However after my yearlong tour of Assassin's Creed games, I came to really enjoy the historical open-world format. After some research I discovered that Red Dead Redemption was considered one of the top quality in this free reign format with a very large map. So I've had this game on the to-play-radar for nearly a year now, and the time couldn't be more fitting in the midst of my western appreciation. The game was exactly what I was looking for and offered everything I would expect of the old western genre.
The story of John Marston doesn't really become clear until later in the game, which makes for a very interesting character development. At first he comes off as a wandering bounty hunter, traveling the west looking for jobs and what not. He is rescued by a ranch owner Bonnie McFarlane, who welcomes him to her ranch and trains him on the basics of cow-herding and what not. It appears that John and Bonnie develop a romantic relationship however it is later revealed that John is a married man. He is actually working for the federal government to track down several gang members so that he can return to his family. It becomes clear that John is a changed man, who was a former outlaw, seeking restoration by working with the government.
Once again John helps various local characters in the fictional towns of Mexico as he searches his next target. He actually gets involved in a civil war among rebels and the government, playing parts on both sides (this is surely a reference to the Mexican Revolution of the time). He eventually sides with the rebels and wipes out the government's ruthless military commanders. In return the rebels help John assault the fortification of his next target which he captures and hands over to the authorities. John then returns to America, to begin his 3rd phase of the game. This time he is searching the leader of his former gang known as "Dutch", who has now assembled a strong gang of Native Americans.
The final phase of the game takes a break from the violence and focuses on John's new life as a family man and ranch-owner. He does various missions with his wife, son, and uncle pertaining to managing the ranch such as herding cows, hunting animals, and so forth. He works to
regain the trust of his teenage son, Jack who is frustrated that his father has been gone for so long. In a very shocking final chapter the federal military arrives with a firing squad to John's ranch. John is able to help his son and wife escape and then faces the firing squad, where he is shot to his death. The game then fast forwards some five years where John's son Jack is now the protagonist with the ability to explore the game. There are various side quests still available which include hunting and killing the federal director who betrayed John. I found this to be a very abrupt and upsetting ending for the likable character of John Marsten.
One of the most helpful and enjoyable features of the shooting, is the dead-eye targeting which slows everything down. This is very helpful when the odds are overwhelming. The dead-eye however has a range and can really only be used for several seconds. When it runs out it can be refilled over time or with purchasable items such as moonshine. During intense shootouts I would often use my medicine and dead eye items to stay ahead in the fights. There's also a feature where he can lock on to targets and shoot multiple enemies down at a time. I probably used the Dead-Eye a lot more then necessary and I could see how an avid shooter-gamer might prefer to play the game without the Dead-Eye assistance.
With most of these open world games, visiting towns is always my favorite thing to do, and this game offers many business features. Businesses within the town range from the general store, doctor's office, gunsmith, wardrobe, and of course the classic saloon. The saloons are loaded with games, hookers, piano music, and the option to buy a drink at the bar. In almost every town Marsten can buy a residence where he can save his progress, speed up time, and change wardrobe if he wants. The game would auto-save after main missions but sometimes a manual save was necessary to update minor events. The towns also offered the option to take on a bounty assignment or to help townspeople in trouble (usually robberies or being assaulted). Achieving these side tasks would improve the character's fame and honor. I always stayed within the law, and very rarely went wild (which would result in being chased by the authorities and having to pay fines).
All-in-all I would say I very much enjoyed this game and spent a lot of time playing it. I completed about 70% of the game and took on as many side missions as I could. However once John Marsten died, I no longer wanted to play as his son. The game was fairly easy much thanks to the Dead-Eye tool. My biggest complaints on the game was the fictional setting, that Marsten died, and the inability to climb (just like with Elder Scrolls). Yet despite that it was a fictional setting it really did feel like a classic old western game which was exactly the experience I was looking for. The map was enormous, the music was enjoyable, and the story was also very well written. I would definitely probably have this in my top 25 and look forward to playing the sequel in a week or so. I hear the sequel is highly regarded and considered a masterpiece of video gaming.
The Setting
As I started the game I was somewhat disappointed that the map was not a historical setting, yet rather a fictional region in the Old West. However while all the towns were fictional, the setting very much resembles the border of Texas and Mexico along the Rio Grande. Also the date was a lot later than I anticipated, not in the late 1800s but set in 1911. Nonetheless the west was still quite unsettled and wild in those days, and the setting is on par with all the historical elements of the era. The hero in this game is an outlaw named John Marston, who is now working with the law to track some of his former gang-members.
John works with several local characters to find clues on the gang's whereabouts. He helps the local marshal of the fictional town of Armadillo, a con artist, an arms smuggler, and a treasure hunter. All these people later help John as he makes his assault on the gang's stronghold. He successfully kills one of his targets and discovers that his other target is located in Mexico. This opens up an entirely new region of the map which made for an exciting game twist. John was now dealing with Spanish speaking characters in Mexico, which was still very much a resemblance of the Old Wild West.
John regroups with the federal authorities in the town of Blackwater, where it is revealed that they are holding his family hostage until he completes the job. John works with a scientist and a local Native American to track down the gang's whereabouts. These hunts go deep into forests, plains, and mountains which made for a nice break from the desert settings. Finally John is able to assist the US Army assault on Dutch's camp, up a mountain where he confronts Dutch, who commits suicide. Now that Dutch has been eliminated, John Marston has completed his assignment and the federal government allows him to reunite with his family.
regain the trust of his teenage son, Jack who is frustrated that his father has been gone for so long. In a very shocking final chapter the federal military arrives with a firing squad to John's ranch. John is able to help his son and wife escape and then faces the firing squad, where he is shot to his death. The game then fast forwards some five years where John's son Jack is now the protagonist with the ability to explore the game. There are various side quests still available which include hunting and killing the federal director who betrayed John. I found this to be a very abrupt and upsetting ending for the likable character of John Marsten.
The Gameplay
As I mentioned above I normally prefer the sword/slash combat opposed to the shoot'em up games. Considering the last few games I've played from Assassin's Creed, Breath of the Wild, to Elder Scrolls all games consisted of various forms of sword, shield, and arrows. I have played various Star Wars games however such as Shadows of the Empire and Bounty Hunter where shooting was an essential part of the game. So unlike the sword/slasher games, targeting is the major skill of this game. John Marsten can purchase a variety of handguns, rifles, and shotguns at the town gunsmiths.
With the game being released in 2010 I was prepared for some limitations just like with Elder Scrolls, but was actually quite satisfied with the graphics and mobility. The character's movement ranges from running, jumping, to riding horses. I'd say the greatest limitation was his inability to climb, however there were usually other ways to get higher-up if needed. I quickly found that it was easy to get trapped in canyons and such, so best to stay on the roads when traveling far distances. The use of fast travel was possible with campsites, which had to be pitched outside of city limits. There was also an option to ride stagecoaches from town-to-town at a fare.
My favorite part of the game was the casino games, especially playing poker. I enjoyed playing poker as a kid with my cousins, and think I got a pretty get knack at it. So whenever the chance comes, it's fun to partake (especially when it's not my money). The poker settings offer great schematics between the players and mini-dialogue which always makes for a more enjoyable experience. I made an effort to sit every poker table offered in this game and enjoyed the variety of characters and game style. Some towns the betting was minimal while in other towns the betting was high. I feel like I won more than I loss in the poker games. There were also other mini-games which I partook in such as blackjack, liar's dice, and even arm wrestling. Something about gambling in the saloons really brought on that Old Western feeling.
