Is Red Dead Redemption 2 Special Edition Worth It?

Alright, so you were busy for the last two years, and now you have decided to buy Red Dead Redemption 2. Upon checking out the Steam or PlayStation Store, you stumbled across three editions of Red Dead Redemption 2, the Standard, Special, and Ultimate Edition.

Well, Ultimate Edition is expensive, and we aren’t going to talk much about it. Instead, we’ll look at the Special Edition, which is only 20 dollars more expensive than Standard Edition. So is it worth spending the $20 extra? Are there any benefits? Well, let’s dive right into it.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Special Edition

Red Dead Redemption 2’s Special edition features a price point of $79.99. Adequately, it comes with a few perks and bonuses that you wouldn’t usually get in the standard edition. Here is an overview of exclusive items; you will get right away after buying the special edition.

Exclusive Bank Robbery Mission

The Special Edition has an exclusive bank robbery mission, in which Arthur and his gang break into a bank in Rhodes.

Worth it? I’ve personally completed the mission, and I must say it’s average. All you get is hardly 10 minutes of action and a total payout of $400. Arthur only gets $100, while the rest goes to the camp. To clarify, this is a side quest and has nothing to do with the story. Anybody keen on observing the mission can check it out here.

Dappled Black Thoroughbred Racehorse

Buying the standard edition will also get you this exclusive Thoroughbred Racehorse with a Nuevo Paraiso Saddle. The Thoroughbred Racehorse is extremely fast and agile. It comes with a reverse dappled black coat and handmaiden dark chocolate leather’s nuevo Paraiso saddle.

Bonus Items

• Eagle Talon Talisman increases Arthur’s awareness and reduces damage taken with Iguana Scale.
• Cash bonuses and discounts include starting with a decent amount of money, stat boosts (stamina, health, dead eye), and extra cash from Van Der Linde Gang robberies.
• The Nuevo Paraiso Gunslinger Outfit consists of a black cowboy hat, worn denim chaps, leather gloves, boots, and a deep indigo coat

Are these worth it? If you haven’t played the game before, they might sound a bit funky to you. However, as you start playing Red Dead Redemption 2, you will find out that there are better versions of all these items. For the money, I’d say, it’s always a dirt-cheap idea to start the game with money.

This takes the fun away, and often players question themselves, “ok, I’m rich”, what next? Besides, money isn’t a big problem in the game. Red Dead Redemption 2 will always keep you occupied with new robberies, missions, treasure maps, and various side quests. For the rest of the items, sure they are useful but not game-changing.

Weapons

As you buy the Special Edition. You will already get free access to additional weapons. These include Pump Action Shotgun, Lancaster Varmint rifle, and Volcanic Pistol.

Like I said before, there are better guns in the game, and if you are starting the game with free weapons already. You will lose your hunger to work towards earning more money. Subsequently, with better guns already in your hands, the missions feel comfortable, and it lets go of the charm.

Physical World Map

If by any means you are lucky and can get a hands-on physical disc of RDR2’s Special Edition. Then, there is a fair amount of chance you will get a free physical map along with it. The map does not come with a standard edition, and it’s pretty neat.

Just note that you won’t get it if you buy the game digitally. Apart from the physical map, do not expect any other miracles from the disc. There is no steel copy, and the only difference between standard and special is the map.

Extra Gang Hideout

The last feature of the special edition is a different gang hideout. We already discovered its location, but do not bother if you aren’t willing to spoil the story. There are a total of 6 gang hideouts in Red Dead Redemption 2. With a special edition, they become 7. Once again, not a big deal, since gang hideouts do not play an essential role in the main quest.

Final Verdict: Is Special Edition Worth It?

There are two perspectives to this answer. First, Rockstar takes a lot longer than it used to develop games. Therefore, it’s kind of worth it to get the best possible edition because all their games are great. I said the best possible edition, which means, go for the ultimate edition. The ultimate edition guarantees good bonuses in both story mode and online.

The second perspective to this would be, are all these items listed above worth it for $20? For me, the answer is no. To explain it more, I really can’t enjoy games If I have all the money and weapons from the start of the game.

I’d highly recommend everyone go through the items and see if they fit your need. This was my opinion on the special edition, and I’ve noticed that not a lot of players have gotten the special edition.