<br>By forcing you to slow down and complete duties that seem lackluster, you slowly start to feel more present in this world and grow closer to your own version of Arthur. If Red Dead Redemption 2 was just all about riding around the West and shooting up saloons with your revolver, you’d likely feel disconnected from your avatar. The game then just becomes a power trip and the character that you end up playing is just an amplified version of your own wants and desires. Doing simple chores though such as chopping wood, skinning animals and dragging them back to my horse, and donating to the gang’s larger pool of money has made me feel more of a bond with Arthur than any other character I’ve played as in recent memory. My bond with the character thus far has been established in these small moments, not the large ones.<br><br> <br>First and foremost, let’s take a look at Rockstar Games’ track record with single-player titles. Rockstar has not delivered a Bennett new skin title since 2013’s _ Grand Theft Auto V _ , which is ultimately a reflection of the success of _ Grand Theft Auto Online _ . In fact, Rockstar has only released two other games since the original _ Red Dead Redemption _ and _ Undead Nightmare _ expansion in 2010: _ L.A. Noire _ and _ Max Payne 3 _ . Hopefully, the _ Red Dead Redemption 2 _ team at Rockstar was fully-devoted to the title and the wait will be worth it, but a five-year hiatus from releasing any single-player title is enough to make us a bit w<br><br>Rockstar has such a great opportunity to deliver a tale that is bathed in more of a classic period piece than a ritzy Hollywood do over. If the game looks anything like what the teaser presented, they just might deliver that game. It seemed calm yet brooding. It seemed slower, while being thoughtful. The posse of men on horseback seen in the trailer is fitting for the time. It was stupid to travel alone through the wilderness of America, and cowboys relied on each other for not only companionship, but the journey ahead. My mind keeps wandering to The Magnificent Seven though and I can’t shake that this is what might be showcased. A band of cowboy bandits causing all sorts of mayhem in a sort of Magnificent Seven bizarro world. The previous two games were great because the stories encountered seemed real; the characters seemed like real people dealing with personal qualms that had nothing to do with me. It’s the reason I loved the Witcher 3, the world didn’t care about the player, but if I could stop and help, I’d go for it. Otherwise, time to hit the dusty trail.<br><br> <br>Maybe…the reason that Jax wanders around, looking for an opponent worth fighting, is for two reasons. To take out his aggression for what he lost and to hopefully one day be reunited with his terrible fat<br><br> <br>Maybe community involvement could help solidify the success of the online experience in _ Red Dead Redemption 2, _ right? Hold your horses, partner. While Rockstar has essentially allowed gamers to mod _ GTA V’s _ single-player campaign, the same cannot be said about the game’s online experience. It makes sense that Rockstar would want to maintain an online integrity to allow all players to enjoy the same experience, but at the end of the day, it is the outspoken gaming community that ultimately decides what is acceptable in the games they p<br><br> <br>Just across the river north of Annesburg lies an old ruin. It appears to be an old Viking tomb, and it’s not entirely empty. Lying inside just waiting for someone with sticky fingers are three different it<br><br>There is a linear story path to follow, but there are plenty of side opportunities to engage in. Each region has a few forts that need to be taken over, much like the same style as the battle at Fort Mercer. There are many characters that require assistance from John and these quests are usually entertaining. One quest involves a man with an undying love for his woman and another series of events from a quest giver involves a man who really gets under John’s skin in the last quest he gives. Random events happen throughout the world such as highway robberies, hangings and other random encounters with strangers, making the game world feel alive. Rockstar games are known for their sense of humor and some of their dark humor naturally crept into Red Dead Redemption. One of my favorite achievements I ever unlocked happened in this game. A few years ago my girlfriend was hanging out at my apartment and I decided to show her this game (she may have bought it for me for a birthday present but I can’t remember). I thought it would be funny to lasso a girl and leave her on the train tracks, like a mustache twirling silent film villain. As the locomotive turned the damsel in distress into a much gooier state of existence, an achievement popped up on screen. It’s good to know that my sociopathic tendencies aren’t so unusual that the developers weren’t able to anticipate my behavior.<br><br>Red Dead Redemption 2 has been hyped to hell and back as of last week, and while still not too much is known about the narrative that will be presented, I just can’t help but want another Rockstar tale that blows my mind. The ending of Red Dead Redemption might be one of my favorite endings of any video game ever. Until more is shown, though, I can only dream.<br>