Red Dead Redemption 2 is a big game, so big that reviewing it is going to take a fairly long time. To coincide with my playthrough, I am going to be writing my findings and thoughts in this Red Dead Diary mini-series, sans any major spoilers.
– After getting about five hours of sleep each night and barely moving from the couch, I’ve finally beaten the main story of Red Dead Redemption 2. As this a spoiler-free zone, I just have the one word to describe it: crikey.
– I am moving on to all of the side-content now. There’s absolutely no filler to be seen: so many of the Stranger quests are fully-formed beasts on their own and a significant step up from the first game. Even shovelling shit was fun.
– I forgot to eat for ages and now Arthur is underweight, which is hampering his stats. It’s not clearly obvious in terms of his appearance, but it’s a sweet touch all the same. Just going to eat about a million pieces of game and we should be fine.
– I hadn’t even considered the challenges, of which there seem to be about a hundred different ones. These are incentivised by giving you special equipment for completing them, though as some of them are going to impact your Honor, I’m swerving them for now. I’m a paragon of the Wild West, goddamn it.
– Shadowfart IV died. I collided into a group of attackers and she collapsed in a heap; I didn’t have a Horse Reviver on me. I had to put her down and Jesus Christ did it hurt my heart. She’d been my companion for about half of the game and had fully bonded with her, meaning that Arthur cooed over her all the time — such a lovely detail.
– Bit of a random thought, but I really wonder how they’re going to work Red Dead Online. It doesn’t seem like the experience would magically transfer to multiplayer. I’m not sure I even want to play it that much, either.
– I love how NPCs remember some of your actions in town, even if the people of Valentine still go on about me beating the brain out of someone so long afterwards. This guy came up to me as I was having a drink and started jibbering on about it.
– Detail Porn #997: Jack asked for a book as part of a companion quest and I tracked one down for him. Much later, I found him sleeping with that same book next to him.
– Barely even talked about gun upgrades. They’re fairly basic and offer minimal improvements, but guns back then weren’t what they are now. Can’t say I have gravitated much towards customisation, either: a lot of it just seems gaudy and only really visible in first-person.
– I love these little moments in camp when Arthur is asked to sit with one of the women and talk about his feelings and actions.
– Detail Porn #1040: this house near Valentine that was being built at the start of the game developing the longer you play.
– The theater performance in Saint Denis is great fun; go watch it when you can.
– The mind boggles over how many voice lines I haven’t heard yet. I make a point of talking to plenty of people but I barely antagonize anyone so I wonder how much I have missed, as well as the different options you choose providing different lines. It’s pretty staggering and a testament to Roger Clark’s commitment to the role.
– I think I actually prefer Arthur to John. Don’t come at me.
MORE RED DEAD:
– Red Dead Diary: Day 3 – Snakes In The Water
– Red Dead Redemption 2’s Dogs Are Some Very Good Boys
– Red Dead Redemption 2 Guide: How To Earn Money Fast
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