Red Dead Redemption Review

"It's either me or you. And the way I see it, it might as well be you." - John Marston

I finished playing the story mode of Red Dead Redemption awhile ago. I figured it's about time I got around to reviewing this game, the first really good one I've come across in a long time.

STORY:
Rather than the acid mixed with revenge genres of western the game's predecessor Red Dead Revolver had, Redemption has a bit more of an Unforgiven tone to it. Set in 1911, the wild west is ending, but many of the gunfighters of that age are still alive. John Marston was happy to leave his bad past behind him and settle down with his family on a farm, until federal agents threaten his family's lives unless he hunts down the destructive members of his old gang. After this you trek across the open and treacherous deserts and plains of America on horseback looking for the bad guys. Maybe after catching or killing them, John can finally find his peace and earn his redemption. The story is full of good dialogue, bizarre or cool characters, and situations patterened off of the best parts of the greatest of westerns. If only more games could have stories this good.

BASICS:
Redemption has a sandbox setting very reminiscent to Grand Theft Auto. The game is practically GTA in the Old West, except not as vulgar and more fun. GTA always had a little too much ambition. There was too much stuff to do that distracted you from the main plot. RDR does have stuff like that but the extra stuff is often miniscule and not that difficult and it most importantly is not all just random stuff that doesn't tie in to the main story. It'll be hard to distract yourself from the main story anyway, because the main story is just so much fun. It is not always an extremely easy game like ones I've come across before but if one devotes their time to it the story mode can be over quickly. Even then there is still plenty of trouble you can get into. There is a constantly shifting weather pattern very similar to real life, with beautiful sunsets and dark, heavy storms and the blistering bright blue skies. It is a visual delight more than anything. But gameplay is basic point and shoot, you should have all of the button systems memorized in about a minute. Otherwise this is a very fun game that is very easy to get the hang of.

TOOLS:
Obviously you can't go in expecting some kind of Toruk type of arsenal. You get as many weapons that were prominant in the American West in that period. You will have a series of revolvers (six shooters or otherwise), a few semi-automatic pistols, rifles (repeating, scoped, or bolt action), and shotguns (double barrels, pump action, or automatic). A knife and your own fists are standard if you are looking to dish out some quieter damage. There are special items you can pick up along the way: molotov cocktails, sticks of dynamite, and throwing daggers. Occasionally you can get a hold of a monstrous gatling gun to wipe out some of the larger groups of villains. A lasso can be obtained to wrangle up an escaping target, or to catch a wild horse.

ENEMIES:
Though anyone with a gun is a potential enemy, I would try not to kill any random person unless they are trying to kill you or someone else. On the missions you take you come across a whole gallery of gunfighters, Native American renegades, and crazed lunatics. If you commit a crime, be it stealing a horse or attacking a bystander, local police will be gunning for you immediately or eventually. Thankfully in this game you have the option to give up if you stand still and unarmed for them to see, although they can kill you before you get a chance. If you cause too much trouble a posse of US Marshalls will be hunting you. You can come across a series of disturbed individuals who terrorize the innocent or a cocky duellists, but whether to face them or not is by choice. The majority of your enemies are just men with guns so they can be killed with one or two shots, but being that you are also a man with a gun you can die just as easily. The ones you really have to watch out for are the animals. Most animals are pure game that you can hunt and skin for profit, but others are very deadly. More often than not you will be attacked by wolf or coyote packs or step on a snake here and there, but what you really have to watch out for are the big ones. It is crazy how often you can be pounced by a mountain lion or trampled by a boar, but the worst is when you get mauled by a bear. You can find most of the really bad animals in the woodland and mountainous areas, that's where you will have the most trouble. Nature can be a bitch. But remember you've got plenty of guns to deal with these problems.

GRAPHICS:
The graphics for RDR deserve the most praise. This is really the most beautiful looking game I've seen. There is such attention to detail with the landscapes and terrain. It is amazing just to go riding out on horseback. I've already mentioned the everchanging weather and skylines, which just sweetens the pot. Character designs are also very well done. A lot of games rarely have the character's facial movements sync up with what their saying, but this one does it perfectly. It is just top notch.

OVERALL:
Red Dead Redemption is a fun and exciting third-person action-adventure. It is the best free roaming game I've played. It has surpassed Red Dead Revolver in every way, and I loved Red Dead Revolver. Redemption has a story and a character that are both interesting and fun to play around. You won't be disappointed once you've beaten the story mode, because there's still plenty to do. Gameplay is fast paced and enjoyable. The graphics beautiful and extremely well detailed. It delivers on everything I hoped for when I bought. It is a fun, deep, gung ho, cool as hell western. Let me remind you that I said this game is better than Grand Theft Auto. If this sounds like your type of game, then by all means, totally buy it.

This has been a review of one badass video game by Your Modest Guru. Thanks for reading.