And yet those moments, as action-packed and exciting as they are, were just a smaller part of the fact that Red Dead Redemption 2 ‘s focus is turned even more toward its finer details. As I entered a small town as Arthur Morgan and went to the nearby general store, I was able to browse the shelves and interact with almost every individual object, item, or knick-knack that caught my eye, and able to examine it in fine detail, even down to reading the labels. At the conclusion of the previously-mentioned train robbery when looking for bonds and money to score, I saw Arthur rummage through cabinets and spending some time looking at the ornate decorations and items strewn about, when just a minute before this, he was hopping across train cars and taking down gunmen left and right. After riding my horse into the next town and stopping to take a break, I could examine my rifle, clean it with gun oil and a cloth, and make sure it was ready for the next engagement ahead.

Customization is also greatly expanded upon in Red Dead Redemption 2 with just as much (if not more) detail as in the rest of the world, in everything from altering Arthur’s hair style and facial hair length, to the features and styling of his weapons, and even down to his clothing and whether his shirt sleeves are rolled up or down, or if his pants are tucked in or out of his boots. The weapon customization in particular is incredibly extensive; while each weapon can be upgraded with better rifling, sights, and more, the layers of customization that players can put into how the weapons look — from the colors of their steel to the engravings and decoration on each part of the weapon — add that much more to the experience of letting the player fill Arthur’s shoes in the way that they see fit. You can see for yourself with a few of the weapons and gear that I’ve customized along the way:

Red Dead Redemption was a blast, with numerous side quests, activities and just a big Open World Games Weapons sandbox world to play in. Great game mechanics and design made it fun, a great story is what made it memorable. The pacing of the story doesn’t ever hit any major lulls and the character of Marshton is sympathetic enough you end up rooting for him, since after all he’s a good guy who just wants to be back with his family. And in trying to get back with his family he ends up being jerked around by the government. After jumping through endless hoops from the government they betray him. The ending of Red Dead Redemption is one of the sadder endings in a video game. The true ending occurs in 1914, and while there is a shot at setting things right, it ultimately feels hollow and unsatisfying. This sounds like a knock against the game, but in reality it is a testament to how powerful the narrative of Red Dead Redemption actually was.

Even though Rockstar games are huge, they’ve never really showcased a large variety of animals. Some of this is due to most of their games taking place in heavily occupied cities, while other games, such as the first Red Dead Redemption , just didn’t feel as though there was a lot of variety. It seems that Rockstar has made it a major point to show fans how many different types of wildlife will be in their next big game. We not only see countless numbers of birds, we’re treated to buffalo, weasels, field mice, dogs, vultures, coyotes, deer, and much more. This game seems to be taking place closer to the American Midwest. During the time period in which this game will take place, it’s accurate that there would be so much wildlife in every inch of unoccupied land. Hopefully, we’ll be treated to a glimpse of the infamous Rockstar Bigf

Just like Arthur himself is meant to feel like a living character for players to embrace and play their role as, the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 feels ripe for exploration and unexpected sights to behold. While roaming across the landscape on horseback, I saw majestic mountain passes and calming rivers full of opportunities to hunt and fish, especially as wildlife like deer and rabbits strode by. Just before that, I had Arthur and his horse perched on the top of a hill, only to see that a storm was brewing out in the distance, watching as clouds and mist rolled over the mountains. Standing there for a few minutes, the result of the passing rains ended up being a brilliant rainbow out on the horizon, something that even caught the Rockstar reps with us during the demo by surprise.

These moments from Red Dead Redemption 2 very much feel like “Rockstar” moments. These are the types of moments that trailers for their past titles, such as Grand Theft Auto V , have highlighted to hone in on the fact that their games aim to feel larger than life, and delivering the types of action and spectacle that we see on the big screen and the films that Rockstar has always turned to for inspiration .

The year is 1911. John Marshton was once a dangerous outlaw but has left that life behind to pursue the simple pleasures of being a family man. John is enjoying his new life until the Bureau of Investigation visits him to work out a deal with him and take his wife and kid into custody for leverage. As a former outlaw, John is facing some serious penalties for his past but the FBI is willing to cut him a break if he brings his former gang members to justice. John agrees to these terms, not like he has much choice, and travels to Fort Mercer to confront his former rappy, Bill Williamson. Things go horribly wrong and instead of bringing anyone to justice, John is shot and left for dead, only to end up in the care of Bonnie MacFarlane.