Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that has always known to have an edge and over the course of time, especially in the last period, has never failed to show it. Between feeling and playing, however, passes the thin line of disbelief and awareness with which we had to deal, meter by meter, mission after mission in the era of gunslingers and gangs in the Far West, freedom and of the law, on the inconsistent ethical thread between right and wrong.

The Redemption of the Wild West

Exactly like a historical novel, Rockstar’s masterpiece embodies an adventure on the past that represents the psychology of men in contact with the society that welcomed the outlaws, created them and then led them to a defeat that we know well. Despite the prequel nature of the first Red Dead Redemption, however, we will never feel betrayed by the known future in dealing with the events of the past, and every single moment of this run-up to freedom and redemption in the shoes of Arthur Morgan is a new point to start again and hope, as well as let yourself be carried away by events that are sometimes unexpected, but which at the end close the circle with extreme consistency.

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Dutch and his family

In the Dutch band, indeed, in his family, everyone has their own part with their strengths and weaknesses. They are the cause of events that are destined to happen, they are motor and reason. Through them the main characters, male and female, complete an evolution that rarely had equal in the narrative history of the video game: each intended for a unique path, albeit intertwined with those of others. Doubtfully well-spoken dialogues, according to a Western tradition always respected and punctual animations never leave room for interpretation and in the most important moments are overcome, remaining indelibly imprinted as frames in the mind of the player. Arthur becomes the means of affection or repulsion towards the other members of this family. We will be led to read according to his filters our more or less benevolent relationship with each one, also giving a conceptual sense to the presence of the possible first person: the point of view of the common destiny of the group.

Together

This is because Red Dead Redemption 2 blends gameplay and narrative beyond all expectations. There is no one without the other, there is never the feeling of even minimal separation between these two elements. And at the same time they continue without interruption for the whole duration of the main adventure, which substantially exceeds what we could find in JRPG much longer lived on paper, without considering everything else.
A slow and reasoned gameplay, sometimes heavy, full of crossings on horseback, is the result of a precise will to take the player by the bridle, stop him and let him go at the right pace: give him the opportunity to notice the infinite details with which Rockstar has decided to transform an open-world in what they call openworld 2.0, but which I would prefer to rename “living world”. The game algorithms evolve the NPCs, the vendors, the responses they give and the attitude they have towards us according to size, honor in a city, clothes and much more.

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The detail beyond thought

In order not to dwell on all the individual elements of detail that give depth to the moments in-game we list only some weight loss visible on our face if we had to eat little, beard and hair that grow day by day, the horse stained with blood that does not magically cleans, newspapers that are full of news and custom articles, paper catalogs that describe the products in detail, animations that contemplate the climb up the stairs synchronizing the leg and step and so we could go on really endlessly. On the wave of this great care, there is another myriad of details that characterizes our personalization, of clothes and hairstyle, of equipment and supply of resources, medical and food, which we need to survive.

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The barrier of realism

This search for realism rarely makes the game stumble in difficult moments and situations, but when it happens they are noticed precisely by virtue of the calm and smooth flow of what is around it; they break the magic of the moment for a moment, but are eclipsed in the magnificence of the rest. Above all at the beginning, in fact, the immoderate number of checks and their articulated mapping will make us run into gross errors, which we will avoid only after ten hours of play.

All that we can not physically take with us remains on the horse so much that before starting a mission, it is better to stop and take stock, to decide what to use in the mission.
Hunting, fishing and minigames are all necessary in Red Dead Redemption 2 because they tell the different facets of the life of the outlaw who, as he must be able to face men, must also know how to satisfy their needs and give space to their vices, more or less shared. So the band is always a solution to the various problems, and while we can only gallop in search of provisions and redeem sizes, we can also stop in the camp. In this place we can manage the finances of the group, recover the strength or simply reach the members of the team for a chat. We can also help the team recover a debt, or improve the facilities available with the money earned, honestly or not.

For a bunch of dollars

From the very beginning, the vile money will be the pivot around which our hopes of freedom revolve, and we will take every opportunity to recover as much as possible, either by taking shots at stagecoaches, running trains or abandoned houses, or by selling the stolen objects , captured horses or game skins. There is also no lack of crafting of objects and a meticulous management of our horse, which, although not necessarily the same during the course of the entire adventure, will be an indispensable travel companion and with whom we will spend a lot of time.
Our dedication to him will be rewarded with a constant improvement of statistics and new skills.

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Masters of their own destiny

Given that the story is unique and is classically divided into main missions and secondary missions, the most important aspect of all, however, is that there is never anyone to impose how to deal with the adventure or what choice to make, when to delay and when to advance, if not the narrative contingencies that naturally guide us towards the path that is most suitable for us and the most suitable for the correct fulfillment of history. Even once the mission has started, there is no natural solution for it, since sometimes we will be asked to decide how to deal with it, whether to send someone else forward in our place or take the initiative. Even it is not said that there is an interest in undertaking a storyline and a choice could make us close entire narrative arcs, with the press of a button. You can try again to play the missions to complete the dedicated challenges and thus unlock the relative medal, of gold, silver and bronze for a longevity that simply multiplies well beyond the imaginable.

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A midday of fire

There is no video game, film, Western book in which the guns do not have a fundamental role. And also Read Dead Redemption 2 is not far behind. If there must be a part of “classic” gameplay, although not as preponderant in the percentage of time you spend with the title, it must be made according to what you will find in Red Dead Redemption 2. Revolver, repeating rifles, reed striped or smooth, they are the basis for tackling the law and the rival gangs on your path. The western soul is founding, between well-designed stealth sections, even if simple, fire fights on horseback against multiple adversaries and duels slowed down with the Dead Eye. The latter is the only purely ludic element of production, which improves with the passing of experience, and brings into play the classic master stroke that only the best gunslingers are able to perform, slowing down time and increasing the lethality of the fanned with blows.

Games of looks

Despite this, the pace of the shootings is deliberately slow due to the not indifferent charging times that do not allow to waste shots. Precision becomes a priority and it is necessary to advance cover in coverage to avoid exposing ourselves to enemy fire, especially when we are faced with more enemies, also due to a cautious artificial intelligence, which is in turn covered and in any case aggressive, both in the enemies, but above all in the precious companions. We must then be careful of their weapons, both to strengthen them but also to maintain them if worn. The atmospheres are perfect for the game action, which remains firmly anchored to a realism that, net of the Dead Eye, has credible times and mechanisms, but above all of great entertainment, if understood by the player, maybe used to a frenzy that however it does not belong to Red Dead Redemption.

The myth of the Far West

If the immersion is so high, it is also due above all to a rendering of the setting that, first of all on an artistic level, then on a technical level and finally in the attention to details, is enhanced by characterization and variety. The vertical expression of the maps is a central point of the game experience especially in some sections, and also affects the fatigue of the horse, depending on its gait. The map in general, vast at the right point for the exploration on horseback, shines as it was made. It encompasses that of the previous game, extends it and manages to define both different natural settings and evolutionary cities in completely different stages.

The faint aftertaste of the past to the images is donated by a filter that opacifies the colors and reduces the contrast, in a not particularly marked but visible. They are not affected by the reds that, instead, in the sunset die only with the setting of the sun over the mountains.

The animations are made to perfection, and are so many to make us distinguish at a glance a walk from the other. Those facials are coupled with an English dubbing to say the least emotional and together they stage one of the best video game recitation of all time. The soundtrack is majestic and between pieces written specifically for certain scenes and dynamic mixes for the great rides, ready to evolve depending on the situation, you will be more than once completely immersed in the game.

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