Summary
- Red Dead Redemption 2 is an immersive, open-world game with mesmerizing graphics and a ruthless depiction of the Old West.
- Be prepared to spend over 50-60 hours to complete the game without optional storylines, with 120+ hours required for 100% completion.
- Don't miss out on optional side quests and activities, as they provide additional context and depth to the game's story and characters.
By now, it's obvious that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive open-world game, and it's more than just "Grand Theft Auto with a horse." Although many players have complained about how slow it takes to travel from one place to another with a horse, the game's graphics are purely mesmerizing, and it captures the Old West's ruthless world.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 needs more than 50-60 hours to beat without completing the optional storylines, with players taking more than 120 hours to reach 100% completion. However, many casual players tend to miss certain RDR2 side quests and activities, so it's important to know where to go to complete optional activities in the game.
Updated on February 2, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Many side quests in Red Dead Redemption 2 are pretty easy to find, but the same can't be said for others. Some side quests can be a pain to uncover, making it important for players to explore the map thoroughly and listen attentively to any conversations happening in the distance. This can help them find certain activities and missions that wouldn't be possible to complete otherwise, which is particularly useful for those who want to discover as many things as possible in their Red Dead Redemption 2 playthrough.
18 Rob A Stagecoach With Bill
Go With Bill And Tilly To Get Some Quick Cash
- Location: Clemens Point
- Quest Giver: Bill Williamson
There are times when players have the opportunity to interact with members of the camp and go on interesting adventures with them. Such is the case when players get the chance to rob a stagecoach with Bill Williamson, roping in Tilly along the way.
It's a simple quest with a few interesting moments of banter here and there. Moments like these add more context to the events of the first game and why the deaths John Marston had to orchestrate were pretty tragic in their way.
17 Playing Dominoes With Tilly
A Simple Game Played With One Of The Camp Members
- Location: Clemens Point
- Quest Giver: Tilly Jackson
Dominoes is a fairly simple, luck-based minigame players can check out in Red Dead Redemption 2. While it can be frustrating if the stars don't align with the player, it's still a decent way to pass the time for those who want to relax after a few intense missions.
Tilly is an interesting character with whom players can enjoy an interesting game of dominoes, ending with Tilly asking Arthur to get a necklace for her. It's a simple and nice way to build up her character, no matter how minor the exchange may be.
16 A House Under Construction
A Simple Side Story That Progresses Throughout The Game
- Location: Castor's Ridge
- Quest Giver: Curtis and his family
Players who head south from the town of Valentine will find themselves in Castor's Ridge, one of the many breathtaking locations in Red Dead Redemption 2. This area houses a series of events that players can take an active role in if they come to this place multiple times throughout their adventure.
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A family is seen building a house here, with Arthur being able to come back later on to help them deal with a group of bandits who've opened fire on them. Another visit will lead to the revelation that the people here don't have the money to fund additional construction, and Arthur can choose to help them out with a small donation of a hundred dollars. However, the final visit reveals that the family eventually sold this land off to a group of farmers, giving Arthur his money back along with an extra fifty for his efforts.
15 Arthur's Violation
Not For The Faint Of Heart
- Location: A lonesome cabin in Lemoyne
- Quest Giver: A disturbed individual
There are many random events that Arthur can discover as he explores the world of Red Dead Redemption 2. However, there's one particular encounter that most players are better off not experiencing, especially given how disturbing the contents of this unfortunate abduction are. This particular event takes place in Lemoyne in an isolated cabin that houses a pretty disturbing individual.
Arthur is initially taken in by this man's friendly approach and even decides to enter the cabin to partake in a meal this man offers. However, this turns out to be a massive mistake, with the man knocking Arthur out before performing some highly unpleasant acts. After this unfortunate encounter, Arthur wakes up in the middle of nowhere and can decide to go back to the location and get his revenge on this sick, demented man.
14 The Events At The Lumberjack Camp
Help Out The People In This Camp At Regular Intervals
- Location: Appleseed Timber
- Quest Giver: Members of the Appleseed Timber Company
If players head northeast of Strawberry, they'll find themselves in a lumberjack camp that is full of many interesting characters. Players can initially sell some of their supplies at a premium here if they're strapped for cash. A visit later on will feature an event where a lumberjack gets trapped under the trunk of a tree, prompting Arthur and the other members of the camp to go and help free him.
After going to visit the camp again, Arthur finds out that the lumberjacks are being hounded by a pack of wolves who are irritating them every step of the way. As always, players who want to play the role of the good Samaritan can go and kill these animals, allowing the lumberjacks to resume their work without worrying about being hunted down.
13 Help Two Escaped Convicts
A Funny Criminal Duo Who Add To The Game's Hilarity
- Location: Southern Rhodes
- Quest Giver: Sampson Black and Wendell White
Players who are looking for something a bit comedic and heartwarming should seek out two escaped convicts just outside Rhodes in the woods near the train tracks. "The Ties That Bind Us" is a three-part quest where Arthur (or John) can encounter the duo multiple times, helping them to avoid recapture (or turning them back in for the bounty money if they see fit). The duo is rather funny to watch, initially hating on one another quite a bit, but it soon becomes apparent to the player that they're pretty reliant on each other for survival.
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This quest may not offer the best rewards or anything out of the ordinary, but it's a great side mission for those who are looking to immerse themselves more into the world of Red Dead Redemption 2.
12 Help Solve A Love Triangle
A Hilarious Tale Of Two Lovers Taking Jabs At Each Other To Earn The Love Of A Woman
- Location: Valentine
- Quest Giver: Proetus and Acrisius
"Oh, Brother" is easily one of the most hilarious and entertaining quests found throughout the wide world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Players will encounter a twin duo in Valentine near the store after completing Chapter 3 and beginning Chapter 4. It's easy to miss this quest as the NPCs simply look like two young men arguing with one another. Players will need to head nearby to initiate the questline, which spans multiple encounters with the twins.
Players will find themselves embroiled in a love triangle, something Arthur usually wouldn't find himself partaking in. The writing for this particular mission is particularly biting, with the twins vying for the attention of a woman by calling each other some pretty despicable (and downright comical) names. It's one of the funniest experiences in the game, and players should see it unfold at least once.
11 Re-Enact Frankenstein With A Twist
A Mad Scientist Who Creates A Robot
- Location: Western Saint Denis
- Quest Giver: Marko Dragic
One of the coolest and most often-overlooked missions is "A Bright Bouncing Boy," which can be started once players reach Saint Denis. There, just north of the Horse Stable on the edge of town, players will encounter a man named Marko Dragic. The inventor is being called a fraud by some strangers and enlists Arthur's help to prove them wrong, roping players into a fun mini-game where they must pilot a remote-controlled boat.
While many players will find this mission, the next couple of times Marko is encountered, he is located high up in the mountains, almost on the edge of the map. Players who don't venture this far to check out the awaiting question mark will miss out on one of the strangest and most electrifying missions in the game.
10 Find Dinosaur Bones
Finding Thirty Of These Bones Can Be Quite A Chore
- Location: New Hanover
- Quest Giver: Deborah MacGuiness
'A Test of Faith' is a Stranger mission where players encounter Deborah MacGuinness, an amateur paleontologist, in The Heartlands, New Hanover. She'll ask players to mail the coordinates of 30 dinosaur bones they come across for a cash reward in return.
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It's understandable if some players tend to skip this mission since it's too much hassle for a very minimal reward. Lucky for every completionist out there, simplified guides and shortcuts for finding these dinosaur bones are all over the internet now.
9 Collect Wild West Pokemon Cards
A Whopping 144 Cards Need To Be Found
- Location: Outside Flatneck Station
- Quest Giver: Phineas T. Ramsbottom
If players fancy collecting the Pokemon Cards' of the Old West, then 'Smoking and Other Hobbies' is something to consider. In this mission, players are required to collect up to 12 Cigarette Card Sets, and each set contains 12 cards. That means, 144 unique cards have to be obtained, ranging from the Prominent Americans Card Set to the Horses Cards Set.
It's no wonder why so many players skip this part. The easiest way to complete this quest is to upgrade the player's satchel, maximize the Honor bar, and buy premium cigarettes (preferably in Saint Denis). It's time-consuming, but it's nice to see a complete set in the protagonist's possession.