PieGuy's Red Dead Redemption Review

The common consensus is that because Red Dead Redemption is from the developers Rockstar then it will be another clone of GTA however you would be sorely mistaken.

Yes there are similarities between the two but they are only as shallow as basic mechanics such as the control scheme or the radar but it really ends there. This is one of the most immersive sandbox games to date and I'm not speaking solely about the single player however I will start with it.

The story is a particular strong point in Red Dead Redemption. I won't regurgitate the games blurb as I'm sure you are familiar with the basis of the plot by now so straight to the point. The story is told via in-game cut scenes and (similarly to GTA) dialogue when getting to a checkpoint with NPCs. There is a twist though, instead of taking them (bar some cart missions) you ride with them but don't be worried about having to constantly adjust your speed as holding down the X button will see you match their speed. Keeping you involved as you still have to steer your horse but without the annoyances. Story missions end up being 'kill this' and 'kill that' for the majority of the time however R* has managed to keep this entertaining by making it so you can approach the missions in a manner you'd like. Whether you charge into them on horse, snipe them from a distance or lasso and drag your foe around it is up to you. This brings me to my next point.

Well it is pretty much just GTA 4 controls however there is a unique bullet time mode called 'Dead Eye'. Here you can slow down time and mark out individual spots on an enemy where you want to shoot, it makes for some great fun but also an essential tool in combat. Also firing from horseback is greatly satisfying as well as being an easy to use feature. To enhance enjoyment I strongly suggest removing the auto-aim feature because not only will you lock onto targets you didn't necessarily want to shoot it also makes the game too easy.

The game is truly an immersive experience. Whether you are picking flowers, playing poker, being a night watchman, breaking horses i.e. taming them, collecting bounties on criminals or putting defenceless women in the path of a merciless train you really do feel like a cowboy. There is a great multitude of things to do and I have only named a small portion of them. Towns feel alive as people go about their daily business, people cutting wood, drunks stumbling around and crimes take place all help you feel like you really are in the west. The random encounters, reminiscent of those featuring in Fallout 3, are a great distraction. There is a law and punishment system in which unlike GTA simply losing the cops will not wipe out your record. Instead your crimes will be remembered until you pay your bounty or give a pardon letter. There is an honour and fame system, honour depicts whether you have been naughty or nice and fame dictates how well known you are. This causes reactions from civilians. As a whole the atmosphere is perfect.

It isn't to the standard of 'Uncharted 2' but we are talking about an open world sandbox game and it manages to look phenomenal. The great desert plains (tumble weeds included) is teeming with detail and to my surprise it doesn't get boring. Not only are there different environments, sandy deserts, swampland and snowy cliffs to name a few but the night and day cycle with changing weather patterns affect the environment too. It really has to be seen to be believed. My standout moment is the details on the horses, running shows off their muscle definition in their legs and it is just OMFG when you first see it. Don't listen to those who say PS3 sucks graphically, it doesn't. Whilst it may be inferior to the Xbox (as some sites suggest) the game looks amazing regardless so don't be put off by fanboys on either side.

Apart from one great track at one part of the game the sound is typically what you would expect from a western game however R* have kindly given us the option to play our own music stored on the XMB. Simply open it up and play your own tracks. The voice acting is phenomenal; lines are delivered in a believable fashion even from the more eccentric characters you encounter. Gun fire sounds like it can do some damage with deep booms from most rifles and shotguns.

The online mode is great if you are with friends, free roam is a stand out whilst there are many other game modes. Free roam is much like GTA IV’s however in this you can help each other with challenges and have a great laugh by experimenting with carriages and cliffs. This is a massive improvement to the absence of activities in GTA IV’s free roam.

The game is fun however there are things that detract from your enjoyment such as: Not being able to swim (it's those jeans I guess), online free roam; the obvious step to give players the chance to play poker, horseshoes or other minigames together was not taken.   The gameplay can become repetitive and like GTA money becomes pointless, there is too much of it and not enough to spend it on giving you little motivation to earn it. Finally collecting bounties could have been far more rewarding rather than the repetitive 'kill these guys and then he's yours'. All these though are minor in the bigger picture.

You'd be a real fool to miss this. Maybe not deserving of the hype it got but still an incredible game and experience. Not perfect but the best western game to date. NOW SADDLE UP!