As we said in our review, Red Dead Redemption 2 takes the open world game beyond anything we’ve seen before. From how the world changes around you, to the story it tells, it’s very impressive. However, it’ll probably lead to other developers copying what Rockstar has introduced.
Unique NPCs
The living, breathing world is what makes Red Dead Redemption 2 so special. Never before has playing a game felt so much like you’re exploring a real place that’s moving and changing around you, and much of that is down to how the NPCs act.
They all have real personalities and a story to tell. No matter whether you’re meeting them as part of a quest, or simply giving them a wave as you pass them on your horse, they’re always going to say something more than a monotone “hello.”
They even act naturally between each other. They’ll go about their day in the game’s towns, arguing with each other and commenting on what’s been going on recently. It create a much deeper world, and it’s something that we’re certainly going to see in games that rely on the strength of their world, going forward.
Crafting and Hunting Animations
Open world games with a hunting and crafting aspect tend to see your character vaguely wave their hands a animals they’re trying to skin or items they’re trying to make. You never really think about it, but when a game offers something deeper than a repetitive, basic animation, it’s very noticeable.
That’s what Rockstar’s game does. When skinning animals, the animation differs depending on the species. Smaller ones, such as Rabbits, are simply stashed away or ripped apart by Arthur’s hands, while larger ones are skinned in detail on the ground. The same’s true for crafting, with Arthur brewing coffee, or cooking meat, rather than simply running his hands over the camp fire.
Dogs Remembering Your Character
Everyone loves dogs in video games. Just having one to pet is enough for a game to being in Game of the Year consideration for some people, but Red Dead Redemption 2 sees dogs being able to remember you.
If you’re out and about, exploring the West, and come across a dog, you can pet it. Then, whenever you next in a town and the dog sees you, it’ll remember that you were nice to it and it’ll run up to you to say hello. It’s a cute little feature than adds once again to the immersive nature of the game’s world.
Being Scruffy or Dirty Is Noticed By NPCs
We’ve seen games adopt the ability to change your character’s appearance, including Rockstar’s previous titles, but it has never impacted the world and the characters in it in the way it does in Red Dead Redemption 2.
By fighting too much, or falling off his horse, Arthur can get muddy or covered in blood, which will see NPCs shout at him as he wanders around or shopkeepers can refuse to serve him. If you forget to shave, they’ll even shout at him to do so.
Bond With Your Horse
Horses tend to be a big part of open world games, especially those that are set before technology allowed for something else. It’d be odd to see, say, Kassandra in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey rolling around Ancient Greece in a brand new car. However, in games like that, horses are little more than vehicles. You find one, ride it to where you need to go, and discard it for whichever one you find next.
That’s not the case in Red Dead 2, though. Your horse becomes your friend over time as you ride it for a long time of keep it healthy. Arthur will begin to talk to his horse differently as his bond with it increases, you can name it, and it’ll run to you when you ask. You end up building as much of a connection with his horse and Arthur does.
Ability to Choose How You Interact With People
As an extension to the fact that NPCs have personalities and seemingly exist in the game’s world, you can interact with them in a variety of ways, too. Threaten, greet, warn, and other actions are all available when you come across any random character. Want to rob them? You can, but they might not be very obedient. You can fire a warning shot in the air in the hope that they run off, or you can help them if they’re in need. The freedom to interact with the world in whichever way you want allows you to develop Arthur into whatever character you want. Aside from all the mandatory train robberies.
Cinematic Camera
Of course, cutscenes add cinematic flair to most games, but Rockstar’s new game allows you to control it yourself. The Cinematic camera mode shows off the game’s stunning scenery, all while continuing the game. By holding X/A, you follow the other characters you’re with, all while the game pans alongside you. With the rise in popularity of photo mode and the beauty of many recent open world games, a controllable cinematic camera will likely be implemented in other upcoming titles.
Clothing Choices Impacting Stats
As you’d expect from an expansive open world game like Red Dead Redemption 2, you can change Arthur’s clothes as you play. However, it’s not simply a case of looking pretty – what Arthur wears in certain weather types can affect his stats.
If the sun is shining and you choose to wear multiple layers, Arthur will get hot and his stamina was be used faster than it otherwise would. Then, if you wear just a thin shirt in the snowy mountain areas, he’ll get cold and his health will decrease faster than usual. You therefore have to think about what Arthur is wearing whenever the weather changes if you want to get the best from his cores.
Unique NPCs
They all have real personalities and a story to tell. No matter whether you're meeting them as part of a quest, or simply giving them a wave as you pass them on your horse, they're always going to say something more than a monotone "hello."
They even act naturally between each other. They'll go about their day in the game's towns, arguing with each other and commenting on what's been going on recently. It creates a much deeper world, and it's something that we're certainly going to see in games that rely on the strength of their world, going forward.
Crafting and Hunting Animations
That's what Rockstar's game does. When skinning animals, the animation differs depending on the species. Smaller ones, such as Rabbits, are simply stashed away or ripped apart by Arthur's hands, while larger ones are skinned in detail on the ground. The same's true for crafting, with Arthur brewing coffee, or cooking meat, rather than simply running his hands over the campfire.
Dogs Remembering Your Character
If you're out and about, exploring the West, and come across a dog, you can pet it. Then, whenever you're next in a town and the dog sees you, it'll remember that you were nice to it and it'll run up to you to say hello. It's a cute little feature that adds once again to the immersive nature of the game's world.
Being Scruffy or Dirty Is Noticed By NPCs
By fighting too much, or falling off his horse, Arthur can get muddy or covered in blood, which will see NPCs shout at him as he wanders around or shopkeepers can refuse to serve him. If you forget to shave, they'll even shout at you to do so.
Bond With Your Horse
That's not the case in Red Dead 2, though. Your horse becomes your friend over time as you ride it for a long time or keep it healthy. Arthur will begin to talk to his horse differently as his bond with it increases, you can name it, and it'll run to you when you ask. You end up building as much of a connection with his horse and Arthur does.
Ability to Choose How You Interact With People
Want to rob them? You can, but they might not be very obedient. You can fire a warning shot in the air in the hope that they run off, or you can help them if they're in need. The freedom to interact with the world in whichever way you want allows you to develop Arthur into whatever character you want. Aside from all the mandatory train robberies.
Cinematic Camera
Clothing Choices Impacting Stats
If the sun is shining and you choose to wear multiple layers, Arthur will get hot and his stamina was be used faster than it otherwise would. Then, if you wear just a thin shirt in the snowy mountain areas, he'll get cold and his health will decrease faster than usual. You, therefore, have to think about what Arthur is wearing whenever the weather changes if you want to get the best from his cores.
