Give Rockstar Games some credit. For all the controversy the “Grand Theft Auto” series brings, the games themselves are usually some of the best in a given year. Their success with sandbox games continues with Wild West thriller “Red Dead Redemption.”
Set in 1911 and in areas loosely based on the U.S. – Mexico border region, “Redemption” tells the story of John Marston, a former outlaw forced by the U.S. government to go back and capture or kill his former comrades-in-arms. The environments vary from desolate western deserts and majestic mesas in the western U.S. and Mexico to forests and prairies in the eastern sections of the map.
The back-story is gradually revealed over the course of the game. The story is interesting enough, but it tends to just hover in the background amidst the various subplots and side quests. The side quests work as a gradual measure of progress, rather than a constant push to hunt down and kill them. These quests – and stranger missions – add to the game outside of the main story and keep it enjoyable far past the first play-through.
Mechanically speaking, the game works like “GTA IV” in some ways, although it does have some differences. Red dots now refer to all enemies, but the aiming reticule no longer distinguishes between friendly and hostile targets, resulting in occasionally hitting the wrong person and getting lawmen after you. “Dead Eye Mode” slows down time for a moment, allowing precise placement of shots in rapid succession. Within the game, there are two scales that your character is measured by: fame and honor. Fame is related to the events you take part in, and goes up as time goes by. Honor is a measure of morality, which affects how townsfolk view you. Doing honorable things, such as aiding merchants and damsels, makes honor go up, while things such as wrongful murder and theft make it go down.
The online multiplayer also runs much like “GTA IV” in terms of the actual game modes. The typical free-for-all, team battles, capture-the-flag and free roam modes are present, although many players seem to view free roam as player vs. player, whether you do or not. Free roam does allow players to raid gang hideouts. Players can recruit a posse, a group of friends, and take out one of those gangs or just raid towns and be outlaws. All non-free roam games begin with a standoff, a nice touch that adds to the western flavor. The survivors of the standoff get a chance to position themselves while they wait for the fallen players to respawn.
The greatest asset “Redemption” has going for it is the immersion of the environment and ambiance of the Southwest circa 1910. The largest town and port in the game, Blackwater, has automobiles driving around the city amidst the horse-drawn coaches. Railroads criss-cross the landscape, and mistrust of the increasingly aggressive federal government by citizens of the territories is prevalent. There are several references to the hot-button issues of the time period in newspapers and film reels, including the temperance movement and anti-women’s suffrage movements, as well as Mexican hostility toward American involvement in Mexican affairs.
“Redemption” isn’t quite perfect, there are some minor graphical issues and the main storyline isn’t as thorough as “GTA IV,” but this game is a great experience and a great way to start a summer of gaming.