User Reviews

A great story of the Wild West

2013-03-31T04:24:00Z

Red Dead may first seem like a silly cowboy game if you look at the box. But in reality, its much more than you think.

The graphics are simply great for 2010 and the animation is very cool looking, especially the scenery around is breathtaking. The sound track goes very well with the game and scenes that occur, actually had one track stuck in my head for awhile too. The gameplay runs smoothly with how the cover and shooting works. The game is also very long too especially with the side missions and extras, it'll last you awhile. The Online component is very fun as you do battles, surviving, and roam with friends. The story is the best part of the game. Its very engaging and fantastic as the story goes along, you just wanna know what happens next. By the time you finish it, you will have fallen in love with the game.

Red Dead Redeption

2013-01-30T01:01:00Z

I love this game, as well as the Undead Nightmare. In my opinion this game outdoes GTA. I've jokingly described this game to my friends as GTA with horses, but here's the truth about how I feel. Every GTA I have played got boring fast. I never got bored with this game. It has a great story, fun challenges, and entertaining quests and characters. I played Gun when I was a teenager, since I only had a Gamecube and couldn't play Red Dead Revolver, but Gun awakened my interest in Old West games. This is by far the best Old West game out there. It would be hard to be bested in my opinion.

Red Dead Redemption: Revenge Never Felt Better

2012-10-01T21:10:00Z

Bravo! Bravo once again to the almighty Rockstar! Who broughteth this down from the heavens and- Ok thats enough. But in case you didn't notice, I like Rockstar, their second only to Bethesda Game Studios in my favorite developers of all time, (Valve is third, right behind Rockstar) even though I never played their biggest success which I THINK is GTA... Anyway, I loved Red Dead Redemption, I loved John Marston as a character and I loved everything about the game, except for two things. (One I can't say what but if you've played most of the game you'd know what I'm talking about, and the targeting, I often would accidentally push the left trigger and John automatically snap to a civillian and threaten him. Causing many accidental deaths...) But those things can't take away the greatness of the game. The game gave off a great Western vibe, and the side-quests could sometimes be fun distractions. Hunting to gain money was also a small good distraction from the rest of the game. Or, if your not like me, mug people by waving a revolver in their face to gain some pesos. There are many games to play in the many bars, and the way John walks when he's drunk his downright hilarious in my opinion. The game as its sad points, like John just wanting to see his wife and son again above all else. I poured a good day or two of total time spent playing RDR, and I think it was time well spent. I recommend it greatly to anyone who enjoys a great tale of revenge and payback and an altogether great game!

Please Rate & Comment!

The best videogame Western ever created

2012-09-17T19:35:00Z

Rockstar is no stranger to exploring iconic time periods and locations, having used the Grand Theft Auto series to explore the 80’s, 90’s and modern day in recreations of Miami, New York and California, and having helped Team Bondi on the creation of LA Noire, which explored late 1940’s Los Angeles. The formula was always relatively the same, involving open world shenanigans with cars and taking on missions from crime lords (with the exception of LA Noire, where you were taking on a linear succession of missions from your police superiors). Red Dead Redemption is their most ambitious open world effort to date, taking on the American Wild West in 1911, during the waning years of the frontier and casting you as an aging former rogue named John Marston who is out to hunt down his former partners in crime at the behest of The Bureau for the sake of his family. While it is called Red Dead: Redemption, make no mistake; this is not a sequel to Red Dead Revolver and has very little to do with that game aside from being published by Rockstar and sharing the Wild West theme.

As a character, John Marston is a sympathetic figure and quite different from the usual selfish criminals Rockstar usually puts the player in charge of. He isn’t taking on missions for money, to build up a criminal empire or support himself through crime, but he’s quite literally being forced by the government to help them so he can have his family and livelihood back. This brings some comparisons to GTA IV’s Niko Bellic, who wanted a normal life and used crime to support himself and his cousin, but unlike Niko, John never actually has to commit any crimes in the game, and players could go the entire game without angering a single authority figure if they wanted to (barring a single tutorial mission teaching the players how the old west “Wanted” system works in the game). That’s not to say that players won’t be taking part in some shady business and gunfights ever now and then, but the lawless west is a different place from the more civilized and controlled confines of Liberty City.

In classic Grand Theft Auto style, players will accept missions from bosses for a variety of tasks, ranging from killing people to chasing people to fetching an important item, with a bevy of side missions and open world activities in between to keep players busy. Players can amuse themselves with some horseshoes or poker, have a few drinks at the saloon, get into a duel with a challenger or even take part in various random events where John can do things like partake in a hunting challenge with a stranger or save a prostitute from being stabbed (or just ignore the situation, or even help out her assaulter). Players can’t actually do any business with these prostitutes though, since John is a married man and will remind the women of this, though part of this might be because players can’t really use their horses in the same way one might use a car to ferry a prostitute in Grand Theft Auto, especially since John still has the freedom and characterization of a former criminal out in lawless lands.

The game has an “honor” system as well as a reputation system that takes note of your actions in the game, and allows different interactions in some different areas. It’s not as deep as it might sound and doesn’t allow the wildly differing exchanges you might get in a title like Fallout, though it does affect prices and NPC interactions for a little more life. It feels oddly constraining and a bit tacked on when it’s so rarely used and when the story doesn’t change at all with Marston’s actions, but as an entirely optional in game feature that doesn’t affect anything you do or how you do it too much, it’s hard to complain. It does show off just how wasted the Wanted system is in the main game when that too is a more optional feature (as mentioned) and players almost never have to deal with fighting off the army or committing any crimes unless they feel like killing some time just screwing around. It makes the game seem less cohesive as a whole, but again, it’s hard to complain about having more optional things to do and ways to experience the game.

Redemption's story is rigidly defined, with some minor subplots now and then (including one rather over long segment in Mexico involving a revolution), but it is well written and does a great job of showing Marston’s dedication to his family over the allures of money and returning to crime. John Marston is one of the best characters ever realized in a videogame, and his interactions with others do a great job of defining him and his personality, as well as his upbringing and what led him to his current situation. Other supporting characters are also expertly voiced and written, and come off as much more realistic and believable then the caricatured characters in previous Rockstar titles, though there are still a few oddball characters to lighten up the grim situations John finds himself in (such as an inept revolutionary leader and a drunken Irish arms dealer named Irish). The world as a whole is just much more serious in tone then any Grand Theft Auto title, barring some humorous newspaper ads and short silent films that are almost a requirement in any open world Rockstar title at this point.

The gameplay and gameplay mechanics are incredibly refined, more so than any previous open world Rockstar title, with the gunplay and combat feeling tense and quick thanks to clever AI and responsive controls, as well as the incredibly fun to use Dead Eye system that allows players to slow down time and mark enemies to gun down rapidly in classic Wild West fashion. Of course shooting things is about 70% of what you will be doing when fisticuffs are so rarely relied on and horses merely provide another platform for shooting people, but the different enemies, missions types, settings and the progression in weaponry and story do a great job of alleviating repetition, while the well done shooting mechanics make the game much more suitable for online play. The game is a bit buggy at times with clipping and times when I ended up paying significantly more then I was asked to pay for a stagecoach ride, but given the size of the world it’s astounding it’s as polished as it is, and for what it’s worth the game puts the engine to great use with some beautiful graphics on display and some lifelike animations on display.

Multiplayer is one of the most surprisingly fun offerings, with an extensive amount of differing modes, expansions, ranks, and the ability to just screw around in the world with friends and take on any variety of challenges you like. Players can activate the many modes right in free roam with their friends, and set up fearsome posse to terrorize other players and NPC’s. Without these activities or the extra content the DLC offers, the open world online is rather bland and save for the shrubbery and NPC’s, may as well be mars since the basic online free roam lacks side activities, random events and even trains and the ability to rob people that added so much life to the single player. The various modes include basic deathmatches as well as a Capture the Flag variant revolving around gold bags, and a bevy of co-op activities that can be activated right in free roam, plus some really well done story based co-op modes offered through a free DLC pack that allows up to 4 players to partake in some caper or task with their friends for a sizeable amount of experience.

Overall, Red Dead: Redemption is another fantastic open world title from Rockstar, easily the best Western videogame created thus far, and a game that you should not miss if you have the time needed to invest in such a large game with so much to do. Amazing writing and music, mechanically refined gameplay, and Rockstar’s best use of online multiplayer yet, this is a game that is destined to be a classic.

Red Dead Awesomness

2012-08-13T16:40:00Z

This game was incredible the animations were fluid, the storyline was excellent, and the actors did just an amazing job. Its been a couple months and I feel I didn't even scratch the game yet. There was just so much to do in the game, like you could lasso a guy, put him on a horse (you have stolen), tie him to a railroad and wait for the train to... you get what I mean. I also just loved finding treasure and blowing peoples faces off. Overall 9.75 and Rockstar, keep it up.

The Western Genre As A New Legend

2012-07-17T01:35:00Z

If you know me, you know I love LA Noire. I looked back on old Rockstar Games, and saw Red Dead Redemption. I bought it, and was highly impressed. The game starts off with a huge boring cutscene, but it picks up quickly. The gameplay is fantastic, the voice acting is some of the best I've seen, and the story is something I've never expierenced. Looking at Red Dead Redemption before playing, the landscape looked bland. But after playing it, the lighting and scenery (especially in the upper map) looks incredible. Multiplayer is great, with no limits to things to do. Red Dead Redemption is a fantastic game, and only proves to me Rockstar is one of the greats.

Red Dead Redemption...and some cows.

2012-06-29T00:15:00Z

Red Dead Redemption is a game I recently bought. I heard a lot of things about it, but I never had the time to pick it up. I am simply amazed at my own stupidity; why did I not buy this game months ago!?

The year is some number in the early 20th-century; probably 1910 or 1911. Well, that doesn't matter, what does matter is that this game is awesome. You play as John Marston, an illiterate, ugly, bad-mouthed guy who is eerily realistic and almost gut-wrenchingly flawed when compared to other video game protagonists. But, that's what makes him special. John Marston is NOT Duke Nukem, he is NOT Solid Snake, and he is certainly no Master Chief. This is a mildly un-intelligent man who has had a tough life filled with crime and death, but finally gets to settle down with a family; then, the government comes in and pulls the rug out from under our hero, and tells him to find and kill his former gang-bangers or he will never see his family again. Life's fun, ain't it?

The game throws you in with a mediocre tutorial level, but things slowly start to become more and more exciting, all the way up to the game's climax. I enjoy almost everything here, gameplay-wise. The shooting is fun, cover system works great, and the light-platforming is handy in some situations.

The game does boast a large amount of technical problems, and quite a few bugs. I've played both the X-Box 360 version and PS3 version, (I own PS3 version) and I experienced bugs with both games. Their are very few game-breaking issues here, but most are just odd little glitches.

Graphics: Their good. Not amazingly awesome, but they do the job. The physics engine on the other hand is magnificent. The euphoria engine is just mind-blowing. Seriously, I've never seen a ragdoll react as realistically as they do in this game. Ever watch old-westerns where the bad guy gets shot and falls over in an overly-dramatic way? That's how this game does it. Ragdoll physics are at their best here, and I look forward to seeing how the Euphoria engine evolves.

Remember: horses, are good.

It's a big world, and cars are virtually non-existent. Horses are your only means of transportation, and horses, are good. (I named mine, Larry)

If you don't like pollution, and you love animals, then give Red Dead a shot. You get to take care of your own horse, and move about at a considerable pace without polluting the environment!

Look at that trusty steed, nothing but a little methane polluting the air. Or is that only cows? Hmm.

Onto a more serious note, I enjoyed Red Dead Redemption the entire bazillion hours I played it. No, I really played it for like, a lot of hours. I only did a few side-quests. The game is that long. I think I have 25 to 30 hours. And that's not even doing everything the game has to offer, just some side-quests and the main story-line.

While the game is fun, and there isn't a lot I can say that other reviewers haven't said already, I have one major complaint: cattle herding.

I bought this game to shoot bad guys, and maybe, maybe, buy a hooker, but you can't do that last one so forget I said anything. Cattle herding is boring. I doubt you will disagree. Yes, I understand, it's a filler more or less. But their are at least five cattle herding missions in this game. Maybe more. It is one of the most boring things I've ever done in a game. Don't agree? Please, please, tell me why you think cattle herding was necessary more than once in this game.

Enough about cows, just go buy the game. It's a blast to play, and it's VERY cheap right now if you haven't played it yet. Oh, and if you buy the GOTY (game of the year) edition, you get a bucket-load of useless DLC's and the amazing Undead Nightmare DLC that is possibly the best expansion I've ever played for any game. Its value is awesome, and it has a ton of content. Zombies are just, well, their awesome. They make everything awesome. And they probably eat cows, which is cool...

...stupid cows.

Rockstar delivers one of the best westerns with Red dead redemption

2012-03-21T19:43:00Z

Red dead redemption was my first Rockstar game. I didn't know if I wanted to get it at first, the when I saw the reviews, I just wanted it immediately. I finally got it, and was blown away. Red dead redemption is a really good game.

Graphics are pretty good. A few times iffy, but overall they were pretty good. Story is really good, and so is the gameplay. It's about 8-12 hours long. Voice acting is superb. Everyone did a great job, especially the guy who played John. He was amazing. The multiplayer was descent. All right, but still doesn't diminnish the game experience. It's hard about deciding game of the year, but it's for sure a perfect game.

Overall, Red dead Redemption is amazing. It gives a great tale of the open wild west. Game is a total for sure for any one on the PS3 and Xbox360. This a a great experience. That's why I'll give Red dead redemption a

10 OUT OF 10

RDR Review

2012-02-28T19:38:00Z

When a game manages to make the player not feel lonely in the great vastness of virtual reality, then you know it has done a good job. Red Dead Redemption (RDR) puts you in a world streaming with life with so much beauty that you could literally put the game in just to admire the graphics and art that has been put into it; It really is a lifeline in the "are games an art debate" because this game is definitely a masterpiece.

The story in RDR is so well made, that even though I haven't touched the last two games, I was still hooked into the plot and not once did I question my motives during a mission because of it. The ending is superb none the less and is probably one of the best I've seen in a video game, bringing emotion out, unlike very few games can.

I was surprised at how long I was playing the multiplayer of this game for; but this was mainly due to the very well designed animations and overall gameplay features such as 'Dead Eye'. Using 'Dead Eye' and watching enemies fall too the ground in slow motion has never been so gratifying.

It's main flaws were in the multiplayer where not too often you would experience invisible enemies, which would ruin the experience of being in the world of online RDR.

Read Dead Redemption :D

2012-02-04T15:47:00Z

DERP DERP DERP I LIKE THIS GAME IT IS REALLY FUN AND ITS DERPING FUN!

Wombat On The Grill: Red Dead Redemption Review: Y'HAA!( PS3 VERSION )

2011-12-20T00:00:00Z

I'll be honest, though I did like GTA 4 it wasn't a game that stuck to m heart. I'm not saying it's bad, it's a great game, but I just never really felt connected to it. Red Dead Redemption changes everything there. This game is an amazing experience from start to finish.btw: I OWN THIS FOR THE PS3 so I can't comment on any 360 awards here.

Story: I didn't do story for Alan Wake and won't do it here. This is not something you wan't spoiled. It's full of twists and fun to go through.

Graphics: Outstanding. Horse animations, rocket above any other game horse animations. ( Except maybe Uncharted 3, I haven't played that part yet. ) Though an extremely occasional texture pop-up comes in, it does nothing to deny the amazing world of Texas that Rockstar has created. Everything is very detailed and runs smothly.

Gameplay: From treasure hunting to horse racing this game has it all. Though I won't rate all the gameplay I'll name a few. Gunplay: I love Deadeye. Some people complain it makes it to easy. Not for me, it is easIER, but not EASY. True, I play every single game on the hardest difficulty, so that might explain it. It's fun fluid and fast. Exploration: The world is huge, it's worth exploring, who knows you might just find some hidden treasure. Treasure Hunting: One of my favorite aspects of the game. It's fabulous and combines exploration with gunplay. Karma: Or so the call it in Infamous ( a favorite series of mine ). This game is worth playing through twice just to see and experience everything the game has to offer.

Multiplayer: Most don't like it. But I love it. It's different and actually fun. BUT BE WARNED, YOU WILL LOSE EASILY WITHOUT USING DEADEYE. My favorite thing about this was not the normal matches like capture the bag. But the free roam mode where I could do as I pleased with a friend and kill other people playing online who got in my way.

Overall: It's one of my all time favorite games. MY PERSONAL GOTY 2010. And with so much rich content you will almost never find yourself out of things to do. This... is a buy. After writing this all I can say is this. IT'S AN AMAZING GAME. BUY THIS GAME.

YOU'VE JUST BEEN SERVED... WOMBAT ON A GRILL.

Red Dead Redemption Review Ps3/Xbox 360

2011-10-27T00:55:00Z

Let me start by saying that I like western games. So is Red Dead Redemption the great western game that claims to be? Let's find out.

Presentation 1.5/2

The game looks very good; it really makes you feel like you are in the Wild West setting. From the intro cinematic, to the great, sad, and unexpected ending, it really makes you feel like a cowboy. You can see the detail, work and effort that were put into the making of this game. Almost everything looks astonishing.

Sound and Graphics 2.5/3

The sound plays a very important part in this game. It has beautiful music, that changes according to your current action, whether you are in a gun fight, or riding through the enormous fields, it is always there enhancing the experience. The voice actors in this game do a fantastic job. They are all top notch, with great dialogue to say. The graphics look all colorful, and the environments look very detailed, with wild plants growing, cows eating, wild horses, coyotes, etc. It feels alive, with great animations and graphics to give it a good look.

Story 2/2

The story is one of the best aspects in this game. It may be a little slow for some people, but it is a good western story, with background story, revenge, very well planted moments, that lead to incredible sequences. I won't spoil any of it, but it really great.

Gameplay 1/2

Now, the gameplay is where I feel the game loses its shine. More than anything, because of the controls. You are going to be pressing the same button a lot. To run, or to ride the horse. It started to annoy me after a while. But the controls overall are good. They are good in shootouts, taking cover, changing weapons, etc. It's fun to shoot with these controls. This is a free roam game, and while it is cool to go to so many places, some of the things to do are not so fun and that diminishes the amount of things to do. The multiplayer is can be pretty good for some, or a complete failure. The lobby is the single player map, but with online players. You can shoot yourselves up or join to play mini-games, poker, shootouts, etc. There's a lot to do here, you have your typical multiplayer modes, and many others. Also another thing to mention is the auto-aim. It so easy with it enabled, it kills the challenge of the game almost. But you can put it into expert targeting mode, in which you actually have to aim, This is how it is online.

Replay value and Extras 1/1

There's a lot of in game extras, suit and more. And the replay value is high, because it will keep you entertained for hours with the campaign. There are trophies/achievements to get and the online is good if you like it.

In the end Red Dead Redemption is a pretty good game that will grip you with the story, but with not so good controls, and a divided decision in the online, it may not be the game you are looking for. But in the end RDR gets a:

Final score of: 8/10----Good, but not for everyone.

My Review of Red Dead Redemption

2011-10-02T02:51:00Z

I finally, finally, finally got a chance to play Red Dead Redemption. Wow, what a game. I had been following it since its official announcement in 2009. When I heard that Rockstar Games was planning on making an open world Western that was a sequel to Red Dead Revolver I said, “AH HA HA HA HA. Yeah right. That should turn out well.” Rockstar San Diego (a division of Rockstar Games) made the first game and it was not that great so how could a sequel, especially one based off of the Grand Theft Auto IV design (which is great), even be considered? Luckily, it was considered, and I’m glad the risk was taken. Red Dead Redemption is without a doubt one of the best games I have ever had the honor of playing.

I won’t lie. There are occasional glitches and bugs and there is a lot of pop-up in the game but my gosh, with a world this big, how could there not be? It’s still a GORGEOUS game and I do really mean that. The landscapes are absolutely stunning. The character models are all interesting in one way or another and beautifully designed. I cannot fault this game for its graphics because my mouth dropped open more than a couple of times.

Every one of the voice actors is extremely talented. I don’t know who Rob Wiethoff (John Marston in the game) or Kimberly Irion (Bonnie MacFarlane) are but I do know that they were in the game thanks to IMDb.com and I do know that they are both great. Wiethoff in particular delivers a sense of realism through his character that is rarely seen in video games or any other entertainment medium for that matter. I have to give credit to Anthony De Longis also who is quite good as Marshal Leigh Johnson. I enjoyed walking around and just taking in the sights and hunting all the various critters in the game so the music got very repetitive to me after a while but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good because it is magnificent. It is pure candy to the ears and I will be picking up a copy of the soundtrack.

I have never seen such perfect controls in an open world game and they just might be the best in gaming history. The gunplay is really simple to understand yet challenging to master, the way it should be. Riding a horse is as fun as it has ever been and I’m saying this after playing the Assassin’s Creed games. There are some platforming elements to the game and they are extremely fun. Move over, Mario. Okay, so maybe they aren’t THAT good. Hunting and skinning animals was oddly addicting to me for some reason. It never got old. Well, I take that back. There is one achievement in the 360 version in which I had to kill and skin 18 grizzly bears and it took me forever to find them all and I got a little impatient with that. I don’t see how anybody wouldn’t. The annoying D-Pad on the 360 controller is rarely ever utilized, which is a good thing. As far as I can remember, the only thing I used it for was to call my horse.

Even with all the other goodness, the plot of Red Dead Redemption is my favorite thing about the game. It is a sweeping epic that most movies can’t even manage. If I made a list of my top 10 favorite gaming tales, Red Dead Redemption would be placed at least 3 or 4. It made me laugh and, believe it or not, cry. The ending is BRILLIANT and I have never seen anything like it. It is also very shocking. That’s about all there is to say about it other than I think everyone should experience it in all its majesty.

There's a reason almost everyone sees this as a Game of the Year...

2011-09-27T03:53:00Z

Ahh, Rockstar...

When they get it right, they get it RIGHT...

And when they effectively decided to port Grand Theft Auto's open-sandbox to the Wild West, they effectively got it right.

Red Dead Redemption was seen as the Game of the Year in almost every competition which could include it, and there was little reason why not: The game is solid, flows freely, and offers a variety of challenges spread out over a massive expanse of wilderness with a vibrant landscape.

You start out as a half-dead old cowboy after a failed revenge attempt, nursed to some degree of health at a farm in the American part of the game. You then not only work for your keep (in ways such as keeping watch over the farm (and later cities at night), but also on the missions to advance the storyline of the game to the cities.

Bored? Try your hand at Texas Hold 'Em. Memory-based button pushing...

However, as often happens with Rockstar, the strength of this kind of game lies in the missions -- the storyline that leads the protagonist on a journey of redemption, revenge, and eventually reunion and reconciliation.

The ending, however, is quite unexpected.

You can even go ahead and, if the timing is right, do a bounty-based minigame where you go to take out henchmen and a boss character. You can decide to kill him, or wound him, tie him up with your lasso, and take him back.

However, when you do try to take either proof of the death or the accused back, his friends try to take you out on horseback. Really fun and a great way to build up some ammunition for free.

There are two problems with the game which reduce it from a 10 for me:

1) The mission-fail mechanism is slightly too forgiving. For the longer missions, you certainly want some degree of checkpointing, but to allow a direct retry from the checkpoint (rather than, say, having to return to a checkpoint) is a slight aid.

2) Sometimes, in the bounty part of the game (which was my favorite), the "friends" would stop coming long before you got back to the appointed jail site.

All in all, a great investment of Greatest Hits PS3 pricing, if you can find one...

Video Game Review: Red Dead Redemption; Being a Cowboy Never Felt So Good

2011-09-26T20:06:00Z

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If you were to say the words “Rockstar Games” around most gamers their thoughts would most likely jump to the Grand Theft Auto series since that is what Rockstar Games is best known for. However, in 2010, Rockstar Games decided to take their popular GTA formula and use it to revive a dormant niche in video games: the western. Hailing as a spiritual successor to their 2004 cult hit Red Dead Revolver, Rockstar Games released Red Dead Redemption and it quickly became a new, and redefining, hit in the Rockstar Games lineup.

Most gamers probably know what I mean when I speak of the “GTA formula” but for those who don’t, the Grand Theft Auto series has long been known for its open sandbox-esque worlds, varied mission and activity types, and plethora of odd, sometimes downright strange, characters. So how does such a makeup stack up when put into a western setting? Surprisingly well in fact. Unlike Red Dead Revolver which, while having similar themes and elements played out more as a linear shooter, Red Dead Redemption manages to tell an engaging story of revenge, betrayal, and coming to terms with a changing world while also being a darn fun third-person shooter as well. Even better, because of its sandbox environment, the game allows the player to follow the story at their own pace or choose to partake in one of the many other activities available.

The plot is a rather straightforward one (as a western’s plot ought to be): Former gunman/robber turned rancher John Marston is “persuaded” by a pair of government officials (i.e. they kidnap his wife and son) to hunt down and bring to justice his former gang-mates with the promise that his family will be released upon completion of the task. The game is set in 1911, during the decline of the cowboy/wild west era which is made apparent thanks to the game’s rich atmosphere. The opening scenes depict Marston riding on a train, overhearing other people talk of “flying machines” and “bringing culture to the red man.”

The early sequences and missions in the game introduce the player to the basics of movement, horseback-riding, shooting, and even breaking in new horses to ride. They also introduce a few of the large myriad of characters John is to meet during his journey, some friend, some foe. The game-world itself, while containing only a handful of settlements and towns, is rather expansive, encompassing two entire territories of southern Texas called New Austin and West Elizabeth as well as a Mexican territory called Nuevo Paraiso (all three are fictitious). The different landscapes John can explore range from wide open deserts and fields to thick forests and snow-capped cliffs, each populated with various wildlife and people.

A variety of horses that can be either purchased or broken allows for quick travel around the world as do various stage-coaches located in most major settlements. In addition to the game’s main plot, John can also participate in local games such as horseshoe-tossing, liar’s dice, poker, blackjack, as well as other activates like bounty hunting, dueling, and even little mini-stories called “Stranger Tasks.” Combat is both intuitive and easy-to-master thanks to the series signature “Dead-Eye” mechanic which lets the player briefly slow down time allowing for precision aiming against one or multiple foes. Red Dead Redemption includes a variety of firearms and other weaponry ranging from basic pistols and rifles to shotguns, explosives, and even some early sniper-rifles.

One last major feature to note is the game’s multiplayer which allows the player to explore the entirety of the game-world with other players from all over, either riding around in the “free roam” world or participating in a variety of game-types including deathmatch, capture-the-gold (a western approach to capture-the-flag), co-op and team-based missions, or even less-deadly activities like poker. Unlike the game’s single-player mode, multiplayer lets the player choose from a variety of different characters to play as, ranging from soldiers of the U.S. Army to members of various gangs and factions, and even as law enforcement with more characters, in addition to new mounts, weapons, and titles, being unlockable as the player ranks up.

Overall Red Dead Redemption is a worthy (if slightly more refined) follow-up for the western genre of gaming. With a tight and action-packed story, gritty atmosphere, slick combat, and a multitude of challenges to be conquered, it is definitely worth any gamer’s while to come play in Rockstar’s western sandbox for a while. If you’re a fan of the GTA series, open-world gameplay, perfectly executed multiplayer, or all of the above, I’d highly recommend you take Red Dead Redemption for a spin, you won’t be disappointed.

General Gameplay Tips:

Bonuses can be earned by shooting the hat off an opponent’s head or shooting the gun out of their hands.
Stranger tasks will sometimes show up on the map no matter where you are but other times will only appear if you come into close proximity of their starting location.
Gambling in games such as poker, blackjack, and liar’s dice is a great way to earn some quick cash, especially early on in the game.

Useful Links:

Main Game Site: http://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption/agegate/ref/?redirect=

Game Wiki: http://reddead.wikia.com/wiki/Red_Dead_Wiki

Guides, Walkthroughs, etc: http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/143/14320288.html