Red Dead Redemption 2 for Xbox One

Return to the West in Rockstar’s all-time open-world masterpiece

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic open-world action-adventure game set in the Wild West. Developed by Rockstar Games  (GTA 5, L.A Noire, Bully) and serving as a prequel to the award-winning Red Dead Redemption, the game follows the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang trying to survive the changing times of the late 19th century. Considered by many as a turning point in video games as we know them, RDR 2 pushes the boundaries of interactive storytelling in one of the best gaming experiences you’ll ever find. Do you want to know how the adventures of this group of outlaws have redefined the open-world genre? This is everything you need to know about Red Dead Redemption 2 for Xbox One.

Story: Outlaws for Life

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a narrative masterpiece that holds one of the best (if not the best) examples of storytelling in a video game. Written by Dan Houser, the game puts you in the spurs of Arthur Morgan, the second in command of a group of outlaws led by Dutch Van der Linde. If you’ve played the first installment of the series, you’ll surely recognize some of the misfits in this gang. Among them you’ll find the charismatic anti-hero John Marston, the idealistic yet chaotic Dutch, strong-willed Abigail, little Jack, as well as the main antagonists of the game. While not mandatory, being familiar with the events of Red Dead Redemption will definitely make you see the story in a different light.

RDR 2 starts as the simple tale of a gang of outlaws trying to survive on the brink of modernity. Following Dutch’s lead, Arthur and the rest of his men get involved in all kinds of robberies and questionable jobs in hopes to achieve a better future. Through its long prologue you’ll be able to get to know all the members of the group, camp with them, share a drink or two and even go fishing.... The more you get to know them, the more you’ll discover their hopes, fears and dreams, making you bond and care about their future.Things won’t be easy for them though, with bounty hunters and the Pinkertons following their trail, no place is safe for Arthur’s entourage.

Handling strong themes such as the breakdown of a family, the search for identity and the pursuit for revenge, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an emotional rollercoaster that will captivate you from start to finish. Would you follow blindly the people that raised you or would you betray those you love for your own ideas of morality? The tragic misadventures of this group of rogues are definitely ones you won’t easily forget.

Map: An open-world that redefined the genre

Red Dead Redemption’s 2 setting and world building is simply outstanding. Rockstar did an amazing job recreating the Wild West in an open-world that is in constant movement and most importantly, feels alive. From the bustling towns to the vast open plains, every inch of its map is a work of art. People arguing in the streets, animals hunting for their prey, random bandits waiting for weary travelers or random executions in the town square… From minute one the game makes a strong statement: RDR 2 is a living and breathing world that doesn’t revolve around Arthur.

One of the best examples of this is found in a curiously worried Englishman looking for someone called Gavin. You’ll meet this gentleman several times around the map and each time you see him, he’ll be more perturbed, to the point of just being a shadow of what he looked like in your first encounter. Aiding this strange man is not a quest but if you’re curious enough you can explore the map to find out what happened to his mate. To this day, people still speculate what happened to Gavin… and while investigating Gavin’s fate won't grant you a cutscene, object or money, uncovering the lore and detail of this world is its very own reward.

Considered as one of the biggest and most complex open-worlds ever created (it measures around 75 square miles), Red Dead Redemption 2 is a generation-defining game that, years after its release, still hasn’t been surpassed by any other title.

Gameplay: Become a member of the Van der Linde gang

Red Dead Redemption II offers a unique blend of immersive game mechanics that make you feel like you’re in the shoes of Arthur at all times. Following the trail of other Rockstar games, missions are extremely varied and you’ll hardly find one similar to another. You’ll have to sneak into different locations, survive shootouts, rescue characters in need, steal objects or duel enemies at sundown. But that’s not all, the game also gives us a ridiculous amount of gameplay options with absolute freedom to explore and complete these missions however we like.

Firearms play a central role in Red Dead Redemption 2’s combat system, for that reason the game boasts a wide range of revolvers, shotguns and explosives. All of these are unique and extremely customizable, letting you personalize every single aspect of the weapon to make it yours. Gunfights are intense and to survive you’ll need a combination of accuracy, timing and tactical decision making. The iconic Dead Eye system is also back, slowing down the camera so we can target several enemies or make sure we can survive a duel. If you don’t have a good aim but you still want to enjoy the game, fret not... RDR 2 also offers an Assisted-Aim mode that will automatically target enemies, simplifying and making its combat accessible to all kinds of players.

While going on long rides across the country you’ll be able to explore, hunt, fish, do some bounty hunting, play poker or plan your own heists. Camping with the Van der Linde gang is also one of the key features of the game, letting you know the personal struggles, hopes, dreams and relationships of all their members. You’ll also be able to craft all kinds of objects, keep Arthur well groomed or even brew some tea. And while these sequences can be considered a bit of a routine, they are so well done that it’s impossible to get enough of them.

Last but not least we need to talk about the horses of RDR2. At first you might think these are a simple means of transportation just like the vehicles from the GTA series. However, horses are much more than a way to travel faster around the map: they’ll become your trusty game companions. Through Arthur’s adventures you’ll have to take care of your steed by brushing, cleaning, petting and feeding it. The more you keep your horse happy, the more its abilities will increase, making it harder to get spooked in a battle or during a lightning storm. While there are hundreds of mounts to buy in the stables or tame in the wild, you’ll feel such a connection with your horse that you may find yourself sticking to one specific steed for the rest of the game.

Graphics and Sound: The best looking game on the Xbox One

Red Dead Redemption 2 looks stunning on the Xbox One. Its breathtaking visuals look as amazing nowadays as they did on its release day. In fact, they even look better than many current releases on the Xbox Series X/S. From the sun-drenched plains to the snow-covered mountains, every frame of Arthur’s tale could be considered a work of art of its own. Its photo-realistic graphics and character models have such an impressive attention to detail that it’s hard to tell if a shot from the game is real or not. For that reason, the game is considered one of the best looking games ever released on any platform.

The games’ 

soundtrack 

also deserves a special mention. Seamlessly integrating its music with the gameplay, Red Dead Redemption II dynamically adapts all of its tracks with Arthur’s actions, immersing us even more in the game’s world. Composed by Woody Jackson, the game’s score mixes haunting melodies with orchestral arrangements as well as adrenaline pumping tracks and some amazing songs performed by renowned artists such as Willie Nelson, D’Angelo and Rhiannon Giddens among others.

Multiplayer: Red Dead Online

RDR 2 includes Red Dead Online, a free multiplayer game in which you can join an online community and explore Blackwater with your friends. While the game offers several activities, such as story missions and competitive multiplayer modes, its best feature is its Frontier Pursuits system. This will let you choose from several roles such as Bounty Hunter, Trader or Collector, each of them offering unique gameplay mechanics, missions, and rewards.While not as successful as GTA Online, Red Dead Online is an interesting mode that will certainly please fans from the series.

Do I need to play RDR before RDR2?

No, you do not need to play Red Dead Redemption before Red Dead Redemption 2. Serving as a prequel, all events lived by Arthur and the Van der Linde gang are only setting the background to Marston’s adventure in the first game. However, we highly recommend that you play them in order of release so that RDR 2’s story and character development is more meaningful, especially its epilogue. 

Rockstar’s magnum opus

Red Dead Redemption 2 can only be described as  one of the greatest games of the modern age. Rockstar Games managed to create a compelling open-world that is unparalleled to anything else released so far. Its immersive gameplay, stunning graphics and compelling narrative raises the bar for sandbox games, becoming a milestone of its genre. If you own an Xbox One, this is the game you should be playing right now.