ironhorse_iv Review of Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption (2010 Video Game)

This video game put the Wild in Wild West. It will entertain you!

[10/10 · 23 May 2016]

Rockstar Games has done it again. The confluence of a wide-open western setting and the greater emphasis on ambient- side missions and random encounters makes, the world of 'Red Dead Redemption', feel as if you were truly, living throughout it. It's wild, free and untamed. Just like the Wild West really was. The visuals computer effects was amazing to look at. The action is raw, and rough. The dynamically-generated music was awesome to hear, and last the characters are wonderful with top notch dialogue and voice acting -- all good enough to make you feel a part of the world. It really does depicts these things, quite well even though, it is a fictitious story. Set during the last days of the American Frontier; John Marston (Voiced by Rob Wiethoff), a former outlaw whose wife and son are taken hostage by the government in ransom for his services. Having no other choice, Marston sets out to bring the three members of his former gang to justice, as a hired gun. Without spoiling the game, too much, 'Red Dead Redemption' seem to have Hollywood western film influences. You notice similar tropes that was also in 1969's 'Wild Bunch', 1973's 'High Plains Drifter', 1992's 'Unforgiven', 2005's 'The Proposition' & others. In further analysis, I notice a few themes conveyed here, such as the past will eventually catch up to you. This is prominent throughout the game with character trying to seek redemption or face their fate. Another prominent theme is that of change. The Wild West is dying down and becoming a more modern and technologically advanced world. Some of the people accept the change, while others reject it. Some of the characters, like Marston's old gang leader, would rather die than adapted. The final theme is that the line between good and evil is muddy. One of the things, Marston wants to do, is allow his son, to be, a better man, and not allow himself to fall in the same traps, that he did, when he was younger. The downer ending kinda shows that good and evil are not always as clear cut as some believe. I know, some people hate this deeply bleak end, but I found it, as a way to reflect the end of the Wild West and the inevitable turn towards civilization. Although it is open to interpretation, after an Easter egg was found in 2013's 'Grand Theft Auto V'. So, who knows, it can possibly be a bittersweet earn your happy ending, type of a climax. In the end, this game isn't just a redo of Grand Theft Auto, Game Series with a different historical backdrop. No, this was a spiritual sequel to 2004's Red Dead Revolver; one of the best games of the early 2000s. While, the settlings, story, characters and gameplay between these two, are different, the game did take some elements from the previous title, and adapted it, here. A good example of this, is the Dead Eye slow motion effect that gives you, more time to make accuracy shooting. Now, comes to the question, on who do you want to shot at, and who you don't want to shot. As you begin to make a name for yourself, here. The question of ethics and morality are left up to you, as the player to choose, how to live your avatar character's life while he is trying to seek redemption from the crimes, he did in the past. Honestly, if you want to live a life of villainy, it's somewhat possible to do that, by assaulting people, robbing and killing, however, the game become harder to play, as it goes on, because of all those crimes. However, if you want to be more honorable in your gameplay; you gain, rewards that will help you, complete the game, probably quickly than those who go rampage through it. The morality meter in this game is like the stars system in Grand Theft Auto; the more, you act out: the more, the citizens around you, will began to react violently to your presence. No matter, what type of life, you live. It's really immerses you into their world. After all, what other western game, allow you to play card games, horse shoes, five finger fillet, rodeo, dices, cattle herding, horse racing, all day. However, the main reason to keep you coming back to the game, year after year is the Free Roam option. This is where a player can allow, up to 16 players join into one world and then explore the entirety of the single-player map. You can form a bounty hunting group, a gang or simply shoot each other in the face. After the game's release, several downloadable content additions were released; including 2010's 'Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare', which was later released as a standalone game, adding a new single-player experience story in which Marston searches for a cure for an infectious zombie plague that has swept across the Old West. Very tight. It's tempting to say that Red Dead Redemption is ahead of its time, but the reality, there were some flaws. There is a few glitches and bugs with the game engine, as some of the game rendering, does create a weird ghosting effect or freeze ups. Another problem is the touchy horse controls, which makes mounting a little too hard. It's somewhat funny to see a horse with no rider, jump around, for no good reason. Then, there is the annoying, respawn system that has the tendency to start you right next to an opponent in multiplayer and the fact that there is no mini-games, there. However, the worst for me, is how some of the tutorials feel like, they were introduced too late in the game. Don't ask me, how much, I got maul by a cougar! Overall: Red Dead Redemption really raise the bar, high for video game westerns. There is an everlasting appeal, online and off.