Red Dead Redemption 2: Special Edition - Xbox One

I was terribly disappointed by RDR2. While visually stunning and smooth running during gameplay, Rockstar Games has bogged this title down with endless management details that greatly impact gameplay. The original RDR had some of this but for the sequel they have amped it up to the Nth degree forcing you to constantly waste in game time eating, sleeping, bathing, brushing your horse, smoking and other tedious actions that can't be disabled. I have been told they want to keep the experience "real" but when you only have a limited time to sit and play each week, spending 30 minutes doing these things just becomes ponderous. Now you have to monitor your body temperature if you can believe that. Wearing that heavy winter coat while in the desert will cause you harm. If you eat too much or too little, it also impacts your character's health, rarely if ever for the player benefit. The game is so bogged down in these tedious details that it kind of saps the fun out of just enjoying the pretty scenery. I have more than 20 hours of gameplay invested and I still don't really know what the ultimate story is about or what my version of Arthur Morgan is expected to do. Deadeye drains so rapidly that combat against groups of lawmen or bounty hunters is a constant repeat of live, shoot back, die and respawn that it is likewise not especially fun. Each time you die you lose money. The more times you get killed in a gameplay hour, the amount of your money you lose also increases. Committing robberies or other shenanigans to increase your holdings is also bogged down with ridiculously tiny amounts of currency or valuables making it difficult to actually get the stake together you need to really begin the main quest line. With no way to lower any difficulty settings or ways to adjust and reduce the more tedious elements of the game it has been thus far for me, not nearly as much fun as it is bland repetition. Some might argue that you just have to build up to being a better character and the gameplay improves but again, when you have a limited time for gaming and just want to enjoy, it gets frustrating after a while. I recognize that I am probably one of the few who finds this system more of a nuisance than a quality feature but I think they overdid it in the "realism" department. Even the mini-game where you sit down to play poker with random folks has become more time consuming than the original as you are limited in when you can "skip" the cut scenes. You have to sit there after each hand while a computer player collects the cards and passes them to the next dealer....every, single hand. Just a constant time waste that might be more realistic but it sucks the joy out of playing. In a nutshell, this is a visually stunning game with pretty good mechanics and a deep and I am told, well written story - but Rockstar Games has micro-managed a big chunk of the fun out of it. Cheat codes are readily available online but be WARNED - activating any cheat code will disable all achievements and make it IMPOSSIBLE to save your game and this effect is permanent as soon as you activate a cheat. Even if you disable the cheat, you are still locked out of saving your game. IF you do activate a cheat, be sure to have at least one SAVE GAME without the cheats prior to activating them or you will never be able to save the game period. This effect is apparently permanent.

First things first, I am playing this on the Xbox one X connected to a Sony 4K TV with HDR. This game is tough to even know where to begin. Story, graphics, mechanics, everything is the the best I have ever seen. To begin with story, I was blown away the twists and turns this game took me down. Mind you, I am at the end of chapter 6 with every side mission completed thus far and also I've done a lot of hunting and fishing for legendary animals/fish. I probably am 55+ hours in and I still feel like there is so much I have left to do. While the game starts out very slow, it's for good reason. There is a lot to learn but once you understand how to play the game, there is nothing like it. The main story itself has wow'd me, the end of chapter 4 going to chapter 5 took me places I never thought the game would have and the entire chapter 5 was constant heart racing action. Going into chapter 6 it leaves you feeling lost, like things have really changed and while the first half of the game it seemed like they had it all figured out, that may not be the case anymore. I won't spoil too much but I'm telling you, chapter 6 really took things in another direction and it makes you sit on the edge of your seat wanting more. Even without the story, the games side missions feel like mini story mode quests. They're so detailed and there is real emotion grabbers built into them. You get invested in them just as much as the main story itself. Outside the story and side missions there is still a million things to do. The map is incredibly massive, it's alive with people, animals, and vegetation everywhere you go. You could be trotting along a random path and a stranger will ask you for help. You feel like hunting or fishing? Go for it, I don't know how many animals and fish are in the game but it feels like hundreds and you want to keep finding more so you can fill up your journal. There is so much to do in this game it's hard to explain it all. My only complaints for this game are the ways to get around the map, it's not easy to fast travel. If you're in the middle of nowhere hunting and kill a bear, skin it, and put it on the back of your horse, the trapper to sell the pelt to may be really far away and there is no train or stage coach near by. So those cases suck. Also, trying to hitch your horse was a little clunky but since the update it has really improved. Besides those little things, I can't think of anymore negatives. Overall this is the most incredible game I have every played and as the cherry on the cake, graphics are the best I have ever seen. If you're on the fence about this game don't be. I guarantee it will be game of the year and if it isn't, I will be very surprised (Yes I have played God of War and Spiderman and in my opinion, God of War may be close but Spiderman is out of Red Deads league). Best of all, online play for this comes out the end of the month which I'm super pumped for, I hope to have the game beaten by then. Let me know what you think of my review in the comments!

The Red Dead Redemption 2: Special Edition delivers exclusive content for Story Mode including: Bank Robbery Mission and Gang Hideout in Story Mode: Get exclusive access to a Bank Robbery Mission, in which Arthur and a couple of his fellow gang members come up with a daring plan to break in and rob the bank in the southern town of Rhodes. Elsewhere, the Del Lobos Gang has taken over a hacienda - clear this gang’s hideout and rob their stash for a lucrative take. Dappled Black Thoroughbred: This thoroughbred racehorse sporting a beautiful reverse-dappled black coat will keep you at the front of the pack with its exceptional speed and acceleration. You will also get the exclusive Nuevo Paraiso Saddle, handmade in dark chocolate leather with silver medallion detailing. This horse and saddle are available in Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode. Talisman and Medallion Gameplay Bonuses: These special Story Mode items will give Arthur a helping hand whenever they are equipped. Attaching the Eagle Talon Talisman to his boot, Arthur’s environmental awareness skill will last longer. By carrying the Iguana Scale in his personal Satchel, Arthur will take less damage while riding on horseback. Gameplay Boosts, Cash Bonuses & Discounts: This collection of exclusive Story Mode boosts, bonuses and discounts will help Arthur to survive out in the harsh wilderness and better provide for his gang members and their camp. The Core Stat boost benefits Arthur’s Stamina, Health and Dead Eye Cores. Earn more cash during robbery missions with the Van der Linde gang, and when hunting and selling animal carcasses. Receive discounts on all upgrades to the Van der Linde gang’s camp. The Nuevo Paraiso Gunslinger Outfit: This exclusive Story Mode outfit for Arthur is inspired by the clothing worn by vaqueros and banditos south of the border. The outfit features a wide brimmed black cowboy hat, deep indigo coat, worn denim chaps, leather gloves and boots. Free Access to Additional Weapons: A good range of weapons is essential for survival in the Old West. Get free access to three weapons at the in-game Gunsmiths in Story Mode: the robust Volcanic Pistol, devastating Pump Action Shotgun and versatile Lancaster Varmint Rifle.

RDR@ is a beautiful game that has interesting charcaters and a story that is very close to realistic while still being a game. I believe most people will like this game. I loved Red Dead Redemption 1 as well as all the 3D GTA games, but RDR2 is the appearance of a sandbox game. To be clear, this is my opinion, I do not expect everyone or even anyone to share it. It's actually very linear from my 5 hours of experience. I spent at least 90% of my time talking to other characters and watching cut scenes. You are introduced to so many characters that when you see them in the open world they ask as if you have this history with them that you have no knowledge of. And when you do finally get to actually play the game, you're only allowed to run where they say you can, grab guns when they say you can, and don't walk too far away from a mission, you will fail with no warning. There are more bugs in the game than I've seen in some BETAs. The honor system rewards you for being "good" and punishes you for being "bad", but during almost every cut scene the main character is portrayed as a "bad guy". Kill a guy who saw you commit a crime that's story related, bad. Kill a guy who saw you kill some random dude punching your friend, no problem. They system is only active when they want it to be, but they don't tell you when that is. They have slowed item selection by making you hold the X button to collect anything or to hold the Y button to inspect. Why pressing these buttons when prompted is not good enough, I do not know? To summarize, it's like watching a movie that you occasionally get to interact with button presses. The only true open world part of it is when you're outside of a mission wandering around. But Rockstar used to be the fun game that let you approach missions any way you want, but not in RDR2. Things are set up in ways that make take me out of the game play and that stinks. Again, these are just my opinion and I know everyone else is loving it. I hope they keep loving it, but it just wasn't for me.

The Highlights: The graphics - 10/10 (Every detail has been considered and brought to life from the clothes and weapons right down to rainbows that appear and disappear under the right weather conditions). The sounds - 10/10 (The sounds of the late 1800s are there and the weapons, surroundings, and equipment sound just as they should). The gameplay - 10/10 (There are plenty of missions and side quests to keep you busy. This is a true open world experience where life will continue on in the world regardless of what you decide to do in it, even if it's taking a few days for yourself to go hunting or exploring). The immersion - 10/10 (From horses that actually lift their tails to poop to the 1800s styled catalogs at vendors, this game keeps you immersed). The controls - 8/10 (The controls can be a little clunky, but nothing game breaking. I have had no real issues aside from when I was on my horse. Watch your speed and direction, if you hit a large rock/boulder or tree too hard you can hurt yourself and your horse. Note: Horses do not make tight turns while in motion and can have a mind of their own at times, especially when in danger). Final notes: The characters in the world notice you and will remember everything you have done from a wild night out to beating someone down to gunning someone down in the street. When you knock someone unconscious or beat them in a gun fight, do not loot them until you have moved the body to a secure location where nobody can see you. If you are seen, you can be sure the witness(es) will run to the law nearest them to turn you in.

Very fun game to play through. Rockstar did a good job on another game that was a bit of a chore to get through but satisfying. If you're an achievement/trophy hunter then replay value is good to get everything. With all the newer games having vehicles it was rather fun to get from place to place on a horse. Even with some mechanics out of wack causing wild glitches. Some were quite funny though leading you to get knocked off the horse or even the horse just randomly glitching to a fall. Plus side is though I bought on released day I got the pre-order bonuses. Online hasn't been as fun. like gta, people just want to shoot you or rope and drag you. unless you have a crew to help or able to avoid the idiots, it's pretty empty and useless. game modes are random so you can't play just one mode. no blackjack yet. I know they said it wouldn't be much but wow. and the main thing is the economy sucks. you grind more to get less

Wow! Where to begin? From the moment you start RDR2, you can see and feel the effort put into making this amazing game. There is so much attention to detail in just about everything you can imagine. From the movement of your character, your horse and the entire environment around you. I have spent countless hours already, just wandering around to see what trouble I can get myself into. The game is pretty challenging and if you decide to break the law, prepare to constantly look over your shoulder for bounty hunters looking to take you out. There is so much to do in this game and I haven't even scratched the surface of all of the side missions and character exploration available in this game. If you like game like The Witcher, Grand Theft Auto and Fall Out, you will find yourself at home here. Even if you haven't played the original Red Dead. In fact, since this game is a prequel to the original, it almost makes sense to play this first and go back and finish the original or play it again. Tons of fun to be had here. I can't even imagine what this game looks like on 4k as I am playing on a 1080p Plasma. Pick it up. You will not be disappointed!!

Read Dead Redemption 2 is a direct prequel to the first title released over seven years ago. This title shows a tale around Arthur Morgan, a member of Dutch van der Linde's gang. This title plays exactly like the first game, particularly with regards to the horse, movement and gunplay. A number of famous voice actors were brought back to reprise their roles in Red Dead 2 as well, van der Linde's character in particular. Rockstar crafted another another excellent story, and even though I haven't completed it yet, I am highly engrossed and want to keep playing further to see how everything unfolds. The story for this game is much, much longer than the first game. Expect a playthrough of over 50 hours to complete this title. If you're looking for a single player game with a great story, this game is a must purchase. If you played the first title and want to see how this prequel ties into the first game, you probably already made the purchase and are playing this right now.