Review for Red Dead Redemption 2. Game for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 26/10/2018 The version for PC came out on 05/11/2019
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
After about a year, one of the most successful titles in recent videogame history also arrives on PC. Let's talk about Red Dead Redemption 2, developed by the American software house Rockstar Games which, after having sold millions of copies for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, finally breaks into the PC market. Let's see together if the long wait has paid off.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game halfway between action and adventure genres. It is set in the old West of the late 800th century where the country dirt paths marked by the horses' hooves are slowly giving way to the cold steel of the tracks on which the heavy iron wheels of the steam locomotives rest. The new century and the industrial revolution are almost upon us and the western era is slowly waning. In this context - artistically and graphically reproduced down to the smallest detail - you will take on the role of Arthur Morgan, charismatic cowboy, who is part of a gang of outlaws. The group, after a bad heist in the town of Blackwater, are on the run east to escape both law enforcement and the rival O'Driscoll gang. At first glance it would seem like any other story but don't be fooled by appearances. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a complete, huge and rewarding game that will keep you busy for a long, long time.
The first impression you get when you start the game is that of being involved in a real one interactive western film. We will talk more about the graphics sector later but from the very beginning, thanks to a skilful direction implemented by the Rockstar team, you will find yourself immersed in fairytale scenarios that more than once will literally leave you speechless. As already mentioned, your virtual alter ego will be Arthur Morgan, which you will be able to control through a third person view or, if you prefer, even in first person. During the game, you will be offered a large number of primary missions directly linked to the main story line of the game. Get ready not only for bloody shootouts, ambushes or robberies in a big way but also much, much more. If that's not enough, Red Dead Redemption 2 will also offer you an infinity of side missions such as helping damsels in distress, recovering items and more. To all this add also breathtaking cut-scene run with the same engine as the game.
Without a doubt Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay is an absolute gem. It is the best you can find in the world of videogames in recent years and it is not just made up of missions to complete. You will be completely free to explore the wonderful western world around you. Describing all the activities that you can do in the game is really a difficult task. For example, you can hunt wild animals, fish, collect herbs and vegetables to create healing potions, play dominoes or poker or even watch shows and short films in the cinema tent. We also remind you that, despite everything, you are outlaws and therefore, as such, you can perform more or less lawful actions like robbing passers-by, attacking banks or stagecoaches or beating defenseless citizens. But know that your every action, both for good and for bad, will not go unnoticed in the eyes of the vibrant world that will surround you. By committing crimes you will become a wanted man in all respects with a bounty on your head. Obviously Arthur Morgan will have a huge arsenal of weapons - among other things, completely customizable - to be respected: from pistols to rifles, from bow to dagger and so on and so forth. The choice will always be up to you as well as the pleasure and amazement of the countless choices and activities that your outlaw will be able to face while playing.
The game will also feature a typical role-playing component. Arthur Morgan's skills will be directly related to the activities you decide to undertake. You will also have to think about your basic needs such as, for example, eating. If you stay too long without putting anything under your teeth, you will become frail and weak. On the contrary, bingeing continuously while minimizing motor activity will cause you to become overweight with consequent penalties in terms of motor skills. Personal care will also be important: showing up in the city with a long beard, dirty and unkempt will not make you look kindly to the inhabitants or even to the sheriff. In addition, to move from one point to another on the huge game map, you can rely on your trusty horse. Because in the Old West a man without a horse was a dead man. Horse management is a real in-game chapter. You will have the opportunity to take care of him too. The more you show concern for him, the more the level of trust between you and your faithful steed will increase. Feeding it, grooming it, stroking it, are some of the attentions that you can dedicate to it. Your horse will consequently reward you with special abilities as mutual trust increases. In Red Dead Redemption 2, there are many types of horses, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You can also teach more than one and then choose the most suitable based on the type of mission you are going to undertake.
Red Dead Redemption 2 really manages to convey a unique sense of freedom and immersion thanks to a soundtrack worthy of Sergio Leone's best western films. The background music will go hand in hand with your adventure and will help make every single moment of the game unique. The first time you enter the city you will be - we assure you - absolutely amazed by the environment and the attention paid to detail. Even the characters you meet along your way will convey that sense of reality that you will hardly find in other video games. With all this we have tried to describe, at least in part, what Red Dead Redemption 2 really is, but Rockstar Games' open world is truly immense, alive and pulsating and we leave you the pleasure of the countless discoveries and infinite details that the game offers. All aspects of the game, from the gameplay to the soundtrack are top notch as well as the graphics that make the game, as a whole, truly amazing. If you think the single player mode is not enough, you can always access the online mode. Playing Red Dead Redemption in multiplayer mode is basically a game in its own right. After creating your virtual character you will be catapulted into the Old West and you can also try your hand at all the activities already present in the single player mode. The world will be populated by other users with whom it will be possible to make deals, complete missions together and even create gangs to control legal and illegal trafficking. Everything will always be accompanied by spectacular cut scenes and scenarios, to leave you breathless. We also point out that in Red Dead Redemption 2, and exclusively for the PC version only, there is a photo mode with which you can capture screenshots or photos at any time. Rockstar's perfect choice, which will allow you to also enjoy a personal photo book of your adventure.
From the graphic point of view, the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 looks very good offering a much higher technical sector than that seen on consoles. The title is extremely scalable, able to adapt to any type of machine. Red Dead Redemption 2 at the maximum of its graphic settings is extremely heavy, but at the same time it must also be considered that, by doing so, you are going to enable useless graphic options that when playing on a monitor are hardly noticeable. Rockstar Games' challenge with this port was to run the game in 4K on PC but unfortunately, there is still a long way to go. On PC not even with an Nvidia RTX 2080Ti will you be able to maintain a frame rate above 60 frames per second and you will have to compromise. The game has an extremely large rendering distance of shadows, vegetation and the environment and just by reducing this value you will have an almost identical graphic detail, but with a much higher frame rate. This consideration only applies if you are going to play it on a monitor. If, on the other hand, you use a 55-inch TV half a meter away, you will notice some differences, but still nothing transcendental.
The lighting system is amazing and is able to make everything more realistic and believable, even if the RTX effects as well as the DLSS are not available. The various types of terrain present in Red Dead Redemption 2 are excellently made, with a really credible and well made tesselating. The various textures, albeit of the highest quality and able to adapt to 21: 9 and 32: 9 resolutions, however, are not fully supported as the game interface remains centered without adapting to the size of the monitor. It should also be noted that, although the title is practically perfect and complete from every point of view, during our test we stumbled upon sudden crashes and freezes for no apparent reason. To date, we understand that Rockstar Games is still working on a further patch corrective to make the title enjoyable for all PC users.
Red Dead Redemption 2, despite its heaviness under the hardware point of view, is one of the greatest videogame expressions of recent years. Immense and complete from all points of view, it is a game that mixes together the old spirit of the Far West with that of the modern gamer. The refined gameplay and the open world alive and endless go hand in hand with the exceptional soundtrack and breathtaking graphics. The huge amount of content present in the single player mode plus the many and countless possibilities offered by the multiplayer mode make Red Dead Redemption 2 an absolute masterpiece that will keep you glued to the screen for hours and hours. Considering all this you can easily draw your own conclusions. Rockstar Games, once again, does not miss the winning shot and winks at the future by moving the bar of PC gaming quality to a new level. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a must-have game in every PC gamer's collection.
► Red Dead Redemption 2 is an Adventure-Action type game developed and published by Rockstar Games for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 26/10/2018 The version for PC came out on 05/11/2019
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
