I've been waiting for a great open-world Western for awhile, and Red Dead Redemption is that game!
SINGLEPLAYER
Single-Player in RDR isn't anything new if you've played a GTA game before since the mission structures are very much the same. There are fetch missions, missions where you go kill a group of enemies at a certain location, missions where you simply drive an NPC from point A-to-B and many other missions that are very reminiscent of missions from the GTA series. In fact, some missions are so tedious and boring that you may find yourself turned off of playing. However, some missions are so fun that you will find yourself more eager to continue. There are also quite a few missions, and when I thought the game was over, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually continued in some slow paced missions before it picked up for a final climax. My only gripe is that the protagonist is portrayed as a person you do no want to get on the wrong side of, but ends up doing everyone's bidding. RDR's story is long, and at times tedious, but it is very well done.
There are also a wealth of other activities to do in single-player if you don't feel like advancing the story. There are houses to be bought, animals to hunt, side-quests to complete, treasure to find, bounties to be collected, plants to pick, challenges to be completed and more. I found myself so engaged in the side-activities that 5 days after release, most of my friends were done the game's story but I had only completed the first few story missions. Certainly RDR is not short on content in the single-player story, and you may find yourself overwhelmed, in a good way, with all the stuff to do.
MULTIPLAYER
Multiplayer in RDR is a great experience. There are multiple playlists so everyone can find something to play that they like. Also, there are varying degrees of auto-aim, from full to assisted to none, and each playlist is assigned one of these options so players of all skill levels can find a playlist that caters to their level of skill.
RDR also incorporates the levelling, prestige, and challenge systems similar to that of Call of Duty. There are 50 levels, and as you level up you unlock weapons, characters, mounts and challenges. When you hit 50 you can "prestige" and will be rewarded with a special mount which ranges from a Buffalo to a half-zebra half-donkey type creature. However, levelling up is no small feat and players may ask themselves if it is really worth it to do it all again for a buffalo mount. However, it should be noted that experience can be earned via free roam and PRIVATE MATCHES. That's right, you can have private matches and earn experience. This is great for people with lots of friends who want to play competitively against just each other and earn some experience for it.
Free Roam in RDR is greater than it was in GTA IV. Mostly it is the same, but now Rockstar has put in gang hideouts, which are locations on the map where you and your group can ride to and fight against AI bandits. Each location has different objectives, but it mostly boils down to killing all the AI. It also gives you some experience to boot. Another great thing Rockstar has done is put cannons on the map, which makes holdouts so much more intense. For example, El Presido is a fort in Mexico with multiple cannons on the walls and even a Gatling gun guarding the gate. All you have to do is throw some dynamite into the court-yard and the Mexican army will come running to try to kill you. It is very fun, but it can get old. Free roam is also fun when playing with other players, besides your friends. There are many times when me and my friends have held El Presido while under siege by other players, which is a very intense and funny experience.
There are a few disappointments in Free Roam however, that should be noted. First of all, there are no trains which is a HUGE disappointment. Secondly, there are far too few carriages capable of carrying more than two people. When I found a carriage by Gaptooth Breach that let me drive, one of my friends ride shotgun and 4 others ride inside the carriage, I thought "why aren't there more of these?" Finding these vehicles is difficult, and if you have your large carriage disabled in Tall Trees, it sucks going all the way back to Gaptooth to get a new one.
OTHER
RDR is not the best looking game out there, but it is pretty good. There are a few technical and graphical hiccups that are typical of any open-world third person game, but they are far and few between so when you do see them they are more funny little "WTF?" moments, rather than annoyances.
One of my major gripes with the game is the removal of swimming. How epic would it be to swim across the border while you have other players shooting at you? Well we will never know. It is very disappointing but not game-ruining.
Horses in the game are very realistic and very cool. There is also a good variety of horses to use, but since there each new one is better than the old ones, there is no point to use an old one. Still the detail that Rockstar put into the horses is great and it makes the game better.
The game world is beautiful and diverse. From the snowy forests of Tall Trees to the deserts of Mexico, the world is a great place to explore. It certainly feels a lot more alive thanks to great weather effects and wildlife abundant throughout the world. However, at times, you will wish they had put some more stuff into the world.
CONCLUSION
Red Dead Redemption is a very great game. There is lots of single-player action to enjoy, and there is equally as much, if not more, multiplayer action to last you for a long time. Free Roam is the most notable multiplayer mode, and offers a great sandbox environment for players to create their own fun. The environments are beautiful and varied and you will enjoy travelling the world.
There are a few annoyances, but these are very minor and do not really detract from the game experience until after long playing sessions.
Red Dead Redemption simply is one of the best, if not the best, western game to ever grace gamers around the world.