Red Dead Redemption is one of those games that's plain fun. Being set in
1911 American West and Mexico, you play as the John Marston and fill the shoes
of an ex-outlaw looking at a shot at redemption in order to keep his
family safe.
The game itself plays smoothly, has incredible graphics and a large variety
of missions within the rough n' tumble, saloon brawling world. There are no
motor vehicles for you to control, but there are plenty of horses and mules to
select from with an interesting stamina system. Obvious comparisons can be made
with the GTA series (Not surprising as they have the same developer) but it
feels a lot more involving, making the player connect to the story in a way
that's rare for games these days.
Speaking of story, the characters are memorable, to say the least. Each have
their idiosyncrasies and feel like interesting people to interact with in the
time of the adventure. It's beyond gripping, keeping you on mission after T. On
top of the already impressive storyline though, is the honor system (do good
things like stop a horse thief and the bar increases, kill the lawmen and let
the criminal get away to see it decrease). It determines whether your character
is actually a reformed individual or whether it's a classic case of ‘old
habits dying hard’ adding another layer to the entire game.
The multi-player is the best I've seen in a while. Ranking system with loads
of challenges to overcome, such as hunting, sharpshooting, or perhaps taking on
gang hide-outs is more your thing. It doesn't matter, keep playing and you will
level up. Public games lets you tackle the ol' west with your amigos and
gunsling through the towns, giving you the ability to create a posse and roam
with your friends and strangers alike. If private games are more your speed,
that's an option as well giving a lot of possibilities for all kinds of people,
ie. you can level up on multi-player by your lonesome if you wish.
Overall, this game is extremely well made and a tour de force of Rockstar.
Stunning visuals, nearly limitless play and extreme amounts of fun with guns, a
lasso and a lot of dynamite. ;D
Easily 5 stars and highly recommended.