Easily one of the best games ever made.
Right away, the game's overall presentation comes off as breathtaking. The cinematic approach to video game cutscenes that Rockstar uses in Grand Theft Auto is not lost in Red Dead Redemption. Their attention to detail shows off every dusty expanse of land, every large cactus field, and every colorful canyon in New Austin. With a great engine to show off the incredible detail they put into their games, it eventually becomes one of the most gorgeous landscapes ever put into a video game. Even the character models look amazingly realistic.
The gameplay feels like a western version of Grand Theft Auto controls. You move to walk and hold a button down to run. Gun-wielding controls haven't changed at all, which isn't a bad thing as the controls have always been fine. The cover system is also implemented well, though it feels a bit stiff at first. Enemies do their best to take you down, and while they may not be the smartest AI around, they can still overwhelm you if you're not careful. Riding on horseback is the main means of travel, and the controls are smooth and very realistic. You can spur the horse on to gain speed, but try to push your horse too hard, and he'll buck you right off, giving an added sense of realism to the game.
Another addition to gameplay is the use of hunting. Aside from hunting down outlaws as a bounty hunter, John Marston can hunt down animal skins for extra cash. Through the use of bait, lassoing, and a bullet to the heart, Marston can take down a wide variety of animals for their pelts, such as wolves, deer, hares, bears and even cougars and bobcats. There are more animals to search for than these, but that's just a taste. You even get a grisly-sounding animation of Marston skinning the animal, but the act itself is never seen, apart from a few blood splotches on the screen. Again, adding to that realism I mentioned earlier.
But hunting both criminals and animals isn't the only way to earn money. Numerous minigames dot the landscape across several different towns. Blackjack, Liar's Dice, Horseshoes, Five Finger Filet, and probably the best Texas Hold'em Poker simulation are all available as means to make some money, with the rules remaining the same as they've always been. All the games are done well, and natural conversations carry throughout, making the game feel more…well, do I even need to say it again?
The encounters you come across on your travels are also unique. The open-world design of the game allows for random events to happen all over New Austin and Mexico, and allows the player to either take part or ride away. For instance, seeing a stagecoach being robbed by outlaws on the side of the road could compel you to either take down the outlaws or let them shoot and pillage the poor people they're holding up. Random cowboys also ride around the roads, giving you the opportunity to kill and/or rob them yourself. The system feels very much like a Grand Theft Auto game, but it feels well-rounded, as it makes sense to potentially be noble in this world as opposed to the city life seen in a typical Grand Theft Auto game.
The story of Red Dead Redemption, as explained before, follows John Marston as he tries to atone for his past sins while hunting down his former gang of outlaws out of a need to see his wife and son once more. As far as Rockstar games go, this one brings in far more emotional weight than any of their previous titles have ever managed to capture. Throughout the story, Marston is presented with dilemmas that force him to relive the days of his past while still feeling conflicted about it. It almost makes you want to play the game as a noble cowboy instead of being the outlaw, as the story develops Marston into a more sympathetic character than what you could play him as.
The game suffers a few glitches that come with the territory of being an open-world game. For instance, there was an infamous "manimal" glitch that made humans models act like animals. Also, horses with carriages attached to them would sometimes gain hydraulics and fly off screen in random directions. Patches have since come and fixed these issues, though there are still a few instances of animals randomly flying off cliffs and disappearing. These aren't a problem for the most part, and can make for great comic relief at times.
Red Dead Redemption also features a unique online mode. Instead of starting in a traditional game lobby, the game starts you off in a free roam map that allows you to do whatever you want in between matches that you enter. It allows you to ride around with a group of friends (appropriately called a posse) and go hunting, taking outlaw gang territory, and just riding off into the sunset in cliché western form. It feels as though you're playing the single-player game without the story added in (also without the minigames). This kind of freedom in a multiplayer mode is almost unheard of in other games, and is a refreshing change of pace.
The challenge modes are usually typical multiplayer match setups, like a free-for-all mode, capture the flag, survival, and team deathmatch, that all have a western-type name to them. Each handles the gun-play mechanics well, and are very fun to play. There's even a ranking system and challenges that can be attempted in order to increase your notoriety/fame within the community. If only there were more customization options for your multiplayer character, such as outfits.
Red Dead Redemption is a game unlike anything Rockstar has ever put forth. An emotional story, outstanding graphics, great gameplay, and the most unique multiplayer ever make this game a standout in the gaming industry. Barring a few glitches and missing multiplayer elements that would've improved on the overall design, this game is definitely up there as one of video gaming's masterpieces. This is a legendary game that will be talked about for years. It's a must-have for any gaming collection, and I urge you to get it.