The follow-up to Rockstar Games’ classic western game Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption 2 will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde’s gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar’s take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you’ll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was surprisingly a no show at this year’s E3, despite the game releasing in only a few months. Still, the recent trailers, screenshots, and info have given us plenty to talk about. Here’s everything we know so far about Rockstar Games’ upcoming open-world western.Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. There are also plans for a collector’s edition of the game called the Special Edition. Priced at $80, the package includes a copy of the game along with special missions, weapons and a physical map of the game world for players to own.There are also two additional packs for Red Dead Redemption 2 for premium prices, The Ultimate Edition and The Collector’s Boxboth priced at $100.
Instead, it offers special playing cards, artwork, a bandit’s bandana, a physical map of the game world, and a collector’s coin in the set.Though the original Red Dead Red emption never found its way to the PC, there’s been some rumors that its sequel might. A mention of Red Dead Redemption 2’s appearance on PC found its way online, but it has since been scrubbed.Set 12 years before the main events of the original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption’s main antagonists.
After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game’s major towns) goes bad–the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang have to contend with a life on-the-run while confrontations with rival gangs and the law make their situation grow more desperate.America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
Debuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also portraying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity–such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.
Who Are We Playing As?
Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story–the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch’s right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he’ll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check–which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he’ll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch’s way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.
[bs-quote quote=”I’m very careful about violence in games. I’m not interested in creating violent effects.” style=”style-20″ align=”right” author_name=”Satoshi Tajiri” author_job=”Japanese video game designer” author_avatar=””]
On September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the “benefit” of the community.
Who’s In Dutch’s Gang?
In Red Dead Redemption 2, we’ll see Dutch’s gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we’ll see many of the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, Micah Bell, Hosea Matthews, and of course John Marston in the roster. We’ll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of both Arthur Morgan and John Marston.
While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you’ll interact with a number of unique characters–Red Dead Redemption 2 features a far more expansive world to dive into. We got our first good look at this world and how we’ll be playing through in Read Dead Redemption 2’s first gameplay trailer.
The honor system from the original game makes a return, but now with far more detailed tracking. Along with the average citizen, members of your community will react to how well or how poorly you treat them. As the lead enforcer, Morgan will have to handle a ton of responsibilities, such as resource gathering, procuring funds, and making sure everyone in the community is happy.
