Rockstar Games announced on October 18, 2016 through their trademark teasers that Red Dead Redemption 2 was in production and originally planned to be released in 2017. The game was delayed into the next year with a final release date of October 26, 2018 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
The protagonist, Arthur Morgan The game is a prequel set in 1899. At this time, outlaw gangs are disappearing and the wild west era is about to end. Players take the role of Arthur Morgan, the right-hand man of the Van der Linde gang. The gang struggles to survive as the law threatens to destroy its way of life once and for all. Characters from the previous game, including John Marston, Bill Williamson, and Dutch Van der Linde, are also present.
Gameplay will follow the traditional Rockstar open world, with some new improvements and additions. The morality mechanic from the previous game is greatly expanded. The player has a vast number of options for interacting with NPCs, who will remember those actions in future encounters and act accordingly.
Rockstar has emphasized how the world will continue without the player's direct intervention. Characters have daily schedules they fulfill. They have independent conversations with each other. The player will get the sense that the world exists without them. With these advancements, Rockstar is trying to create a more believable world than ever before.
The traditional gameplay is supplemented by a new base building system and a greater focus on multiplayer in the wake of GTA Online. Little is known about the multiplayer aspects of Red Dead 2, but the game is rumored to follow the multiplayer setup of Free Roam akin to Red Dead Redemption.
Story After a botched ferry heist in 1899, the Van der Linde gang are forced to leave their substantial money stash and flee Blackwater. Realizing civilization's progress is ending the time of outlaws, they decide to gain enough money to escape the law and retire. They rob a train owned by Cornwall, who hires Pinkertons to apprehend them. The gang performs jobs to earn money, as Dutch continually promises the next heist will be their last. Following a shootout with the Pinkertons in Valentine, the gang relocate to Lemoyne, where they work simultaneously for the Grays and Braithwaites in an attempt to turn them against each other. However, the families double-cross them: the Grays kill a gang member during an ambush, while the Braithwaites kidnap and sell Jack to Bronte. The gang retaliate and destroy both families before retrieving Jack from Bronte, who offers them leads on work but eventually double-crosses them. Dutch kidnaps and feeds him to an alligator as revenge, which disturbs Arthur.
The gang robs a bank in Saint-Denis, but the Pinkertons intervene, killing Hosea and arresting John. Dutch, Arthur, Bill, Javier, and Micah escape the city via a ship heading to Cuba. A torrential storm sinks the ship, and the men wash ashore on the island of Guarma, where they become embroiled in a war between tyrannical sugar plantation owner Fussar and the enslaved local population. After helping the revolutionaries kill Fussar, the group secured transport back to the United States and reunite with the rest of the gang.
Dutch obsesses over one last heist and doubts Arthur's loyalty after he disobeys him by liberating John earlier than planned, naming Micah, his top lieutenant, in Arthur's place. Arthur becomes concerned that Dutch is no longer the man he knew, as he is becoming insular, abandons their ideals, and murders Cornwall. He is faced with his mortality when he is diagnosed with tuberculosis. Arthur reflects on his actions and how to protect the gang following his death, telling John to run away with Abigail and Jack and openly defying Dutch by aiding the local Native American people. When the Pinkertons assault the camp, Dutch becomes paranoid that a gang member is working as an informant. Several gang members become disenchanted and leave, while Dutch and Micah arrange one final heist of an Army payroll train.
Arthur's faith in Dutch is shattered when he abandons Arthur to the Army, leaves John for dead, and refuses to rescue Abigail when she is taken. Arthur and Sadie rescue Abigail from Milton, who names Micah as the Pinkertons' informer before Abigail kills him. Arthur returns to camp and openly accuses Micah of betrayal. Dutch, Bill, Javier, and Micah turn on Arthur and a newly returned John, but the standoff is broken when Pinkertons attack. The player can choose to have Arthur aid John's escape by delaying the Pinkertons or return to the camp to recover the gang's money. Micah ambushes Arthur, and Dutch intervenes in their fight. Arthur convinces Dutch to abandon Micah and leave. If the player has high honor, Arthur succumbs to his injuries and disease and dies while watching the sunrise; if the player has low honor, Micah executes him.
Eight years later, in 1907, John and his family are trying to lead honest lives. They find work at a ranch where John fights back against outlaws threatening his employer. Believing John is unwilling to give up his old ways, Abigail leaves with Jack. John takes a loan from the bank to purchase a ranch. He works with Uncle, Sadie, and Charles to build a new home and proposes to Abigail on her return. Afterward, learning Micah is still alive and formed his own gang, John, Sadie, and Charles assault his camp and find a recently arrived Dutch, who shoots Micah after a tense standoff and leaves in silence, allowing John to kill him and claim the gang's Blackwater stash to pay his debt. John then marries Abigail, and they start a new life on their ranch alongside Jack and Uncle, as Sadie and Charles leave for other pursuits.
The final scene shows Edgar Ross observing John's ranch, foreshadowing the events of Red Dead Redemption .
Setting Red Dead Redemption II is an open world game set in a approximation of the American West during the 19th century. The map is over twice the size of what was in the first game, with the portions around Blackwater appearing in both games. It is likely one of the largest open worlds ever made playable in a game, though Rockstar declined to release official square mileage figures.
There are five states to explore:
Ambarino [external image] The player must protect Arthur with warm clothes in frigid areas or face dire consequences! Serves as the game's starting area. Its elevation is the highest of any state, with rugged, mountainous terrain that make travel difficult. The state is divided into Grizzlies West and Grizzlies East . In the West, snow-capped mountains and freezing cold that require Arthur to don his coziest clothes to stay warm, while the East is heavily forested with more mild temperatures. There is only one settlement in the entire state: the Wapiti Indian Reservation.
The word "ambarino" means "amber" in Spanish, which hints that the state is modeled after Colorado (Spanish for "reddish"), along with aspects of Wyoming and Idaho.
New Hanover [external image] New Hanover is first explored towards the end of Chapter One. It is likely inspired by the area joining Oklahoma and Arkansas. The state is divided into three territories:
The Heartland , based on the American Great PlainsCumberland Forest Roanoke Ridge , modeled after the OzarksValentine is the largest town in the state.
Lemoyne [external image] First seen in the chapter two mission "Pouring Forth Oil II." It is the smallest but most developed state in the game, with its largest city in Saint Denis drawing significant influence from New Orleans. While the other territories represent amalgamations of real states, Lemoyne is directly based off of Louisiana. The north and central areas are the Scarlett Meadows , borrowing from the watershed area around the Red River in Louisiana. Bayou Nwa is very similar to the swamps and bayous found in southern Louisiana, outside New Orleans. Bluewater Marsh represents the wetlands on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Along with Saint Denis is the town of Rhodes, which plays an important role in Chapter Three. A maximum security prison, Sisika Penitentiary, is located on a small island off the Lemoyne coast.
West Elizabeth [external image] West Elizabeth was the smallest of the three states in the first Red Read Redemption, but has been expanded here in the sequel. The two regions from the first game are:
Great Plains, based on the American region of the same name, and home to the second largest settlement in the game, Blackwater.Tall Trees , taken directly from the Calaveras Big Trees State Park in California.The new area, Big Valley , is separated from the two by the Upper Montana River. Its geography is much like the area surrounding the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The state is most similar to California but may also have drawn influence from Oregon.
New Austin [external image] New Austin also appeared in the first Red Dead Redemption, and is only playable here after completing Chapter Six. It is the largest territory in the game with a sparse population. It is a frontier land based primarily on Texas.
Gameplay Like its predecessor, Red Dead Redemption II is a third-person action game that involves shooting, riding horses, and exploration, akin to Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series (but without the autos). The player can complete the main missions that progress the story, side missions for their own gain, or simply wander the expansive environment and see what they find. Side activities like hunting and gambling have carried over from the first game, but Red Dead Redemption II overhauls the gameplay mechanics with a completely new system that relies heavily on deliberate animation priority and context-sensitive button presses.
It can also be played from a first person perspective.
Introducing the "Core" System [external image] Arthur's health, stamina, and "dead eye" shooting meters are governed by "cores" that reflect his overall condition. Full cores will replenish quicker, while diminished cores recover slowly and can come with other negative status effects. Cores deplete on their own over time and must be maintained with tonics, food and other provisions, along with rest.
The Honor System [external image] Red Dead II seeks to portray its protagonist as a morally conflicted man caught between his criminal habits and a potential redemption. The Honor System was also in the first game but is more robust here; the player's honor standing now affects how certain cutscenes, including the ending, play out. High honor nets better prices at stores, while low honor has Arthur collecting better loot off of corpses. Actions like killing and looting innocent civilians does lower Arthur's honor. Arthur can improve his honor by helping strangers in need and greeting people in town.
Arthur's Horse Arthur's closest companion is whatever trusty steed he's riding on. Each horse comes with their own cores to maintain as well as statistics for health, stamina, speed, acceleration , and handling . Arthur can acquire new horses with better stats at stables. Over time, Arthur will build a stronger bond with his horse that makes it less likely he'll be bucked off upon seeing a predator. In the off time, Arthur can brush, pat, and feed his horse to improve their bond. Horses come with their own inventory and carry whatever weapons Arthur does not have equipped.
[external image] Horses are very sturdy but can die, usually as a result of falling from a great height or getting plowed into by a train. Arthur can only revive his horse using an item. If Arthur manages to kill another horse he will lose honor.
Camps The Van der Linde gang operates out of an ever-moving campsite that serves as the player's home base. Here the player can rest, shave, change clothes, and access a weapons locker. Arthur is expected to donate money and provisions to maintain morale at the camp. He can also chat with people, go fishing, and play poker.
When out on the trail, Arthur can set up a campfire that serves as an impromptu point to craft, eat, rest, and fast travel.
Hunting Wildlife is a major part of the world in Red Dead Redemption II. Some 234 types of animals are present, ranging from small game herbivores to big game predators. The species vary based on climate; alligators and snapping turtles fill the swamps in Lemoyne while rams and moose roam the colder western expanses. Animals like snakes, wolves, and grizzly bears are predators that will try to attack Arthur. Peaceful animals like deer and foxes will run away if they sense him approaching. Arthur can use bait to lure animals out, and a scent lotion to prevent detection.
[external image] Hunting has several uses for the player. Arthur can collect meat off all the animals he kills, no matter how un-appetizing, that he can cook and eat himself or donate to the camp. Most animals can be skinned too, yielding a pelt or hide of poor, good, or perfect condition. Perfect pelts can be sold to the trapper and crafted into new clothes, saddles, and items, or donated to camp and used to create upgrades for Arthur's satchel.
All animals are randomly assigned between 1 to 3 stars. Only 3 star animals create perfect pelts. However, Arthur must use the proper weapon in order to get a "clean kill" and preserve the pelt. For example, small game arrows are used on squirrels, while larger animals like elk require a single rifle shot to the head. Arthur studies animals to learn what killing method works best. All of this information is kept in the Compendium.
Sometimes Arthur may wound an animal so severely it cannot go on, but is still alive. Arthur must put the poor animal out of its misery or risk losing honor when it dies on its own.
Release Red Dead Redemption II is one of the best-selling video games of all time with 67 million units sold. It generated a record-setting $725 million in sale its first weekend, making it one of the biggest entertainment launches of all time, and exceeded the total units sold by the first game in just two weeks.
Reception Red Dead Redemption II has become one of the most acclaimed video game titles of all time. It won over 175 "Game of the Year" awards for the year 2018. Praise called attention to the game's level of detail, expansive environment, writing, voice acting, music, gameplay complexity, and immersive richness. The characters of Arthur Morgan and Dutch van der Linde were particularly celebrated for their dialogue and voice acting. Red Dead II furthered Rockstar's reputation for innovative gameplay and exhaustive replay value. The game's "weighty" physics a la Grand Theft Auto IV were positively received, though sometimes glitchy, and like many open world games, Red Dead Redemption II had its share of technical issues.
Red Dead Redemption II currently holds a 97 average on Metacritic for both Xbox One and PS4 releases, while the PC version is lower at 93.
However, acclaim was not universal. A number of critics and fans alike found the context-heavy control scheme cumbersome, especially when compared to Grand Theft Auto V and the first Red Dead Redemption. The commitment to realism as it relates to gameplay mechanics such as Arthur's measured pace while at camp and unskippable skinning animations drew both praise and criticism. More critiques were leveled at the core system and some felt mechanics like the camp ledger and legendary animal hunting were not adequately explained in the game itself.
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