Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming our way soon. Not soon enough, but soon-ish. A new gameplay trailer dropped several days ago, so now that everyone has had a chance to see it, it’s time to talk about all the trouble we are going to be getting ourselves into this fall. And winter. And probably still come fall of 2019. I mean, one does not simply stop playing Red Dead Redemption.
There are a lot of differences between the first Red Dead Redemption and the second, just like there were a lot of changes from Red Dead Revolver. Rockstar is taking note of what worked in Red Dead and keeping them intact, while other things are being made better. They are giving players more freedom to do what they like and suffer the consequences for them. In the previous game, the only punishment for being a jerk was putting a bounty on your head which you could pay off.
One of these choices comes in the form of dialogue options. When you come in contact with someone who is being a bit aggressive, you have the option to either antagonize them further, resulting in an altercation, or calm the situation down thus avoiding a fight all together. Like a bloody coward.
In this game, you will also have a base camp, where you are going to be spending a lot of time. Hunting was present in the last game but it appears to be a bigger factor this time around simply because the camp is going to need food. Going out a killing deer will do just that. Just try not to think about Bambi too much.
Keeping everyone fed is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your camp. You will also be able to interact with the other characters which can reveal new side quests and keep morale high. Hopefully, John Marston will be one of those quest givers and we can ride alongside him. Thinking about it, it might be nice to see him in action from a whole new perspective.
Speaking of John Marston, he can be seen in the newest trailer along with Abigail and Jack. However, they are not shown doing much of anything. All three of them are sitting around a fire at one point listening politely. In another we can see John riding his horse along with the rest of Dutch’s gang. Both occasions show him as a background character, no more significant than a piece of furniture. Though we already know that we are playing as a new character, Arthur Morgan, Rockstar is showing that this is not going to be John’s story. He will likely not be that important in Arthur’s life.
Most people, when playing Red Dead Redemption, went through quite a few horses. They broke like kindling. I managed to keep my horse alive through the whole game only because anytime anything looked remotely treacherous, I dismounted and continued on foot. Now having an attachment to your horse is a great thing, and something that you will have to do. A bond with the animal will be beneficial, according to the trailer, so taking time out of your busy cowboy schedule to to groom it can help you later.
There will also be different breeds to chose from that will be better in different situations. Sometimes you’ll want a faster horse to make a quick getaway. Other times a stronger, sturdier horse is better so it can carry the latest kill. To give a more realistic feel, your horse isn’t going to come for you if you are too far away. He/she will have to be close enough to hear you whistle for them.
One thing that was shown in the trailer briefly was a mini-game. So if you enjoyed playing Liar’s Dice and Horseshoes, then it looks like you can continue to be distracted. Those games specifically may not return, but mini-games, in general, will seem to play a part. I, for one, will have to resist the urge of gambling all my money away. Selling the pelts of animals I have slain depresses me.
There are of course a lot of other things that were revealed in the trailer such as new combat, weapons, and environments. But the trailer covered those things quite well. If you have yet to see it, I’ve included it down below. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on October 26th on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular? Let me know down in the comments and try to get as much sleep as possible between now and October. Sleep will be sparse after that.
