Those who haven’t played it would be forgiven for thinking thatRed Dead Redemptionis exclusively about revolver-twirling outlaws skirting the thin line of the law in pursuit of riches. It has those themes, but underneath, it’s a mature, nuanced look at how people survive in such a harsh environment. It’s gaming’s great western epic, andRed Dead Redemption 2is yet to be topped.
The scene in the secondRed Dead Redemptiongame where John Marston builds a house for himself, Jack, and Abigail is one of the great, most human moments of the 2018 release. It’s known to people who haven’t even played the game, so it could be a smart idea to double down on it, giving people who playRed Dead Redemption 3the chance to build and maintain their own home.
Home is a common theme throughoutthe story ofRed Dead Redemption 2, even though it’s not one that is explicitly told to the player. The Van Der Linde Gang has been moving from place to place for what seems like forever, and the carrot on the end of the stick is always the promise of a place to call home, be it the green pastures of the American west, or Tahiti, like Dutch frequently brings up. The end goal for the group is a home, and that pursuit is why they embark on their dubious adventures.
John Marston finds a home in Beecher’s Hope, and with it a shot at a normal life. Without the space, the moments with Jack and Abigail wouldn’t have been as impactful, as the house that he, Charles, and Uncle build does well to tie them all together, making it feel like Marston has managed to carve out a genuine family life for himself.When he meets his end on the same land inRed Dead Redemption, it’s all the more tragic because of it.
Having players build their own home would grant plenty of story and gameplay benefits, butRed Dead Redemption 3could go one furtherby asking players to maintain it. Be it to keep the protagonist’s family happy, or simply as a vanity project to share with friends, the sense of pride in place that can be extracted from the idea could pay dividends. The wild west inRed Dead Redemptionis always portrayed as a lawless, unpredictable place full of wayfaring strangers and unfriendly faces, and rewarding players who put the time in with a home to shut off the outside world could benefitRed Dead Redemption 3’s overall tone and progression.
The camp feature inRed Dead Redemption 2was a mixed bag. On one hand, it was a catalyst for interesting conversations with members of the Van Der Linde Gang, and had them all in one convenient place, which made it easier to tell great stories and add a feeling of community cohesion to the game. However, it left much to be desired mechanically, as giving funds regularly to the camp gives no in-game benefit at all. It’s only really there for show and, as a result, is one of the few big areas that could have been improved in a largely excellent end product.
The gang inRed Dead Redemption 2move the camp a lot throughout the story, including to Horseshoe Overlook, Clements Point, Shady Belle, and Beaver Hollows.
It’s possible thatRed Dead Redemption 3goes back to a more character-centric affairlike the first game, rather than a tale that has to cater for a whole ensemble of side characters. Should this be the case, then the camp mechanic wouldn’t be viable as it’s primarily there for socializing. However, the player needs some kind of base camp to return to as the open world will likely be expansive and the feeling of familiarity is always a welcome one. A house makes sense, and developing the idea could be a fresh addition to a series that is already teetering on the line of perfection.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
