Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. The Witcher 3: Which Is the Open World King?
Graphics
Considering the length of time that it took to put out both of these projects, and the depth of the world surrounding the gameplay and story, it should be no surprise that they both excel in terms of visuals. The lighting system and dynamic weather systems across both games give the feeling of a dynamic world that is alive, whether that be in the detail of the skybox, or the quality of textures on a dirt path.
Both games put an emphasis on world building and this is consistent with both the environment and character interactions, ranging from inconsequential NPCs roaming about a town or characters that are relevant to the story.
Where Red Dead Redemption 2 shines most is in its use of facial and motion capture technology and in its lighting system. Every movement taken in the game feels real, and there is very little to no uncanny valley when it comes to facial expressions (thank you, L.A. Noire) or even simpler movements like taking a gun off of your horse or drinking a cup of coffee. The animation is so deftly put together that each character, regardless of importance to the story, come off as real people that react to the world around them properly. Facial expressions are subtle and believable.
The lighting system of Red Dead Redemption 2 is definitely what has left the largest impression on me; there is actually a dynamic level of moonlight. It’s something that has existed in games before it, but this is the first time where night time comes across as feeling truly alive. It accurately captures what night time would be like in the period of the old west, prior to the extreme light pollution we experience in the modern day.
Staying on the topic of environmental fidelity, the draw distance in the game is even more impressive. You can see across valleys and down mountains for what appear to be miles and make out distinct features on the land ahead.
The Witcher 3 proves to be a very visually impressive RPG as well, in both its environmental and character texturing. The dynamic day and night cycles are beautiful and each have their own distinct features to them, including a great lighting system; the environment and draw distance is nearly as impressive as that of Red Dead 2’s, which is incredible for a game that’s more than three years old. It is easy to look ahead and find distinct markers to move to, without marking anything on your map.
Where The Witcher 3 falters is in its moment to moment animation. It suffers from the issue that most RPGs have in that regard. Body motions in dialogue scenes come off as unnatural, with strange hand motions or head tilts, and facial expressions that don’t have a very far range between angry, sad, or happy. Characters don’t come off as real people, but rather just as NPCs there to serve the needs of the player character.
The overall graphical fidelity of The Witcher 3 is of an incredibly high standard considering its age. Booting up the game, you can instantly observe the dynamic movement of grass on open fields or the attention to detail put into texturing. However, comparing the dynamics of NPC interactions and quality of design, along with the details in character animations, gives Red Dead Redemption 2 the advantage.
