Red Dead Redemption

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4023 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,604 out of 4023
  2. Mixed: 231 out of 4023
  3. Negative: 188 out of 4023
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  1. Tubie
    Oct 2, 2010
    7
    I think I hyped myself too much for this game add to that the fact that I do not enjoy western settings and you can understand my rating for this game. Overall it's a fine experience, the story is engaging and the game is fluid. I was a bit disappointed in the graphics department but it wasn't a big deal.
  2. Dziver
    Mar 15, 2013
    7
    Really enjoyable, but mediocre experience. Too much horse riding, duel system is awful, dead eye feels useless, there is no real need to aim(the game has inbuilt aimbot), most of the missions are either repetitive or boring, story is not interesting, there are too many strange story related characters, you cannot really choose what to do(only in which order you do things), there isn't anyReally enjoyable, but mediocre experience. Too much horse riding, duel system is awful, dead eye feels useless, there is no real need to aim(the game has inbuilt aimbot), most of the missions are either repetitive or boring, story is not interesting, there are too many strange story related characters, you cannot really choose what to do(only in which order you do things), there isn't any choices that would affect the story or the way people see you, the performance is awful(runs 15-25fps and sometimes even drops around 5fps). I still gave it 7 because I sort of enjoyed it and there are not many western games.… Expand
  3. Zzgashi
    Apr 26, 2011
    7
    A brilliant narrative that plays with the players perspective, and sheds the wild west in a new light. It is proof that videogames are indeed art. Unfortunately it's not actually fun to play, with some of the most tedious mechanics in modern gaming. The section in mexico was especially a chore, with it's frequent backtracking. At the end there is a great annoyance as well, as aA brilliant narrative that plays with the players perspective, and sheds the wild west in a new light. It is proof that videogames are indeed art. Unfortunately it's not actually fun to play, with some of the most tedious mechanics in modern gaming. The section in mexico was especially a chore, with it's frequent backtracking. At the end there is a great annoyance as well, as a completely achievable obstacle assumes and forces the player's defeat.… Expand
  4. NoBS
    Dec 11, 2010
    7
    Here is my simple and straight forward review; no bs. Pros:

    - Massive landscape and scope of game. Variety in landscapes (blistering hot desert to restless tundra) - Compelling characters: John Martson is by far the most compelling character this year and you can feel really connected to this man's struggles - Great Graphics: Presentation is A+, no sacrifices were made to make the large    Here is my simple and straight forward review; no bs. Pros:

    - Massive landscape and scope of game. Variety in landscapes (blistering hot desert to restless tundra)
    - Compelling characters: John Martson is by far the most compelling character this year and you can feel really connected to this man's struggles
    - Great Graphics: Presentation is A+, no sacrifices were made to make the large free roam
    - Epic narrative: The story itself is the greatest aspect of this game
    - Variety of weapons, horses, activities - Original: No other game this year is like this one, best Western videogame ever made Cons:

    - Missions are REALLY repetitive and boring (follow guy on horse, kill some dudes, take reward, done). - Glitchy (falling off the map isn't exactly hard to do if you try) - Too much desert, the deserty landscape of this game althought different takes up like 60% of the map. Tall trees (snow part) is far too small compared to the rest of the map.
    - Dragging length; due to the repetitive missions, the singleplayer is a bit too long. There seems to be like 3 different instances were you thought you beat the game only to find out you didn't. - At one point you end up shooting birds to protect a barn and helping your son hunt deer. Not exactly the most exciting aspect of the game. This part should have been cut
    - Multiplayer is extremely boring; gamemodes and uninteresting, free roam has literally NOTHING to do other than beat the same gang hideouts over and over again - No replay value due to boring multiplayer and extremely long singleplayer

    Overall: Red dead is a rent and not a buy. The multiplayer is a waste of time and effort but the single player is a very compelling narrative but with boring and repetitive missions, the presentation is great as well. I wish I could give this game a 7.5 but I can't. So 7.    … Expand
  5. liquefire
    Sep 1, 2011
    7
    Loved the idea of being a cowboy, until I played this game, now I am happy I only had to be a cowboy for a bit. While its not bad, this game wasn't good either. Felt like most of my time was spent staring at the butt of a horse and a story that just kept on going. Even when I thought the story was done it jumped a few years forward, but it was a different character and felt really "meh".
  6. Santi_RHCP
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    I expected this game to be much better. When I first played the game, i didnt like it at all, but now that i am giving it a second chance its actually a good game.Multiplayer is fun when you play with groups and most DLC are free.The campaign mode feels repetitive sometimes but gets better when you go further into the story.
  7. enjoyablyC
    May 26, 2012
    7
    This game has an amazing soundtrack, great voice acting and an open world that feels real and alive. The story just isn't what people say it is, however. The game will do the fatal mistake of referencing things that happened "off-camera" a number of times instead of actually showing us. That is universally known in the film and book worlds as a way of cheaply avoiding to write more stuff.This game has an amazing soundtrack, great voice acting and an open world that feels real and alive. The story just isn't what people say it is, however. The game will do the fatal mistake of referencing things that happened "off-camera" a number of times instead of actually showing us. That is universally known in the film and book worlds as a way of cheaply avoiding to write more stuff. The parts with John's old crew come to mind here. The antagonists in this game (save for the two cops) aren't fleshed out at all, they game tells you why you should hate them in dialogue lines but doesn't actually show them doing anything bad on screen. I don't get why this game's story gets such high praise.… Expand
  8. Nednerb
    Jun 1, 2013
    7
    Red Dead Redemption's main story, the overall game play and quality of the characters are top notch. All the characters in the game are unique and deliver that sarcastic dark humor that existed in the GTA4 world. The game can be faulted on its outdated graphics, the time it takes to travel to and from a location and the constant mission retries to get the highest rating for the maximumRed Dead Redemption's main story, the overall game play and quality of the characters are top notch. All the characters in the game are unique and deliver that sarcastic dark humor that existed in the GTA4 world. The game can be faulted on its outdated graphics, the time it takes to travel to and from a location and the constant mission retries to get the highest rating for the maximum fame. The multi-player aspect of the game is entertaining with a number of game modes available to play with. Leveling up is a grind and with many legacy levels out there the player will lose interest quite quickly. There are a few online trophies that are difficult and very frustrating. Overall an enjoyable experience.… Expand
  9. Shepard-N72
    Dec 8, 2019
    7
    Пустой открытый мир с искусственными коридорам чтобы дольше по нему скакать, местами очень слабый сюжет, довольно слабая производительность (в том числе постоянные подгрузы моделек и FPS местами в районе 15).
  10. simongeorge
    Sep 25, 2013
    7
    Pros
    1. Huge world that makes you feel like you're in the wild west.
    2. Excellent storyline and voice acting 3. Graphics off in the distance are excellent the changing weather against the landscape brings the world alive. Negative 1. I don't see the point in all the weapons when they are barely needed as they all do the same thing and none of the missions are challenging enough    Pros
    1. Huge world that makes you feel like you're in the wild west.
    2. Excellent storyline and voice acting
    3. Graphics off in the distance are excellent the changing weather against the landscape brings the world alive.

    Negative
    1. I don't see the point in all the weapons when they are barely needed as they all do the same thing and none of the missions are challenging enough to make you feel like a need to swap through them much.
    2. The missions are repetitive and many can be very boring

    Overall a very good game, but don't believe the hype. It's good, but no more than that.    … Expand
  11. Mjoog
    Oct 15, 2013
    7
    Beautiful, exciting and a game that keeps you going for hours and hours. Sadly quite buggy when it first came out, something that snapped you back to reality in no-time from the otherwise great immersion.
  12. technophobia
    Jun 24, 2015
    7
    As of the writing of this review, the online component of this game is completely broken. The servers are glitchy, the sessions are lost, other players are invisible...and the eternal loading. The single player was OK, but not worthy of the praise written in the other reviews. This game will get monotonous fast as the Wild West is more desolate than any other sandbox game. You haveAs of the writing of this review, the online component of this game is completely broken. The servers are glitchy, the sessions are lost, other players are invisible...and the eternal loading. The single player was OK, but not worthy of the praise written in the other reviews. This game will get monotonous fast as the Wild West is more desolate than any other sandbox game. You have been warned.… Expand
  13. AntonioSanAlo99
    Jun 27, 2020
    7
    John Marston is one of the best characters in the videogame history, but the stupidity of the Rockstar team making some situations that are a bad joke don't make posible a better memory. The revenge is awful, but worse when you can't ask for a reason. Some points are better than most of the classic westerns and use the deep inside questioning an era to create something, but that's all anJohn Marston is one of the best characters in the videogame history, but the stupidity of the Rockstar team making some situations that are a bad joke don't make posible a better memory. The revenge is awful, but worse when you can't ask for a reason. Some points are better than most of the classic westerns and use the deep inside questioning an era to create something, but that's all an irregular game with an excellent lead character.… Expand
  14. chesaro
    Apr 12, 2015
    7
    There's a lot of things to do in this game, but, a lot... a lot of that stuff is very repetitive and straight, for an open world game you don't have to work very much to do the sub-missions or advance through the story, at some point i just realized some missions didn't even tell where to go, it just got marked on the map.

    This is the first rockstar game i finish, but i'm very    There's a lot of things to do in this game, but, a lot... a lot of that stuff is very repetitive and straight, for an open world game you don't have to work very much to do the sub-missions or advance through the story, at some point i just realized some missions didn't even tell where to go, it just got marked on the map.

    This is the first rockstar game i finish, but i'm very disappointed, i think it was the right choice to ignore grand theft auto all this time    … Expand
  15. elandroid
    Jun 10, 2016
    7
    Una decepción. Llegaba al Red Dead Redemption con las expectativas de encontrarme ante unos de los mejores juegos de la pasada generación y me he encontrado una decepción. El juego está bien, es notable y en su contexto es un buen juego. Quizá el gran apartado gráfico para 2010 jugara un gran papel a su favor, pero una vez aparcamos los gráficos (y su bajones a 15FPS en PS3) me encuentroUna decepción. Llegaba al Red Dead Redemption con las expectativas de encontrarme ante unos de los mejores juegos de la pasada generación y me he encontrado una decepción. El juego está bien, es notable y en su contexto es un buen juego. Quizá el gran apartado gráfico para 2010 jugara un gran papel a su favor, pero una vez aparcamos los gráficos (y su bajones a 15FPS en PS3) me encuentro una historia con la que es difícil empatizar desde el principio, un guión que no sale de lo previsible y unos personajes sosos sin ningún ritmo. El juego mejora algo a lo largo de la trama, pero para nada se merece que se le encumbre a obra maestra.… Expand
  16. sunoblak
    Dec 27, 2017
    7
    Uno de los pocos juegos referentes temáticos de western, paisaje bonito y amplio, muchos elementos emergentes, controles aceptables... el problema viene en la historia, se nota que es un juego de Rockstar que intento oxigenar a la empresa de tantos mundos libres contemporáneos con este juego.
    No todo lo que aparece en la historia es malo, de hecho tiene una de las mejores de PS3 pero no    Uno de los pocos juegos referentes temáticos de western, paisaje bonito y amplio, muchos elementos emergentes, controles aceptables... el problema viene en la historia, se nota que es un juego de Rockstar que intento oxigenar a la empresa de tantos mundos libres contemporáneos con este juego.
    No todo lo que aparece en la historia es malo, de hecho tiene una de las mejores de PS3 pero no puedo dejar pasar por alto a Dickinson, este nefasto personaje es inaceptable bajo mi punto de vista, hay mejores formas de meter el folclore de la época; carreras de carros, engaños y estafas...
    Otro problema es la disonancia ludonarrativa donde la actitud del protagonista es de "quiero que esto acabe cuanto antes y volverá a la vida normal con mi hijo y mi mujer, pero luego puedes desde jugar al poker e irte de caza. Este juego sin duda debería de haber sido un juego lineal sin suprimir las preparaciones psicológicas y charlas de los viajes a caballo.
    Veremos que hace Rockstar en su segunda entrega para PS4    … Expand
  17. AcidSnake3
    Mar 8, 2019
    7
    I really didn't want to give this game a 7, but after playing it for over 10 hours, I don't feel that ot's as good as people say it is, now I found the story to be engagin, intriguing and fun, so in other words it is great, but the world itself feels a little bit too empty with the occasional event here and there outside of the story missions, but that's not the main problem, it's the feelI really didn't want to give this game a 7, but after playing it for over 10 hours, I don't feel that ot's as good as people say it is, now I found the story to be engagin, intriguing and fun, so in other words it is great, but the world itself feels a little bit too empty with the occasional event here and there outside of the story missions, but that's not the main problem, it's the feel of the controls that is, they are so clunky and sluggish that I couldn't keep going, couple that with the ps3 version's crappy framerate and things only get worse, if they remaster this game with better controls and framerate then I'd definitely give it an 8.5 or even a 9, but I really have a massive issue with the problems I've just cited.… Expand
  18. elolugo
    Sep 27, 2020
    7
    Great game in its era but now not so much. Massive FPS drops on cities/towns, boring plot in the first 70%
  19. Sam_Unger
    Jan 23, 2021
    7
    It's a good Game, but not even close as great as rdr2, rdr2 beats this game in everything also including more of the 50% of the map of this game, this is an example of a work surpassed by his sequel and don't get me wrong I think for example that mgs2 is better than mgs3 or mgs3 is better than mgs4 or GTA IV is way better than GTAV but this is not the case, It lacks the nobility, theIt's a good Game, but not even close as great as rdr2, rdr2 beats this game in everything also including more of the 50% of the map of this game, this is an example of a work surpassed by his sequel and don't get me wrong I think for example that mgs2 is better than mgs3 or mgs3 is better than mgs4 or GTA IV is way better than GTAV but this is not the case, It lacks the nobility, the insane open world narrative, mature and the amazing slow pace of rdr2 that made clear that it's going to be a mandatory feature in next entries to come in the series, although the BEST thing of this Game is the ending of the story.… Expand
  20. BeeSting1
    Jan 1, 2021
    7
    Starts off strong, but slowly goes downhill.

    The Good - it's very similar to GTA, in map and progression design. And I love it. The sandbox is one of the best for its time, especially when combined with its strong narrative and characters. - I appreciate the "skip to destination" option. But the dialogue is usually interesting enough that u stay for at least a bit of the ride.    Starts off strong, but slowly goes downhill.

    The Good

    - it's very similar to GTA, in map and progression design. And I love it. The sandbox is one of the best for its time, especially when combined with its strong narrative and characters.

    - I appreciate the "skip to destination" option. But the dialogue is usually interesting enough that u stay for at least a bit of the ride. Skipping to your waypoint was extremely convenient.

    - being able to fast travel from anywhere in the wild is very convenient, unlike in Red dead 2

    - steering the horse is really easy. The control is reactive and fluent. Matching speed with your comrade is really useful.

    - The narrative is much darker than Red dead 2. There's more about rape, murder, and deception. Despite the time period being a bit later, it seems things are more wild.

    - I like how your horse will go faster if you keep it on the trail, instead of the grass. This was a good reward for steering the horse on track, and gave me something to do if I couldn't fast travel.

    - I like John Marston as a character. He's Sharp and critical of others for the right reasons. He's a good judge of character, and he's good at verbally destroying another character through a mix of sarcasm and seriousness.

    - marking targets with deadeye isn't automatic unlike Red dead 2, which I think is a good thing because it makes it more challenging and technically more demanding.

    - five finger fillet is pretty fun.

    - it's interesting seeing the corruption in the early Mexican government.

    - is it actually possible to unlock I turning lock on a safe without some special hearing equipment?

    - this game has villains that make me want to kill them because they are so evil. Like Allende. Compared to Red dead 2 where the villains that you are fighting icons or actually just trying to follow the law, while you are against it. As of person who is living in a civilized society AKA the year 2020, it's hard to relate to the van der Linde gang point of view.

    The Bad

    - I want to be able to free aim, but trying to free aim while riding a horse in trying to shoot enemies while they're on the horse it's very very difficult. Which means sometimes I need to rely on aim assist, which just feels like cheating. Dead eye runs out too quickly.

    - the textbox tutorials disappear too quickly. I find myself trying to perform the task while reading it, but most of the time halfway through reading it, it disappears. Though u can go to the journal brief to check what was said, but this breaks the pace of the gameplay. This affects tutorials as well. Like during the duel tutorial, I'm trying to read the text, look at the opponents, and look at the red and blue bars, and they are in separate parts of the screen, and it happens all at the same time. So where am I supposed to look? I'm trying to read the text, I'm scared the dude's going to shoot me. And the tutorial only happens once, so if you miss it, then tough luck. Or you can go back to your logs to read through it, but that obviously isn't going to be the same.

    - it's weird how in some missions, everything related to a mission just disappears The moment the mission is finished. Your comrade disappears. This is a recurring thing in the GTA series, and I never liked it. Even if they showed your comrade riding off and disappearing in the distance would have been better then them just vanishing. It's as if the mission was nothing but a dream.

    - some of the reasons for dying is kind of ridiculous. There is one parts where I rode my horse into I guess water that was a bit too deep and died. Curious thing is that I walked in really slowly, then the screen just turned black immediately with the word dead. Instead I think the game should just pop you off the horse. It would make more sense. Nico in GTA IV didn't just die when riding a motorcycle into a lake. And the game is older than Red dead, so why?

    - it's annoying how if you accidentally run over a townsfolk you fail your mission. Sometimes they're just in the way, and steering the horse isn't the most precise thing in the world.

    - objects render slowly on PS3. It kills the immersion sometimes

    - there was a time where I wanted to buy snake oil, but the shopkeeper literally just walked out of the shop and started walking around like a regular pedestrian. I don't know if this was an intended programming as part of the AI, but it was quite annoying cause I couldn't end up buying what I needed as the shop keeper never went back to his shop.    … Expand
  21. Flounder
    Sep 7, 2022
    7
    Das Beste an Red Dead Redemption ist die einfache Geschichte mit einigen großartigen Texten, aber wo das Spiel leidet, ist es langweilig, ein Großteil des Spiels wiederholt sich, es kann ewig dauern, an Orte zu gehen, und viele Orte sehen gleich aus einander, und das Gameplay kann sich auch sehr wiederholen, und die 2. Dead-Eye-Fähigkeit hat das Gameplay ehrlich gesagt behindert, wasDas Beste an Red Dead Redemption ist die einfache Geschichte mit einigen großartigen Texten, aber wo das Spiel leidet, ist es langweilig, ein Großteil des Spiels wiederholt sich, es kann ewig dauern, an Orte zu gehen, und viele Orte sehen gleich aus einander, und das Gameplay kann sich auch sehr wiederholen, und die 2. Dead-Eye-Fähigkeit hat das Gameplay ehrlich gesagt behindert, was scheiße ist, denn bis Sie Dead Eye 3 bekommen, wurde es Ihnen aufgezwungen, aber ansonsten vermischten sich die großartige Geschichte und das Geschichtenerzählen In mit etwas Spaß am Gameplay bekommen Sie eine Sieben von mir.… Expand
  22. leofravoline
    May 10, 2022
    7
    No meu coração a nota é 10 mas pelo replay dele ser baixo a nota cai bastante. é um jogo pra ser jogado apenas uma vez e ser guardado na memória.
  23. lewisHolloway21
    Aug 11, 2022
    7
    What a beautiful game such an expansive outstanding experience where you genuinely believe you are in the old west. my only problem with the game is the fact that travelling from place to place could be a bit of a repetitive task, besides that there is nothing wrong with this game I would recommend to anyone. the game is also surprisingly accurate to the wild west era with very little variation.
  24. GhostlyMenace
    Apr 27, 2023
    7
    I found the story of a common man versus the government to be intriguing. The characters were convincing and the minigames were very fun. The gameplay is nothing special and exactly like GTA.
  25. JustinJ
    May 21, 2010
    6
    Hype over Substance. It seems to be a mainstay of the video game review industry the last few years, which has done nothing to dissuade the developers from buying into it as well. Red Dead Redemption is a prime example. The graphics are gorgeous in places, mainly the sweeping outdoor and city locations, while the textures can be flat and uninteresting with a muted palette in more confined Hype over Substance. It seems to be a mainstay of the video game review industry the last few years, which has done nothing to dissuade the developers from buying into it as well. Red Dead Redemption is a prime example. The graphics are gorgeous in places, mainly the sweeping outdoor and city locations, while the textures can be flat and uninteresting with a muted palette in more confined spaces. This is especially noticeable on the PS3, which is, uncharacteristically, the lesser of the two platforms graphically in the case of RDR. The gameplay is similiar in feel to GTA4, and the same problems that plagued that game and other "Sandbox" styled games are still prevalent here. Side-missions are varied, unlike in say, "inFamous," where the same exact 4-5 missions were recycled ad inifinitum throughout the game. But that doesn't mean they don't end up feeling the same. Each Bounty plays out in the same manner, every "Challenge" is merely a repetition of the previous rank with a new target, and the "Stranger" missions, while varied and interesting, are far too short to make up for the recycled mechanics in other parts of the game. Likewise, the large selection of mini-games may hold your attention at first, but with the exception of the well-done Texas Hold-'em poker tables, will probably be passed by after you've seen each of them once or twice. Overall, this is more a genre failing than a failing of the game itself. RDR is certainly a high-quality sandboxer, but the entire genre is in need of a facelift, and this coming from someone who has been a fan since before the name was even given. Red Dead Redemption is one of the most hyped and awaited games of the past year, and as such you can be certain that it will receive critical acclaim. But all you'll really find here is a polished version of a gameplay mechanic that is starting to feel its age, much as RPG's did in the mid 90's before Black Isle came along with Baldur's Gate to raise them to prominence once again. If you still love sandboxers, and don't mind the repetitive missions that serve essentially as an excuse to draw a games play-time out well beyond what the actual, unique content would warrant, then you'll find plenty to love in RDR. On the other hand... if the genre is starting to wear thin for you, even this new coat of polish isn't going to be enough to make you forget that you just did the same exact thing for the 40th time.… Expand
  26. ster25
    Sep 21, 2010
    6
    While this game blew me away with it's sheer size and seemingly limitless playability, it's techincal flaws really hampered what I feel could have been a close to perfect game. For one example, I had just finished using the gatling gun at Fort Mercer, one of the bandits had been shot off his horse and was suspended in mid-air and dead. Now my natural curiosity has me go over to theWhile this game blew me away with it's sheer size and seemingly limitless playability, it's techincal flaws really hampered what I feel could have been a close to perfect game. For one example, I had just finished using the gatling gun at Fort Mercer, one of the bandits had been shot off his horse and was suspended in mid-air and dead. Now my natural curiosity has me go over to the corpse and kind of chuckle at a minor game flaw. I walk near the corpse...and I DIE?? Really?? and that's just one of many bugs I found. As far as I am concerned, that is practically inexcusable to be in a $60 game. I can understand a glitch here and there...but dying after walking under a suspended in mid air corpse? Or having a wagon driver completely go **** for no reason and drive right over a cliff? A townsman running in place just propels himself into the sky? For shame Rockstar.....for shame… Expand
  27. Spartan111
    Nov 9, 2010
    6
    What an overrated void of nothingness. First of all this really is gta4 in the wild west. All of the games side quest or secondary activities are boring and useless except hunting, you play them to earn money yet you cant use money for anything which makes them pointless. The game is way too easy, i died very few times and the game is not long at all if you dont waste your time playingWhat an overrated void of nothingness. First of all this really is gta4 in the wild west. All of the games side quest or secondary activities are boring and useless except hunting, you play them to earn money yet you cant use money for anything which makes them pointless. The game is way too easy, i died very few times and the game is not long at all if you dont waste your time playing stupid, pointless, easy, shallow mini games (Arm wrestling what a joke!) or side quests. The game also makes the wild west look boring and dull and the ending just plain sucks.… Expand
  28. agalloch
    Jan 25, 2011
    6
    Not that great. I am a fan of some sandbox games, but the genre is very saturated. Red Dead has an interesting premise but the landscape is far too boring. The endless desert is repetitive, there are few unique locations, and the "vehicles" do not make it better. The story was not great, and the graphics could use improvement. Pretty okay voice acting, though.
  29. the_blueprint
    Dec 11, 2013
    6
    I liked the first hours. Let me begin by saying that I'm not a sandbox guy. I don't really like just doing stuff in the world, I never know what to do. I need missions and storyline. So based on that, I liked the first hours. But after a while I got bored, and by the ending I was just playing because I wanted to complete is, didn't pay off. GTA IV payed off at the end of the story, thisI liked the first hours. Let me begin by saying that I'm not a sandbox guy. I don't really like just doing stuff in the world, I never know what to do. I need missions and storyline. So based on that, I liked the first hours. But after a while I got bored, and by the ending I was just playing because I wanted to complete is, didn't pay off. GTA IV payed off at the end of the story, this one this not. Except for that, I had about the same experience, and GTA IV was never really a drag.… Expand
  30. mrnice
    May 10, 2014
    6
    If GTA had only a few types of (slow) vehicles and one radio station, it would still feel more content-rich than RDR. That's the point of sparse westerns I guess, but I like sandboxes because they feel unpredictable and expanding as you unlock new content. Another thing is, RDR didn't give me that 'aha' feeling of seeing the world from a different perspective. More like seeing a differentIf GTA had only a few types of (slow) vehicles and one radio station, it would still feel more content-rich than RDR. That's the point of sparse westerns I guess, but I like sandboxes because they feel unpredictable and expanding as you unlock new content. Another thing is, RDR didn't give me that 'aha' feeling of seeing the world from a different perspective. More like seeing a different world with THE SAME (GTA) perspective. They also satisfy the psychological 'wrongedness' that many non-privileged people feel. In GTA the (virtual) material world is finally within one's grasp, and in that way it temporarily satisfies an irrational hunger for material wealth and the inferiority felt from not attaining it in real life. It can also serve as a reminder that material gain is ultimately an empty and meaningless thing, while real happiness is all about the journey to get there. Not saying that such desire should be cultivated. I think it's important to sort of 'starve' the ego and remind ourselves that the world never promised to be fair, and that we don't need much anyway. But for those who have not kept their ego in check, GTA is an unparalleled playground, and RDR lacks a similar effect since it's not a mirror of the world that wronged us. RDR reuses the same action gameplay for a dozen hours, and there are no motorcycles or planes to broaden the scope. Online shootouts work well in the open sprawling landscapes, but as of spring 2014, online is marred by glitches that Rockstars have been fixing for months. I wonder if they'll ever get around to it.

    As an introduction to Rockstar Games, or to third-person action, there's a lot of exciting content in this game. But for the seasoned gamer who has played several GTAs, the repetition of the mission style becomes very apparent. I had hoped for a few innovating missions, where the setting was used to do something that would have been impossible in GTA. But the game never really shows creativity in that area, filling instead most hours with riding through terrain (GTA driving minus the traffic!) and 'shooting gallery' action (on or off the horse) which almost plays itself thanks to the automatic targeting system (like in GTA V). The characters are memorable, a few of them among my favorite Rockstar characters ever. The game world is a marvel at times, even if you've played later open world games such as Skyrim or Assassin's Creed IV. But it also doesn't give much of a reason to explore it. No stunt jumps. No meaningful looting. No silly collectibles (except the skins of wild animals). It's completely straight-faced most of the time, and you know exactly what to expect of cabins, woods, towns etc. No surprises.

    In retrospect, the game went all-in on impressive assets and characters. That focus made it impressive next to its contemporaries. However, especially the former quality will always get competition when technology improves. Good gameplay can be timeless. Red Dead Redemption plays like it could have been simply thought out in the last century, and it barely shows hints of innovations in its genre. So it feels stuck there.

    If you've never played a Rockstar game before, you might add two points to the score. If you're crazy about westerns, you can safely add at least one point. But I'd recommend GTA V or GTA Vice City instead, or Skyrim or Assassin's Creed IV for similarly exotic game worlds.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS3 Game of 2010
1
#1 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2010
2
#2 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
95

Universal acclaim - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 73 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Game Informer
    98
    The game perfectly captures the expansiveness of frontier life and the gritty gunplay of spaghetti westerns, rightfully earning its place alongside the great Western films and the best Rockstar games. [Issue#206, p.86]
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  2. Eurogamer
    80
    Rockstar's skill in creating a believable, functioning world with a distinct, coherent and consistent atmosphere is peerless. The broad-brush vision is masterful.
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  3. Eurogamer Italy
    90
    Red Dead Redemption is a masterpiece. This game is the perfect example of how a developer should work to create the best atmosphere and to represent a beautiful historical situation. The graphics, the gameplay elements and everything else is at top level. Buy Red Dead Redemption, now!
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