If you have come across this article you have probably already heard of the video-game masterpiece Red Dead Redemption 2 developed by the giant Rockstar Games. Taking place at the dawn of 19th century America, the game tells the tale of Arthur Morgan and the infamous Van der Linde gang. The action-packed first and third-person, open-world shooter was released in October 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The PC version was released in November 2019. Since its release, the western-themed Red Dead Redemption 2 has won over 175 Game of the Year Awards. To date, more than 31 million copies of the game have been sold generating an excessive of $725 million in sales revenue. 

Why’s Red Dead Redemption So Popular?

But why is Red Dead Redemption 2 so widely welcomed and praised? Well for one it’s the stunning graphics that the game offers. Red Dead Redemption 2 offers the players deep immersion with the help of high-end graphics and technical enhancements. Needless to say, the game supports HDR, which allows players to run high-end display setups with 4K resolution. Furthermore, multiple-monitor configuration is possible as well as widescreen support. Of course, this comes at a price and players who want to enjoy the high end graphics will need to prepare a powerful gaming PC. 

Graphics aside, Red Dead Redemption 2 is also unique because of its storyline. The game places the players in an open-world western setup. The game world is rich, detailed and full of life. Players can also meet and interact with unique characters and even fight with them. Here is why you should always carry your gun when visiting the Wild West world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Aside from encounters with strangers or walking around towns, players can also explore the vast frontier of the old west. Here, we cannot miss mentioning that the game features stunning visual and weather effects which contribute towards the life-like experience. This is just what one Steam user wrote about the game, but his opinion is shared by many: “Red Dead Redemption 2 achieves its aim to create an immersive and realistic world in which to play out its Western drama.” 

Red Dead Online New Update

Besides the story-rich single-player exploration which Red Dead Redemption 2 offers, Rockstar also thought of players that want to have fun in multiplayer games. Initially released as a beta-mod, Red Dead Online is the online multiplayer version of the game. 

Officially, Red Dead Online was released in 2019. In the multiplayer version of the game, players can take on exclusive journeys across the western frontier by taking different specialist roles. Players can choose to track criminals by becoming a Bounty Hunter or work for a living by establishing a business as a Trader. Other possible roles are the Moonshiner and Collector, which also offer exclusive features for the players that choose them. 

Back in July, Red Dead Online received an exciting new update. A new specialist role was introduced: the Naturalist. Players that chose this role can hunt, track, and study the animal kingdom of the game. The new game role pushes the players in the exploration of the wild, while at the same time they learn new skills and top up their resources. Players that would like to progress in the Naturalist role receive an Animal Field Guide where they can add the information gathered from tracking different animals. The most recent update also features a variety of new items, weapons, and equipment. 

Cards, Bars, and Gunfights

By now you know that Red Dead Redemption 2 offers a top of the line virtual Wild West experience. And of course, there is no town in the Wild West that doesn’t have a bar. Aside from chatting with characters in the bar or engaging in fistfights, the game also offers authentic poker experience which is rare in games. As seen on this page by Money Poker Sites, this isn’t the only game accurate to poker but it is among only a few rare online poker features that are actually half-decent to a real poker player. Once in the bar or salon, players that want to play poker can simply sit on one of the tables and play authentic Texas Hold ‘em poker game. Although the poker game is played against an AI, the hands are quite intriguing, making this another unique feature offered by Red Dead Redemption 2. 

Keeping in mind the Wild West environment, gunfights in the game are essential. Here, the developer, Rockstar, has put in extra effort by introducing a key feature called “Dead eye”. Players that engage in gunfights can use the “Dead eye” feature to their advantage. The feature would slow downtime and allow the players to attack multiple targets and make 100% accurate shots. Given the amount of gunfights in the game, this feature is of key importance. Similar to the “Dead eye” feature, the game also offers “Eagle eye” feature. The latter is used when players are hunting wild animals but it operates under the same concept as the “Dead eye”. 

For the two years since its release, Red Dead Redemption 2 has caught the attention of millions of players. The immersive shooter allows players to participate in heists, horseback riding, hunting, and many more Wild West activities. Indeed Red Dead Redemption 2 is truly a masterpiece worth seeing.