It has already been four years since the release of the groundbreaking Red Dead Redemption 2, but the wait for Red Dead Redemption 3 has only just begun, and it's going to get a lot worse without other western games to tide fans over. However, players could always return to the game that started the series, the still great and expansive Red Dead Redemption.
Between the character development and the detailed world, the game still holds up, but it isn't without some glaring flaws that are more obvious than ever. Whether it's spending more time on addictive minigames, monotonously crafting satchels or the ending's gaping potholes, it's hard to look past Red Dead's problems.
Sore Thumbs
Given that the game's open world is so expansive and the main mode of transportation for players is their trusty galloping horse, it quickly becomes an arduous task when players are forced to constantly smash X to gallop at the quickest speed possible. At several points throughout the game, every single player needed to take a break because their right thumb felt like it had a pulse.
It's a common problem with a lot of Rockstar-developed games, as the Grand Theft Auto releases require players to constantly tap X to cycle and run. It could be because running, cycling, and riding horses require a lot of energy in real life, and Rockstar wants to mimic that taxing feeling as close as possible. While that's an interesting way of looking at it, it doesn't make the task any more fun.
The Map Is Much Smaller Than Players Remember
As fans have been treated to unimaginably huge and detailed open worlds with the likes of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2, it's no wonder that Red Dead Redemption's map feels tiny by comparison. While a small map isn't a bad thing, what makes the Red Dead map so frustrating is that there are mind-numbingly long stretches of land with absolutely nothing going on.
Now and then, players will find a couple of streets that are packed to the brim with things to do, making it feel pretty uneven. However, if anything, that's a testament to how closely Rockstar mimicked the Wild West times and how well-researched the world is, as that's exactly how America was in the early 1900s, and it's what makes it one of the most realistic games ever.
The Bonus Game Is More Fun
Red Dead Redemption is undoubtedly the worst game universe to live in, as there's realistically nothing for people to do but drink themselves into an early grave and live under the threat of bandits. However, it gets a lot worse. Not too long after Red Dead Redemption's initial release, Rockstar surprised fans with Undead Nightmare, a game that's based in the same world as Red Dead.
The game features the same gameplay but tells a whole new story and turns the western into a survival horror. It still features Rockstar's signature humor, and, impressively, the story mode is a full-length game too. While it doesn't tell a story as riveting or engaging as Red Dead Redemption, Undead Nightmare is undoubtedly more fun, and it's like living inside Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series.
Players Will Spend More Time Playing Poker
If there's one thing Rockstar knows how to do, it's how to fill their already immersive games with endlessly addictive minigames. Bully is particularly brimming with minigames that fans can't get enough of. And that's no different when it comes to Red Dead Redemption, as players will find that hours have passed by and all they've done is play Texas Hold 'Em.
Gamers can find a poker table in almost any saloon, and there are random games that they can join almost anywhere. However, it's more addictive than the actual story mode or simply exploring the world. A poker game is only a short horse ride away at all times, and it's almost as if Rockstar wants players to waste their time playing poker.
Crafting Is A Chore
Red Dead Redemption deserves a remaster, as it'd feel like a current-generation release if it simply had slightly improved graphics. However, there's one area that needs a complete remake. The game encourages players to craft things like bags and saddles from skinning animals, and it quickly becomes so tedious.
It's less that Red Dead Redemption doesn't do a good job of it and more that it's no different from every other game that requires players to craft. Every game has a very slightly altered version of crafting mechanics that have grown too tiresome. And while Rockstar is the gold standard in many aspects of gaming, it's no further ahead of the game than any other developer when it comes to crafting. Players have come to expect more from the developer.
It Continues An Annoying Rockstar Trend
In the final act of the game, the main character John Marston is killed by a group of bandits, and while it might have initially come as a shock to first-time players, Red Dead Redemption isn't Rockstar fans' first rodeo. The Manhunt playable character Cash is presumed dead, an Alan Wake Easter egg confirmed Max Payne's death, and Cole Phelps is drowned by a violent torrent of water in L.A. Noire.
Most famously, players choose whether Michael or Trevor die in a blaze of glory in GTA V (though a third option does see all the characters survive). John is just another one of Rockstar's main characters that die in the final act of their game, and players have been desensitized to the fact that it's no longer shocking.
Changing The Playable Character To Jack Marston Is Disappointing
Once John is murdered at the end of the game, players control his son, Jack Marston if they ever return to the game after completing the story mode. But players have absolutely no connection to the character whatsoever, as it simply cuts to the farmer years after John's death. It's random, abrupt, and completely disappointing.
And if completionists want to complete the game 100%, they have to complete what missions are left as Jack, so gamers feel detached from the missions, the character, and the story. What makes it worse is that Jack isn't the badass his father is, and though some fans like Jack as a protagonist, he a total wet blanket.
The Ending Doesn't Make Sense
Red Dead Redemption is a masterclass in storytelling, and it's one of the best storylines in video game history that rivals any western movie. However, it still has its flaws, and the ending especially doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
After Jack gets revenge for his family's death by killing Edgar Ross, he instantly adopts his father's outlaw status, but nobody ever sees Jack shoot Ross. Not only that, but if anybody did see it, they would have also seen Ross threaten Jack's life first. Even then, Ross' body might never have been found, as it floats down the river. While the ending cleverly explores the theme of the cycle of violence, it's riddled with plot holes.
Some Players Never Got Revenge
The final story mission in the game is "The Last Enemy Shall Be Destroyed," which sees John Marston getting killed before it cuts to Jack years later. And as far as many fans knew, that was it. The mission where Jack gets revenge and kills Edgar Ross is a Stranger side mission that isn't a part of the main story.
The side-mission "Remember My Family" is the proper ending to the game as it wraps up the whole story and the tragic irony of John's redemption arc. Unfortunately, many players wouldn't have known that given its status as a "side mission" and would have ignored one of many question marks on the map.
Mexico Is A Drag
Landon Ricketts explained, "It's as good a place as any to call home. Warm sun, cheap liquor, and beautiful women." However, Red Dead's Mexico is a different story for gamers. One of the unlockable areas of the map is Mexico, which players are given access to once they complete the New Austin Chapter, and while it looks stunning, it's ultimately pretty dull.
Entering Mexico is one of the most jaw-droppingly cinematic moments of the series, as the panoramic vista goes perfectly with "Far Away" by Jose Gonzales. But after that, as it's at the midpoint of the game, there's a bit of a lull, and it becomes a grind. It lacks the excitement of the first chapter and the building tension of the following chapters.
Source:gamerant.com