Red Dead broke the world record for largest weekend opening for any form of media, earning $725 million globally. But is this game for you?
There is no denying the massive success of Rockstar’s newest installment but is this gritty realistic Western for everyone? Today I take a look at the reasons why some might want to steer clear of RDR2 or at least be aware some of the lower points of the game before diving into it.
No doubly you are probably sick of reading glowing praise about this game. This last weekend it broke the world record for largest opening weekend for any media, taking in $725 million in 3 days. There is no question the game has been a critical success and a financial success. I am not here to take any of that away from the game. Nor I am here to criticize it. I absolutely adore this game, and it’s a solid 9.5/10 for me.
But despite how successful the game has been or how much praise I, or other gamers, heap onto it, none of that means RDR2 is for everyone’s tastes. That being said, here’s a few aspects of the game that could use your consideration.
Slow Down Partner
In an era of over the top action packed game openings, RDR2 stands apart with its slow and methodical opening. This should be a clear indication to gamers how the entire pace and tone of the game will play out. Almost every aspect of this game has been slowed down. Whether it’s the slow lumbering walk of a tired Arthur Morgan as he trudges across camp or the long-winded dialogue between you and some random stranger, the game takes its time, and it forces you to do the same.
The game has action. And lots of it. It’s by no means boring. Just slow, methodical and deliberate. At a time when Fortnite rules supreme, many games may find the tone and pace of this game off-putting. If you are looking for a quick causal game, you won’t find it here.
Rinse & Repeat
One of the most amazing things about this game is also one of the most annoying things as well: the animations. The animation in the game is truly stunning. You won’t find anything comparable in any other game. The motion capturing is next level; however, you will be seeing it a lot. Rockstar is obviously very proud of their motion capture animation work, and thus, they force you to see them at every given point.
Nothing demonstrates this more than the “loot” animation. For those not familiar, a player “loots” a dead enemy or a chest when they gather items from that person or thing. Needless to say, in this deadly Western, you’ll be killing and looting a lot of dead bodies. This means you’ll be watching the rather long and detailed “loot” animation hundreds and/or thousands of times with no way to skip it. Same can be said about “skinning” dead animals after hunting.
Whatcha Watching?
One trend that you will see in this article, and it rings true with a lot of media, is the strengths of a piece of media is often times a negative about it as well, as I mentioned above with the animation. The same can be applied to its cinematic approach. I spoke about how cinematic of an experience RDR2 was in my previous post, but this might not be a good thing for some gamers.
A negative byproduct of the cinematic experience is that it can been viewed as a move away from a more engaged player experience. Between the long horse rides between points or the never ending dialogue between 2 characters, players might begin to feel like they aren’t doing much. Or that they, themselves, don’t have much agency and are instead just along for the ride. This coupled with the slow pace of the game might be too much for players who are used to a more instantly satisfying experience.
It's Just a Game
RDR2 is the highest rated game on consoles of all time, receiving a 10/10 from IGN and 97% on MetaCritic. Combine that with the game also being the biggest weekend opening for media of all time with its $725 million earnings. For some reference, the biggest opening for a movie was Avengers: Infinity War which earned $640 million.
With all of this you might be inclined to think that RDR2 uses some futuristic technology or has figured out something no one else has, but this really isn’t the case, although RDR2 does push the boundaries of gaming. It also achieves its goals in ways that most games fail. In that regard the game is transcendental, tapping firmly into the human condition and replicating in a form of media.
However, at the end of the day, RDR2 is just a game, and because of this, it’s filled with “game” mechanics. You will be running from mission point to mission point, just like every other open world game. You character will glitch out and get stuck in some animation, just like every other game. Sometimes the AI is buggy and will do dumb things, just like every other game. And in this way, RDR2 is just a game. It isn’t amazing because of these gaming tropes. It is amazing DESPITE them.
Final Thoughts
The full story of RDR2 is yet to be told. With Red Dead Online still set to released, the game is not even close to being done making its impact. The game is something truly special, and it is shifting the media landscape as we speak. But despite all of this, it doesn’t mean this rootin’ tootin’ Wester epic is a game for everyone.
It’s a mature game that tells a rich story based on relationships. It explores the anxiety and tension as the Wild West as it became civilized and the long arm of the federal government finally took its hold on the unsettled land. It is slow, deliberate and not afraid to take its time to unpack big ideas. At a time when Fortnite is the hottest thing ever, RDR2 is certainly not for everyone.
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