great(I mostly bought whatever I needed every now and then from the general store). I wish it also made it clear to differentiate the fact that when you ride from place to place is different when you're alone or with someone else. When you're alone, you can go into cinematic mode while holding X/A and then leaving the controller to let it do its thing while you just soak in the atmosphere which is what I always did(which would have helped a lot of people since many complained about the riding distances). When you are with someone else, say for example during a mission, you do the same thing but you HAVE to hold A for some reason which is something I cannot understand but it is what it is. I wouldn't have used fast travel even if it was in the game because I love meeting NPCs/Strangers. I didn't use fast travel in the first game as well.
- You've given us the option to replay all the missions R* and that's awesome but why WWWHHHYY can't we play with our own leveled up and customized Arthur? Why can't we choose the weapons that we want to play with? it's a baffling decision.
Having said all that, for everytime I was pissed off for the game forcing me to talk slowly in the camp. I get enlightened when certain members confined in me to tell me whatever is bothering them or just feel like talking. For every BS gameover in a mission, I join in the joys of the camp or sadness that happens after specific missions. I guess it boils down to the person playing and if they would put precedent in the story over the gameplay. That's what I did when it comes to Nier Automata, MGS, RDR1.etc often times if I am enjoying the narrative, world and characters they take precedent over the gameplay and thus the flaws presented in the gameplay do not annoy me as much as it does others. So, it definitely is going to be divisive in that sense. I did not play as an asshole too so I never really dabbled in the wanted system and the like. Honestly, I was completely focused in only the side missions, stranger missions and main missions. That's about it. Rarely did I feel like hunting or doing anything else. The general store had all my necessities.
There is a certain willingness and dedication R* is showcasing in trying to connect everything between the two games to make the entire story feel as organic and as seamless as possible despite feeling over indulgent. It certainly shows a level of passion and respect they have for this world and these characters than anything they've ever worked on before and for that they have to be commended. In writing this, I kept thinking what they would cut off from the story to make the experience shorter but honestly, I do not know what. The closest I came to was chapter 5 despite me liking how relentless it is pace-wise and yet it features an important point in the story, one that lets Arthur face and come to terms with the truth he has always known. The second thing I thought they should've cut is the indigenous people plot as I feel the characters are not as fleshed out as they should be, but that also serves a purpose within the narrative.
I started the epilogue and I thought that you could totally stop playing the game and be done with it after finishing chapter 6. However, after finishing the epilogues though, I think it's important to go through it because it further reinforces Arthur as a character.
In the end, I firmly believe that the game released at the wrong time because so much of what is trying to do and going for is in service of the narrative and characters as it takes its time to dive deep and establish a bunch of things that by the end it wraps it all up in a way that make sense and does justice to the characters. To rush and force yourself through a 40-50 hour campaign will only result in you doing a disservice to yourself. However, I do not blame those that do because it is GOTY season and everyone is rushing to play everything before making their lists and talking about them. I get it. At the very least, this is not an RPG game or else it would have been even longer, I assume. At the very least I say it is worth a try and if you love westerns, it's worth going through it. That's the thing, is that western as a setting is boring to most people. Westerns have always been about the atmosphere, mood and characters across a backdrop that is as tragic as it is grandiose. This has it all, impressive and very ambitious. I absolutely loved it, flaws and all. In a way, it reminded me mostly of MGSV in that it is the exact opposite of that game in what it tries to do. I love them both but for my money, RDR2 had moments that will stick with me forever and I could talk about it endlessly. It succeeds in what it tries to do for the most part and that's more than I could ask for, for a game that tries to go against one of Rockstar's best game, if not the best. It ends up being a superb compliment to RDR1 and one that actually enriches RDR1.
There's a good man within you....But he's wrestling with a giant.
(I can assure you that a bunch of hours was also spent with me leaving the console on to have to do quick errands or leaving it as background noise so maybe 150 hours in total? I did retry a lot for the gold medals!)
Where to begin. The feeling I feel right now is one with emptiness. I feel like I do not know what to do with my life now that I beat this game because it was the only thing I was completely engrossed in for the past month or so. Like finishing a great show, all you keep thinking about is the moments and what they mean to you. I will preface this by saying that I absolutely adore the western genre so for me, it would be easy to make me at the very least like the damn thing. Is it flawless and unpredictable? Fuck no. In particular it does not necessarily do new things when it comes to western stories and there are annoyances when it comes to the gameplay and mission structure. However, its execution in how it tells its story, the presentation as well as despite the stubbornness in how you engage with it gameplay-wise it ultimately pays off in dividends thematically by the end. Thinking about it now, it is a game all about payoffs so long as you're engrossed in the world and characters because it does right by them. The characters are all wonderfully written, understated, extremely well acted and well realized. It's a game that stands on its own but also enhances the first Red Dead Redemption in ways I did not expect. I would lie if I said I didn't immediately put Red Dead Redemption 1 after beating the game and played 2 hours of it, I would have played more of there wasn't any other games because I missed the first game and I wanted to go through the story again with the added context and history.(The controls are a bit tighter than RDR2 but still clunky like all R* games except for Max Payne 3 which is to a lesser extent.)
The game paints a full picture of these characters and the world they inhabit. Jumping to RDR1 did not feel jarring except for the fact that the graphics in RDR2 is insanely good and the facial animation is head and shoulders beyond the first game. The world just by itself in RDR2 feels alive and the sound design is sublime. Seeing animals roam around you as the grass moves from their movement, with the breeze blowing while you hear life happening around you is a thing that never got old to me. There was nothing I wanted to do but be in that world after a long day out, at volume MAX 100 and just lose myself in it, that and the writing I feel are the things that came across as somewhat jarring in RDR1. It's very hard to talk about the game because it has a lot of little details from the missions to the characters to the mechanics and the like that ultimately all add up to serve the narrative. I don't want to sit here and write 10,000 words but I will try my best to express how I feel about the game because I feel like wanting to do nothing but just talk about all the interesting things I've found from the individual missions, to camp interactions and story beats. The most surprising thing I felt is R*'s subdued and very understated approach to this whole thing that makes it quite a breath of fresh air when compared to all their other games(to a lesser extent RDR1). It's a very slow burn of a game but one if you stick with it, assuming you enjoy the cast of characters and the world, you'll be rewarded with a consistent and satisfying story that even if you can predict(it's a prequel) it is still executed extremely well. There are some surprises to be sure but I feel that one of the impressive things they do is how they are able to maintain tension throughout the game despite it being a prequel.
What I loved
- The world and its little details makes everything around you feel lived in, it sort of has a "It's breathing" quality to it. The world acknowledges you and your actions, interacting with people is not always as cut and dry as you think it is. Sometimes, you may be surprised by the reactions and the things that both the main character and NPC exchange. Regardless though even if the interaction is a simple hello, being replied to always felt good. It felt like you really existed in this world. Being remembered by an NPC always felt awesome.
- The main character, Arthur Morgan, is one of the most memorable protagonist I've played in a long time. It's also Rockstar's best protagonist. Flawed but vulnerable. Rough but logical. Reasonable but conflicted. From the very first few missions you get a feel of him and most of the people in the gang which is a testament to how well the performances and the writing are. They do right by the characters all the way to the end. No retcons or cheap takes up in this bitch(my favorite from the gang are Sadie & Hosea).
- There are great moments sprinkled throughout the game. The quiet and poignant moments end up standing head to head with the biggest setpieces in the game. Character interactions(even with NPCs) are as wonderful as going through ONE MORE PLAN WITH DUTCH.
- Small details like Arthur writing and drawing a bunch of stuff he went through in his Journal offer a more intimate look at the character.
- The graphics on Xbox One X in 4K is insane, I must have taken 200 screenshots. Performance is rock solid too. The game only crashed twice in my entire playthrough.
- The specific camp missions in the early chapters from the characters offer insight and some great stories while you do an activity which further fleshes out the characters.
- The deconstruction of the camp mechanics as the game progresses is fantastic and if you are one that spends time in the camp you can feel the change in everyone in terms of their thoughts and moods as the chapters progress.
- The Stranger missions for the most part are really good save for a few.(The Veteran, American Dreams, (The Noblest of Men, and a Woman), (He's British, of course), (The American Inferno, Burnt Out), The Artist's Way, The Widow of Willard's Rest , Arcadia for Amateurs are my favorite)
Outlaws From The West
House Building Theme
May I? [Unshaken]
True Love
The Disaster
Bank Robbery
Pursued By A Memory
Braithwaite Manor
Eastward Bound
Do Not Seek Absolution
Train Heist
Prison Break
Angelo Bronte
Sadie Adler Widow
That's the way it is
The First Shall Be Last
American Venom(I YELLED HOLY SHIT WHEN THIS PLAYED, ONLY CLICK IF YOU FINISHED THE EPILOGUES)
My Last Son
Graveyard Getaway
Ring Dang Doo
Cielito Lindo
You're My Brother
There are a lot more music I heard throughout the missions that I have noted down but cannot find anywhere. Needless to say the game is filled with absolute bangers.
House Building Theme
May I? [Unshaken]
True Love
The Disaster
Bank Robbery
Pursued By A Memory
Braithwaite Manor
Eastward Bound
Do Not Seek Absolution
Train Heist
Prison Break
Angelo Bronte
Sadie Adler Widow
That's the way it is
The First Shall Be Last
American Venom(I YELLED HOLY SHIT WHEN THIS PLAYED, ONLY CLICK IF YOU FINISHED THE EPILOGUES)
My Last Son
Graveyard Getaway
Ring Dang Doo
Cielito Lindo
You're My Brother
There are a lot more music I heard throughout the missions that I have noted down but cannot find anywhere. Needless to say the game is filled with absolute bangers.
What I disliked
- The average gameplay. The best thing about it is still the euphoria engine because seeing the enemy reactions to my shots with the sublime sound design never got old. However, it is nowhere near how Max Payne 3 plays and that's because their approach here was different but, I point it out because they clearly demonstrated that they know how to make a heavy action shooter game. How I played is basically I aimed(auto aim), Dead Eye, Headshot. Rinse and repeat. I had fun because it made me feel like a badass but it could have been so much more. There are definitely guns that are more fun to shoot than others!
- The missions are too restricting, more often than not it results in you getting BS game overs. I learned however very early on to play how the game wanted me to play and I found myself enjoying my time way more. I realized that I adapted a MGS approach to this game in the sense that I always looked forward to what's happening next and the character interactions not so much just me playing it? It's weird to explain, it's not like I hated playing it. I liked it but It could have been better for sure. Such negatives really stand out because the rest of the package is fantastic.
- I hate when games force me to walk to my destination and this has an abundance of them. It takes me out of the game. It's true that the game's deliberateness and pace hinges on the fact that thematically by the end it pays off(which it does if you give yourself to it). However, I'd like to think there is a way to achieve that without hindering anything gameplay-wise. It's the same thing with the animations, sometimes you have to be in the right spot for it to work correctly without it looking janky or just does not work like you want it to.
- The cores mechanics as well as the economy that is related to the camp(and in general) is not as important or as balanced as they make it seem to be which is a shame because if it were, the impact it would have had in the narrative would have been great(I mostly bought whatever I needed every now and then from the general store). I wish it also made it clear to differentiate the fact that when you ride from place to place is different when you're alone or with someone else. When you're alone, you can go into cinematic mode while holding X/A and then leaving the controller to let it do its thing while you just soak in the atmosphere which is what I always did(which would have helped a lot of people since many complained about the riding distances). When you are with someone else, say for example during a mission, you do the same thing but you HAVE to hold A for some reason which is something I cannot understand but it is what it is. I wouldn't have used fast travel even if it was in the game because I love meeting NPCs/Strangers. I didn't use fast travel in the first game as well.
The thing with eating and not being underweight would have had more of an impact because when Arthur gets TB, no matter what you eat you will always be underweight and you will always look like shit which is a pretty nice touch.
- You've given us the option to replay all the missions R* and that's awesome but why WWWHHHYY can't we play with our own leveled up and customized Arthur? Why can't we choose the weapons that we want to play with? it's a baffling decision.
Having said all that, for everytime I was pissed off for the game forcing me to talk slowly in the camp. I get enlightened when certain members confined in me to tell me whatever is bothering them or just feel like talking. For every BS gameover in a mission, I join in the joys of the camp or sadness that happens after specific missions. I guess it boils down to the person playing and if they would put precedent in the story over the gameplay. That's what I did when it comes to Nier Automata, MGS, RDR1.etc often times if I am enjoying the narrative, world and characters they take precedent over the gameplay and thus the flaws presented in the gameplay do not annoy me as much as it does others. So, it definitely is going to be divisive in that sense. I did not play as an asshole too so I never really dabbled in the wanted system and the like. Honestly, I was completely focused in only the side missions, stranger missions and main missions. That's about it. Rarely did I feel like hunting or doing anything else. The general store had all my necessities.
There is a certain willingness and dedication R* is showcasing in trying to connect everything between the two games to make the entire story feel as organic and as seamless as possible despite feeling over indulgent. It certainly shows a level of passion and respect they have for this world and these characters than anything they've ever worked on before and for that they have to be commended. In writing this, I kept thinking what they would cut off from the story to make the experience shorter but honestly, I do not know what. The closest I came to was chapter 5 despite me liking how relentless it is pace-wise and yet it features an important point in the story, one that lets Arthur face and come to terms with the truth he has always known. The second thing I thought they should've cut is the indigenous people plot as I feel the characters are not as fleshed out as they should be, but that also serves a purpose within the narrative.
Ultimately, the plot balances itself out as it acts as a reflection of what Arthur and his gang are going through vs what Rain Falls and his tribe are going through. Also, in one of the missions you get the chance to learn about Arthur's son and all, which is real sad but also makes sense as to why Arthur feels defused as a character.
I started the epilogue and I thought that you could totally stop playing the game and be done with it after finishing chapter 6. However, after finishing the epilogues though, I think it's important to go through it because it further reinforces Arthur as a character.
You pretty much go through what Arthur sacrificed himself for and it just strengthens his character even moreso because he saw himself in John and decided to give him the life he was never able to have. Playing through the affects of his decisions just makes the whole thing poignant. It also makes you really miss him and the epilogues as a whole is really a love letter to fans of RDR1. It is bittersweet on top of everything else when you are constantly thinking about how RDR1 ends.
Perhaps the most chilling and interesting aspect is the Pinkertons finding out where John lives. Could it be that if he listened to Abigail and just kept quiet, they wouldn't have found out about him? It kind of seems telegraphed that way. At least that's how I felt about it.
Perhaps the most chilling and interesting aspect is the Pinkertons finding out where John lives. Could it be that if he listened to Abigail and just kept quiet, they wouldn't have found out about him? It kind of seems telegraphed that way. At least that's how I felt about it.
The way in which Arthur gets TB is super well done because I replayed that debt mission again and out of all the debt missions, it was the only one that felt weird with the long ride back to camp with it being very quiet and Arthur rubbing his fingers on his lips. I specifically like how the high honor missions in chapter 6 are all related to that mission and the character interactions within that are so good.
- John takes Arthur's Journal and adds to it. His drawings are hilarious when compared to Arthur's.
- You can visit the graves of the gang members that died.
- You can visit the remaining gang members in the open world in the epilogue.
- The stranger missions that are done in parts, I've found that if you first did them as Arthur first then went to them as John they ask who he is and John explains himself. He's referred to them as John throughout the mission, they account for the change in character.
- Arthur dreams about a wolf if he's low on honor and a deer if he has high honor.
- Dutch's "you can't fight gravity" speech he gave before he jumps with Arthur from the cliff is same speech he gives to John in RDR1.
- Arthur makes fun of the fact John can't swim at a camp interaction and infact in the epilogue if you went to swim, he'll drown.
- When Ross meets up with Arthur and Jack, he tells jack to enjoys the fishing which made me chuckle knowing Ross's fate in RDR1.
- The Widow of Willard's Rest stranger mission in which you meet with a grieving widow, can be found dead if you visited her in the epilogues without finishing all her mission parts within the same chapter or you could meet up with her as John in the epilogue for the first time and do the missions there. What's most impressive is the fact that you get a special cutscene if you go to her as John in the epilogue if you finished all her missions as Arthur.
- Arthur's arc isn't one of redemption but I felt it is one of loyalty and abandonment. He did not agree to his own redemption because he did not feel he was worthy even though he changed so much through the course of the game which really makes his redemption not as cut and dry as John's in RDR1. It just makes him more interesting to me. I mean, in his dying breath he said that only John and his family made it out of this.
- If you have high honor and do the sister side missions, you get this cutscene. Otherwise, you get this cutscene.
- Proghorn Ranch, The Lumberyard, the house that is being built in Valentine.etc all get built by the end of your playthrough.
- If you have full bond with your horse then you get a cutscene of Arthur saying goodbye to his horse as it dies in the end of chapter 6.
- There is a subtle tonal shift presented in the epilogue that mimics RDR1 further cementing the transition.
- Don't skip the credits! A lot of stuff is shown in it.
In the end, I firmly believe that the game released at the wrong time because so much of what is trying to do and going for is in service of the narrative and characters as it takes its time to dive deep and establish a bunch of things that by the end it wraps it all up in a way that make sense and does justice to the characters. To rush and force yourself through a 40-50 hour campaign will only result in you doing a disservice to yourself. However, I do not blame those that do because it is GOTY season and everyone is rushing to play everything before making their lists and talking about them. I get it. At the very least, this is not an RPG game or else it would have been even longer, I assume. At the very least I say it is worth a try and if you love westerns, it's worth going through it. That's the thing, is that western as a setting is boring to most people. Westerns have always been about the atmosphere, mood and characters across a backdrop that is as tragic as it is grandiose. This has it all, impressive and very ambitious. I absolutely loved it, flaws and all. In a way, it reminded me mostly of MGSV in that it is the exact opposite of that game in what it tries to do. I love them both but for my money, RDR2 had moments that will stick with me forever and I could talk about it endlessly. It succeeds in what it tries to do for the most part and that's more than I could ask for, for a game that tries to go against one of Rockstar's best game, if not the best. It ends up being a superb compliment to RDR1 and one that actually enriches RDR1.
I am totally on the other side of the ocean.Sorry to hear.
I spoiler'd my full thoughts on the game to save space. I adore the game despite some of the flaws and annoyances I have with it.
After this many hours and 70+ gold medals, I have finally finished Red Dead Redemption 2 fully.
There's a good man within you....But he's wrestling with a giant.
(I can assure you that a bunch of hours was also spent with me leaving the console on to have to do quick errands or leaving it as background noise so maybe 150 hours in total? I did retry a lot for the gold medals!)
Where to begin. The feeling I feel right now is one with emptiness. I feel like I do not know what to do with my life now that I beat this game because it was the only thing I was completely engrossed in for the past month or so. Like finishing a great show, all you keep thinking about is the moments and what they mean to you. I will preface this by saying that I absolutely adore the western genre so for me, it would be easy to make me at the very least like the damn thing. Is it flawless and unpredictable? Fuck no. In particular it does not necessarily do new things when it comes to western stories and there are annoyances when it comes to the gameplay and mission structure. However, its execution in how it tells its story, the presentation as well as despite the stubbornness in how you engage with it gameplay-wise it ultimately pays off in dividends thematically by the end. Thinking about it now, it is a game all about payoffs so long as you're engrossed in the world and characters because it does right by them. The characters are all wonderfully written, understated, extremely well acted and well realized. It's a game that stands on its own but also enhances the first Red Dead Redemption in ways I did not expect. I would lie if I said I didn't immediately put Red Dead Redemption 1 after beating the game and played 2 hours of it, I would have played more of there wasn't any other games because I missed the first game and I wanted to go through the story again with the added context and history.(The controls are a bit tighter than RDR2 but still clunky like all R* games except for Max Payne 3 which is to a lesser extent.)
The game paints a full picture of these characters and the world they inhabit. Jumping to RDR1 did not feel jarring except for the fact that the graphics in RDR2 is insanely good and the facial animation is head and shoulders beyond the first game. The world just by itself in RDR2 feels alive and the sound design is sublime. Seeing animals roam around you as the grass moves from their movement, with the breeze blowing while you hear life happening around you is a thing that never got old to me. There was nothing I wanted to do but be in that world after a long day out, at volume MAX 100 and just lose myself in it, that and the writing I feel are the things that came across as somewhat jarring in RDR1. It's very hard to talk about the game because it has a lot of little details from the missions to the characters to the mechanics and the like that ultimately all add up to serve the narrative. I don't want to sit here and write 10,000 words but I will try my best to express how I feel about the game because I feel like wanting to do nothing but just talk about all the interesting things I've found from the individual missions, to camp interactions and story beats. The most surprising thing I felt is R*'s subdued and very understated approach to this whole thing that makes it quite a breath of fresh air when compared to all their other games(to a lesser extent RDR1). It's a very slow burn of a game but one if you stick with it, assuming you enjoy the cast of characters and the world, you'll be rewarded with a consistent and satisfying story that even if you can predict(it's a prequel) it is still executed extremely well. There are some surprises to be sure but I feel that one of the impressive things they do is how they are able to maintain tension throughout the game despite it being a prequel.
What I loved
- The world and its little details makes everything around you feel lived in, it sort of has a "It's breathing" quality to it. The world acknowledges you and your actions, interacting with people is not always as cut and dry as you think it is. Sometimes, you may be surprised by the reactions and the things that both the main character and NPC exchange. Regardless though even if the interaction is a simple hello, being replied to always felt good. It felt like you really existed in this world. Being remembered by an NPC always felt awesome.
- The main character, Arthur Morgan, is one of the most memorable protagonist I've played in a long time. It's also Rockstar's best protagonist. Flawed but vulnerable. Rough but logical. Reasonable but conflicted. From the very first few missions you get a feel of him and most of the people in the gang which is a testament to how well the performances and the writing are. They do right by the characters all the way to the end. No retcons or cheap takes up in this bitch(my favorite from the gang are Sadie & Hosea).
- There are great moments sprinkled throughout the game. The quiet and poignant moments end up standing head to head with the biggest setpieces in the game. Character interactions(even with NPCs) are as wonderful as going through ONE MORE PLAN WITH DUTCH.
- Small details like Arthur writing and drawing a bunch of stuff he went through in his Journal offer a more intimate look at the character.
- The graphics on Xbox One X in 4K is insane, I must have taken 200 screenshots. Performance is rock solid too. The game only crashed twice in my entire playthrough.
- The specific camp missions in the early chapters from the characters offer insight and some great stories while you do an activity which further fleshes out the characters.
- The deconstruction of the camp mechanics as the game progresses is fantastic and if you are one that spends time in the camp you can feel the change in everyone in terms of their thoughts and moods as the chapters progress.
- The Stranger missions for the most part are really good save for a few.(The Veteran, American Dreams, (The Noblest of Men, and a Woman), (He's British, of course), (The American Inferno, Burnt Out), The Artist's Way, The Widow of Willard's Rest , Arcadia for Amateurs are my favorite)
Outlaws From The West
House Building Theme
May I? [Unshaken]
True Love
The Disaster
Bank Robbery
Pursued By A Memory
Braithwaite Manor
Eastward Bound
Do Not Seek Absolution
Train Heist
Prison Break
Angelo Bronte
Sadie Adler Widow
That's the way it is
The First Shall Be Last
American Venom(I YELLED HOLY SHIT WHEN THIS PLAYED, ONLY CLICK IF YOU FINISHED THE EPILOGUES)
My Last Son
Graveyard Getaway
Ring Dang Doo
Cielito Lindo
You're My Brother
There are a lot more music I heard throughout the missions that I have noted down but cannot find anywhere. Needless to say the game is filled with absolute bangers.
What I disliked
- The average gameplay. The best thing about it is still the euphoria engine because seeing the enemy reactions to my shots with the sublime sound design never got old. However, it is nowhere near how Max Payne 3 plays and that's because their approach here was different but, I point it out because they clearly demonstrated that they know how to make a heavy action shooter game. How I played is basically I aimed(auto aim), Dead Eye, Headshot. Rinse and repeat. I had fun because it made me feel like a badass but it could have been so much more. There are definitely guns that are more fun to shoot than others!
- The missions are too restricting, more often than not it results in you getting BS game overs. I learned however very early on to play how the game wanted me to play and I found myself enjoying my time way more. I realized that I adapted a MGS approach to this game in the sense that I always looked forward to what's happening next and the character interactions not so much just me playing it? It's weird to explain, it's not like I hated playing it. I liked it but It could have been better for sure. Such negatives really stand out because the rest of the package is fantastic.
- I hate when games force me to walk to my destination and this has an abundance of them. It takes me out of the game. It's true that the game's deliberateness and pace hinges on the fact that thematically by the end it pays off(which it does if you give yourself to it). However, I'd like to think there is a way to achieve that without hindering anything gameplay-wise. It's the same thing with the animations, sometimes you have to be in the right spot for it to work correctly without it looking janky or just does not work like you want it to.
- The cores mechanics as well as the economy that is related to the camp(and in general) is not as important or as balanced as they make it seem to be which is a shame because if it were, the impact it would have had in the narrative would have been great(I mostly bought whatever I needed every now and then from the general store). I wish it also made it clear to differentiate the fact that when you ride from place to place is different when you're alone or with someone else. When you're alone, you can go into cinematic mode while holding X/A and then leaving the controller to let it do its thing while you just soak in the atmosphere which is what I always did(which would have helped a lot of people since many complained about the riding distances). When you are with someone else, say for example during a mission, you do the same thing but you HAVE to hold A for some reason which is something I cannot understand but it is what it is. I wouldn't have used fast travel even if it was in the game because I love meeting NPCs/Strangers. I didn't use fast travel in the first game as well.
The thing with eating and not being underweight would have had more of an impact because when Arthur gets TB, no matter what you eat you will always be underweight and you will always look like shit which is a pretty nice touch.
- You've given us the option to replay all the missions R* and that's awesome but why WWWHHHYY can't we play with our own leveled up and customized Arthur? Why can't we choose the weapons that we want to play with? it's a baffling decision.
Having said all that, for everytime I was pissed off for the game forcing me to talk slowly in the camp. I get enlightened when certain members confined in me to tell me whatever is bothering them or just feel like talking. For every BS gameover in a mission, I join in the joys of the camp or sadness that happens after specific missions. I guess it boils down to the person playing and if they would put precedent in the story over the gameplay. That's what I did when it comes to Nier Automata, MGS, RDR1.etc often times if I am enjoying the narrative, world and characters they take precedent over the gameplay and thus the flaws presented in the gameplay do not annoy me as much as it does others. So, it definitely is going to be divisive in that sense. I did not play as an asshole too so I never really dabbled in the wanted system and the like. Honestly, I was completely focused in only the side missions, stranger missions and main missions. That's about it. Rarely did I feel like hunting or doing anything else. The general store had all my necessities.
There is a certain willingness and dedication R* is showcasing in trying to connect everything between the two games to make the entire story feel as organic and as seamless as possible despite feeling over indulgent. It certainly shows a level of passion and respect they have for this world and these characters than anything they've ever worked on before and for that they have to be commended. In writing this, I kept thinking what they would cut off from the story to make the experience shorter but honestly, I do not know what. The closest I came to was chapter 5 despite me liking how relentless it is pace-wise and yet it features an important point in the story, one that lets Arthur face and come to terms with the truth he has always known. The second thing I thought they should've cut is the indigenous people plot as I feel the characters are not as fleshed out as they should be, but that also serves a purpose within the narrative.
Ultimately, the plot balances itself out as it acts as a reflection of what Arthur and his gang are going through vs what Rain Falls and his tribe are going through. Also, in one of the missions you get the chance to learn about Arthur's son and all, which is real sad but also makes sense as to why Arthur feels defused as a character.
I started the epilogue and I thought that you could totally stop playing the game and be done with it after finishing chapter 6. However, after finishing the epilogues though, I think it's important to go through it because it further reinforces Arthur as a character.
You pretty much go through what Arthur sacrificed himself for and it just strengthens his character even moreso because he saw himself in John and decided to give him the life he was never able to have. Playing through the affects of his decisions just makes the whole thing poignant. It also makes you really miss him and the epilogues as a whole is really a love letter to fans of RDR1. It is bittersweet on top of everything else when you are constantly thinking about how RDR1 ends.
Perhaps the most chilling and interesting aspect is the Pinkertons finding out where John lives. Could it be that if he listened to Abigail and just kept quiet, they wouldn't have found out about him? It kind of seems telegraphed that way. At least that's how I felt about it.
The way in which Arthur gets TB is super well done because I replayed that debt mission again and out of all the debt missions, it was the only one that felt weird with the long ride back to camp with it being very quiet and Arthur rubbing his fingers on his lips. I specifically like how the high honor missions in chapter 6 are all related to that mission and the character interactions within that are so good.
- John takes Arthur's Journal and adds to it. His drawings are hilarious when compared to Arthur's.
- You can visit the graves of the gang members that died.
- You can visit the remaining gang members in the open world in the epilogue.
- The stranger missions that are done in parts, I've found that if you first did them as Arthur first then went to them as John they ask who he is and John explains himself. He's referred to them as John throughout the mission, they account for the change in character.
- Arthur dreams about a wolf if he's low on honor and a deer if he has high honor.
- Dutch's "you can't fight gravity" speech he gave before he jumps with Arthur from the cliff is same speech he gives to John in RDR1.
- Arthur makes fun of the fact John can't swim at a camp interaction and infact in the epilogue if you went to swim, he'll drown.
- When Ross meets up with Arthur and Jack, he tells jack to enjoys the fishing which made me chuckle knowing Ross's fate in RDR1.
- The Widow of Willard's Rest stranger mission in which you meet with a grieving widow, can be found dead if you visited her in the epilogues without finishing all her mission parts within the same chapter or you could meet up with her as John in the epilogue for the first time and do the missions there. What's most impressive is the fact that you get a special cutscene if you go to her as John in the epilogue if you finished all her missions as Arthur.
- Arthur's arc isn't one of redemption but I felt it is one of loyalty and abandonment. He did not agree to his own redemption because he did not feel he was worthy even though he changed so much through the course of the game which really makes his redemption not as cut and dry as John's in RDR1. It just makes him more interesting to me. I mean, in his dying breath he said that only John and his family made it out of this.
- If you have high honor and do the sister side missions, you get this cutscene. Otherwise, you get this cutscene.
- Proghorn Ranch, The Lumberyard, the house that is being built in Valentine.etc all get built by the end of your playthrough.
- If you have full bond with your horse then you get a cutscene of Arthur saying goodbye to his horse as it dies in the end of chapter 6.
Here's a collection of nice little moments and some funny moments in a game full of wonderful moments. Spoilers from across the game and epilogue. I have recorded many more things but I do not want to make an hour long video.
- There is a subtle tonal shift presented in the epilogue that mimics RDR1 further cementing the transition.
- Don't skip the credits! A lot of stuff is shown in it.
In the end, I firmly believe that the game released at the wrong time because so much of what is trying to do and going for is in service of the narrative and characters as it takes its time to dive deep and establish a bunch of things that by the end it wraps it all up in a way that make sense and does justice to the characters. To rush and force yourself through a 40-50 hour campaign will only result in you doing a disservice to yourself. However, I do not blame those that do because it is GOTY season and everyone is rushing to play everything before making their lists and talking about them. I get it. At the very least, this is not an RPG game or else it would have been even longer, I assume. At the very least I say it is worth a try and if you love westerns, it's worth going through it. That's the thing, is that western as a setting is boring to most people. Westerns have always been about the atmosphere, mood and characters across a backdrop that is as tragic as it is grandiose. This has it all, impressive and very ambitious. I absolutely loved it, flaws and all. In a way, it reminded me mostly of MGSV in that it is the exact opposite of that game in what it tries to do. I love them both but for my money, RDR2 had moments that will stick with me forever and I could talk about it endlessly. It succeeds in what it tries to do for the most part and that's more than I could ask for, for a game that tries to go against one of Rockstar's best game, if not the best. It ends up being a superb compliment to RDR1 and one that actually enriches RDR1.
Great post. I get all emotional again just reading it, and it mimics a lot of the same thoughts I have with the game and my feelings of Arthur Morgan. I am also glad you went with the full adonic bearded glory like I did. I can not imagine Arthur's last days in any other way.
Done with Chapter 5.
I got 2 questions.
1. No spoiler:
I remember someone here saying players should take time to read Arthur's journal after missions...Hmm, where's that? Probably like 80 hours into the game and I couldn't find anything like that besides the nice sketches and notes Arthur takes on a few locations.
2. Spoiler Ch. 5
I got 2 questions.
1. No spoiler:
I remember someone here saying players should take time to read Arthur's journal after missions...Hmm, where's that? Probably like 80 hours into the game and I couldn't find anything like that besides the nice sketches and notes Arthur takes on a few locations.
2. Spoiler Ch. 5
can you go back to Guarma later? I feel like I basically missed 70% of the map and then it was over.
Yeah, same here. It's been a while since I finished the game but I still keep thinking about it every now and then.
I am also close to 100% the game. I just have a few more challenges left, but every thing story related, collectibles, side quests and killing/skinning animals is done. After beating the game I just couldn't let go of it, so I've been doing everything the game has to offer and I've discovered so much content by just exploring the world. My world map is now to the brim with these cute little scribbles of secret locations that gets added whenever you locate something noteworthy.
The last thing I will do is getting the 70 gold medals, which will be a great closure getting one final look at the missions and the characters I fell so in love with.
Hold the left d-pad down and Arthur will open his journal. He adds a lot of his personal thoughts in it so it's well worth the read. Just start at the beginning and turn the pages and you will read everything on his mind since before the game started.
I think I'll be saving it up for the coming summer. Focused on other games now I have to beat before making my GOTY list. Good times all around.
Damn.
It's going to be a long read now.
Yeah his point of view on certain events in the game is exactly what I was interested in reading.
I just started this game a few days ago and i'm mid/late chapter 3. So far I really like the characters and the story but damn I hate the hunting requests. I deliberately avoided doing them because I knew that if I started them I would feel compelled to finish them. I "accidentally" did a few of them while I killed any animal that crossed my path but I started the 4 request earlier tonight and I have been stuck on it for at least 6 hours now. I found 3 of the 4 animals you need but at this point I'm pretty sure there is no damn Robins in the game. I have googled it and I have been to 4 areas people recommended but so far I haven't even seen one in the game. I know it's my own fault for doing them but I can feel the love I have for the game disappearing the longer i'm stuck on this damn bird.
Going by GTA V, they'll definitely patch the SP stuff (with respect to bugs).
Then, once it's beautifully stable, they'll start progressively breaking all of the SP stuff with their online patches.
The bounty system in this game is so frustrating sometimes. I was in Rhodes and two Lemoyne Raiders tried to shoot me, so I ran away and lost one and killed the other one silently with my knife. A few minutes later I'm wanted for murder. There should be zero instances where you get a bounty for defending yourself. I even ran past the sheriff's office while they were shooting at me and they did nothing, but they find a random dead body and immediately know it was me.
I have finally completed the story, and the end and the credits scenes confirmed this is my game of the year.
The game evoked so much emotion from me. I'm legitimately sad it's over. I'll be spending time 100%'ing it, but I don't imagine I'll platinum it since I doubt I'll wanna play online much.
The game evoked so much emotion from me. I'm legitimately sad it's over. I'll be spending time 100%'ing it, but I don't imagine I'll platinum it since I doubt I'll wanna play online much.
Kind of random to mention this, but is everyone aware that in order to use a recipe you buy, you actually have to go to your Satchel, bring it up, and actually look at it?
Mind is blown. Learned like 7 new recipes instantly.
Mind is blown. Learned like 7 new recipes instantly.
Question about how much longer I have in the story if I mainline the main quests. Last story missions I played were in Chapter 3, where
I know how I am and if I don't wrap it up before having to go travel, I probably won't end up returning to it. But I'd like to see it through.
Micah and Dutch meet the ODriscles, and Arthur gets captured and escapes. Right now I have Bill in Rhoades on my map after robbing something with Treylany.
I know how I am and if I don't wrap it up before having to go travel, I probably won't end up returning to it. But I'd like to see it through.
I'm assuming under "progress" you can see a percentage of your story and overall progress that is pretty accurate. I don't know how it's all measured, but I'm guessing it's by the number of missions — so for example if you've done 50/100 story missions, it's going to read %50 complete.
Could be wrong but I don't see how anything else makes sense.
Chapter 5
What the living fuck is this?! Hopefully it's short. Feels so weird and out of place.
Good point. I'll check the stats and see where I'm at.
How's a couple of my favorite screenshots from later in the game.
(No spoilers, just environmental shots from locations available from ~Chapter 3)
No, it's the shortest one if my memory serves me.
(No spoilers, just environmental shots from locations available from ~Chapter 3)
No, it's the shortest one if my memory serves me.
Oh also like... 60+ hours in... I Still have no idea what this little icon means:
The red one, does anybody know?
The red one, does anybody know?
It means that you need to brush your dirty horse ;)Oh also like... 60+ hours in... I Still have no idea what this little icon means:
The red one, does anybody know?
For the tips: Settings -> Display -> Help Tips -> OFF
Don't think there is a setting for just turning off the Satchel Notifications, though.
You know it's funny people are screaming and crying at the idea of them adding passive servers but almost every pvp game I load into has unbalanced teams and take forever to fill up. So where are all these hardcore pvpers playing at?
Finished cleaning up a bunch of Stranger quests last night early on in Chapter 4. Finally getting back on track and plan on tackling some main story missions tonight.
This is my GOTY, and probably top 5 (maybe top 3 depending on how it all wraps up) of the generation for me.
The open world bar has been raised. Storytelling, character work, dialogue, writing, animation - this is next level stuff. I love it.
This is my GOTY, and probably top 5 (maybe top 3 depending on how it all wraps up) of the generation for me.
The open world bar has been raised. Storytelling, character work, dialogue, writing, animation - this is next level stuff. I love it.
The camera and photo system is so bad. I filled it up, and you have to delete them individually, and each one you do causes the page to refresh. Also when full, it stops story photos from being taken. Ugh. :)