Red Dead Redemption 2 was a prequel-sequel to Red Dead Redemption, an amazing open-world game set in the American southwest. It is one of the few AAA Western experiences in video games and it set the stage for a secondary franchise in Rockstar Games’ catalog.
People were bummed at first to find out John Marston wasn’t the main character, but Arthur Morgan, along with other features, showcased many improvements in the years between the two games. Let’s now look at 5 ways Red Dead Redemption 2 improved on the first, and 5 ways it stayed the same.
10 Same: Heartbreaking
One of the things that made the original Red Dead Redemption so beloved to fans and critics alike is that it wasn’t afraid of making bold choices. Video games for the longest time had played their narratives safely, but Red Dead Redemption was a big part of the first wave of game story-telling metamorphosis that’s occurred in the industry.
Red Dead Redemption 2 picks up the torch and delivers moments that will make you laugh, but then will have you crying your eyes out in heartbreaking scenes with emotional weight behind them.
9 Improved: Choices
Red Dead Redemption had players deciding quite often what type of man they felt John Marston was. In terms of morality, it was up to the player to decide what the lasting impression of this man should be.
In Red Dead Redemption 2 this only evolves into a stronger sense of pathing when it came to making Arthur a good man, a scoundrel, or something in-between. Not only are interactions affected by these choices, but important narrative scenes can also be completely different depending on where you fall on the morality scale.
8 Same: Multiple Villains
Now, both of the Red Dead Redemption titles position the government and law enforcement as the primary villains. This makes sense considering they are what ultimately made the wild west, cowboys, and outlaws all but go extinct at the turn of the century.
Throughout both games, though players get tangled up in situations involving numerous individuals who could clearly be defined as villains. This makes the lengthy story stay interesting as the current antagonist could sprout from any direction.
7 Improved: More Than Side Missions
Red Dead Redemption released as one of the first open-world games that begin to show what the genre could do outside of the modern cities featured in the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
The game had the main narrative but featured side missions that offered some fun but never felt fully substantial. The sequel does a better job of making these side activities feel like they’re actively contributing to Arthur Morgan’s journey. When side missions feel less like work and more like an investment, you know you’re doing something right.
6 Same: Lackluster Online
The success of GTA Online via Grand Theft Auto V had a lot of pundits and players wondering how Red Dead Online would function. Would it offer the same sense of fun, or would it be bogged down by the limitations of the period?
It seemingly ended up being the latter as players found the experience lackluster in several areas. Updates to Red Dead Redemption 2 since 2018 have made it better, but it still hasn’t grown or evolved from the niche audience that enjoyed the first entry’s multiplayer suite.
5 Improved: Open-World
As stated earlier in the entry covering side missions, Red Dead Redemption was in the early stages of what would become the very popular open-world genre. Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t just an improved version of the American southwest, but it builds a sense of immersion a few other open-world games do.
It is so true to the pacing and lifestyle of the period that it can become grating to certain players. If you want an authentic cowboy experience during the final years of the wild west, then Red Dead Redemption 2 is a no-brainer.
4 Same: Complicated Protagonist
John Marston is a character, that at the beginning of Red Dead Redemption, feels like a cranky jerk who’s brought a life of discomfort on to himself. As the game goes on his situation becomes clearer and players begin to empathize with a man who’s being mistreated and used by those around him.
Arthur Morgan is much more likable from the beginning of Red Dead Redemption 2, but he’s still flawed and complicated in his way. As he stares down his mortality he begins to understand the type of man he wants to be remembered as.
3 Improved: Graphics
Red Dead Redemption is by no means an ugly game, but a medium like gaming that’s so closely attached to technology will see things begin to look more and more out of date and/or old.
Thankfully with sequels and remasters these beloved worlds can be experienced with a new coat of paint. Red Dead Redemption 2 is not only an improvement from the first game, many people consider it to be one of the most beautiful and jaw-dropping gaming experiences available on the current generation of consoles.
2 Same: Chunky Controls
Rockstar Games are industry leaders when it comes to creating immersive worlds in the video game space. They also tend to be quite divisive with gamers in general because their controls tend to feel a lot clunkier than what most people are used to from AAA games.
Much like the developers of The Last of Us, Naughty Dog, this criticism of gameplay/controls doesn’t take away from the rest of the experience, but for some people, it can get in the way of their enjoyment. Red Dead Redemption 2 didn’t seem to fix the issues found in Red Dead Redemption.
1 Improved: Story-Telling
This is less a reflection on Red Dead Redemption and more so a piece of evidence as to how the medium and industry as a whole has evolved over the years.
Games can still be dumb fun, but players are seeing year after year what story-telling can look like when crafted to fit the engagement and interactivity of the medium. Red Dead Redemption 2 does a great job at taking a niche genre like Westerns and delivering an engaging story to a modern audience, in a more refined and digestible way than the first entry.
NEXT: Red Dead Redemption 2: 10 Easter Eggs You Missed Your First Time Through
