Top 10 Pre-Release Details – Red Dead Redemption 2

October is here and with it brings one of the most anticipated titles of this year, Red Dead Redemption 2. Thanks to Rockstar we have been given a sneak peak on the gameplay details that players will be able to expect in the upcoming launch, and we picked out the top 10 that we are most excited to check out.

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1 – Vast Open World

Red Dead Redemption 2 seems to have gone above and beyond its previous titles to bring a vast open world to players to explore, and even Rockstar has stated that it is the largest map it has ever created for a game. Exploring the entire frontier will take up a decent chunk of time for players, and Rockstar has proven time and time again that their open world’s always seem to have something to do. The wild west has never been more accessible to gamers than it will be here.

2 – Changing Ecosystems

The massive map of Red Dead Redemption 2 also comes with a variety of different ecosystems to explore, all with different weather conditions, flora and fauna that would be expected in each zone. Within the gameplay trailers we have already seen arid desert areas with scavenging wildlife, dense forests with deer and moose, cold mountain tops covered in snow with wild blizzards blowing through and even damp swamp environments complete with crocodile’s to avoid.  

3 – Camps

One of the tentpoles of the game is the band of outlaws that players will be traveling with while moving from area to area. When on the move or after being run out of a town, the group will set up camps that will provide a ton of interaction opportunities. Players will be able to gain specific information based on their standings with individuals in the group, so socializing seems like it will play into information for certain quests or even side quests that can only be accessed if you are on someone’s good side or bad side.

4 – Hunting and Tracking

Like the original Red Dead Redemption, hunting the wildlife will have its place within this world but with some added mechanics. During a hunt if a player only wounds an animal and it gets away players will be able to track the animal using a “sense” type skill that blurs the screen and shows a pathway to where the animal has run off to or eventually laid down if it has tired out enough. Not only will bagging a kill be beneficial to the player, but it will also help out the camp in someway, most likely with money and materials.

5 – Dynamic Events and Interactions

There will be tons of options to interact with people outside of the camp as well, both in good or bad ways depending on how your moral compass is leading or how angry some NPC’s may be with you. Along the road there will be plenty of opportunities to rob passing stagecoaches and trains or hold up local stores in town. Aside from the routine actions of being an outlaw, we see that along the road players may meet NPC’s who are out to kill you as well. In some situations, players will be given the option to either take down someone or diffuse the situation and move on your way. I’m sure that we will see these interactions and how they are handled pop up in interesting ways afterwards depending on who lived and who died.

6 – Player Appearance

One of the more unique features within Red Dead Redemption 2 is how player interactions with NPC’s will also be determined by how Arthur looks. People will react differently depending on how dirty or unbathed the player may be whether he is covered in blood or mud and unshaven or just come out of a nice bath and freshly shaved.

7 – Realistic Gun Mechanics

What is a good outlaw game without the classic weapons of the old west? Players will have access to a variety of guns from the time that all have been built out in game to act as they do in the real world even down to how Arthur will reload the weapon. Without the modern gaming crutch of magazines this is sure to create some stressful situations during gunfights.

8 – Horse Bonds

The outlaw’s best friend is his horse, and it will be a crucial part of the gameplay of Red Dead Redemption 2. The game will have a bond system with the player and their horse which will determine how well the horse will handle not only riding out in the world but during stressful situations such as mounted gunfights. There will also be different breeds of horses for different situations, such as draft and workhorses for pulling carts along the road when moving camp.

9 – On the Go Storage

Not only will your horse prove a helpful travel tool, but also add some extra storage space for weapons and materials while you traverse the map. Saddles will be equipped with saddlebags that will hopefully have the ability to be upgraded to help when you just can’t carry all of that ammo in your pockets. Players will also be able to tie up animal carcasses to the back of the horse to bring back to camp or town.

10 – Upgraded Deadeye System

A Red Dead game isn’t a Red Dead game without the Deadeye shooting system that has been a tentpole of the franchise since its birth. From what we have seen, it looks like the system has been rebuilt around the classic mechanic. Time will still slow down and give players the opportunity to quickly take out groups of enemies one by one or target weak spots on enemies before letting out a flurry of shots all at once. Now, players will also have the ability to see internal weak spots on enemies while in the Deadeye screen as well, implying that there will be some sort of upgradeability to the system as gameplay progresses.

Rockstar keeps giving us more and more hints of what is looking to be one of the best games of this generation. The vast and dynamic world only keeps getting more interesting and looks as if it will provide a ton of replayability value to the game which is a great return for the player investment. Red Dead Redemption 2 launches later this month on October 26, 2018.