I’m going to try to keep this post brief because I have not beaten the game yet, but I really need to talk about Red Dead Redemption II.

Red Dead Redemption II is the latest release from acclaimed developer Rockstar, known for the massive series Grand Theft Auto, as well as the first Red Dead Redemption, and it’s been hotly anticipated since it’s announcement in fall 2016.

Not much detail was known of the game prior to release. We knew it was set in the Wild West, that it was a prequel to the original game, and some basic story elements, but that was essentially it. Now that the game has been out for a few days, I can safely say this one of the most immersive, detailed and breathtaking gaming experiences I’ve ever played.

Let me briefly explain

1. The open world is huge and varied. This is one of the largest video game maps I’ve seen and there are so many geographical locations that all fit together seamlessly. You can hop on a horse and ride from a New Orleans-type city into the Bayou, journey through a spread of rolling hills and rocks, traverse up into the snowy mountains, then back down into the Great Plains, and finally ride off into the desert, all without sitting through a single loading screen.

2. The story and characters are as engaging as any TV show. This is a LONG game, so you spend a lot of time journeying around the west with different characters as you run from the Law. You play as Arthur Morgan, a ranking member of Dutch Van der Lyne’s gang, who is a layered and compelling protagonist constantly plagued by the thought of whether he’s made the right choices in life. The other characters can be compelling as well, from Dutch, the leader who is slowly losing his grasp on his own moral code, and Hosea, the “grandfather” of the gang who also doubles as their perfect con man.

3. Detail, detail, detail. Everything Rockstar has added to this game is precise and well thought out to a level I can’t even grasp. There are random encounters with people in need of help and gangs who lure you into a trap, and you never see the same event play out twice. You need to shave, eat and bathe, otherwise, you will grow a beard, lose weight or other characters will comment on your hygiene. You can greet, antagonize or shoot literally anyone you come across, which can lead to some crazy moments, and you can even build a relationship with your horse (that can also die like any person).

One time I was riding into a town to meet someone when a group of thieves surrounded me and started harassing me. One of them said “I get his horse!” as he proceeded towards my character, so I immediately pulled out my revolver and started shooting them. After a long shootout, I had taken care of the thieves but my horse was badly wounded. Since I was out of supplies to help him, I had to make the hard decision to put him down. “Thank you boy,” Arthur said, before quietly ending the life of the horse I had owned since the early hours of the game. All of this was not a written part of the plot, it just happened. It’s moments like that make Red Dead Redemption II unparalleled in its design.

Even at 30 hours in, I’m only halfway through the story so I can’t make a definitive review yet. But this game is nothing short of mind-blowing and it is something you just have experience for yourself.

© Hank Michels, 2018