Red Dead Redemption 2 Has One Bad Habit GTA 6 Must Finally Break

Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in 2018, almost 8 years ago, and it is still fondly talked about in the world of gaming. It’s thanks to the exceptional story and characters that Red Dead Redemption 2 has the longevity that it does. Rockstar Games created a generational narrative with just about anything a person could want from a good story, from love and longing to murder and governmental interference. Characters are tangible beings with wants and desires that manifest in actions, whether good or evil, that change the course of the story. That impeccable writing is what keeps me coming back to RDR2 again and again.

Sure, I have a ton of games on my list that I need to play, but I also want to keep riding and bonding with my horse, talking to members of the Van der Linde gang, and chatting with wonderful and weird NPCs in RDR2. Story mode is a joy to run through again and again, but the story missions can sometimes stunt exploration for players, playing out scenarios strictly without the player’s control. These story missions inadvertently set invisible boundaries that keep players from inhabiting the world Rockstar built to its fullest. With strict boundaries in mind, how are players meant to get the most out of the thoughtfully crafted world and story?

Story Mode Missions Set Invisible Boundaries Around What Is Supposed to Be an Open World

Rockstar managed to create an exceedingly memorable world in Red Dead Redemption 2, crafting in-depth narratives with tangible characters that make players feel something long after they’ve put the controller down. The game truly has it all. High-stakes gunfights that get players’ palms sweating, days-long adventures through scenic flatlands and snowy mountains to catch legendary animals, and extraordinary characters with purpose and human motives for success, a better life, or grand plans for greener pastures. Exploration is what makes Red Dead Redemption 2 worthwhile. It is the backbone of the game. Developers purposefully made the title detailed for voracious explorers to explore, down to NPC interactions and subtle environmental details that one can find that accidentally unravel a larger narrative.

Embarking on Story Mode, players are thrust into this wide-open world, still wet behind the ears as they explore as Arthur Morgan on a mission to get the gang to safety. What transpires is a whirlwind that takes hours upon hours to get through from start to finish. From Arthur’s beginnings in the snowy mountains to his end staring off at the sunrise, it took me around 62 hours to get through my first playthrough. Like many who first played RDR2, I was eager to explore all the world had to offer, which is why it took me so long to finish the main narrative.

Story missions effectively halted my exploration, serving as an invisible roadblock that would require me to perform exact sequences of actions in order to understand a plot point or gain more clarity on the Van der Linde gang’s situation. While I am in love with the story and what Rockstar has managed to create, I was frustrated that I had to follow guidelines to get through story missions. It seemed counterintuitive, given that once players are let loose in RDR2, they can pretty much play however they like. There is no expectation beyond story mode. Folks can ride on horseback for hours on end, hunt massive albino alligators, or track down serial killers leaving a bloody trail on the home front.

It is an odd disconnect that one must carry out story mode missions to a T, unless they’d rather fail. These missions are made to convey a plot point in a uniform manner, but restricting characters’ abilities to do and act how they please in a massive world like RDR2‘s is not what many players signed up for. Why can’t players be treated to a wonderful story with rich writing and dialogue, while also being able to roam as they please? It is like putting a starving person before a massive spread, but only allowing them to dig into the meat and potatoes and not the sides. Players may miss what RDR2‘s world has to offer, forced to focus on a narrative fed to them in a sterilized, structured way.

My first playthrough was strictly about finding out how this story unravels, which meant I missed out on a ton. I felt roped into the story, which is a credit to the writers at Rockstar, but I also had no chance to catch my breath and just be. When I did carry out exploration, I felt free and happy, riding my horse, whom I named Whinney, and chatting with strange and wonderful NPCs who would give me quests like bone collecting or picture taking. I became someone else as I explored, eager to learn about the world around me, to get a better sense of a time I had never been a part of: the Old West.

Image via Rockstar Games

How cool would it be to be a cowboy during the final days of the traditional American frontier? I could steal, kill, rob, and fight my way through situations like no tomorrow, at a detriment to my honor, of course. I could become the cowboy I always wanted to be. Through exploration, I also got to know Arthur for all his faults, likes, and dislikes. I learned of his loyalty, his love for a certain Mary Linton, and documentation of the world around him through his journals. Who I became while I explored was much different from the person I had to inhabit while taking on story missions. I became restricted by combat options, forced to inhabit an Arthur that was not my own.

Decisions weren’t mine to make, and my worldview was stunted. While I was interested in seeing what happened next, the story worked against its exploration to become something more restrictive. While you don’t have to see the story through or even participate in some of the story missions, there are specific missions that are a must-play because they unlock specific features, areas, or chapters. Players are made to take actions that affect overall honor, something that I took quite seriously during my first playthrough. I was invested in the world and the story, but I was forced to choose between seeing the story through my own eyes via exploration or through a curated mission, which sometimes left me with more questions than answers.

If I wanted to see the world Rockstar devs created on my own terms, I would potentially miss out on story missions that gave me more context about the characters I had come to love. One of my absolute favorite story missions that I almost completely missed upon my first playthrough was “We Love Once and True.” The three-part optional quest is done for Mary Linton, where you help rescue her brother Jamie from a cult. Arthur and Mary’s storyline is one of the most important in my book. Arthur’s relationship with Mary contextualizes his internal struggles in choosing this life, as seen throughout, but mainly towards the end of the game.

Arthur is stuck choosing between himself and a happy life with Mary or the life Dutch Van der Linde wants for him. His relationship with Mary is emphasized in this optional story mission. If I missed it, I would be foregoing key characterization, but I would also maybe have understood other facets of the game through my exploration sans this mission. The story is amazing, and story missions bring context to Arthur’s world, but so does exploration. Blocking sightseeing and discovery with story missions is a double-edged sword that Rockstar has trouble getting right, even in their many GTA titles.

Red Dead Online Is a Start, but Not Nearly Enough

Red Dead Online is a start, as far as balancing both story and exploration goes. While it isn’t the focal point, there is a story for RD Online, although it has nothing to do with the main story featured in RDR2‘s dedicated story mode. Players pilot a silent custom protagonist who is freed from prison after being framed for a murder. Players must work alongside a woman named Jessica LeClerk to clear their name and get revenge on the people who killed her husband. There is still a dedicated honor system and missions to complete tied to this side story, but exploration is not hindered by it.

Online is true to that Wild West feel. It’s anyone’s game. Players can virtually do just about anything and everything they want. Players can pursue different roles like Bounty Hunter or Collector, they can play in groups for a unique experience, and they can create their own character that feels more like themselves than Arthur. In short, players have more control over their destinies and can explore as they want. That being said, Rockstar’s RD Online build is infamously unfinished, meaning the story ends on a cliffhanger and the world is less reactive to a player, which is something that I really loved in story mode. Story mode is extremely detailed, which is why it is a shame that most players miss out on hidden details because they are so tied to story missions that make exploration more challenging.

Story mode is a must-play, especially for first-timers. That being said, exploration can be limited by that wonderful storytelling. It’s hard to choose what to go for, especially since the world Rockstar built is so appealing. For that reason, story mode missions can be somewhat restrictive, while RD Online features more balance between story and exploration. While it is nearly there, RD Online‘s world and story need to be more like the expansive story mode build. More in-depth, with more reactive moments like deep NPC dialogue and little environmental tidbits that keep me on my toes. I want to digest the world around me just as much as I want to understand an amazing story.

Released

October 26, 2018

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol