Red Dead Redemption 2: Special Edition - PlayStation 4

It's very simple. I have been playing video games since they began, and have played thousands of hours. I have owned over a dozen consoles and hundreds of games. This game is larger and more detailed than any game I have ever played. The graphics are rich, the story line engaging and interesting. My only word of warning is that this game is so immersive and complex, what will seem like an hour inside the game could be four hours of real life time. When you find yourself doing more chores at your camp site on Horseshoe Overlook than in your own house, perhaps priorities come into question. However, I play games as an escape from the stress of real life and for the entertainment value and this game accomplishes both admirably. It kind of makes me afraid to even consider what GTA6 will bring. Great job Rockstar Games, still the undisputed best developer! PS Please enjoy the enclosed photo; I killed the legendary grizzly bear and made his head into a hat. The comments I get from people in the game are hilarious.

I purchased the RDR 2 Special Edition. Receiving exclusive content for the Story Mode including: Bank Robbery & Gang Hideout, Dappled black thoroughbred, Talisman & Medallion GP bonuses, Nuevo Paraiso Gunslinger Outfit and GP boosts, Cash Bonuses & Discounts. The GP is fluid with the open world graphics a notch above amazing. Have had a few problems with glitches and small GP problems, but the producers of this awesome IP RDR2 from Rockstar Games has an amazing Technical Support Team that continues to work on RDR 2’s shortcomings and glitches to make RDR 2 a true work of art. Thank You Rockstar for this work of art IP

It is extremely hard to put this game down. This story line, graphics, amazing background and realistic visuals give this game a 10!! I bought the special addition and we've only scratched the edge of the map. Amazing game!!

Rockstar really knocked it out of the park with this release. Totally addicted to jumping back into the Wild West every chance that I can get.

Read Dead Redemption II is more than a game, it's an experience very rarely seen. It aspires to be so much more than just a game, but unfortunately in doing so it sacrifices convenience and fun for realism at times. Let's start with the negatives: -You're going to waste a lot of time on horseback. Even when you eventually purchase fast travel, it's a one-way trip and is basically useless since you have to start out from camp. You'll be away from camp most of your time. -If you so much as sneeze on someone, you're getting a bounty. This isn't a problem in the beginning of the game when there are only a few people milling about, but once you get to more congested areas with people who are clearly programmed to walk into you or create obstacles, you pretty much have to move at a snail's pace through them which is not fun. -The constant stat drain and upkeep, even with the special edition's boosts, is more annoying than anything. You can ignore it for the most part, but it's still there, always nagging at you to polish things up. -You're going to want to go to the Story section in the menu and manually save after every single minor task you do, because you will be attacked out there, and you will lose everything--your horse, your pelts, etc. You're gonna have a bad time if you just rely on autosaves. -Morality is affected by the most bizarre of things. Protecting yourself from getting shot? That's bad, apparently. Helping someone that's being beaten, and only using your fists so you don't kill them as the game said? Oh wait, fists apparently do kill people now, you lowered your morality, and you've got a bounty. Now for the positives: -This game is the equivalent of an art film given a Marvel budget, and it's a wonder to behold. It's refreshing to see such a meditative, deliberate, and methodical game get this kind of love and exposure. You have to have patience to enjoy this game, as it's a real slow burn. If you are looking for a high adrenaline action, please look elsewhere at 99% of gaming. -The story and dialogue are fantastic. There's humor, menace, real drama and humanity...it's something you don't see from many games. Sure, there are lowbrow moments that bring it down a notch (game writing still hasn't caught up to film after all) but it's leagues beyond the average output of the medium. -The main missions are fantastic. While the world itself can become tedious with its focus on realism, the main missions are all enjoyable, and of course there are a ton of them. This game is huge. It seemed like there were more negatives than positives right? In the end those negatives are more nitpicks than anything, and once you learn the game's idiosyncracies it becomes much more enjoyable. I would give this my personal GOTY recommendation if only the game wasn't so inconvenient at times, but it's still one of the highest quality experiences of this generation, and a worthy successor to one of my favorite games from the previous generation.

I'm a big fan of HBO's Westworld. Like most Americans, I have a fascination with the Old West. Like most gamers, I absolutely loved the original Red Dead Redemption. So when I heard that a sequel (prequel) was on the horizon, I was notably excited. To say this game met my expectations is inaccurate. It didn't care about my expectations. It took me on an adventure unlike anything I've done in gaming, ripped me from reality and jammed me into the dusty boots of an outlaw, and I loved every minute. This game isn't like other games. It's slow, methodical, and brutal. The violence is fairly extreme at times (not gratuitous in a comical sense, but in a horribly realistic sense). There is a great deal of humor, but also a real sense of maturity in the narrative. I am so impressed with this game and what it was able to accomplish. If you liked the first Red Dead, you will love this game. If you like GTA, this is a big change of pacing. If you like Call of Duty (and nothing else) you might not enjoy the gameplay. That said, if you like story-driven narrative, complex characters, and a real sense of immersion, this is the game for you. Also, it should be mentioned, you can pet dogs in this game.

Hands down the best game of 2018. This game is so fun while being so slow. It is a slow paced game but that's to be expected. The presentation is fantastic. The graphics are so life-like that it shows that Rockstar has put in more than 100% on this project. The minor details such as weather effects, searching cabinets, post battle damage, and taking care of your horse and yourself. All of this is what makes it so amazing, the game simulates life but in the wild, wild west. The game play is slow but that's to be expected in terms of the setting. But the combat, hunting, and traveling are all unique in its own right. Hunting has its own mechanics and also combat and stealth. This is the most complete game I've ever played. And online is coming soon and that is probably gonna be Siiick.

(This review is written after completing the main story and starting the Epilogue. No spoilers will be given.) Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to Red Dead Redemption, but manages to be bigger and (usually) better than its predecessor in just about every way. This game is GIGANTIC, and even the required story missions can take you over 30-40 hours to complete without even touching the great side content. The graphics are astonishing at times, brushing closer to realism than I've ever experienced in a video game before. (Of course, this usually happens about 4-5 minutes before a glitch completely reminds me that I'm playing a game, so... oh well!) Sometimes this feels less like a game and more like you're living the main character's whole life for him... and I mean that in a good way. It took me a few hours to come around to it, but eventually I realized that everything that felt "slow" compared to other titles was slow for a reason, and was there to help you feel more engrossed in the world. And engrossed I was... this game's story is absolutely better than many TV shows I could name, and then made even better-er because I could participate in the action! If you enjoy the Wild West, gunslinging action titles, or even just immersing yourself in a realistic world (you could spend hundreds of hours just running through the wilderness and hunting animals and fishing if you wanted)... you owe it to yourself to check RDR2 out. (Now please, Rockstar... more of this and less GTA!!!!!!)