Red Dead Redemption 2

Everyone stay calm, because I have a plan! Gathering a group of people behind him, Dutch Van Der Linde and, with him, our protagonist Arthur Morgan—we witness the quite difficult outlaw tales of a large gang that includes him in Red Dead Redemption 2. It's the kind of story where, alongside countless robberies, duels, and raids, what they really want is the freedom to move as they please and escape the outlaw life to build something new—and what they go through, and what they do for that dream, is still talked about years later.

For Red Dead Redemption 2, released by Rockstar Games in 2018, beyond the superb graphics, gameplay mechanics, and soundtrack; the way the map keeps changing with the passage of time during play, the day-night cycle, and the depth of the dialogues you have with the characters all make it, I'd say, one of the most successful games of recent years. 

Our story begins after a failed robbery in Blackwater, with the gang trying to disappear into snowy, freezing mountains in a fierce storm, searching for shelter where they can rest and warm up. Our first mission, naturally, is looking after the gang's basic needs (a place to stay, food, and so on). The members who make it through keep hunting, fishing, and tending livestock to survive, while also fleeing the law and setting out on new heists in search of money.

Our protagonist Arthur was raised by Dutch Van Der Linde  , and is perhaps Dutch's most loyal man. He carries weight within the gang; he can be grumpy now and then, but he's thoroughly reliable and indispensable. On missions for the gang he also throws himself into one adventure after another with people he meets on the road, and he's a wanderer who loves discovering new places. We travel so much and meet so many people during the game that those encounters gradually change Arthur's character too. Arthur records every event in his journal; reading it, he learns from what he's lived—and we get to witness those same events through his eyes. That strengthens the bond with the character we play and draws us into the story almost perfectly.

And with so much talk of the gang, I have to mention ours: John, Abigail, Charles, Hosea, Uncle, and many more—they always support one another like a family, lift each other's spirits, and fight together to survive these hard times. In a gang that truly feels like a family, unfortunately, serious problems start to surface over time.. 

Red Dead Redemption 2 is as strong and detailed in its graphics and gameplay as it is in its story. I don't have a single bad thing to say about the visuals in particular. I've often gotten lost in the scenery, wondered whether I was really controlling the character, and made poor Arthur do some ridiculous things.. Just when you decide to ride around aimlessly and soak in the world a bit more, someone pops up asking for help after a crocodile bite, another after a snakebite, or you catch someone mid-robbery. The best part is that helping or not is up to you—we can step in, or simply witness it and move on. With the Honor system, we can't help wanting to aid people around us; even if they're outlaws, people are people, and we want to help almost everyone we meet.

Yes, this one ran a bit long, but trust me—I haven't even written half of what I think about the game. To put it briefly: Red Dead Redemption 2 is wonderful, with a deeply told main story, side missions that can be absurdly fun, its graphics, gameplay, great Wild West music, and countless other details I can't even list. I highly recommend witnessing this roughly 70-hour adventure; I had a great time with it, and I hope you will too.

Thank you so much for reading my Red Dead Redemption 2 blog post. Take care, and see you in the next ones—goodbye!

I'm afraid..

- Arthur Morgan