Red Dead Redemption hit the shelves last week, but it didn’t stay there long. As the latest release from Rockstar it joined the illustrious ranks of their top sellers as a day one hit, proving wrong all of the critics (well hello there, Michael Pachter) who said that a video game western just wouldn’t fly. I’m thrilled that gamers have given it a chance, because it’s absolutely worth every penny you’ll pay for it.
Personally, I’m a sucker for westerns. I love The Dollars Trilogy; I can see them on my shelf from where I sit. I absolutely adored the first Red Dead game, Red Dead Revolver. I’m one of the few out there who enjoyed the last-gen/next-gen bridge title of Gun for its stellar cast, great gameplay, and nuanced plot. I’m actually one of the few that enjoyed it at all, but that’s to the detriment of all of you out there that haven’t. (Seriously, you put Kris Kristofferson, Lance Henrikson, and Brad Dourif in a single game? Are you MAD?!)
Lately I’ve been digging into the delicious downloadable game Lead and Gold on the PlayStation Network, whetting my appetite for more Old West™ action. Red Dead Redemption arrived just in time.
Plot
In RDR you play John Marston, a man taken in by the US Government for crimes committed long ago as part of a gang. John had moved on with his life, marrying the workin’ girl he loved, and raising a son. The G-men strong-arm John into working for them by holding his family hostage. The aim him like a gun at his former gang-mates, demanding that he kill them or bring them in if he ever wants to see his family alive again. He corners Bill Williamson, and in attempting to take him down is shot–almost fatally–and thus Red Dead Redemption begins.
The story of RDR is fantastic, drawing on the very best that Rockstar has every produced with charming characters, tense situations, and a healthy dose of humour. While I enjoyed GTA IV, I didn’t believe it ever lived up to its potential; Nico Bellic’s life seemed almost too alien to me, without a point of reference that I could associate with. John Marston, in turn, makes many of the same decisions I would, even when I’m not in control of him. Following him on his adventure was a pleasure from start to finish. I really cared about many of the characters, to the point where some events had me casting off my methodical gameplay approach and barreling into danger to rescue them. Keep an eye out for the fast-talking “Doctor” selling patent medicines, he may be one of the most charming characters I’ve ever encountered in a game.
I won’t spoil anything here, but I will say I found the game’s conclusion to be shocking and satisfying. Play it through, it’s worth it. Incidentally, it’s not over until you see credits roll. Remember that.
Visuals and Sounds
Rockstar’s proprietary software engines, RAGE and Euphoria, have been refined through the development of GTA IV and its expansions–and that’s a very good thing. The western world presented by RDR is absolutely alive, as are those who inhabit it. It’s a believeable, breathing place, and it feels good simply to ride around on horse-back.
Visually, it’s beautiful. It’s not perfect, there’s plenty of clipping and bizarre visual bugs. If played for many hours at a single stretch the world starts to fall apart at the seams (quick fix: take a break, already, and give both your PlayStation and your body a rest!) It’s still beautiful, though, with frontier towns, Mexican forts, and the stunning representation of Rockstar’s take on nature. It plays at 720p on Xbox 360 and 640p on PlayStation 3, but the difference is negligible.
Auditorily the game delivers. The dialog is brilliant, and the sound effects are spot on. You’ll be able to tell when your horse is winded by listening to how it sounds. You can count the gunshots as the ring out to know when your foes are going to reload. You can hear the scream of a cougar coming from your rear surround channels just before your screen turns black and reads DEAD (this will happen. A lot. I mean… a lot.)
I really love the proximity sound for voices in multiplayer. Sneaking up on someone and hearing them talk to their posse just before ending them is phenomenal. Positional sound is also tremendously important online; hearing where those shots are coming from is crucial to ensuring that you don’t bite a bullet.
The music was well chosen; the ambient music rises with the action and really is fulfilling (your first ride through Mexico is an epic thing you never forget) and the vocal tracks are appropriately and nearly heart-breakingly placed.
Gameplay
RDR is good. Very good. It has earned the reputation it sports on meta-critic. There’s just so much to do here, that even though the game isn’t perfect in one aspect, it out-plays entire genres for what can be done within.
The gun combat is tight, and progresses so naturally that by the end of the game where the training wheels are off (set your targeting to expert for a real challenge) you’ll find that you’ve earned your six shooter. Combat can be a bit wonky up close; fist fighting and knife fighting aren’t really that fun, but they’re optional methods for play, so you can refine your skill at them at will.
Riding is perfect. Just… perfect. Sailing through the brush on a golden steed as the sun sets is, to borrow a term from Steve Jobs, magical. Fleeing from gangs with their leader tied up on the back of your horse, or driving a wagon full of dynamite into a fort all feel incredibly natural. It’s an amazing representation of equestrianism and I am so pleased that Rockstar got it right.
When I said there’s a ton to do, I didn’t lie. The main quest features a somewhat non-linear structure, letting you take missions in the order you choose. Side quests – known as “Stranger” missions let you explore the world by performing tasks for others. Aside from that you can duel, hunt the wild game of RDR, pick herbs, search for buried treasure, play Poker, Liar’s Dice, BlackJack, and Horseshoes… and you can even get into some graphic finger multilation if you’re clumsy with the fan favourite of Five Finger Fillet. You’ll encounter random holdups, defend towns on night watch, and you can (should you wish) rob stagecoachs and crack safes in banks across the game world. There are plenty of unlocks to discover, and you can even engage in extra challenges put forth by Rockstar in the Social Club part of the menu. I managed to beat Solomon’s Folly in 3:45 and scored all three medals in one go – can you?
Multiplayer
The multiplayer has been accused of being a soulless representation of the single player game, and at first it can appear to be so. The Free Roam world removes much of what makes the single player game great; the trains are gone, you can’t play any of the mini-games (poker with friends would have been fantastic), and the shops are shut with no NPCs to sell you anything. In its place are several multiplayer gametypes and a free world where you can pursue other players, rack up bounties, or join a posse to take down gang hideouts. I rolled with a rag-tag team of Brits, Americans, and two guys from Quebec, and there was no escape from our posse. Our name? The Magnificent Seven.
Multiplayer is only going to get better; in June of 2010 (so… shortly, then) Rockstar will be adding co-operative missions for online play. The price? If you guessed $14.99 then you guess wrong, MW2 is that-a way. Rockstar is releasing the co-operative multiplayer pack FOR FREE. That’s positively awesome and a great way to give back to the fans. If the multiplayer evolves further by adding in the trains and minigames I’ll go as far as to buy a second copy. Seriously.
Conclusion
The great thing about Red Dead Redemption is that it’s one of those games–the ones that you have to own, a big deal in its own right. Unlike many of those games, however, you won’t be beating this one in six hours, nor will you feel like you’ve wasted your money. If you own a PS3 or an Xbox 360, you need to get Red Dead Redemption.
If you’re playing on PS3, look me up. I’m rogerwilco on PSN, and I’ll be donning my cowboy hat again right about… now.
