Game Is Lyf

Developer(s): Rockstar San Diego
Rockstar North
Publisher(s): Rockstar Games
Director(s): Ted Carson (technical)
Josh Bass (art)
Daren Bader (art)
Producer(s): Steve Martin
David Kunkler
Josh Needleman
John Ricchio
Designer(s): Christian Cantamessa (lead)
Leslie Benzies
Alan Blaine
Silas Morse
Artist(s): Nick Trifunovic (lead)
George Davis
Writer(s): Dan Houser
Michael Unsworth
Christian Cantamessa
Composer(s): Bill Elm
Woody Jackson
Various artists
Series: Red Dead
Engine: RAGE
Euphoria
Native: 720p (Xbox 360)
Resolution: 640p (PlayStation 3)
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s): NA May 18, 2010
PAL May 21, 2010
Genre(s): Sandbox, third-person shooter, action-adventure
Mode(s): Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s):BBFC: 18
ESRB: M
OFLC: MA15
Media: Blu-ray Disc, DVD
Input methods: Gamepad
Red Dead Redemption is one of those games that many of us have been anticipating since even when Red Dead Revolver was released. It has definitely been a long time coming, and now that it’s finally here, many of us have been able to sit down and enjoy it. But for those on the fence, you’re probably asking questions like ’Is it worth buying?’, ’How good is the story?’, etc. Hopefully this review will answer your questions and help you decide whether a purchase would be worth it or not.

Using a setting you rarely see in video games, the Old West, it’s a much needed change of atmosphere. Of course, these days, we’ve seen other Western titles this generation in Gun (which I think deserves a sequel), Call of Juarez, etc. but those titles, while some being good, don’t quite have that level of polish we’d be expecting from a Rockstar title, let alone, being as open as Redemption claims to be. The question is, then, does Red Dead Redemption meet those standards?

Extended Trailer:



Gameplay:

Red Dead Redemption gives the player a large open world environment allowing the player to explore. Players on foot can walk, talk, kick chickens, shoot, kill, ride, run, hunt, interact with the environment, and combat enemies with firearms. Different breeds of horses are the main forms of transportation. Swimming is not an option, as the protagonist John Marston cannot swim - he will drown if he ventures too far into the water.

As well as following the main storyline, players can take part in random events they encounter as they explore the West. These include public hangings, ambushes, pleas for assistance, stranger encounters, drive-bys, and dangerous animal attacks. For example, if a group of people ride into town firing guns in the air, the player can kill them, and will receive a bonus of honour and fame. Players can also take part in optional side activities ranging from standoffs, gambling, and hunting animals for pelts, meat and other various items.
Red Dead Redemption makes use of a morality system where players have the ability to gain positive or negative 'honor'. Some of the ways to gain positive honor include taking an outlaw alive instead of killing him, or saving a kidnapped innocent. Negative honor can be gained for committing crimes including killing or robbing civilians. This works along with another system, 'fame,' showing and governing how people react based on Marston's honor status.
Combat and gunplay are major parts of the game. Gunfights in Red Dead Redemption are conducted using a third-person system. The player can take cover, target a specific person, blindfire, and free aim. Individual body parts can also be targeted, in order to take targets down non-lethally, who can then be lassoed and "hogtied" to capture individuals alive. When the player shoots an enemy, the game engine uniquely creates the AI reactions and movements. John Marston has an arsenal of period-accurate weapons to choose from; these include revolvers, pistols, lever or bolt-action rifles, knives, explosives, lassos, mounted gatling guns, shotguns, and cannons.

A combat feature that Marston can utilize is the "Dead-Eye" targeting system. "Dead-Eye" is used in a bullet time-like manner, allowing the player to slow down time to place a precise shot or paint in multiple shots on the body parts of one or multiple enemies. When the targeting sequence ends, Marston will fire in extremely quick succession on targeted people and objects.

Adopted from the Grand Theft Auto series, Red Dead Redemption has a modified wanted system. When committing a crime such as killing civilians near other people, some will run to the nearest police station as witnesses. The player can bribe them or kill them before they reach the station. If a crime is committed near a police officer, the wanted meter immediately appears along with a bounty count where it increases with more crimes committed.

To evade law enforcement in pursuit, John Marston must escape a circular zone until the wanted meter disappears. Despite the chase being aborted, John is placed with a bounty which will cause bounty hunters to come after him in the wilderness. The police will continue to challenge him again unless he pays his bounty at a telegraph station or presents a pardon letter. When arrested, John pays off his bounty and is then released. If the player does not have enough money to pay back, the police will assign bounty hunting activities.




Multiplayer:

Red Dead Redemption includes online multiplayer with a maximum of 16 players per session. Every multiplayer game, both free-for-all and team based, will begin with a Mexican standoff. Survivors of the standoff will be able to move to any part of the battlefield in preparation for respawning enemies. Crates in the environment will contain extra weapons, ammo, as well as recharge Dead-Eye powers, which has all the features of the single player version except for slow motion. Players can level up and complete weapon challenges giving rewards such as new character models, golden weapon skins, and new mount breeds.

Both regular and team versions of Shootout mode follows a traditional deathmatch scenario where players or teams must accumulate the most kills. Many Capture the Flag variants are also available. Hold Your Own is a traditional capture the flag, where each team has their own bag of gold to defend from the enemy team. Grab The Bag has both teams attacking one bag placed in a section of the map. Gold Rush is a free-for-all variant, trying to grab and keep as many bags, spawned all across the map, as possible.

Like Grand Theft Auto IV's free mode, Red Dead Redemption has its own free roaming mode. All players in the server can form and join player parties, named "posses", of up to eight players and taking part in activities such as attacking computer-controlled gang hideouts or other player posses, go hunting, and create in-server matches.