Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. GTA V: Which is Better?

Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. GTA V: Which is Better?

Gameplay

Unless you live under a rock, you know that RDR2 and GTA V were both made by Rockstar Games. As such, they both feature very similar gameplay mechanics. The differentiating factor among the two revolves around their setting and other gameplay features.

Grand Theft Auto V starts out with the advantage due to a certain lack of restriction brought due to the time period each game is set in. Los Santos’ modern-day setting allows for more guns and traversal options (planes, cars, bikes, etc.) than presented in Red Dead Redemption 2’s old west setting. While traveling on trains and horseback adds a certain ambiance to RDR2, it can’t beat driving a car 100 MPH down a freeway, weaving in and out of traffic in GTA V.

Just because GTA V features more guns and travel options doesn’t mean that its gameplay is outright better though. Despite the time period restrictions the Red Dead prequel faces, combat is much more satisfying in it, albeit sometimes stiff. The returning Dead Eye mechanic trumps Michael’s version of the skill in GTA V easily, allowing Arthur to select multiple targets and specific body parts, instead of just slowing down time.

When it comes to actual story-driven gameplay, the random encounters and side missions in GTA V are equally as fun as RDR2’s Stranger missions and side quests. Leisure activities, on the other hand, are much different in the two Rockstar titles. While tennis and darts may be interesting, they don’t hold a candle to the wealth of mini-games laced throughout Red Dead Redemption 2. Fishing, hunting, poker, train robbing, and duels are simply a taste of all the extra things you can do in RDR2.

While Grand Theft Auto V has its setting to thank for gameplay variation, it still fails to hold up to the crazy amount of things to do in Red Dead Redemption 2, and the fun you’ll have doing it. Time has also allowed Rockstar to fine-tune aspects shooting mechanics for RDR2, making gunfights even more fluid and enjoyable.

Winner: Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. GTA V: Which is Better?

Story

GTA V has always had one of the most underrated stories in gaming. Not only does Rockstar manage to tell three compelling narratives in one, but they also overlap them, contrasting character personalities and stories brilliantly all the while.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is far from a slouch though, as it features a roster of complicated, yet captivating characters. While you may only play as Arthur, his relationships and interactions with the Dutch van der Linde gang and the inhabitants of RDR2’s world result in fascinating personas and events.

Dutch van der Linde himself is a great example of a complex character presented in RDR2. He comes off as charismatic and likable at first, but it isn’t long before he shows his cowardly and deceptive colors. Not only do these actions affect Red Dead Redemption 2’s story, they shape the series’ plot as a whole.

What makes RDR2’s excellent story even more impressive is that it’s a prequel. While the game is certainly better off because of the support provided by the original’s lore and world-building, it also overcomes the boundaries placed upon it by taking place before the events of Red Dead Redemption.

The fates of the majority of people in Dutch’s gang are already known because it’s a prequel. Rockstar really needed to work to make compelling enough stories to listen to, since we already know the outcome of a lot of them. Accomplishing this is no easy feat.

While Michael, Franklin, and Trevor’s tumultuous tales are highly underrated, it’s hard to beat the depth of RDR2’s narrative. Alongside a world filled with colorful characters and stories, Arthur Morgan and the story of the Dutch van der Linde alone are enough to hand this category to Red Dead 2.

Winner: Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. GTA V: Which is Better?

Graphics

There is no denying that GTA V is a beautiful game. Towering cityscapes, large mountain ranges, and the other scenery that makes up the 2013 release boast some of the most striking graphical features of its generation. Like with most technology though, graphics and fidelity have improved with time, a fact that shows when comparing GTA V to RDR2.

The beauty and scope of Red Dead Redemption 2 are unmatched, as displayed by the game’s sprawling vistas, animated environments, and animals so lifelike, you’ll feel bad for hunting them. These scenes are enhanced by the game’s natural light as well.

Depending on where you are, what time of day it is, or other situational circumstances in RDR2, settings and characters may be lit differently than normal. From silhouettes to dusty outlines, you’ll find yourself caught in the simple beauty of things more often than not when looking around in the game. This imagery carries over to other situations as well, with explosions and gunfights making for some amazing visuals.

Sure, GTA V is able to slightly replicate these high fidelity visuals thanks to PC mods. What puts Red Dead 2 over the top is the situations and environments that naturally occur in the game, ones that make for stunning scenery and illustrations.

Winner: Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. GTA V: Which is Better?

Who Wins?

While it was a close battle in two of the three comparisons, RDR2 is the clear winner in this contest of Rockstar Games action-adventure titles.

Engaging gameplay, an engrossing story, and remarkable visuals occur in both games in this competition. It’s just that Red Dead Redemption 2 manages to take what the company has learned in games like Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption and mold them into nearly perfected examples of each game, all in one product.

It’s yet to be seen as to whether Red Dead Redemption 2 will be as commercially successful as Grand Theft Auto V. With that being said, there is no doubt that RDR2 will leave a lasting impact on the gaming industry as a whole, much like its predecessor.

All in all, this western prequel will go down as one of the greatest games of this generation, if not of all time.

Winner: Red Dead Redemption 2