"I understand...that you can't be a bad man and expect good things to happen to you"
~Arthur Morgan
It's been a while since a good game has hit the market. I have to say men lie, women lie, but numbers don't! Red Dead Redemption 2 has came to the for front and quickly became the fastest selling game of all time, but is it all hype or a quality game worth investing time and money in?
I have to admit, I was skeptical of the idea of a prequel to Red Dead Redemption. I was a little upset with the ending to Red Dead Redemption 1, so I guess with John Marston being murdered by cops he trusted and help, there really was no where for the story to develop. That being said, we turn clock back and learn more about John Marston's past life as a member of Dutch's gang.
Instead of playing as John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 1, we play as Arthur Morgan. Arthur is the number two leader of Dutch's gang and mentor to John. Arthur is a pure gangster that kicks ass and takes names, and that's where Red Dead Redemption 2 separates itself from the original RDR. The story begins with the entire gang being on the run from a failed robbery. You're wanted in every territory, and you're broke. Your goal for the game is to earn money to feed your family by any means necessary, even if that means robbing, stealing, killing, and setting the world on fire.
Features
I hate to crown the game before the year is over, but Red Dead Redemption 2 is the best game of the 2018 year. There are so many themes going on in RDR2 that I cannot cover it all, and I encourage you to play it. The game covers women's suffrage, native american great migration, KKK, interracial marriage, bootlegging, poker, fishing, sailing boats, racing, robbing stores and people, legendary creature hunting, hunting to feed the camp, loan shark, racketeering, and a moral compass that determines much more. I feel like there is over 200 hours of content that you can get into that's not part of the main storyline.
Moral Compass
Just like in RDR, a moral compass is used to guide you decisions and outcomes. Arthur can choose to help or hurt people, and those decisions will determine your opportunities, gifts and prices that must be paid. I found RDR2 more rewarding for helping people than in RDR. In RDR, you did good deeds and it was just something you choose to do no rewards. In RDR2, good deeds build your reputation, and your reputation help give you discounts or escalated prices. If you play the game as a good man, then you get rich quick and people remember your deeds than give you gifts like free items of your choice from stores. On the opposite side of the coin, if you make evil choices and do bad deeds then you will pay the price for it. If you make too many bad choices, then people will not help you in missions, prices will be higher or people refuse to serve you at their business, and eventually Dutch will kick you out the gang b/c you're too much of problem.
Story
I felt RDR2 has then best prequel story ever told. I was familiar with Dutch and John Marston from RD2, but I was not familiar with the rest of the gang. We get to meet about 12+ members of Dutch's gang with different stories, abilities, and hustle. Some gang members hustle is tracking, hunting, and selling animal pelts. Some gang members hustle is prostitution. Some gang members hustle is loaning money to poor people and charging outrageous interest rates they cannot pay back. Some gang members hustle is serving as leaders of the church and milking the congregation for all the money they have. In the story, Dutch brings all the hustlers together regardless of race, age or gender to form a gang that is like a mix family.
Dutch is the leader of the gang, but he has a few moments where he goes crazy and he unstable. When that happens, Arthur serves as the pillar of stability and leader that keeps the gang alive and functioning. Arthur has learned many hard lessons in life, and he has enough life experience to respect others and be an authority that others respect. When times get tough, all gang members and townfolks you meet will seek out Arthur's help and you get to go an adventure that Rock Star games has never given gamers before.
Two playable characters
Just like in RDR1, something tragic happens and a second character finishes the game to get the true physical redemption, for the main character getting screwed over. I won't spoil it, but I will say that Arthur dies and you finish the game with John Marston. Arthur's end is based on your choices in the game. I love the character development of Arthur Morgan and the back story we learn the John Marston was always the straight edge man we remember RDR1. It's almost comical how we see John is a coward that resents his family, obligations, and life. John is mentored by Arthur, and we learn the man John is in RDR1 is owed to Arthur's help. I have never seen writing like this before, and I just have to say you are in for an new and welcomed experience.
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