Introduction
Target Audience
Due to the setting of Red Dead Redemption 2, the target audience is undoubtedly adults. This is because killing, drinking, smoking, and cursing are all at the forefront of the game. Even though there is no nudity in Red Dead 2, sexual acts are mentioned and eluded to throughout the entirety of the game. The game may seem to cater to men at first with the male protagonist and the violence. However, after progressing through the story many strong and important female characters emerge. For this reason, along with the detailed customization, the game clearly caters to both men and women. With respect to the types of players that play games, RDR2 covers all bases. Red Dead features an enormous map that satisfies the explorers, a deep story with plenty of violence and dramatic moments to keep the killers happy, and a plethora of missions and quests for the achievers.
Gameplay/Mechanics
Red Dead Redemption 2 has plenty of gameplay mechanics that may be considered untraditional. As the player progresses through the game they learn new mechanics that become very useful and may seem difficult to use at first. The way the game introduces these mechanics produces a shallow learning curve that keeps the player interested. Red Dead Redemption 2 uses the story to teach the basics of the mechanics, by doing this, the player doesn’t feel overwhelmed or bored while learning them. Most of the time the “tutorials” for the mechanics go unnoticed since they are written into the story which keeps the game interesting while the player learns how to play. Due to the method of progression, the game remains interesting and challenging until the end. The game is mostly skill based but randomness plays a small role in the game. It comes into play with things like the blackjack and poker mini-games and also hunting to an extent.
The main core mechanic of Red Dead are the health, stamina, and Dead Eye trackers. The health, stamina, and Dead Eye are made of two parts, the core and the outer ring. The core is the main measurement for these traits. The core diminishes over time and also if the player overuses the trait. Cores can be replenished by using consumables. For example, the health and stamina cores are generally regenerated by eating or drinking certain food or drinks. The Dead Eye core can be refilled by less healthy habits like smoking, chewing cocaine gum, or drinking alcohol. It should be noted that certain consumables may be beneficial to one core while having a negative effect on another. The outer ring of these traits regenerates over time as they are used. The use and regeneration of the outer rings are determined by the state of the player’s cores. Similar to Arthur, the horses also have stamina and health cores.
Unlike health and stamina, the Dead Eye mechanic can seem daunting at first due to its complexity. Dead Eye is when the player slows the speed of the game down in order to shoot the enemy or wildlife more accurately. Dead Eye is not available immediately but is unlocked rather quickly through progression. While using Dead Eye, the player may mark multiple targets and/or one target multiple times, however, the marks available to the player are limited by the amount of ammo in the player’s weapon(s). The player then fires his weapon once for each mark when the player exits Dead Eye. Throughout the game, Dead Eye will be upgraded to increase the total amount of time that it is active allowing the player to mark more targets more accurately.
Another mechanic that stands out is how the player travels across the map. This is mostly done by horseback riding and wagon riding. The main method of travel in Red Dead Redemption 2 is horseback riding. The player can buy horses or tame them in the wild. Every horse is different and each breed has individual traits. As the player spends more time riding his/her horse the bond between the protagonist and the horse grows which allows the player to have more control over the horse while riding. The bond with the horses is also increased by grooming the horse. This mechanic encourages the player to ride the horse more often and form a connection to that specific horse. The other prevalent travel method is by wagon. Wagons are slow and pulled by a few horses. Other methods of travel include train rides, coaches, and fast travel, all of which are instant but limited. Trains and coaches both cost money to ride, which is a big deal at the beginning of the game, and are limited to travel between specific cities, towns, or stations. Fast Travel, on the other hand, is free but also limited. A player may only fast travel from camp to designated cities that the player has previously visited. The issue with travel is this game was resolved by implementing a form of auto-riding where the player marks the desired destination and presses a sequence of buttons that allows the player’s horse or wagon to travel automatically. While in auto-ride the player must still pay attention as he/she may still be attacked by bandits or wild animals.
There are also plenty of other important gameplay features including the clothing/equipment, decision making, money, and food. The clothing and equipment play an important role because Arthur is affected by the clothing he wears. This comes into play when traveling in cold or hot regions of the map; if the player chooses to dress Arthur in short sleeves while in the colder, northern section of the map, Arthurs health and stamina cores will drain more quickly. The same goes for dressing Arthur in a heavy coat while in the hotter, southern parts of the map. Along with affecting the gameplay, clothing and equipment provide the player with a way to customize Arthur and the horse’s appearance.
Food and money are both important things in this game that the player needs to be successful. The main source of income for Arthur is missions. As the player completes main story missions and side missions Arthur is usually rewarded money. Money can also be obtained selling items found from exploring the world or hunting and selling meat and pelts. Along with the obvious uses for money like buying food, weapons, and clothing, money can also be used to upgrade Arthurs camp. By upgrading the camp, the player has access to Fast Travel and the option to buy certain goods in the camp. Food plays a slightly less important role but has its own effects on Arthur and his horse. If Arthur eats frequently he will begin to gain weight and his cores will be affected accordingly. On the other hand, if the player doesn’t feed Arthur, he will begin to lose weight and become malnourished. As stated above, eat and drinking also helps to regenerate the cores of the traits. Arthur must also feed his horse.
An underlying feature in Red Dead Redemption 2 is the decision making. The decision making in Red Dead 2 is not always obvious throughout the story. Every action that Arthur takes is tracked and effects Arthur’s Reputation. This alters the overall experience for the player. If the player chooses to play the game as an outlaw, the world will treat Arthur as such. For example, if the player robs the Bank in Strawberry, the people, and police, of Strawberry and the region around it, will remember Arthur and tend to treat him as a criminal. This can be avoided to a point by covering Arthur’s face with a mask or bandana while committing the crimes. If the player decides to play as a good Samaritan, then the people of the world will be very friendly towards Arthur. Another aspect of the game that affected by the decisions of Arthur is the ending cutscene. However, the overall ending of the game does not change.
Play Balancing/Feedback Loops
Due to the game being a single-player story, play balancing is not extremely prevalent aside from the occasional patch with updates to the prices of certain items.
Feedback loops are used mostly in the interactions between Arthur and enemies. Examples of this include committing a crime and being chased police, entering a predators territory, and being ambushed by bandits. If Arthur is seen committing a crime, a citizen will alert the police and the police will pursue Arthur until Arthur escapes or gets caught. Another use of feedback loops is when Arthur encounters a predator like mountain lions or wolves. If Arthur enters the territory of a predator, then that predator will attack Arthur and/or his horse. Bandits will set up ambushes along the roads that are initiated if Arthur rides or walks through certain areas.
Story
The main story of Red Dead Redemption 2 is broken into 6 chapters followed by 2 epilogues. Each chapter and epilogue has a fitting and occasionally foreshadowing title. The game begins with an interesting cutscene featuring a few characters from the original game. The cutscene flawlessly transitions into gameplay, this is consistent for the entirety of the game and makes the game exponentially better. As the initial cutscene ends and the player starts controlling Arthur, Chapter 1 begins. Chapter 1 starts out right in the action with Arthur and the gang on the run from the first antagonistic characters. The final chapter brings the protagonists story to a tremendous ending.
The developers of Red Dead 2 did an exceptional job writing a story that holds the player’s attention from beginning to end. The characters personalities are relatable and cause the player to build connections with them, both good and bad. The beginning of every chapter is interesting as new plot lines and mechanics become evident. Likewise, the ending of each chapter is action packed and drama filled. The conclusion of the game, being the end of Chapter 6, is a fluid mixture of action packed cutscenes and player controlled scenarios. The final cutscene that the player gets depends on the reputation that Arthur has built from his decision making throughout the game. By integrating the cutscenes into the gameplay so well, the game almost feels like an interactive movie more than a game.
The epilogues are more drawn out and contain less action at the beginning. Each epilogue is also significantly shorter than any of the chapters. The first epilogue is spent introducing the player to the new protagonist, who is also the main character of the original Red Dead Redemption, and his new life. The second epilogue is less boring and is spent settling any grudges the new character holds from the past. When the epilogues are complete, the game does not end there. There are still many side missions and achievements to complete.
Along with the main story missions, Red Dead Redemption 2 features many side missions that reward fun cosmetic items and unique weapons. The game is laid out so that the player can choose to play straight through the main story without stopping to explore and do side missions or the player can explore for hours without missing anything about the main story. After putting so many hours into the game, it is clear that the game is meant to be played at a slow pace while exploring the detailed world. If the player looks in the right places, there are plenty of easter eggs including scientific experiments, cults, aliens, and a serial killer that the player must hunt down and capture.
Another optional part of the game is hunting. Hunting is required to reach 100% overall completion but as no effect on story completion. If the player is interested in getting unique cosmetics for Arthur and the horses then they will spend plenty of time hunting. There are legendary animals that the player can track down and kill. After skinning the animal the player can use the pelts to craft clothing items that are only available with that pelt.
Conclusion
When playing this game the player will have a hard time turning the game off. The developers at Rockstar definitely took their time putting this game on the market and the time was well spent. The graphics of the game are incredible, and when combined with a huge, diverse world, it makes the game feel alive. Even with the slow methods of travel, the player will find themselves stopping often to explore a new section of the map or to talk to an interesting character. The smooth. but challenging mechanics of the game keep the player invested in getting better while the deep story keeps the player interested absorbed in the characters personalities. Even though this game does have its quirks and the very rare boring moment, it is one of the best games on the market today due to its ability to appeal to a wide range of players and the sheer amount of things to do.
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