Red Dead Redemption 2 Review: Still The Best Single-Player Game In 2024?

Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in 2018 but stands its ground among the new AAA games. Even after over five years, I keep returning to this gem. RDR2 is still among the most beautiful games to this date, and there are not many problems with it either. While those problems aren’t much of an issue to me, I’ll happily discuss both them and more of the game’s positives with you here in my Red Dead Redemption 2 review.

Story And Setting 

The story starts right after the Blackwater Incident, which is still a mystery to many. In the first game, John serves as the main character, but in RDR2, you learn about the tales of Arthur Morgan.

I believe Arthur is among the best protagonists in the history of video games. The story revolves around him and his gang, led by the notorious outlaw Dutch Van Der Line.

Now, I respect Dutch, as he could handle a beast like Arthur Morgan. Another great thing about him is that he never loses composure and always makes decisions with a cool mind. So, through the journey of Red Dead Redemption 2, Dutch leads the gang to live and survive until he loses his sanity. 

The main reason for the journey was not to fight the O’driscolls but to survive and give the gang a better life. RDR2 is not about redemption but conveys that the past never disappears. One of Dutch’s main purposes was to get revenge on Colm O’driscoll as he killed the woman Dutch loved.

One of Dutch’s main purposes was to get revenge on Colm O’driscoll as he killed the woman Dutch loved.

While I witnessed the smartness of the Dutch, it felt even more amazing to see how cunning Colm O’driscoll was. His entire existence was menacing, but he surely messed with the wrong people.

Colm did manage to outsmart Dutch at some point, but the whole ploy and story explain that Dutch was just waiting for the right moment. Even though, in the end, Dutch couldn’t see straight, he remains among the best characters. 

I found no flaws with the story and setting of RDR2 as, in my opinion, it features one of the best stories ever. While the Blackwater Incident remains a mystery, I would love to know about it in complete detail.

Gameplay

Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn’t just shine in the story. It also features a pretty solid gameplay. Rockstar went all out with the weapon system and handling. I, in particular, enjoyed the combat and overall gameplay. The horse riding, different gameplay mechanics such as eating, bathing, and the hair growth system add a realistic layer. 

I have played tons of video games, but there are very few that even compare to the realistic feel RDR2 provides. I particularly liked shooting the most due to the various weapons like Repeaters, Shotguns, and Revolvers available. There are even separate weapons for hunting animals like the Legendary Bear, and things like these matter to me. 

There are different horses, and their speed is dependent on the breed. Moreover, they require proper taming, which requires a procedure. Aside from that, the Dead Eye Perk stood out the most. Whenever things go south in the negotiations, I loved the part when Arthur would just take out his revolver and shoot 3 to 4 enemies in a blink.

I loved the part when Arthur would just take out his revolver and shoot 3 to 4 enemies in a blink.

That makes Arthur Morgan the best gunslinger in-game and puts him right next to the best protagonists. However, there is one thing that I didn’t like in Red Dead Redemption 2: the linearity, as it features just too much of it. In a game like RDR2, one would want to be able to do anything they want.

However, there are too many limitations, which just makes the overall game design a little poor in my eyes. If there were enough non-linearity and freedom offered here in the mission design, then RDR2 would arguably have been the best game ever crafted by Rockstar Games.

There is one thing that I didn’t like in Red Dead Redemption 2, and that is the linearity.

Visuals And Performance

This is the part where RDR2 shines again. I just can’t find anything wrong with it except the linearity part. The visuals are mind-blowing and jaw-dropping.

To this date, I would just boot up the game, hop on to the fastest horse, and enjoy the gorgeous view. Very few games like The Last of Part 2 and Horizon Forbidden West come close to the godly visuals of Red Redemption 2.

I consider its visuals the best among all the games. The depth and focus on the environment are candy to the eye. Whenever I feel like clearing my mind, the beautiful scenery with giant hills in the background does the job.

The animals, water, and other creatures look almost photorealistic, and every place around the map, including the foliage, has many intricate details.

There are very few games like The Last of Part 2 and Horizon Forbidden West that come close to the godly visuals of Red Redemption 2.

Regarding the performance, it runs excellently even on the last-gen consoles. I never had a problem playing it on my PC or felt a drop in the Framerate. While console players have been requesting the 60 FPS patch for a long time on PC, it isn’t limited to 30 FPS. However, it did receive an unofficial 60 FPS patch for PS5.

Still, if you want an immersive experience, you should opt for a good PC build with the best PC settings for Red Dead Redemption 2.  

Verdict

RDR2 is the perfect recent entry in the series, and it never gets old. Even after five years, it stands at the top next to new AAA titles, so it is still not too late to experience its greatness.

I find myself going back to it mainly due to the major developments of many characters throughout the entire journey. RDR2 is worth every penny, but it has been a long time since its release, so its price often gets reduced occasionally. If you haven’t played it yet, you are missing one of the best games ever.

Read More Reviews:

• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
• Sonic Dream Team
• God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla
• SteamWorld Build Review
• Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Review
• Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Review