Summary
- Red Dead Redemption series excels in storytelling, characters, and world-building over combat mechanics.
- Combat in Red Dead Redemption 2 serves to challenge players, not define the game's identity like in other franchises.
- Red Dead Redemption 3 similarly doesn't have to concentrate on combat in order to succeed.
Red Dead Redemption is one of gaming's most revered names, as the 2018 sequel has cemented its place at the top of the pile of cinematic, AAA offerings. Red Dead Redemption 2 gave players a glimpse into Arthur Morgan's tragic life, and with it an incredibly memorable account of the twilight years of the Wild West. In presentation alone, the sequel was a huge step-up from the 2010 original, so when the third game inevitably comes around, it's likely that fans will have high expectations.
There are only a few shortcomings that players often agree on with Red Dead Redemption at large. Combat is perhaps chief among them, largely paling in comparison to other third-person franchises that clearly prioritize combat higher than developer Rockstar Games does. However, while this is something that can be tweaked with Red Dead Redemption 3, it doesn't have to be renovated from the ground up, as Red Dead Redemption is about far more than just the gunfights.
Red Dead Redemption 3’s Protagonist Following in Trelawny’s Footsteps Would Be a Welcome Change of Pace
If Red Dead Redemption 3 does eventually come to fruition, it could benefit from taking a different direction with its protagonist.
Combat isn't the Star of Red Dead Redemption, and Doesn't Need to Be
Red Dead Redemption is a series that prioritizes strong writing, memorable characters, and intricate world building, using all the components to build an experience that almost transcends the gaming medium with regard to its level of immersion. It's a series that is the pinnacle of the western genre as a whole, and has received critical acclaim precisely because of its attention to detail and high amount of polish.
There are over 50 usable weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Combat in Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like a necessary inclusion, but only really serves to tick a box and pose at least some kind of challenge to players to keep them coming back. It's not a vital part of its identity, as is the case with the likes of Gears of War or Elden Ring. Even Grand Theft Auto 5 knew that combat wasn't that important as that game introduced a mechanic that lets players skip an encounter if they fail it enough times. Red Dead Redemption 3 can absolutely make some improvements to combat, but the philosophy of the second game shouldn't be altered, as it did enough to push the story forward, and elevate the other, more important elements of Arthur Morgan's wonderful story.
Red Dead Redemption 2's Combat Wasn't a Major Issue
Even though this is the case, it would still be a stretch to call Red Dead Redemption 2's combat outright bad. It's slower than most, and doesn't require much in the way of strategy, but it conforms to some traditional ideas to make it feel comfortable. It's not unlike how Grand Theft Auto 5 or Max Payne 3 did things, and so it makes sense for Red Dead Redemption 3 to do something similar, as it wasn't really broken to begin with; rather, it was just a little slower and less hectic than other offerings.
More Complex Combat Could Change Red Dead Redemption 3's Identity
Red Dead Redemption 2 was a title to be immersed in, not to be played with any kind of skill. It's not the type of shooter that requires twitchy aiming and elaborate flanking patterns to get through the encounters, and if the combat is changed to be more immediately satisfying to players, it runs the risk of affecting Red Dead Redemption's core identity.
Red Dead Redemption 2 being a slower-paced affair meant it really felt like a breath of fresh air, but with the familiar dead-eye mechanic as well as its conventional weapon wheel, it didn't feel completely different to what is expected of third-person shooters. It's okay for Red Dead Redemption's combat to prioritize cinematic moments and presentation, as there are a barrage of titles that are trying to present more of a challenge. It makes Rockstar Games' offering special.
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RAGE
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- How Long To Beat
- 50 Hours
- Metascore
- 97
