Available: PS3, Xbox 360
Game Type: 1 Player Action/multiplayer
From: Rockstar Games
Let me preface my review of this fantastic game by saying two things. First, I never had even the slightest interest in the Western genre. I watched an episode of HBO’s highly lauded “Deadwood,” and wasn’t as impressed as the critics lead me to believe. I also watched a Johnny Depp movie (the name escapes me) that was in black and white and ultra-gritty. It also didn’t do it for me. It’s not that these forms of media were not entertaining or bad in and of themselves, I’m just saying the Western genre isn’t for me, just like I’m sure Skate 1, 2 and 3 are fantastic in their own right, or Madden is as fun as the thousands or millions of rabid fans say, but these things just don’t interest me one bit.
That all changed after an hour of getting used to the intuitive yet precise controls Red Dead Redemption puts on display. Riding through the vastness of the untamed Western Territories of the early 1900s is quite a sight to behold, and has instantly become one of the top Rockstar games of all time. The played out Grand Theft Auto ideology is on full display, and through the new venue has become something fresh once more.
The story begins on a train, rolling through the desert landscape of the aforementioned area, as two elderly ladies behind our hero John Marston and a younger lady and a Priest chat behind and in front of Marston, respectively. The camera pans from group to group and out the window, giving you your first early glimpses of the games setting. The older gals behind chat of savages and the need to teach them the ways of Christ, while the Priest and his young lady companion chat about God’s will and how it is the white man’s duty to spread the word. From a close, over-the-shoulder view, Marston looks out on the prairies and rolling hills, giant mountains in the background, herds of wild horses and other fauna trotting by, and eavesdropping on his fellow voyagers. Never in all my years have I seen such an excellent opening sequence, and that’s saying something. It is, however, different than other openings. Clouds initial disembarking of the train through Midgar was fantastic, and any God of War game naturally has a grand opening that makes one’s jaw drop, but again, this was different. The tone of the speakers, the silent nature of John Marston, and the accompanying scenery is just breathtaking, and gives you this foreboding feeling of the agony of the aptly named Wild West.
Upon reaching the station, two Government Officials approach Mr. Marston and lead him away, and we learn that since the first game John has been hired by these Feds to do a little dirty work. Though I wasn’t lucky enough to play Capcom's initial installment, I’ve read enough about it (and the game fills you in) to know that he was left for dead by some old gang-mates, and has since turned to a quiet life on a ranch with his new wife and first born child. One of his old mates, Bill Williamson, has been causing some trouble in the area and the Feds kidnapped John’s family holding them for ransom in the amount of Williamson’s head. John begrudgingly picks up his Cattleman Revolver, and accepts the terms of their rules, however sinister they may be.
The game does a great job of setting the stage for the way it was, but it also gives us some insight into the corrupt nature of the Government at the time. You overhear a lot of denizens claiming how awful it is to have Government intervention, claiming they are just making more trouble than they solve. Even the towns and settlements’ Marshals, Sherriff’s, and other Lawmen, good or bad, claim that the Government is doing little to help; and possibly more to hurt. It’s a great point of view that isn’t properly portrayed in our High School text books, whether it is the way it was or not.
Redemption plays out in the similar GTA fashion we all know and love, but it’s a great change of pace from the concrete jungles we usually see. The mountains, sprawling deserts, and settlements alike are filled with all sorts of plants and animals to collect. As night falls, packs of hungry wolves scour the countryside looking for hapless cowboys to take a bite out of, and horses roam the plains just waiting to be taken home and trained. When the normal errand boy routine becomes a nuisance, Marston can go hunt deer, take on night watch jobs for extra cash, or hunt criminals and collect the bounty on their head. This is particularly fun once John learns how to use the lasso, as you then have the choice to take them alive or kill them where they stand. If the former is your preference and you can get them back to jail safely, you double your reward and gain some honor as well. As tempting as doubling the reward is, it’s also fun sometimes to just blast away. It has been a while since I’ve found a game with such satisfying weapons, which is at odds with what I expected. I thought playing with single shot rifles and six-guns would be lame, but it turns out they are a blast, pun definitely not intended. They are supremely crafted in noise and effect, perfectly capturing the powerful yet archaic weapons of the time period. Where in most games I despise having a weapon wheel and tons of firepower, this time it was okay; not only that, the weapon wheel was set up perfectly, allowing for eight categories and the ability to cycle through the different weapons for each category (for example, select the pistol with the right analog by holding down the trigger and then use the D-pad to change from the Revolver to the Pistol – genius).
Speaking of honor, the honor system is fantastic. As your heroic deeds become more noticed, people will start turning a blind eye to minor transgressions like horse theft or pulling a gun out in public. At the beginning of the game, such offenses were enough to get you shot dead.
The dueling system is also fantastic, as objectionable actions from the local scum are settled away from the locals. They typical whistle comes across the speakers, and the typical high noon battle ensues. To take down your fellow duelist, John makes use of the Dead Eye mechanic, by which everything turns yellowish (think in the vein of early cinematography or photography) and things turn slow motion. As you pull your crosshair up from the ground, you tag your enemy until you’ve reached your clip limit, for example a six shooter you’ll tag the baddie six times, and if you do so before your competition—well, I’m sure you can fill in the rest. The Dead Eye is also used in three stages as you progress through the game: first it’s a basic slow-motion and target-yourself deal, then as you scan the crosshair over a target it will auto-tag different parts, and the final level allows you to use a trigger to tag whichever parts you want. To be honest, I found the middle section more of a nuisance as I found myself accidentally shooting women being held hostage, until I learned to cancel out the second level tags by right clicking to get out of Dead Eye mode entirely. Nonetheless, it's a bit of a pain in the butt.
The final bit I have to mention is the stark comparison of the third Act of Red Dead when you reach Blackwater, the Capital of sorts for the local area on a whole. While the first part of the game and the second in which you’re in Mexico enjoying the frolicking chaos of the Mexican Revolution, take place in the wild frontier, the third section brings you to the city. Cobblestone streets, automobiles (auto-cars I heard people say), and other bits of technology have taken over, and suddenly John Marston finds himself in the unknown. The frontier is where he lived, grew up, and flourished; it was interesting to see his perception of the new city. All his “Yes Ma’am”’ and “Howdy Miss” statements didn’t seem to fit in, maybe signaling the end of an era.
All in all, this is one game you don’t want to miss. Perhaps if Madden was as genuine as this game is in historical accuracy (minus the fact that the American flag had 50 stars– disappointing) and fun gameplay I could be swayed to join the party, because I was far more a football fan than a Western fan. Yet somehow this game turned me. I can’t wait to make it a video store and rent a couple Westerns now that I have a taste for the flavor. But as far as open world games go, there’s not much better out there. As far as Western games go, I don’t think I have to even finish this statement as Call of Juarez and Cold Blood were awful. And finally, as far as games go, there is hardly a better one out there. Story, intrigue, loss, gain, it’s all there. As John Marston puts it, Go on Good Sir, stop wasting time reading my review, saddle up, load your six-shooter or Repeater, and start blasting. The corrupt Government will thank you, and you might even redeem your past.
Graphics: 23/25
Controls: 24/25
Story: 25/25
Multiple Play: 23/25
Total: 95/100, A
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