Red Dead Redemption (2010 Video Game) User Reviews

I loved Grand Theft Auto Four, but this shows how Rockstar just keeps getting better

[wwe7961 · 10/10 · 6 August 2010]

In 2001 Rockstar made a game that revolutionized gaming. The game was called Grand Theft Auto 3. When most game series had a problem going to the third dimension Rockstar was 2 steps ahead the competition. Grand Theft Auto had great control's for the time and gave you a huge world to do whatever you wanted to do in. Then Gta Vice City came and improved the formula. Gta San Andrease improved it even more, and Gta 4 felt like it perfected open world gaming. Well it turns out Gta 4 isn't perfection due to this game actually being better. It has the best open world graphics I have ever seen. Just sitting back and taking in whats around you is just an amazing experience. The writing like all Rockstar games is some of the best writing you'll find in a video game. The characters are all very memorable, side missions have so much depth that they could be considered part of the game, and dialogue is very good. The atmosphere is very strong. Playing the game you feel involved in a great western movie. The voice acing is top notch as usual from Rockstar just like the story. The controls are very good and easy to master, but what's best about the game is how much you have to do. If you get board of gang hideouts try poker. If you get tired of poker hunt. If you get tired of hunting try to unlock outfits. If you are bored of outfits play the story missions. Even if you completed the game you can still go on your menu, go to stats, go to missions, and you can replay a mission without restarting from the beginning of the story. I would say that this is perfection, but what I've learned from Rockstar is to expect more for them for their next big game. Gta 5 here we come.

Update: I recently got Xbox Live and now I can talk about the online gameplay. Just like the singleplayer you will have a massive gaming experience. You can play team deathmatch, grab the bag hold your own, free for all, or you can just go in free roam. The thing that makes the online matches different than normal game online matches is the very clever Mexican standoff. It starts the match out with one team getting a deserved advantage, and it is so satisfying for your team to get flawless victory. Then there is the excellent free roam. You get the same open world as the single player and you have many different ways to level up. You can do gang hideouts, complete challenges, fight the law, hunt down public enemies, or just go crazy and kill any player you see. The fun to be had is pretty much infinite.

A game I've been waiting my whole life for

[gsic_batou · 10/10 · 15 July 2010]

I've been playing video games since the days a good driving game was a black and white-move in and out of lane-broken windows on crash game. And throughout the years I've been looking for a truly immersible experience that could drag reality out and place me in the middle of a different reality, as a different person. It took many years, but here it is: "Red Dead Redemption".

The road was long. It took time for 2d to turn 3d and took time for the character's lips to actually move when they talked(big deal, as it added a ton for realism). Then incredible, photo-realistic graphics and my mind was blown away. Game mechanics became better and better and games could now tell stories with immense scope and depth. Then there was GTA IV and it was absolutely amazing, it worked on every level I had dream a game could work...except for one thing: I never wanted to experience arriving at a foreign country and blast my way towards becoming a "playa""...so even tough the game was absolutely perfect, it didn't mean as much as it should have. Enter "Red Dead Redemption". What guy hasn't dream of being a cowboy, free and courageous, traveling by horse on big deserted plains with our ready weapon at our side; hunting, going after the criminals, the bad guys, searching for treasures, sometimes doing a slight cross over to the wrong side of the law. All of that and more you'll find in this game. The scope, the graphics...to just roam the land and hunt, the occasional herding....it seems like you're playing in your own movie. A full cinematic experience that can be lived, delivered through the incredible Rockstar Advanced Game Engine(RAGE).

Many games have great gameplay; many have incredible graphics; many showcase good storytelling, but only this one gives you a completely immersible lost world to be experienced.

If you are a person that enjoys gaming, be it casually or not, you'll love this game.

Minor flaws but will drop your jaws

[stephane_decker · 10/10 · 28 July 2010]

I have been playing Video Games for more than 10 years. I have witnessed the evolution from Dos-Games, to Windows 98 compatible games, Windows 2000, XP, then switch to Xbox 360 and from 2D to 3D, from Mono Sound to 7.1 sound experiences, I have seen the whole evolution.

I have also seen games similar to this one, if we talk about graphics, sound effects, game-play scheme that is. However, never have I ever played a game that captured a targeted style and converted it so well to the video game screen.

I am very indulgent with video games in the aspect of their graphics, sounds, game-play, diversity, because what I am looking for is atmosphere so intense, you could cut if with a knife. Which is why I loved the first Assassins Creed, although I had to admit, it was actually a poorly finished game.

This game however cuts the atmosphere quite near to perfectly: never before has there been a game with that brilliant capture of wild western style and atmosphere! It helps the game that I am a fan of the classic Clint Eastwood westerns and John Marstons looks must've been inspired on the ones of outlaw Josey Wales, played by Clint Eastwood.

The music sometimes reveals tunes close to the good old Ennio Morricone tracks.

The guns, the dramatic imprecise shootings, the huge lands to discover, the outfits, the baddies and the goodies (and the uglies) and all of the above make for a knife sharp atmosphere.

I love it.

For me video games should be about being someone you can't be in real life (be that a soldier, a special secret agent, or, as in this case, a wild west outlaw), packed with brilliant atmosphere and this game delivers.

So much that I easily forgive it for the minor bugs and flaws it does contain. I guess no one and nothing is perfect, but this is damn close.

10/10

A quite fantastic gaming experience – fun, engaging and technically very impressive

[bob the moo · 3 December 2010]

I had enjoyed GTA4 (which I picked up long after it came out) but for some reason (perhaps a Call of Duty obsession) I never paid any attention to Red Dead when it came out - even though I only heard good things. I borrowed it recently and after 10 hours on it I bought my own copy. Similar to GTA4 there is a narrative following one character which involves lots of jobs (missions) for others, gradually getting harder as you get closer to completing the story. In addition to this there are lots of side distractions so that you can play for hours without actually progressing the story one inch.

The story missions are great. Very enjoyable, fun to play – difficult enough to avoid being a dull doddle but easy enough to get even the hardest ones after a few tries. There are a lot of cut scenes but they are well done and, if you don't rush from one story mission to the next then they don't seem crowded. The difficulty is not too bad and the options in aiming modes makes it possible to make it harder without changing the content of the game but, more importantly, the game is long. Some people prefer the games where you spent a lot of time battling one "bit" or one level to get passed it – I don't, I don't enjoy frustration, so having a game that is reasonably easy to progress is good for me – but the key thing is then that there is lots to do, since I'll do most things in one or two tries. Red Dead is awesome for this – hunting, random encounters on the roadside, missions for strangers, gambling in saloons, all of it is fun and easy to waste hours.

When I had been told of this game, the idea of riding from one point to another worried me because a lesser game would use this to "fill time" and make missions feel longer by virtue of having you spent 10 minutes crossing the map to get to a 3 minute mission. Not so here – firstly the missions are not short but also there are things to do even as you travel around – distractions that you can do or ignore whether it is a trap set by robbers or a man who needs help with wolves etc. The fast-travel is good but to be honest it is often more fun to just ride for 5 minutes and enjoy it.

Part of enjoying the ride is how simply stunning this game is technically. OK there are some minor glitches such as horses getting trapped in rocks but these are easily addressed by the player, but otherwise this is impressive. Sunsets are stunning and the vistas are as great as anything John Ford brought us – the difference being that every rock and plant and mountain here has been created – not just filmed. You can ride from one end of the world to the other without any loading screens or stuttering (which, as other Fable 3 players will appreciated, is a joy), you can see for miles and the weather effects of wind or rain are as unobtrusive and natural as they are impressive. So many games set challenges to explore and find things and often they are a chore just included to add time rather than enjoyment to the game (again, Fable 3 comes to mind) – but with RDR it is honestly just plain fun to ride round without any specific mission or story going on.

A lot of the reviews on this site are quite gushing and I was determined to be as objective as possible – but it is hard when the game is this good and this enjoyable. It is not that the game is like being in a western – it is like being in a brilliant western.

This game is worth more than the title: "The Game of The Year"

[deavencon · 10/10 · 4 August 2010]

Your'e a cowboy, a man that can end a life in a second. But when compared to the wild west you seems to be nobody. You travel many miles every day. But one day you may decide to stay where you are. Maybe you chose to stay in a haunted town to fight your fear or at the top of a cliff where you can see a piece of the world, and then you realize that you almost haven't seen anything. The world is changing and so are you. But you can change the world and the world can change you. Every move you make leads to consequences. Bad or good deeds will change people's opinion about you and that can change your destiny. People will hear about your deeds and with time the whole world will now you.

This is what Read Dead Redemption is about. And I am not alone when I am saying that the whole idea is incredible, and incredible is not even worth to be a describing of Red Dead Redemption. The graphic scenery is amazing. When I am looking down from a cliff the feeling of doing it in the reality is almost there. Wherever I go the scenery is full of life. The sounds of insects, birds flying over your head, wolves haunting deers not so far away and much more.

The touch of typical western gunfights is also included. One of the things I like most with them is when it's night and you can see a flash coming from every of the enemies gun. It makes a cool effect and the before not so powerful revolvers will now be the fear of the night.

The story-missions in this game is remarkable. You meet interesting characters and you are given new weapons, outfits, horses and more. And there is also a lot of side-missions, very entertaining. The voice actors is well picked and the scenes when the characters is talking is so well made that you should cut parts of them together, add some more things and show it on cinema.

There is so much to tell about this game, but I have to put an end of this review now with telling you that I highly recommend this game. This is the biggest reason why I have started to watch western-movies again. In my opinion is this the best game ever made. Not completely perfect, but very close to perfect.

Defiinitely my vote for game of the YEAR

[willbeonekenobi · 10/10 · 31 May 2010]

This has got to be one of the best (if not THE BEST) sandbox game that I have ever played. Rockstar keeps on pumping out great quality games and I'm sure they will keep on doing it for a long time.

The story (If you have been living in a cave) goes like this: You play a FORMER outlaw named John Marsten who was apparently left for dead after a botched robbery and he left his gang that day and tried to go straight. He got married and has a son, they lived quietly on a ranch and John had tried to forget his past. for several years he was at peace with the world.

Unfortunately that obviously did not work out at all as the government wants to use him to find his old gang members and they do that by keeping his family hostage.

The game (built on RAGE which was used on GTA4) looks great and very realistic. From the style of the clothes to the buildings, horses, etc. All of the towns in the game are teeming with life with people going about their daily business.

In fact you can do so much in the game like play poker, hunt wild animals, collect on 'bounties', hunt for treasure, ride around aimlessly, or just admire the view from the top of one of the many hills and mountains. There is so much content in this game that if you had to take out all of the content that is not needed for the story, and had everything else as each as it's own game, there would be like 20 or so, just like in Grand Theft Auto 4.

Expect nothing but the best of what Rockstar has to offer and this is one of the few games that was really worth the price of purchase (unlike TERMINATOR SALVATION where I had finished it in a mere 6 hours) and will keep you entertained for months to come.

Raising The Bar

[jjandsoccerr1 · 10/10 · 7 September 2010]

I have spent hundreds of hours immersed in video games. I have played everything from puzzle games to mass-multiplayer online games. I have received crappy grades in school because of video games. I have regretted entire summers spent in front of a TV screen, but now, as I sit at my computer, I reflect on those summers. I picture them now not as summers down the toilet but as summers that are a dark tunnel. A dark tunnel with a light at the end. A light that is the greatest game I have ever played, the climax of my gaming career, Red Dead Redemption. Through unfathomable detail, immense algorithms, and an uncanny amount of testing Rockstar successfully created a masterpiece which raises the bar to a point which I believe can not be reached with the same technology used to create Red Dead Redemption. New technology is needed to create a game that even competes with Red Dead Redemption. After playing Red Dead Redemption I may never feel another game is worth my time.

Amazing Experience

[mericdow-758-296877 · 10/10 · 5 June 2010]

*possible spoilers through context* For those who don't consider video games a work of art, Rockstar may finally prove them wrong with Red Dead Redemption.

Rockstar has truly crafted an amazing title in near every aspect. It truly is being able to play an interactive movie. The characters, voice acting, visuals, and sounds are all top notch for a game. The level of depth the characters have really brings them to life. You have compassion for John Marston on his quest to rescue his family and find his way in the world.

I play a lot of games but by the end of Red Dead I have never felt the way I did upon finishing it. It's a truly tragic tale of a man who is placed in a situation with only one option to save his family from the government that took them; to find and bring to justice the remaining members of his former gang.

The story may be pretty straight forward and somewhat dry but the way it plays out and the characters John Marston meets along the way make it comparable to an epic Old West tale. Rockstar has created an incredibly complex character with Marston also. He isn't necessarily a good man because of his past but the level of depth brought by the voice acting and script give him many sides and make him seem real. This goes for most all the characters as well.

Rockstar may have not let go of their humor as most the game is certainly cast in a dark sense of comedy. This doesn't make light of the over-arcing plot though. I have never finished a game's story and been so in awe of what I had just experienced. As tragic as the tale is, it couldn't have ended any other way. I have never grown so fond of a video game character as Marston to the point I cared so much about the ending.

Visually, the level of detail in the game is astounding. The art direction is perfect, all the land is covered in lush grass and bushes, tumbleweeds roll by, cacti are numerous. Everything has a realistic shadow as sun basks the landscape. There is an entire ecosystem complete with various birds, foxes, wolves, armadillos, rabbits, deer, elk, grizzly bears, beavers, cougars, and many more. Horse's muscles flex as they walk, buildings look realistic. There's so much to look at even after over 30 hours of play I still would walk through towns to admire the visuals.

The sound work is just as incredible, with the hum of insects nearby, gunshots sound heavy and loud, horse galloping still isn't old. The voice acting for just about all characters is top notch aside from repeated lines of random NPCs. And the song played during the credits brings a rightly somber feeling to the end game.

Surprisingly in a game world so barren of activity there is an almost endless amount to do. Poker, Blackjack, Liar's Dice, horseshoes, all of these are activities you can participate in. On treks across the desert landscape Rockstar smartly put in random encounters of someones horse being stolen so you can retrieve it, or a Marshal needing you to round up his escaped prisoners. These numerous and usually varied encounters make traveling much less boring for there is always something to do.

Let alone the fantastic single player game Rockstar has constructed they add on a well constructed multiplayer mode. Though the first few weeks suffer some glitches as most games do, all together the multiplayer is pretty solid. Also I give them credit for creating the free roam option. You can band together with friends and form posses of up to 8 players and roam the land doing what you please. Anything. The entire map is at your disposal. Go hunting, shoot each other, kill each others horses, do various Gang Hideouts through the map, or just wander the plains aimlessly. The ability to have a non objective focused option for you and your friends makes it very accessible and fun. A game has finally come out with what is basically a "pure fun mode". Along with a ranking system that doesn't really on competitive play at all you can simply trot along completing a ton of challenges the game gives you to earn experience.

To just wrap it up, I'm not sure I've played a game, ever, with such a heavy on emotion story. I really hadn't realized how much of an impact it had on me until I completed the entire storyline. If a game can't be called an art after delivering the same impact as any top movie out there with quality acting and a great script people aren't paying enough attention. Sure Rockstar may make lighthearted takes on horrible things that happen in the world and it is full of social observations, but altogether it truly has a very profound and moving conclusion.

Rockstar has really stepped up their capabilities since the original GTAs. GTA IV had a complex character like Niko but Red Dead Redemption makes John Marston one of my all time favorite gaming icons. Really a fantastic overall game.

The Wild, wild west...

[horizons7 · 10/10 · 3 June 2010]

Finally "Red Dead Redemption" delivers all and much more what could have been expected after the prerelease-hype of the last months.

There have been many games which have unsuccessfully aimed at breaking the fine line between video game and movie, but "RDR" accomplishes indeed an interactive experience that could also have been effortlessly a two hours spaghetti western opera at your local theater.

The atmosphere created by state of the art graphics, the ride/interact/shoot-gameplay and the outstanding sound effects is astonishing, not to forget the wide beautiful landscapes, sharp and intelligent dialogues and the diversified, cinematic mission design such as "the great Mexican train robbery", which makes it nearly impossible to lay the controller down for while.

The story of John Marston who is in pursuit of his former gang members in order to save his family, which leads him to team-ups with several mostly dubious characters, forced contracts with men of the law and embroilments within the Mexican civil war, unfolds in three gigantic chapters, that are partitioned in 57 main missions, of which every single one succeeds to convince.

The main point of critic of Rockstars open world predecessor "Grand Theft Auto 4", that most of the time you are engaged with driving, does not affect the riding in "RDR" because of the possibility of warping, either by using stagecoaches or by camping in unpopulated areas. There are some minor flaws, like clipping errors, pop-ups and changing ammunition without collecting any, but they never change the overall feeling of taking part in one of the best games ever created.

It is not by hazard that the game trailer was shown as an ad in theaters; there are some references to the best westerns of all time; the freeze frame effect when pausing the game, the machine gun shootouts and the gloomy portrayal of Mexican people in general reminds of "The Wild Bunch", whereas the superiority during the revolver showdowns, the bounty hunter sub-missions with its "dead or alive"- "wanted"-posters and the music with its melodic whistles successfully quote the "A Fistful of Dollars"-trilogy.

If you ever wanted to participate in a western, with its bacon and beans flavor, its charismatic shootouts and its lone wolf feeling it's time to saddle the horses and go for gold: "Red Dead Redemption" has it all and much more.

9.7 out of 10

Western of the highest quality

[joshdavid-barrett · 10/10 · 6 August 2010]

I not gonna go to into detail but I will say this is simply the best game ever made.

This beats previous favourites such as Resident Evil 4 and Grand Theft Auto IV.

This is a masterclass in what a game should be.

I insist people go out and bye this.

You won't regret it.

Even if you aren't a fan of the western genre you should get this because it has a brilliant story and breathtaking missions.

Don't let me down.

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" of Video Games

[KeyC0de · 10/10 · 9 January 2018]

This is a tale about Redemption in a period set during the decline of the American Frontier. John Marston a former outlaw, is instructed by the Bureau of Investigation who have abducted his wife and son, to bring the members of his former gang to justice, ie. "Capture or Kill" them. Along the way he's found nearly dead and rescued by Bonnie McFarlane, a nearby ranch owner, when he goes against Bill Williamson and his newly found gang situated in Fort Mercer. Then he takes the slower way to get to him. He makes new connections, among those is the nearby town's Sheriff. Trail eventually leads him to Mexico which is on the brink of war, between revolutionaries and conservatives. You will have to make moral choices throughout, in your progress to find Dutch Van der Linde, the leader of your former gang. The story may sound as a western cliche, but it's actually a trap. It grips you and keeps you wanting more. The end is also one of a kind and you will remember it for ever. In time you may realize why the ending was inevitable. This is a very mature and realistic depiction of a southern wild west state bordering Mexico and the events taking place when a man does what needs to be done to protect his family. Story, Plot: 5/5

John meets an intriguing cast of characters along the way. Inspiration from the best American movies is clear, from John Huston's movies, to Leone's and other contemporary directors. Each character is unique, an individual, with his own problems and attitude. There's not many overly dramaticized characters. All characters are struck by the problems of the Wild West and act authentically. You can feel their burdens, or their happiness and you genuinely care. Friendly characters feel warm, enemies are hateful. Direction is top notch, rivaling the best Hollywood movies. Player dialogue is presented with multiple shots, over the shoulder, panning, close-ups, mid-shots etc depending on the occassion and player's disposition towards the other member. It never feels confusing though. The game spans three vastly different regions, 2 inspired from places in California, Arizona, Texas etc. namely "New Austin" and "West Elizabeth" and another "Nuevo Paraiso" set in a Mexican-like environment. New Austin and West Elizabeth are adjacent to each other and share a southern border with Nuevo Paraiso. The atmosphere is totally western. From wide shots of the beautiful red rising sun to bugs, insects concentrated around the night lamps. Above all, the game world is a spectacle of unparallaled beauty. Up to this day 2018 i don't think any other game has managed to achieve such a feat. From a long time western movie fan (from a family of western lovers), Rockstar has captured perfectly the atmosphere of the era. You will find yourself completely immersed into the game's story. Direction, Characters, style: 5/5

Singleplayer: You can mistake this game as a reality simulation. You control the players through a third-person perspective. Everything is smooth, transitions from combat to non-combat circumstances, from dialogue to sight-seeing. All, affluent as they are, are handled gracefully. Gameplay definitely feels close to Grand Theft Auto, which is understandable, why not adopt and expand on an already great formula. There are so many things to do in this game that i'm afraid to list them all, in fear of leaving something behind, so here goes: bounty hunting, hunting animals, skinning, economy system, trading, law-enforcement, dead-eye/slow motion system, brawling - salloon fights, treasure hunting, random strangers, steal people or stores, gambling, cinema-plays, unique challenges, a ghost town (or you can "make" a ghost town yourself by annihilating everyone in it), so many interesting side quests, multiple unscripted, randomly generated scenarios such as "help the guy's brother", rescue his wife and many more. All of them (and i'm not exaggerating) have been ideally implemented and integrated into the game as a whole extending it, never taking away. Each adds so many opportunities to an already huge sandbox. Player's deeds are measured with a karma system, that will count towards either your fame, or your notoriety. Folk will treat you differently depending on how you treat them! There are numerous weapons and some special items providing gameplay-changing options to mission approach. Multiplayer: Multiplayer portion of the game can be considered as another game entirely. It could be thought of as Red Dead Redemption Online. You create a new character out of hundreds, you choose a mount and you progress levels of experience. The entire world is your game lobby. From there you can join, or host matches, eg. Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Hold Your Own, Team Deathmatch and more. Or you can form a posse and raid gang hideouts, go hunting, partake in various interesting challenges and activities such as assault the train (unfortunately you can't perform the Great Train Robbery :D)! Extensive leaderboards allow you to compete with friends and rival enemies from all over the world. Unfortunately most of the multiplayer components of the PS3 platform have been terminated since 2015. I believe, you can still play in a private session with your friends though (as of today 9 January 2018, but i'm not sure). Almost everything that can be done in single player can also be done in the 16-player (max) multiplayer. Gameplay: 5/5

The graphics are impeccable. In the 3000 hours of gameplay (you read correctly three thousand hours) i have noticed only a tiny amount of visual glitches. However, i have to say that i didn't play the game until 6 months after release. I remember hearing that there were some issues at release time. Animations are out of this world. Horses galloping, their animations are UNBELIEVABLE. Without a doubt, the best ever seen on screen. The entire game breaks new ground in every technical field of the industry. Graphics: 5/5 - Technical masterpiece

The soundtrack is mostly inspired from early hits by Ennio Morricone's work and classic western themes. Coudln't be more fitting and story enhancing. The game has won an award for best game music. There are also some tunes similar to harmonica hisses and short western guitar riffs making an appearance every now and then. The soundtrack by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson is truly a blast. Soundtrack, Score: 5/5 - Equivalent to "Ennio Morriconne" for video games!

There's an attention to detail here that you don't normally see on video game design. The scope of this game is enormous. It was Rockstar's most ambitious attempt. Rockstar is truly able to captivate the audience. The company has been around a long time and possesses a relatively greater amount of resources than most game-dev companies, stil they have truly mastered the art of (open world) video game creation. This game killed the industry. People say that nothing is perfect. Well, believe it or not, but this game feels perfect to me. There are only a few hiccups and bugs, which are sometimes funny! There are no crashes, or game-breaking bugs (if you exclude the first couple of weeks of release). I was starstruck when i first played this game. I thought i was free-roaming the old west. The single best aspect of this game is the sheer beauty of the world. Such a big variety of animals, with working predator - prey systems enabled. Every animal is different, vastly different looks and behavior AI, from the rabbits to the cougars. All characters feel alive and every area of the game is unique, with backstories you can read on papers. The game itself is updating, responding to game events particularly the completion of critical story missions. Everything transitions so smoothly and is so enjoyable. You can start a bar fight just to have fun, ride across the beautiful countryside (something that alone is enough to keep you entertained; such is the immense beauty of this game), explore almost all interior locations, freely greet people and more. Each region and town has its own character. Inhabitants can have (slightly) different jobs and react differently to certain events. A gunslinger may choose to draw his firearm and shoot you when provoked, a woman will start screaming and a coward will start to run for his life. You will find plenty of value in the numerous dlc packs and of course the game-of-the-year-awarded dlc Undead Nightmare, which features John Marston trying to find a cure for the zombie illness that has spread throughout the American frontier. Almost anything you can and can't imagine doing in the wild west, as an outlaw or a man of the law is in this game. Entertainment, Replayability: 5/5 - Near-infinite replay value

Rating: 10+/10 - Legendary Masterpiece - My noumero 3 favorite video game of all time. Do not miss this game.

Awesome Game, I Didn't Want It To End!

[FightingWesterner · 10/10 · 22 June 2011]

Needless to say, Red Dead Redemption, with it's engaging storyline, easy controls, and attention to detail, virtually controlled my life for about a week or so (actually quite longer), compelling me to play to 100.00% completion and beyond. There's an endless amount of things to do other than the main story and side quests.

What I really liked is that it's not relentlessly hectic, like other games and that it doesn't force the player to perform minute tasks, other than the occasional lock-picking or door opening. There's a lot of time to look around, really enjoy the surroundings, and interact with simulated people.

As far as the game's climax and surprise ending goes, I alternate from feeling cheated and believing it to be probably the most brilliant ending in video game history!

The only real regret is that there isn't a two-player story mode.

Horse simulator.

[drdorian-69513 · 6/10 · 29 September 2020]

Good plot, interested world, but 80% of time you will hit one button for horse riding

The most Rockstar game to ever exist.

[cammyd-30465 · 5/10 · 23 November 2023]

Red dead redemption is a game that is unfortunately steeped in Rockstar ooey gooey gaming sauce. Everything that was bad and good in previous Rockstar games is here and present. The good aspects of this game are definitely the characters. A lot of them come off as genuine and their performances are really great, this helps to build the old west theme of the game. Speaking of the old West it has been beautifully re-created and really makes you feel like you're a cowboy seconds away from getting dysentery. John Marston himself is one of the better rockstar lead games, a good man done the wrong deal in life, forced to work for the government and hunt down his old gang members so he can save his family.

Unfortunately, red dead redemption goes down the hill in every other aspect of the game. The gunplay at best is tedious and at worst broken, I've had lots of times where I've accurately locked onto an enemy that is at best 2 cm away from me and yet still my bullets go through him or just don't fire at all. I get the guns are supposed to be in accurate due to the time. But there's really results in an unsatisfying gameplay loop of gunplay. The second biggest reason why this game doesn't work is the horse riding. Having a condition in my hands means that if I rapidly press a button, it's going to hurt, A LOT. So having to press button over and over again, just to keep the horse at an high speed is both annoying and tedious. That's not even going into how bad the steering is on a horse, I get the horses are big and bulky. They're not the cars like in grand theft auto, however, when you have to take a sharp turn or even just a small turn it results in the horse flying off and you having to stop re-correct and start over again. Imagine that for every time you have to ride off, EVERYTIME.

The AI in this game is absolutely dreadful, if they aren't breaking their pathfinding, they're dying instantly and having to restart the Checkpoint. I've had whole sequences break because the AI refuses to walk to their scripted location, meaning I had to restart the mission. Plus the AI does not ride at high-speed when you have to accompany them to a mission, it turns into this annoying pole position of going too fast, slowing down, then being too slow, and then speeding up again. It is very frustrating. And yes, you can hold the right button down to semi match their speed, but at times the AI will slow down no reason, so that means you go shooting past them.

Though the most annoying aspect of this game is Rockstar syndrome in-game character, vs cutscene character. In-game, John Marston can shoot down 100 men without a sweat breaking. But in the ending, he gets nerfed so hard. It's really immersion breaking having control taken away from you and you're told this character can't do anything but when you're in control he can do anything...

Of course, this isn't red dead's fault. This is a pattern that's been seen over a lot of rockstar games including that of San Andreas, where a characters problems can be solved in 10 seconds if the player was in control.

With all that together, red dead redemption is honestly one of the most disappointing games I've ever played. The hype people have for this game ever since it's release in 2010 has been palpable. Being praised as one of the best, single player experiences ever released. So I'm just super frustrated that is bogged down by glitches and glaring issues. There is a good game somewhere and it does shine through at times but unfortunately 95% at the time you're either having to deal with crappy combat, broken missions, or the game just breaking because it's a blue moon.

Also, why in God's name would you put the epilogue the final mission before the credits behind a side mission? You aren't told to go find this, you have to stumble upon it, it's marked on your map as a side mission, but this is the epilogue before the credits. A player could 100% miss this and just go about confused why they haven't seen the credits yet.

Sadly, Red Dead Redemption is a mediocre game at best, a slog at worst. If you adore Rockstar games, it's for you. But if you want a cowboy game that respects your time and offers a better experience, then go elsewhere.

One of the best games I have ever played....What Gun should have been

[RavenFilmsAndReviews · 21 July 2010]

Five years ago I purchased "Gun" under the confusion that I was buying the western I had seen commercials for on TV. The game I wanted was "Red Dead Revolver" which turned out to be a major disappointment. "Gun" on the other hand was immense fun and I have enjoyed it every time I have played it.

"Red Dead Redemption" is what Gun should have been and so far superior to "...Revolver". The level of detail is gargantuan (such as smoke rising from gun barrels or shadows under every character). The scenery is ridiculously gorgeous for a video game and the sheer size of the world is inconceivable. I have yet to explore even twenty percent of it.

The story is progressing slowly but it has only just begun for me.

I recommend this game to anyone with a love for action/adventure westerns and easily would get my vote as the best game of year.

One of the all time greats.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 10/10 · 15 April 2020]

'Red Dead Redemption (2010)' is still a great game. It's a sweeping odyssey, an open-world ode to the old west, that's impressive in its scale and scope to this day. It looks fantastic, clearly one of the stand-out games of its generation. There's a huge variety of locations, from dusty planes to dingy saloons, and the map spans from the US to Mexico. The world is on the cusp of modernity, something the very fibre of the land seems to be fighting against. Its touches of technology emphasise this integral narrative theme, with the town of Blackwater being the shining example of a truly 20th century city. The narrative tells the tale of an ex-outlaw forced to find and kill his old companions by the government. It's told with a mixture of satire and sincerity that allows it both to be genuinely funny - and, in plenty of cases, strange - but also genuinely affecting. The game starts out slow, with your activities limited to helping out around a ranch, but it soon picks up the pace and sets you on a real adventure filled with interesting characters, stand-out set-pieces and thematic resonance. The piece is fun to play, too. Riding around its sandbox on your horse is highly enjoyable, as is taking on bounties, clearing out gang hideouts and, if you're so inclined, clashing with the law. Its highlight feature is its 'dead eye' mechanic, which slows time to a crawl so you can take out multiple foes in the blink of an eye. This prevents the thing from playing out entirely as a cover shooter, breaking up the flow of gunfights in a satisfying way. Alongside the main game loop of exploration and combat, there are a handful of entertaining mini-games that could potentially keep you engaged for hours. The piece is still one of the best poker games I've come across. It also has a fully fledged hunting system, with animals that behave in realistic ways. There are plenty of things to do aside from the main missions, which can sometimes be slightly restrictive in that typical 'Rockstar' way. The so-called 'stranger' missions are often downright bizarre, cementing the game's tightrope-walking tone and allowing for some more straightforwardly fun moments. Even during the most comedic of moments, the near nihilism of the thing still finds a way to bitterly cut through. The game essentially portrays a world in which everyone is out for themselves. Ultimately, it does have some hope at its heart, though. The narrative really is fantastic, as thematically rich as it is straight-up entertaining. It doesn't just want to make you laugh, it wants to make you feel. It's probably the most important part of the experience, which is somewhat rare among open-world titles. Overall, this game is easily one of the best I've played. It's a masterpiece. 10/10

Aged Well

[M_Exchange · 9/10 · 6 August 2020]

I played maybe 35% of this game ten years ago. As I played it during the last week, I realized that its weaknesses then are now its strengths. Whereas I hardly cared about the characters who John Marston references constantly, now I'm infinitely familiar with them because I played Red Dead 2. Unlike the first time I played this game, I was eager to capture Javier Escuella and Bill Williamson because I knew their backstories.

Also, whereas John's story was a bit confusing during 2010 (you're trying to capture or kill two dudes who you knew to save your family...? k...) now I'm completely invested in it because you live that story in Red Dead 2. In fact, although I love prequels (I want Neil Druckmann to make a "Last of Us" prequel then close the book on that franchise), Red Dead 2 probably should have been made before this game was made.

The graphics hold up. During the first hour when I played the game I thought, "they released this one like five years ago, right?" because I finished "Fallout: New Vegas" just a couple of weeks before I played this game. Although some of the animation is slightly boxy and awkward, it's outstanding compared to "New Vegas," which was also released during 2010. In fact, New Vegas looks like it's at least ten years older than this game.

I have slight complaints about this game. There is a flaw in the poker minigame. For whatever reason, it doesn't register a 10-jack-queen-king-ace straight. The first time it happened I thought that maybe I had mistaken a ten for a nine or something (I had been drinking). The second time it happened I thought that maybe "Texas hold 'em" rules do not permit straights of that sort that aren't royal flushes. Nope. I lost an enormous sum of money both times. Also, I know that John and his wife's personalities were forged from brutal conditions during a brutal era, but I expected much more emotion during a rather poignant scene in the game. I was borderline bored when I should have been borderline emotional.

But overall it's a legendary game.

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

[ironhorse_iv · 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.

Remarkable

[bulleetz37235 · 10/10 · 8 June 2010]

Perhaps the best game I've ever played, and I'm still doing so, there's that much to do it seems I won't be through with it until the year 2020. And perhaps not then either.

Beyond that I suppose it's worth highlighting some of the features of this game that make it utterly mesmerising.

Activities you can embark upon are numerous, including: Treasure hunting, hunting (animal and bounty), cattle herding, General 'progress orientated' missions, horsebreaking, nightwatching, cinema-going, poker-blackjack-liar's dice-horseshoe throwing-horsecart racing-bird shooting Wagers. There are strangers to meet and challenges to overcome, like defeating a cougar with a knife or finding a flower of the rarest nature.

There is a story to this thing that will captivate, and although a lot of the crap they speak really seems like crap a lot of the time, it seems to portray a valid painting of the time it's based. the characters are likable (the finale will annoy, it really will, perhaps even sadden) - and th characters are far more memorable than your average game, this is a special achievement as there are so many characters to meet. Charles Kinnear springs to mind. It is utterly overwhelming that a company could fit so much on to one little disc. that is Rockstars legacy I suppose, they've been creating new worlds for a while now, but this is their pinnacle. It truly is.

So get moving.

There are classic weapons to find and clothes to wear, there are frontiers to scale and ghost towns to loot. You've got mesas and rivers and pastures and forests to explore, there are scorching deserts and snowy mountains to survive in. It's a world of immense size.

I know, it's like GTA4 all over again except with horses. But it isn't. It's a whole new thing, and better I might add. The game's taken a new direction from the bustle of a city landscape, it's gone for a specific time, it's chosen it's specific impact and goal, and delivered it finely.

This has to be a classic game on all scales, disliking it cannot be possible, there must be something in it that you like at least a little bit. And so it wins. It's seriously not possible to describe it properly, all I can suggest is getting a copy and playing it for yourself.

This game is highly recommended.

A fantastic, breathtaking and unique open world game.

[Liam3011 · 8/10 · 7 June 2013]

Wow...can I just say. I wasn't expecting this game to be that good, I prefer GTA in all fairness, but this game definitely dominates GTAIV in most of the aspects of the game. Never have I felt so free in a Rockstar game.

I can hogtie whoever the hell I want to the train tracks and watch them get hit by a train.

I can play poker or different types of gambling games on Red Dead.

There are loads of Side Missions, along with an excellent story and characters are well portrayed too. I have given this a 10 because my score is closer to a 10 than it is to a 9.

The Multiplayer is fantastic too! You can do most of the things you do in the single player, in the multiplayer with people. There are even fun game modes and gang hideouts that they have included in the multiplayer.

Rockstar, you got it right! My EXACT score: 9.6/10

One of the greatest video game experiences ever

[domester82 · 10/10 · 2 August 2011]

This is a superb game in every aspect. The presentation is fantastic, it's just like a Sergio Leone movie. The story is involving and nail biting, with some great twists and turns. The soundtrack is exceptional, and brings to mind Ennio Morricone, but with a modern twist.

The visuals are incredible, and you can spend hours just riding across the plains on your steed, looking at the gorgeous landscapes. There is a great variety of experiences contained within the game play, everything from cattle herding to poker playing, to showdowns with outlaw gangs. The game play is similar to Rockstar Games' GTA series, but I prefer the period setting and genre of this one.

This is a serious rival to a great Western movie. It's probably the closest you'll ever get to being Clint Eastwood as the Man With No Name. The attention to period detail, and the sheer love that went into this production is apparent from the get-go. If you love a great cinematic game, or are a fan of Western movies, please go and play this now. It is unmissable. You won't regret buying this.

The Best Game I Have Ever Played

[HulotderSpeiler · 10/10 · 10 August 2010]

Red Dead Redemption is far more that a great video game, it is a work of art. The enormous open world has many beautiful and fascinating areas, many of which you didn't know existed until you find yourself in the middle of them. No details were spared: you can even read the epitaphs on the gravestones, many of which mark the resting places of relatives of the colorful characters that you meet during the rich story. However, the details are not the most important factor in the beauty of the world, this title goes to the lighting of the landscapes, the pink-tinted clouds on the horizon during a sunset, and the endless stretches of plains, shadows streaming from the feet of the cacti. You find yourself in the midst of a truly beautiful world, and that world is the only permanent thing in the game.

The story is an incredibly intricate epic, in which you find yourself running into the most unusual and eccentric characters, including a grave robber and a "miracle cure" salesman. You will find yourself compromising your moral code so that you can protect your family, helping both sides, even when neither are right, and doing the bidding of those who you would much rather kill. Although this game allows more freedom than many others, you will always feel imprisoned by the forces of the government. The story is told in very cinematic cutscenes, with incredible voice acting, camera angles, facial animation, and screenplay. Although it is a gritty story, the cutscenes are peppered with amusing and subtle social satire. All of this creates a cinematic atmosphere as well as a sense of struggling against the tide; a world where there are a few good men who have there hands full fighting the evil people of the world, and are then slowly dragged down by the incoming forces of evil and government regulation. Thus, it does not come as a surprise when you find in the miscellaneous section of the newspapers (absolutly dripping with hilarious satire) that almost everyone you knew has met their ends, until you finally die yourself. The harsh reality that this game's realistic world is conveying is very simply that terrible things happen, and no matter what you do, they will continue to happen.

meaning of wild west? red dead redemption

[alirezasajjadyyy · 10/10 · 11 August 2021]

I got this game for my birthday and that night,when I started playing,I wasn't in world. I was in wild west.with cowboys,outlaws,horses,hunting,and specially,john marston. I can't say how I enjoyed it.it is indescribable.but I know something,that I never forget this game.never forget the happiness,tears,thrill...for this game.never.

Still an amazing game; but has its issues

[ultimatexstealth · 7/10 · 7 July 2016]

Pros:

Unique protagonist.

Intriguing story.

Amazing gameplay.

Great open world.

Awesome quests, tasks and unlockables.

Western setting and themes.

Realistic and has fun DLCs

Stunning soundtracks, and everything else about this game is great.

Cons:

This game is over six years old, so I assume that's why the servers have problems. During the winter, it's hard to find a well functioning session that doesn't have bugs and glitches. It can even be hard to get into a session.

Save files can be corrupted if you're not careful with what you do. I deleted the Undead Nightmare dlc to download something else, and when I came back to RDR, my multiplayer file was corrupted. Meaning my level dropped back to level one and all of my earnings were gone. That was the second time I lost my rank. The first time I think it was due to me dashboarding during a game. Me losing my rank, the second time I believe it was due to me deleting my dlc pack. It's frustrating to know that all you worked for is deleted, and you have to work up to that level again. You might be extremely frustrated if this happens to you a few times.

Overpowered buffalo rifle. In friendly free roam, a guy kept shooting my character with the buffalo rifle. I couldn't move my character, they were stuck in place until they blew up into pieces, IN FRIENDLY FREE ROAM where no one can kill any one else; or so I thought.

Lag in Outlaws to the End Co Op. I think there were lag spikes when I played with others, and sometimes they would be invisible during the winter time. This happens in multiplayer during winter. The other players would be invisible, and sometimes my character would randomly die.

Short Summary:

Being at the age it is now, Red Dead does suffer from weak servers and will lag out during the winter. But it still holds up as a great game. From story to gameplay to environments, this is still an awesome western adventure. It's still one of my favorite games. The only reason I gave RDR a seven is because of the bad lag, bugs and glitches that happen; especially during the winter. But in general, I would give it more of a nine out of ten for the things it gets right. Particularly, in single player mode. Even the multiplayer is good. It's just the lag, bugs and glitches that are the primary problems. As well as other things that knock the game down to seven such as the corrupted files.

Depressing Redemption

[ThunderKing6 · 5/10 · 17 July 2021]

It's just over serious, overrated junk literally just to waste my time. All you do is ride donkey's, kill npc's (virtual bad guys), collect things that have no value in real life that don't matter just to see a screen full of names.

Last Words: A Waste of time. 2nd Red I only lasted like 90 minutes and I never looked at the game ever again. It was so boring. Video Games should not be serious and depressing.