TECH

2018 / 11 / 08

How the west was one hell of a fantastic game

FOR those of you wondering what games to get a loved one as you-know-what-mas draws near, you could do an awful lot worse than pick up the just released Red Dead Redemption 2 (Cert 18, €70, multi-platform).

Set in the dying days of the classic Wild West era, the game – a prequel to 2010’s beloved RDR – has wowed critics since its October 26 launch.

More notably, the game made $725 million in its first three days of release alone – that’s a hell of a lot more money than many blockbuster films ever make, proving that there’s certainly gold in them tharr digital hills, valleys and windswept plains, pardners.

The game largely follows stoic crook Arthur Morgan as he and a bunch of fellow outlaws struggle along in Dutch Van der Linde’s gang, with The Law (and Pinkerton agents) ever just one step behind them.

Constantly forced to move from base to base, the ragtag group of killers, scam artists, thieves and more pull together as a family unit, setting their bickering and squabbles aside as they follow Dutch on the path towards the one big score they need to get away from the law one last time, and settle down.

Arthur Morgan (Dutch’s loyal sidekick) is a man of few words but a lot of action, as he and the gang get dragged all across a fictional state, trying to help Dutch, evade the law, and make enough money for the camp to thrive and survive.

But as with the very best of classic Wild West lore, there’s a mean, unforgiving world out there.

There’s everything from rival outlaws, the weather and wild animals ready to ruin Arthur’s day, rob him, kill him, or lead him into deadly or even hilarious adventures ...

There’s no doubt about it – this is an incredible looking game that pushes the envelope of what games can look like.

Regardless of what platform or spec you play this with, the graphics often look astonishing.

There’s everything from abundant wildlife to some very natural lighting and atmospheric effects here, creating a very realistic world that simply begs you to saddle up and head out towards the horizon.

Along the way, there are all kinds of main story quests to take on, optional side missions to pick up, and endless random events and surprises to get involved with, giving Arthur and pals plenty to see and do.

And whatever about Arthur’s generally gruff nature, the rest of the Van der Linde crew are an engaging bunch.

You’ll spend a lot of time with a particularly memorable cast of characters who’re as likely to sit around the campfire recalling some memorable stick-up job of old as they are to bicker about their latest heist plans.

RDR2 is often as violent as you’d expect – regular shootouts and sudden violence can leave plenty of gory, bloody scenes and bodies in Arthur’s wake, with a game that doesn’t shy away from the violence of that bygone western world.

However, with a vast and beautiful setting to explore, a richly detailed world, all kinds of memorable characters to meet – and I haven’t even touched on all of the many side games and activities to get involved in, from poker to treasure hunting – the eight-year wait for RDR2 has been worth it.

There’s almost too much game here, but it’s absolutely a top-dollar title that will wow.

Verdict: 10/10