We often use game anniversaries as a chance to look back at some of our favourite Xbox titles over the years, and we must admit, this one has definitely snuck up on us a bit. Yep, it's been a whole five years, half a decade, since Rockstar unleashed Red Dead Redemption 2 onto our gaming screens - and to be honest we've rarely been this impressed with a game world since.
That's the true shining light of RDR 2 - its open world depiction of the American West. The world of Red Dead 2 really does feel like a living, breathing thing - and despite some complaints about the pace of the game's story, we've always loved getting lost in the rolling green hills and snowy mountains of Rockstar's Wild West sequel.
The characters in Red Dead 2 are just so memorable as well. This gang of ragtag cowboys took us on one hell of a journey back in October 2018, and all of the game's memorable missions, setpiece moments, twists and turns still stick with us today. The series has been thrown back into the limelight as of late with a new version of the original Red Dead Redemption, but for our money, the sequel is a much more impressive experience all round.
The game's length has perhaps prevented us from fully revisiting the campaign over the years (this writer has only completed one full play through of the game, back on release), but it's been a mainstay on our Xbox hard drives since thanks to its incredibly inviting open world. We love a good mosey around the busy streets of Saint Denis or the quiet town of Strawberry - soaking in the atmosphere of what may well be Rockstar's crowning achievement.
GTA 6 may be in the pipeline over at developer Rockstar, but Red Dead Redemption 2 is going to take some beating as Rockstar's most engrossing open world. For now, let's reminisce about one of the finest open world games ever to grace Xbox. Happy Birthday Red Dead 2 - you deserve a big ol' glass of whiskey from down the local saloon!
What's your fondest memory of Red Dead Redemption 2? Tell us your best Wild West stories down below.
Comments 13
Do you all remember how Rockstar used to churn out high quality games nonstop? GTA 3 was followed by Vice City a year later and San Andreas two years after that. We had Bully, GTA 4, RDR 1, and LA Noire all released within 5 years of each other. GTA 5 was two years later… then RDR 2 took five long years and now… five years later, we don’t even know when the next Rockstar game will come out. I get that it takes longer to make games now, but their pacing in releases used to feel supernatural in quality and quantity. They were perhaps the most reliable developer in gaming for a period and now all we see are the tumbleweeds of the past. Lol. I hate to complain, but I wish we knew that Rockstar hadn’t just devolved artistically into a GAAS developer for GTA Online.
I say this as someone that cried in RDR2 when Arthur was talking to the nun. Man, we need more gaming moments like that.
Best Rockstar story, though at least 20% too long. Wonderful visuals, but the gameplay left a lot to be desired, handled like a truck.
EDIT: @somnambulance spot on sadly
sorry but the first one was a better game
I lost interest after the initial tutorial missions. I really should revisit the game someday. My lack of interest could have just been burnout after coming off of a few open-world games plus the original RDR.
Never liked the rEaLiSm. Give me a fun game, not a horse riding simulator.
Never played either game … not sure why … backlog is intense at the moment…
5 years since it launched, and 5 years of Red Dead Online being completely neglected and ignored.
@somnambulance As much as I know they're milking gta online. I think another problem is how big the games are getting that keeps them from developing other game. It took all their studios to make red dead redemption 2 and I imagine most of their studios are working on gta vi. I doubt they wanna take their studios off of their two big ips to work on their other ips that didn't sell as well. Which sucks because I really would love a new Midnight Club.
@somnambulance I know that no one wants to hear this, but crunch was a HUGE part of Rockstar's output back in the day. Games being bigger and more complicated to make now are both factors in taking longer, as is the amount of resources going into GTA Online.
But both GTA5 and Skyrim were big, complicated games that were made in a fraction of the time that their sequels will be, and the big industry difference is that crunch culture has been largely phased out (at least hopefully). I just think that people tend to not realize how big of an impact it had on speeding up game development.
@InvaderFromSpace @pepsilover2008 Crunch culture indeed was a huge reason for this, but regardless of it, to hear nothing of their development team for FIVE YEARS is the irritant. I’d like them to have a healthy workplace, but still also be aware that something interesting is coming someday, whether that’s soon or not.
One of the best games ever made
I have a lot of respect for rdr2 and the world they created, but once the awe wore off I got a bit bored. I actually prefered the first game, but appreciate Im in the minority on that! Its a shame they stopped developing new game ideas inorder to exploit gta5 online so much, but Im hoping gta6 will be return to form next year..
One of the best games ever made compare this game to starfield and it makes a mockery out of that game woah it really is that good unlike rockstar who are a terrible company now unfortunately
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