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171-474: Red Dead Redemption , developed by Rockstar San Diego (which also worked on its predecessor), was released in May 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 to critical and commercial acclaim. Selling over 15 million copies by 2017 and winning many year-end accolades from multiple gaming publications, the game is considered to be one of the best games of all time . Multiple DLCs were added, including Undead Nightmare ,

342-405: A bandana when performing criminal acts. Gunfights are an essential gameplay mechanic. Players can take cover, target a specific person or animal, blindfire, and free aim. Individual body parts can be targeted to take down targets non-lethally. Weapons include revolvers, pistols, rifles, shotguns, knives, explosives, and lassos. Aiming utilizes a gunslinger gameplay mechanic known as Dead Eye,

513-551: A jackalope to the game's world, and some additional outfits. Undead Nightmare adds a single-player campaign, set in a non- canonical , zombie apocalypse -themed alternate reality with ghost towns and cemeteries full of zombies, wherein John searches for a cure to the zombie outbreak. It was released on October 26, 2010, as DLC and in late November as a standalone expansion pack . Myths and Maverick released for free on September 13, 2011, adding additional characters and locations to

684-574: A profit . According to Joystiq , a source at Rockstar claimed that the game required four million sales to recoup development costs, but that the publisher expected to lose money and was more interested in proving the talent of Rockstar San Diego. Red Dead Redemption was the best-selling game of May 2010, selling over 1.5   million copies, according to the NPD Group . It sold over five million copies in its first three weeks. In June 2010, distributor Take-Two Interactive CEO Ben Feder stated that

855-464: A special edition of the game in special packaging, with a copy of the soundtrack. The game was exhibited at PAX East in late March 2010, with a 15–30 minute playable demonstration. Rockstar released a Facebook application, Red Dead Redemption: Gunslingers , in April 2010. The following month, Red Dead Redemption: The Man from Blackwater , a machinima short film directed by John Hillcoat , aired in

1026-509: A "family man". Steve J. Palmer, who portrayed Bill Williamson, felt that John and Bill represented siblings in their former gang, while Dutch van der Linde was more of a parental figure. Benjamin Byron Davis, who portrayed Dutch, was told that Dutch was a well-read, charismatic former gang leader who had "lost his mind". Red Dead Redemption is one of the first games by Rockstar to use an original score . Music supervisor Ivan Pavlovich cited

1197-506: A Windows version started in May 2024, and in October, Rockstar announced the Windows version would release on October 29, with enhancements such as native 4K support, ultrawide monitor compatibility, and DLSS upscaling. Red Dead Redemption received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic . It is among the highest-rated games on Metacritic, and is ranked

1368-484: A business; and collector, focused on discovering collectibles using items such as a metal detector and binoculars. The development team implemented roles as a result of frequent player requests for a stronger connection to their character, providing high-stakes action for bounty hunting or slower exploration as a collector; Nelson noted the team enjoyed the immersion of Rockstar's open worlds and wanted to extrapolate that feeling for personalized characters. The trajectory of

1539-419: A circular zone or kill all lawmen in a town. If players escape, bounty hunters will continue to track them. The bounty will remain on their head until they pay it at a telegraph station or present a pardon letter. The online multiplayer allows up to 16 players to engage in competitive and cooperative gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. Each game begins with a Mexican standoff , of which

1710-412: A classic gunslinger". Eurogamer ' s Parkin compared the combat favorably to Rockstar's previous titles, particularly praising the horseback shootouts, but criticized the "sticky and outdated" cover mechanic. Game Informer ' s Bertz found the aiming and cover system as "airtight" as Grand Theft Auto IV ' s, and lauded the unique weapons and animations, and OXM ' s Channell commended

1881-554: A connection between MacFarlane's Ranch and the class conflict of Johnson County, Wyoming in the late nineteenth century. While marketing materials presented John as a traditional cowboy —isolated and violent, a "white, heteronormative, rugged individual" —his behavior and ambitions in the narrative are generally unconventional. His ambiguity and internal conflict lead him to exhibit "weariness more than manliness". Regardless, John continues to perpetuate stereotypes in some instances; he continues to preserve lives in his missions for

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2052-471: A duel and walks away. Red Dead Redemption explores themes of the cycle of violence , faith, governmental control, law and order , the loss of innocence and freedom, manifest destiny , masculinity , social change , and redemption , and is noted for its representation of Native Americans and violence. IGN ' s Erik Brudvig considered the game a commentary on modern political issues such as racism and immigration; writer Dan Houser said

2223-438: A factory during a labor strike and exact revenge on his former partner, who is protected by a corrupt garrison . After either series of events, the player's posse meets with Horley and Jessica to help them kill Teddy Brown, who is hiding out with his gang near the abandoned Fort Mercer. With the assistance of the local authorities, the player's posse besieges the fort and eliminates Brown's men, before capturing Brown himself, who

2394-572: A falsification of the indigenous experience being told as truth. Dr. Esther Wright proposed Native American characters were included only to justify and complement the white characters' otherness as oppositional to the government and civilization, describing it as "a disingenuous oversimplification and (mis)use of the complexities of Native American genocide". She opined that, while John is not overtly racist, his participation in an attack on an Indian reservation implicates him in "a micro-scale recreation of racist, genocidal violence". Margini considered

2565-493: A fictionalized version of the Western United States and Northern Mexico , primarily by horseback , and on foot. Gunfights emphasize a gunslinger gameplay mechanic called "Dead Eye" that allows players to mark multiple shooting targets on enemies in slow motion . The game uses a morality system by which the player's actions in the game affect their character's levels of honor, fame, and how other characters respond to

2736-575: A former outlaw , whose family is kidnapped by the Bureau of Investigation . In exchange for his family's return, John sets out to hunt down the surviving members of his former gang, in the process achieving closure and redemption for his past actions. Undead Nightmare is a non-canonical expansion to Red Dead Redemption that follows John's efforts to find a cure for a zombie plague that has infected his family. A standalone disc, titled Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Collection , which does not require

2907-559: A group of up to eight players in a "posse" group and partake in hunting or attack other gangs or posses. In some game modes, players are unable to kill each other. In 1911, the family of former outlaw John Marston ( Rob Wiethoff ) is kidnapped by Bureau of Investigation agents, Edgar Ross (Jim Bentley) and Archer Fordham ( David Wilson Barnes ), who force him to hunt down his former gang members in exchange for his family's return. John first goes after former ally Bill Williamson ( Steve J. Palmer ), who now leads his own gang that terrorizes

3078-542: A handheld console. The Windows version's optimization and customization options received praise, though some found the visual enhancements limited, and HobbyConsolas ' s Alberto Lloret criticized the required use of the Rockstar Games Launcher and Social Club . Red Dead Redemption received multiple nomination and awards from gaming publications . At the Spike Video Game Awards in 2010,

3249-507: A hero. Gamasutra ' s Richard Clark considered the depiction of redemption "cynical and overly simple". Red Dead Redemption explores the impacts of the cycle of violence, most notably represented through Jack's continuation of his father's failures by adopting the outlaw status. NPR 's Jason Sheehan considered the game a tale of "the senselessness of violence used to solve violence begetting only more violence". M. Melissa Elston found, like other modern media, it attempts to "reframe

3420-464: A local civil war between Colonel Agustín Allende (Gary Carlos Cervantes), the state's tyrannical governor, and Abraham Reyes ( Josh Segarra ), the leader of a rebellion against Allende's government. John works with both sides in exchange for help in tracking down his targets. When Allende decides to turn on him, John is rescued by Reyes and vows to aid the rebels in gaining an advantage in exchange for Reyes's help in finding Williamson and Escuella. During

3591-468: A male figure", though still defers to simple domestic tasks in her father's presence and on one occasion becomes a damsel in distress . Meanwhile, Abigail is presented as "the good prostitute who serves as a handmaiden" and later becomes "the nagging wife", and other female characters exist simply to reflect back onto John, both positively and negatively. In further opposition with the American Dream,

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3762-553: A member of the infamous Van der Linde gang in 1899, in the waning years of the American Old West, and the extinction of the age of outlaws and gunslingers. The game features several returning characters from Red Dead Redemption , including a younger and less-refined John Marston, his family, and fellow gang members Dutch van der Linde, Bill Williamson, and Javier Escuella. A lot of focus is put on Arthur's morality and relationship with other characters, primarily John, with whom he has

3933-420: A nearly brotherly-like bond, and Dutch, who slowly descends into madness as the gang faces more problems. Red Dead Online is the multiplayer component of Red Dead Redemption 2 and was released in May 2019, after several months in beta . Set one year before the single-player story, in 1898, it follows a customizable silent protagonist who is framed for murder and arrested. After being broken out of prison,

4104-420: A new Outlaw Pass and bonus items. Snowfall returned for Christmas 2020, alongside an additional weapon and gun variant. Three solo missions were added on February 16, 2021; Rockstar intended to add more in the future. Eight horse races were added on May 25, 2021. Following some teases, Rockstar announced Blood Money with a trailer in early July 2021 prior to its July 13 release. It added missions about

4275-445: A persistent posse, players can customize the group's style and track player stats. Friendly fire can be disabled so teammates do not injure each other. If two players continue to kill each other, the game presents two optional modes: parley, in which the players cannot interact with each other for a short period of time; and feud, where the two players partake in a three-minute shootout. Red Dead Online adds several new systems atop

4446-521: A posse, where players can rest, access their wardrobe, craft, cook, and fast-travel. Horses are the main forms of transportation, of which there are various breeds, each with different attributes. Players must either train or tame a wild horse to use it. Increased use of a horse will begin a bonding process, which can be increased by cleaning and feeding it, and the player will acquire advantages as they ride their horse. Players must insure their horse so it heals over time and can respawn. Dispersed throughout

4617-445: A raid on a Mexican Army fortress, the rebels help him find Escuella, who reveals that Williamson is under Allende's protection. After killing or capturing Escuella, John hands him over to Ross and Fordham. Reyes eventually leads an assault on Allende's palace, and John helps him chase and execute Allende and Williamson when they attempt to flee. Leaving Reyes to rule Nuevo Paraíso and lead his revolution to Mexico's capital, John returns to

4788-546: A single-player expansion later released as a standalone game. A Game of the Year edition of the game includes all of the additional content. Red Dead Redemption 2 , developed by Rockstar Games, was released on October 26, 2018, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One , November 5, 2019, for Windows , and on November 19, 2019, for Stadia . The game was also widely acclaimed and a commercial success, generating $ 725 million in revenue in three days and selling 23 million copies in two weeks. It

4959-410: A special edition of the base game, and then progressively opened to all owners. The progressive release was a choice by Rockstar to mitigate any major performance issues by the influx of players. Rockstar added and adapted several modes during the beta stage, and made changes to the balance and economy. Player progression in the public beta carried over when the beta ended on May 14, 2019. Alongside

5130-463: A string of cinematic set-pieces and flawed yet endearing characters nestled within an orthodox narrative structure, seasoned with generous pinches of extra-curricular tasks". GameSpy ' s Will Tuttle found the themes more nuanced than expected, though occasionally "preachy". Mike Channell of Official Xbox Magazine ( OXM ) considered the death of the Wild West a pressure that loomed over

5301-411: A targeting system allowing players to slow down time and mark targets. Once the targeting sequence ends, players fire to all marked locations in quick succession. The Dead Eye system upgrades and grants more abilities as players progress. The game introduces the bounty system, a crime-governing mechanic inspired by Grand Theft Auto ' s wanted system. When players commit a crime, witnesses run to

Red Dead - Misplaced Pages Continue

5472-471: A town's store, online player characters can order supplies anywhere from a handheld catalog. The orders become available for pickup in any town's post office or the player's camp. Online introduces "ability cards", in which players can activate one active and three passive powers for their characters. Players receive these cards by rising in rank or direct purchase, and can then upgrade the cards with in-game currency and experience points. Red Dead Online uses

5643-469: A world built on hypermasculine ideals", emphasized by John's unsuccessful attempts to adopt a new form of masculinity and play an empathetic father to Jack. WiderScreen Ajankohtaista ' s Juho Tuominen and Olli Sotamaa described John as an idealist and Jack as "the educated youth, a version of a new kind of woke man". Female representation is mixed; Bonnie MacFarlane is presented as "insightful and resourceful" instead of simply "a woman masquerading as

5814-466: Is a Western -themed action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective . Players control John Marston and completes missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story; in the epilogue, players control John's son Jack. Outside of missions, players may freely roam the open world , consisting of the American states New Austin and West Elizabeth—fictionalized versions of

5985-447: Is considered an example of video games as an art form and it is also regarded as one of the greatest video games ever made. Its online multiplayer component, Red Dead Online , was released in beta on November 27, 2018, to mixed reviews, with a full release on May 15, 2019, which received more positive reviews. Red Dead Revolver is the first entry in the series, released for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004. Set in 1880s, during

6156-437: Is far more immersive, lifelike and responsive. Both New Austin and West Elizabeth from Red Dead Redemption make a return, although they have been expanded with new regions and towns, while three new states have been added: Ambarino (which is mostly a mountain wilderness), New Hanover (a wide valley that incorporates multiple small settlements, including the town of Valentine), and Lemoyne (composed of bayous and plantations, and

6327-449: Is increased by morally positive deeds, such as capturing an outlaw alive or saving a stranger, and decreased by negative choices like murder. The Fame system affects how non-player characters (NPCs) react to players based on Honor. If players have high Honor, NPCs will greet them and they will receive discounts in some stores; if low, NPCs will act insecure and establishments may close their doors. Players can disguise themselves by wearing

6498-400: Is portrayed by musician Christone "Kingfish" Ingram ; an original song co-written by Ingram, "Letter from Bluewater Man", was released on August 20. A new mode, All Hallows' Call to Arms, was added for Halloween in October 2021, allowing players to defend four locations from wild animals and supernatural elements like a ghost train , alongside the return of Dead of Night and the addition of

6669-474: Is set primarily in 1911 (with the epilogue taking place in 1914), and Redemption 2 is set in 1899 (with the epilogue set in 1907). While Revolver 's aesthetics and atmosphere are reminiscent of the films set during the Wild West, the other two games depict the final two decades of this time period, as new factories, machines, motor vehicles, and modern technology appear all throughout the United States, marking

6840-418: Is short-lived as Ross betrays John and leads a U.S. Army unit in an attack on his ranch. John tries to fend them off, but the attacking force is too large, and Uncle is killed. John helps his family escape and stays to face the attackers, who kill him and leave. In 1914, Jack buries Abigail next to John after she dies, before tracking down a newly retired Ross to confront him about John's death. Jack kills Ross in

7011-468: Is swiftly killed by Jessica afterwards. The player then continues working for either Davies or Finch, helping the former deal with retribution from Montez's gang, or assisting the latter with a bank robbery in Saint Denis. Meanwhile, Amos and Shaw try to finalize their takeover of Philip's business by coercing Jessica into signing a forged contract. Accompanied by Horley and the player's posse, Jessica meets

Red Dead - Misplaced Pages Continue

7182-401: Is the multiplayer component of the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2 . Played from a first or third-person perspective, the game is set in an open-world environment featuring a fictionalized version of the United States. Player progression in the single-player story does not affect the multiplayer game. Upon entering the game world, players customize a character and are free to explore

7353-515: The American Old West , Red Dead Revolver follows bounty hunter Red Harlow as he uncovers the plot that killed his parents and exacts revenge on those responsible. In terms of canonicity to the Redemption followup series, Dan Houser suggested that Revolver is set in a separate universe, but a version of the events in the plot could still have taken place due to the nature of legends told in

7524-590: The COVID-19 pandemic . Each of its nine worldwide studios donated to local charities. Rockstar closed the game for two hours on June 4, 2020, to honor the memorial of George Floyd . A standalone client for Red Dead Online , which does not require Red Dead Redemption 2 , was released on December 1, 2020, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Upon Stadia's shutdown in January 2023, Rockstar allowed players to transfer their progress to other platforms. Post-release content

7695-522: The Red Dead games' world. Red Dead Redemption is the second installment in the Red Dead series, and the spiritual successor to Red Dead Revolver . The game released in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 . The game takes place in the year 1911, during the decline of the American Old West and the Mexican Revolution . A spiritual successor to Red Dead Revolver , the game follows John Marston ,

7866-803: The Western United States —and the fictional Mexican state Nuevo Paraíso. Different breeds of horses are the main forms of transportation, each with different attributes. Horses must be tamed in the wild, stolen, or purchased. Players can utilize trains and carriages for quick travel. Undeveloped land features rugged and vast landscapes with occasional travelers, bandits, and wildlife. Urban settlements range from isolated farmhouses to crowded towns. Players can witness and partake in random events, including public hangings, ambushes, pleas for assistance, encounters with strangers, ride-by shootings, and dangerous animal attacks. Optional side activities include dueling , bounty hunting , herb collecting, gambling , and hunting. Red Dead Redemption uses an Honor system, which

8037-652: The best-selling video games . The game topped the charts in the United Kingdom following its release, maintaining the top position until the release of Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 in June 2010. According to GfK Chart-Track , 65 percent of UK sales in the first week were on Xbox 360. The game was the fourth best-selling game in the United Kingdom in 2010, as well as the fourth best-selling PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title. The game sold over 95,000 units in its first week in Japan;

8208-401: The greatest video games ever made . It is among the best-selling video games with over 23   million copies shipped. Several downloadable content additions were released; Undead Nightmare added a new single-player campaign in which Marston searches for a cure for an infectious zombie plague . A prequel , Red Dead Redemption 2 , was released in October 2018. Red Dead Redemption

8379-489: The leveling mechanics. G4 ' s Jake Gaskill echoed this sentiment and noted players are often respawned in close proximity to the opposition. Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare ' s re-release received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic, and 74% of critics recommended the game according to OpenCritic . Reviewers criticized the price due to lack of enhancements and omission of multiplayer; Nintendo Life ' s PJ O'Reilly called

8550-652: The online component of Red Dead Redemption 2 . After several months in beta , it was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in May 2019, and for Windows and Stadia in November 2019. A standalone client for the game was released in December 2020. In Red Dead Online , players control a customizable silent protagonist who is freed from prison after being framed for murder, and tasked with taking revenge in exchange for proving their innocence. Set in 1898, one year before

8721-404: The player versus player modes often have a skill imbalance. John Saavedra of Den of Geek criticized the simplicity of the story missions and wrote the free roam missions are a better way to "break up the monotony" of traversing the world. Red Dead Online was nominated for Best Multiplayer Game at the 2019 Golden Joystick Awards . Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive reported

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8892-461: The "ruthless" nature of the game and the tasks had become repetitive. PC Gamer ' s Christopher Livingston described it as "surprisingly disappointing", citing its similarity to the trader role. Following a patch released in August 2020, several players reported significant, game-breaking glitches; in response, Rockstar reverted the game to a previous version. Kotaku ' s Zwiezen considered

9063-612: The Blackwater Bank, John partakes in the U.S. Army 's assault on Dutch's stronghold. Chased to a cliff, Dutch concedes defeat and warns John that the Bureau will not give him peace, before committing suicide. Afterward, Ross honors their agreement and allows John to be reunited with his family. Returning to his ranch, John reunites with his wife Abigail (Sophia Marzocchi), son Jack ( Josh Blaylock ) and former gang member Uncle (Spider Madison) to attempt an honest life again. However, this peace

9234-651: The Dark, and the Halloween Pass 2—returned in October, bonuses were provided to celebrate Thanksgiving in November, and Christmas music, decorations, and snowfall returned in December. All three returned from October to December 2023, and the Halloween content returned again in October 2024 alongside three new Bodyguard Telegram missions. Red Dead Online received criticism at launch for its in-game currency rewards for activities, with players complaining they were too low for

9405-403: The December 2019 Moonshiners update the best to date, and found the new characters compelling. Kotaku ' s Zack Zwiezen echoed this sentiment, praising the amount of content available. In January 2020, Edge identified significant glitches had become a deterrent for new players but wrote "when it works, the game provides an absorbing RPG experience in a stunning sandbox". In May 2020,

9576-479: The End , released on June 22, 2010, added six cooperative side missions for multiplayer. Legends and Killers was released on August 10, 2010, and added multiplayer characters from Red Dead Revolver , as well as new map locations and a Tomahawk weapon. On September 21, 2010, Liars and Cheats added competitive multiplayer modes, minigames, characters, and a weapon. Hunting and Trading , released on October 12, 2010, added

9747-638: The Halloween Pass 2, which included 15 ranks granting Halloween-themed rewards. Snowfall, music, and decorations returned for Christmas in December 2021 alongside new holiday-themed maps. In July 2022, Rockstar announced Red Dead Online would not be receiving any more major updates, instead focusing on smaller missions and the expansion of existing modes as development resources were withdrawn to focus on Grand Theft Auto VI . Three new Hardcore Telegram missions were added in an update on September 6, 2022, followed by another on October 18. Previous Halloween content—All Hallows' Call to Arms, Dead of Night, Fear of

9918-518: The Honor system from the single-player story, measuring how the player's actions are perceived in terms of morality. Morally positive choices and deeds like helping strangers and abiding the law will add up to the player's Honor, while negative deeds such as theft and harming innocents will subtract from the player's Honor. Some story missions can only be initiated if the player's Honor is at a particular level. The narrative takes place in 1898, one year before

10089-636: The October 2020 Halloween update "disappointing" due to the lack of memorable or significant content. He criticized the December update, perceiving Rockstar's favoritism to Grand Theft Auto Online . The update received similar criticism from several players, who felt it was lacking in content and rewards. Conversely, Zwiezen considered the February 2021 solo missions to be an improvement as it alleviated concerns of dealing with other players. In March 2021, Alex Avard of GamesRadar+ wrote Red Dead Online could "reach its true potential" if it continued to build upon

10260-562: The PlayStation 3 version was the fourth best-selling game of the week with over 70,000 sales, while the Xbox 360 version was seventh with over 25,000 sales. Critics concurred that Red Dead Redemption was among the best games of the seventh generation of video game consoles . Eurogamer ' s Dan Whitehead hoped the eighth generation of consoles would offer "similarly powerful experiences". In September 2013, IGN ranked Red Dead Redemption

10431-464: The United States on the television network Fox . The game missed its original projected late 2009 and April 2010 release dates, pushed back to May 18, 2010, in North America, and May 21 internationally, citing the "optimal time frame" for release. Downloadable content (DLC) for the game was released following its launch, with focus on maps and game types suggested by the community. Outlaws to

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10602-478: The United States, in an unidentified region of mostly desert, although some levels also feature a forest or mountain setting. Red Dead Redemption offers the player a more significant interaction with the environment, and its location is bigger than in the previous game. It ranges from canyons to deserts, but the player is unable to reach to the outer limit due to the borders surrounding the area (mountains and deep ravines). There are several towns and settlements that

10773-455: The United States. In Blackwater, Ross and Fordham enlist John's help in tracking down Dutch van der Linde ( Benjamin Byron Davis ), his former gang's leader and John's former mentor. Dutch has recently formed a gang with disaffected Native Americans , with whom he shares a hatred for the government and modernization. Aided by Ross's associates, John finds Dutch's stronghold in the mountains. After helping Ross and Fordham thwart Dutch's robbery of

10944-480: The Year and Best Game Design. It received ten nominations at the 9th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards , of which it won four: Audio of the Year, Music of the Year, Best Interactive Score, and Best Dialogue. The game was not nominated for any of the jury-based awards at the British Academy Games Awards as Rockstar did not submit it for consideration. It appeared on several year-end lists of

11115-409: The Year by GameSpy and GameSpot , and is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time . Reviewers praised the visuals, music, acting, open world gameplay and the story. A Game of the Year edition containing all additional content was released in October 2011. Red Dead Redemption 2 , averaging 97% for both console platforms on Metacritic, was also widely acclaimed by critics, who praised

11286-412: The announcement were mixed; some appreciated the game's availability on modern consoles, but lamented the lack of visual and frame rate upgrades, absence of a Windows version, omission of multiplayer, and US$ 49.99 price point. An update in October added an option to increase the frame rate from 30 to 60 frames-per-second when played on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility . Speculation regarding

11457-691: The attack, including U.S. Marshal Leigh Johnson ( Anthony De Longis ), con artist Nigel West Dickens ( Don Creech ), grave robber and treasure hunter Seth Briars (Kevin Glikmann), and an alcoholic arms smuggler known as "Irish" (K. Harrison Sweeney). Ultimately, John and his allies storm Fort Mercer and kill all of Williamson's men but learn that Williamson has fled to Mexico to seek help from Javier Escuella (Antonio Jaramillo), another former ally of John. John parts ways with his allies and travels to Mexico. Upon his arrival in Nuevo Paraíso, John becomes involved in

11628-541: The base game, Red Dead Online became available for Windows on November 5, 2019, and for Stadia on November 19. Red Dead Online implements microtransactions by letting players purchase gold bars for in-game items such as weapons and cosmetics. Rockstar had adopted a similar approach for Grand Theft Auto Online . Rockstar donated five percent of in-game revenue generated in Red Dead Online and Grand Theft Auto Online in April and May 2020 to relief efforts of

11799-540: The best games of 2010, receiving Game of the Year wins from outlets such as 1Up.com , Computer and Video Games , Digital Spy , Gamasutra , Game Informer , GameSpot , GameSpy , GamesRadar , Good Game , The Guardian , Kotaku , and VentureBeat . Prior to the release of Red Dead Redemption , Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities estimated that it would need to sell at least 1.75   million units (generating US$ 80 million ) to break-even , and 3.5   million units ( US$ 160 million ) to earn

11970-410: The character's honor rating through moral choices and deeds. A bounty system governs the response of law enforcement and bounty hunters to crimes committed by players. Players traverse the open world alone or in a posse of up to seven players, with or against whom they can partake in organized activities. Developed in tandem with the single-player, Red Dead Online was viewed as a separate product despite

12141-646: The cost of goods and upgrades. Some players calculated a single gold bar could take an estimated eight hours to earn in the game. Rockstar agreed to re-balance the game's economy following complaints. Similar complaints emerged about the griefing taking place in the game; Rockstar fixed these issues by making player visibility dependent on their proximity and behavior. The Verge reported several users who played as black characters had been targeted by griefers posing as Ku Klux Klan -inspired clans or slave catchers who often called them racial slurs. Christian Just of GameStar felt Red Dead Online carried most of

12312-424: The criminal underworld, with players helping Guido Martelli create his own network in Saint Denis. The developers had wanted more criminal experiences. Martelli, referenced in single-player, was added to gain consistency between the two modes. The update added the ability to rob homesteads and camps. In missions and free roam, players can find Capitale, a valuable commodity which Martelli exchanges for opportunities;

12483-441: The decade in 2019, comparing it favorably to other sandbox games Grand Theft Auto V and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015). Red Dead Redemption ranked high on several best game lists determined by the public; it featured seventh on Good Game ' s "Top 100 Games" list, and fifth on IGN ' s "Games of a Generation" list, as voted by the program and website's respective audiences. A prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2 ,

12654-426: The designers. As the story developed, a range of characters were organically created based on the period; Red Dead Redemption features around 450 characters. The game required a large amount of character dialogue in order to feel alive, comparable to Rockstar's previous game Grand Theft Auto IV . Researchers at Rockstar developed a style guide based on real sayings of the time period. Rockstar hired Rod Edge as

12825-516: The developers added these to introduce complex missions wherein players find new completion strategies. Released alongside Blood Money was the Quick Draw Club, four passes providing players with gameplay rewards and bonuses; the first was Dutch van der Linde 's outfit. Purchasing all passes granted access to the Halloween Pass 2. A character added in Blood Money , guitar player "Bluewater" John,

12996-490: The development team's wishes to translate the single-player's elements to a multiplayer environment. They took lessons learned from the multiplayer of Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto Online . Red Dead Online received criticism at launch for balancing of gameplay and in-game currency, which later updates addressed. It received positive responses with praise for its mission presentation, co-operative events, and technical improvements. Like Grand Theft Auto Online ,

13167-424: The environment alone or in a "posse" group. Players can partake in organized activities with or against members of their posse, or against other groups. As players complete activities throughout the game world, they receive experience points to raise their characters in rank and receive bonuses, thereby progressing in the game. Camps can be temporarily set up throughout the world, either for an individual player or

13338-423: The event. Alternatively, players can join specific events at will. Outside events, non-player character ("strangers") in the game world offer missions, such as contract killings or camp raidings. Up to four players can join a temporary, ad hoc posse group for the duration of a game session. Alternatively, for a fee, up to seven players can join a persistent posse that regenerates when its leader comes online. Within

13509-476: The events of Red Dead Redemption 2 , the game comprises story missions where up to four players can complete tasks to advance the narrative, as well as various side missions and events. Like the single-player game, Red Dead Online is presented through both first- and third-person perspectives, and players may freely roam its open world . Gameplay elements include shootouts, hunting , horseback riding, interacting with non-player characters , and maintaining

13680-514: The events of Red Dead Redemption 2 . The player takes on the role of a silent protagonist who is arrested for murder and imprisoned in Sisika Penitentiary. Six months into their sentence and awaiting execution, their prison transport is held up by a band of hired guns. Their leader, Horley, escorts the player to his employer, the widow Jessica LeClerk, who reveals the player was unfairly accused of murdering her husband Philip, who she suspects

13851-410: The fifth-best PlayStation 3 and seventh-best Xbox 360 game. In 2015, GamesRadar ranked it sixth on its list of best games, recognizing its superiority in narrative over Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V (2013), and USgamer ranked it tenth on its list of best 21st-century games; Jaz Rignall called it "one of the finest open world games so far seen". GamesRadar+ named it the fourth-best game of

14022-399: The final chapter allowed the player to feel they achieved the promised redemption, only for it to be taken away by the story's end. Conversely, Kotaku ' s Heather Alexandra felt John achieved his redemption upon sacrificing himself to save his family. Benjamin J. Triana found that, while John's death "implies transcendence", it is not overtly sacrificial, nor does it represent John as

14193-414: The formation of a core development team. Rockstar San Diego 's 180-person team co-opted Rockstar's Leeds , New England , North , and Toronto studios to facilitate development between a full team of over 1,000. Having exhausted the use of previous hardware on other projects, Rockstar felt inspired after realizing the potential power of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 . Analyst estimations place

14364-469: The full-time director to handle the game's performances, recorded using motion capture technology, with additional dialogue and sound effects recorded in a studio ; the performance capture was recorded in Santa Monica , California. After an audition process, Rob Wiethoff was selected to portray John Marston. John was developed to be a nuanced character, as opposed to an explicit villain or hero, and

14535-412: The game as "dead" due to the lack of new content; it was compared to Grand Theft Auto Online , which received major updates throughout 2021, while Red Dead Online ' s most recent Blood Money update was considered lackluster in comparison. An online fan campaign ensued; the hashtag #SaveRedDeadOnline trended on Twitter , with over 18,000 tweets . When a new Grand Theft Auto Online mode

14706-400: The game generated $ 725 million in revenue, officially having the largest opening weekend in the history of entertainment, as well as being the second highest-selling entertainment launch, behind Grand Theft Auto V , another widely popular title from Rockstar Games. Two weeks after launch, the game shipped over 17 million units, thus exceeding its predecessors' lifetime sales. By December 2023,

14877-534: The game hit peak players in December 2019 following the release of the Moonshiners update; this was surpassed in December 2020, which saw more new and returning players since the game's beta launch. By March 2019, PlayStation Official Magazine – UK ' s Dave Meikleham felt Red Dead Online was "off to a promising start" despite imbalanced deathmatches, and OXM ' s Chris Burke yearned for more solo missions. Eurogamer ' s Jordan Oloman appreciated

15048-524: The game received ten nominations and went on to win four awards: Game of the Year, Best Song in a Game ("Far Away"), Best Original Score, and Best DLC ( Undead Nightmare ). The game led the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards with nine nominations and five awards, winning Action Game of the Year and Outstanding Character Performance for Wiethoff's portrayal of John Marston. At the 11th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards , Red Dead Redemption won four awards of five nominations, including Game of

15219-489: The game received updates adding new content, including selectable roles to earn additional rewards. Reception to post-release content was generally positive, with praise directed at more significant additions, though the lack of new content over time led to some criticism and backlash. The final major update was released in July 2021, as Rockstar later withdrew development resources to focus on Grand Theft Auto VI . Red Dead Online

15390-416: The game was nearing profitability for the company. By September 2010, the game had shipped 6.9   million copies, exceeding Take-Two's performance expectations for the quarter. It was the fifth best-selling game of 2010; the Xbox 360 version was the ninth best-selling individual platform game. The game sold 8 million copies by February 2011, contributing to a 7.7 percent profit increase for Take-Two for

15561-596: The game was used by workers to conduct online business meetings instead of Skype or Zoom ; the immersion of the world was cited as an appealing feature, though the technical issues and lengthy tutorial were criticized for new employees. Several players reported to playing as a refuge during COVID-19 lockdowns ; the Rift Trails, a group of equestrians who hosted daily rides through the world, grew to over 2,500 members by 2022. In July 2020, several players dressed their characters as clowns to demonstrate their displeasure at

15732-433: The game world are story missions in which four players complete tasks to advance the game's narrative. The game world also features events in which up to 32 players can partake individually or with a posse group. Event types include a deathmatch mode devoid of firearms and a race mode by horseback. Players are notified when a competitive event begins somewhere in the game world and are given the option to immediately travel to

15903-472: The game world was in December 2018, wherein saloons played Christmas music . To coincide with the full release in May 2019, Rockstar released an update that added new story missions, dynamic events, free roam activities, and poker . The Frontier Pursuits update, released on September 10, 2019, implemented three new roles: bounty hunter, where players earn rewards by tracking down targets; trader, where players collect and sell items to expand their camp into

16074-449: The game's combined development and marketing budget between US$ 80 million and US$ 100 million , which would make it one of the most expensive video games to develop . The game's development received controversy following accusations of unethical working practices at Rockstar San Diego, including twelve-hour workdays and six-day weeks, with a lower-than-the-industry-average salary increase. Red Dead Redemption ' s 1,500-page script

16245-602: The game's depiction of violence, the team wanted it to "feel slightly raw and unpleasant", attempting realism without exaggeration. The open world was created to represent iconic features of the American frontier. The team organized field trips to Washington, D.C. , visiting the Library of Congress and the National Archives Building , captured a multitude of photographs, and analyzed various classic Western films, television shows, and novels. The team considered creating

16416-558: The game's environment its most impressive element, praising the ecology and geography, and Eurogamer ' s Parkin considered the world as dense as Grand Theft Auto IV ' s Liberty City while maintaining the Western theme of isolation. Edge found the world emptier than Liberty City but felt "Rockstar proves far better at guiding your eye to the relevant parts". Side missions received praise; 1Up.com ' s Scott Sharkey described them as "perfect little micro-dramas". Edge felt

16587-418: The game's lack of updates. Kotaku ' s Zwiezen considered The Naturalist update "a step back" from Moonshiners , but found it made him appreciate the nature and details. Polygon ' s Marshall called the update "perfectly fine" but noted it failed to make the game "feel meaningfully different" like the varied Grand Theft Auto Online updates. Writing for NME , Oloman felt the update contradicted

16758-604: The game's representation of Native Americans is bleak, cruel, and violent. Jodi A. Byrd believed " Red Dead" signaled the Native American genocide . Bullet Points ' s McCarter felt, while the killing of Native Americans is explained in the context of the story, it is "a shaky rationale meant to echo the rhetoric" surrounding the genocide and forced relocation . Elston recognized the Native American character Nastas as an example of Gerald Vizenor 's " manifest manners ",

16929-438: The game, with the higher-end Series X running it with its Xbox One X-specific enhancements. Sony added Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare to its PlayStation Now cloud gaming subscription service in December 2016, which allowed them to be played on PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , and Windows ; they were removed in October 2022. According to industry sources, Rockstar shelved a Red Dead Redemption remaster after

17100-418: The game. The team hired professional actors to perform the body movements through motion capture . Red Dead Redemption features an original score composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson . The game's development received controversy following accusations of unethical working practices. The working hours and managerial style of the studio was met with public complaints from staff members. Red Dead Redemption

17271-471: The government despite his bitter opposition to them, described as an enactment of Theodore Roosevelt 's masculine ideals . Triana found the game's masculinity to be plural, with the male lead generally pitted against other men, though recognized the dominance of the characters often shifted throughout the narrative. He found John's challenges reflected those of straight, cisgender men in the modern era. Margini blamed John's downfall on "the false promises of

17442-677: The heists as seen in Grand Theft Auto Online . Otto Kratky of Digital Trends praised Blood Money and wrote, unlike with previous updates, Rockstar was "finally appealing to those Old West clichés" and setting the game in the right direction. In December, PC Gamer ' s Lauren Morton expressed disappointment at the lack of activity compared to Rockstar's other projects throughout the year, though noted it "remains as expansive and gorgeous as ever". The January 2022 update—bonus rewards for existing missions—led to some backlash from players as they considered it "low effort" and described

17613-432: The hero is neither good nor evil and "tragic heroes are tragic because they bring about their own fall, despite having good intentions". Several scholars noted that, despite the use of the word "redemption" in the title, such a feat was impossible for John; Reid McCarter of Bullet Points Monthly described the word as "bitterly ironic" due to the inability of reinvention for both the characters and country. Margini wrote

17784-553: The improvements made by May 2019, praising the quality of the story missions, but felt players needed more purpose within the world. After the release of the Frontier Pursuits update in September 2019, Oloman found the game enjoyable enough to play instead of returning to single-player. Polygon ' s Cass Marshall wrote the update added elements that made the game fun to play with friends. Eurogamer ' s Oloman considered

17955-656: The large scale of the game as one of the largest difficulties when producing the score; to achieve an effective gaming experience, the game could not solely feature licensed music, like previous Rockstar games. In 2008, Rockstar engaged musicians Bill Elm and Woody Jackson , who collaborated to compose approximately 200 tracks for the game over 15 months. The original score and subsequent album were both recorded and mixed at Jackson's studio, Electro-Vox Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and mastered at Capitol Studios . When researching music for inspiration, Jackson found that there

18126-424: The last major update and to mourn Rockstar's withdrawal of development resources; players met at in-game graveyards and cemeteries to capture photographs and drink alcohol. TheGamer ' s Stacey Henley was disappointed by Rockstar's decision but found it inevitable as the game was "forced to live in the shadow" of Grand Theft Auto Online ; she felt it was "never going to be" good and concluded "real closure ...

18297-555: The latter back to Maggie who allows him to leave on the condition he vanish forever. The player then returns to producing moonshine with Maggie and Lem. Red Dead Online was developed by Rockstar Games in tandem with the single-player story; the development team considered both single-player and multiplayer while creating the world but focused on the former. Though Red Dead Online and Red Dead Redemption 2 share assets and gameplay, Rockstar views them as separate products with independent trajectories, reflected in its decision to launch

18468-449: The local sheriffs and earn some money while he investigates Philip's murder. Eventually, Horley tells the player to seek work with either U.S. Marshal Tom Davies or mercenary Samson Finch, depending on the player's honor level. If the player has high honor, Davies enlists the player's posse to join the hunt for Mexican bandit Alfredo Montez; with low honor, Finch has the player's posse prove themselves for an upcoming job by helping him rob

18639-578: The location of the small town of Rhodes and the large industrial city of Saint Denis). The following list contains only main and supporting characters from the Red Dead franchise, who play a significant role in the narrative of the game(s) they appear in. Note: A gray cell indicates that the character does not appear in that medium. The Red Dead series, particularly the second and third games, are critically acclaimed. Red Dead Redemption , averaging 95% on both review aggregate websites Metacritic and GameRankings , won numerous awards, including Game of

18810-419: The manner in which societal change acts as a catalyst for losing one's control and compromising their morality. The journey from the open fields to the city of Blackwater represents civilization's control over the natural world, though the player lacks control during the opening sequence in which John leaves Blackwater, only gaining it when reentering the city later in the game. While Red Dead Redemption grants

18981-434: The modernization of society. In Redemption and Redemption 2 , the map undergoes several changes between the two different time periods, such as new houses being built, and NPCs sporting new looks. Red Dead Revolver ' s setting is quite transient, as Red moves from town to town throughout the game. The most prominent location is the town of Brimstone, which acts as a hub between several missions. The game takes place in

19152-420: The momentum of the previous year, though noted the monetization system remained unbalanced. In July, Polygon ' s Marshall felt Blood Money was suitable for regular players, but noted the lack of regular updates was "frustrating" due to the game's potential. Rion Duncan of Screen Rant felt the Blood Money missions were too similar to stranger missions, criticizing the lack of preparatory gameplay for

19323-611: The moral justification of virtual murder and noted "even hard-core gamers might balk at virtual sadism". The game presents the ethos of the American Dream in its formation, in contrast with the modern-day representation in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008). While John's violent past rendered him unable to achieve redemption, it also impacted his son's ability to achieve the American Dream as he becomes an outlaw like his father. The game features commentary on freedom and control, and

19494-545: The most requested titles for the feature. The game's sales position on Amazon.com spiked following the announcement. The release runs at a smoother frame rate on the Xbox One. In April 2018, the game received an update as an " Xbox One X enhanced " title, making it playable at 4K resolution (an increase from the game's original 720p resolution) with graphical improvements on the high-end revision of Xbox One, called Xbox One X . The Xbox Series X and Series S can also play

19665-450: The multiplayer title separately. The development team took lessons learned from the multiplayer of Red Dead Redemption (2010) and applied those with the best elements of Grand Theft Auto Online (2013), particularly in regards to introducing narrative elements to a multiplayer title. The team sought to translate elements of the single-player story to Red Dead Online , overhauling them for an online space. Producer Rob Nelson felt, while

19836-463: The multiplayer. A Game of the Year Edition containing all downloadable content was released for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 11, 2011, in North America and on October 14, 2011, internationally. Microsoft added the game, along with Undead Nightmare , to its backward compatibility list for Xbox One , the successor to the Xbox 360, in July 2016; Red Dead Redemption had been one of

20007-421: The music complemented the action and scenery, never feeling intrusive, and Paste ' s Hamilton found it was integrated into the world seamlessly. GameStop ' s Calvert described the soundtrack as "superb" though noted it "occasionally swells up without reason". The vocal tracks received praise; the scene wherein John enters Mexico was described as "beautiful" by GamesRadar ' s Matt Cundy due to

20178-426: The narrative. Game Informer ' s Bertz named Red Dead Redemption the "best-looking Rockstar game to date". IGN ' s Brudvig lauded the environmental details and richness of dynamic events and weather. GamePro ' s Herring considered the open world superior to its contemporaries, appreciating the change from Grand Theft Auto IV ' s "brown, muddy 'realism' filter". GameSpy ' s Tuttle named

20349-473: The narrative. Game Informer ' s Matt Bertz felt the narrative momentum suffered from the length of the Mexico missions but praised the ending for using a "sense of immersiveness only a video game can impart"; IGN ' s Brudvig similarly lauded the climax as one of gaming's best. GamePro ' s Herring was surprised by John's likability—"one of the more sympathetic antiheroes in recent memory"—and found

20520-487: The nearest police station; players can bribe or kill them before they reach the station, negating consequences. Once the law is alerted, the Wanted meter appears with a bounty set on players' heads. The bounty grows higher as players commit more crimes, and more lawmen will be sent to hunt them; after committing enough crime, the U.S. Marshals or Mexican Army will be sent. To evade law enforcement in pursuit, players must escape

20691-503: The open world one of the most technically demanding aspect of the game's production, in terms of filling the world with enough content to interest players. Like other projects since Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis (2006), the game uses the proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) to perform animation and rendering tasks, and the Euphoria and Bullet engines for further animation and environment rendering tasks. Overhauling

20862-604: The original Red Dead Redemption game to be played, was released in North America on November 22, 2010. Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare were released for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on August 17, 2023, and for Windows on October 29, 2024, developed by Double Eleven . Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to Red Dead Redemption and the third main entry in the series, released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2018 and for Windows and Stadia in November 2019. Its story follows Arthur Morgan ,

21033-463: The player and Lem on a job. To deal with both of their enemies simultaneously, Maggie arranges a supposed peace meeting with the Braithwaites and anonymously tips off Hixon. At the meeting, Hixon arrests the player, Lem, and Danny-Lee, but they manage to escape after Lem detonates an improvised bomb using the moonshine in his wagon. With Lem's help, the player kills Hixon and captures Danny-Lee, bringing

21204-457: The player can visit, each with their own citizens (with whom the player can interact). The map spans two fictional U.S. states, New Austin (which is mostly desert) and West Elizabeth (which features lush forests and a mountain area), as well as the Mexican state of Nuevo Paraiso (which is also mainly a desert area). Red Dead Redemption 2 ’s world is greatly expanded compared to its predecessor's, and

21375-458: The player freedom, they ultimately lack control over the narrative as "being free to do things is not the same as being able to change things", an ideology reflected in John's inability to prevent his own death. Triana felt the ending allowed the player to properly understand John's rejection of a developing society due to the misery endured from the government. The game demonstrates the disparities of economic inequality ; Sara Humphreys identified

21546-406: The player is tasked by their rescuers with finding the true culprits in exchange for proving their innocence. Since release, the game has received several content updates that expanded upon the game modes, missions, and other activities players can partake in. A standalone client for the game was released in December 2020. In October 2018, Dan Houser said that Rockstar might develop a future entry in

21717-551: The player then attacks with a flurry of bullets in rapid succession. The Dead Eye system in Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 has been refined, as it levels up as the game progresses, giving the player more options when using it. Red Dead Redemption brings a new mechanic to the franchise that has been improved in Red Dead Redemption 2 : a morality system where the player gains positive or negative "honor". Good deeds like saving townsfolk from danger will level up

21888-458: The player to finance her new operation and help her take revenge on Hixon. The player rescues Maggie's nephew Lem from the revenuers, attracting the attention of the bankrupt Braithwaite family, who have turned to moonshining and recruited Maggie's former cook Danny-Lee Caton to oversee production. The Braithwaites threaten retaliation after the player sabotages their moonshining operation, while Hixon learns about Maggie's revived business and ambushes

22059-564: The player with an open world setting and gives them various options for exploration, random encounters and side-missions. Red Dead Redemption 2 is the biggest and most immersive of the three, providing far more options and activities for the player than in its previous titles. Combat and gunplay are a fundamental part in the franchise; players can cover, blind-fire, free-aim and can get into physical altercations with enemies. A large number of weapons are introduced in all three games, typically rifles and revolvers. Horses, stagecoaches and trains are

22230-459: The player's actions. Critics praised the horseback controls; GamePro ' s Herring found them authentic. Eurogamer ' s Parkin named the player's relationship with their horse among the game's greatest successes, but noted some awkward controls, particularly when running. Edge felt the Dead Eye mechanic "puts gunplay on a pedestal", and IGN ' s Brudvig wrote it "makes you feel like

22401-407: The player's honor, while malicious actions like harming innocents or committing theft will lower the player's honor. The player should be considerate of the honor system, as it can influence how the world interacts with the character. All games in the series take place during the days of the Wild West. Red Dead Revolver takes place at an unidentified point in time during the 1880s, while Redemption

22572-488: The player's posse for their help and informs them the evidence clearing their name will be delivered, before leaving with Horley to go into hiding. A Life of 'Shine is a story chapter added in December 2019. The player character is introduced to "Lightning" Maggie Fike, who once controlled the moonshining business in Lemoyne but disappeared after falling afoul of revenue agents led by the ruthless Reid Hixon. Maggie convinces

22743-573: The player. An online multiplayer mode is included with the original release, allowing up to 16 players to engage in both cooperative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. The game's development lasted over five years, and it became one of the most expensive video games ever made. Rockstar improved its proprietary game engine to increase its technological capabilities. The development team conducted extensive research, including field trips to Washington, D.C. and analyzing classic Western films, to achieve realism for

22914-472: The poor reception of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021), instead increasing focus on development for Grand Theft Auto VI . Media speculation restarted in June 2023, and in August, Rockstar announced the single-player modes of Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare would release for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on August 17, developed by Double Eleven . Physical versions were released on October 13. Reactions to

23085-581: The potential processing power of RAGE allowed the game to create a high level of detail, including realistic animations and detailed textures. The potential power of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 experienced through the development kits motivated the team to begin development, and to create a game that could fully render the countryside, which was difficult to achieve on previous hardware. The developers at San Diego sought guidance from other Rockstar studios experienced with developing open worlds, particularly Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar North. The game

23256-461: The primary methods of transportation in all three games due to the period in which they are set. The trademark game mechanic of the series is the Dead Eye system, which bridges the gap between the protagonist's exceptional shooting prowess and the limitations of the human player's speed and coordination. For a short period, it allows the player to aim at targets in slow motion for better accuracy. After painting their targets, time goes back to normal as

23427-456: The quarter. It shipped 8.5   million copies in its first year, and over 11   million copies by August 2011, 2   million of which were retail units of Undead Nightmare . By February 2017, Red Dead Redemption had shipped over 15   million units. As of September 2021, the game and its prequel had shipped almost 62   million copies combined, with Red Dead Redemption around 23   million units shipped, making it one of

23598-626: The release "bare-bones". Critics appreciated the PlayStation's enhanced resolution, shadows, and anti-aliasing , but felt improvements were otherwise sparse; Eurogamer ' s Oliver Mackenzie criticized the outdated user interface . Several reviewers praised the Switch version's portability and performance and considered it an improvement over Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition  ; GamesRadar+ ' s Joe Donnelly favorably compared it to Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) for putting an impressive open world on

23769-668: The representation could either be an example of dark satire or "a crafty way of excusing their genocide at Marston's hand", aligned with a wider erasure seen in other Western media. Triana found Native Americans "end up victims to the game's evil social forces" due to John's priority of reuniting with his family. After the May 2004 release of Red Dead Revolver , publisher Rockstar Games wanted to create its own Western video game from scratch; it had acquired Revolver from Capcom in 2003 after years of development and completed development within nine months. Early development began in 2005, and full development commenced in 2006, following

23940-402: The residents of New Austin. He arrives at Williamson's stronghold at Fort Mercer, but ends up getting shot after failing to persuade him to surrender. Rescued and nursed back to health by local rancher Bonnie MacFarlane (Kimberly Irion), he helps her with several jobs around her farm in return, while formulating a plan to attack Williamson's gang. John makes a number of allies to help him carry out

24111-493: The roles is intentionally slower than Grand Theft Auto Online ' s missions, with each role originally set to have logical successors gradually advancing players' financial success. The update added an Outlaw Pass, which grants players access to additional rewards for an in-game price, and a limited promotion named the Wheeler, Rawson & Co Club, where players could unlock specific rewards as they gained experience. With each of

24282-399: The roles, players are assigned special tasks for a limited time, such as Legendary Bounties for bounty hunters and specific items for collectors. Fear of the Dark, a limited event for Showdown Mode, was added for Halloween in October and November, dividing players into Hunters and Night Stalkers. The Moonshiners update, added on December 13, 2019, introduced moonshiner as an extension to

24453-447: The same aspects as well as its significant level of detail, winning a number of awards from publications. Red Dead Revolver sold 920,000 copies in North America as of July 2, 2010. Red Dead Redemption broke the records of its previous game, having shipped over 11 million copies by August 2011 and over 15 million copies by February 2017. Red Dead Redemption 2 however, marked the franchise's highest commercial achievement. In three days,

24624-485: The secondary characters "interesting enough that they never feel contrived"; conversely, Paste ' s Kirk Hamilton opined the latter, "clichéd and unlikeable", undermined the narrative. GameSpot ' s Justin Calvert applauded the "deeply flawed but very likable" John, noting his scars and outfit made him feel more believable. IGN ' s Brudvig found John's motivations occasionally confusing and felt alienated from

24795-473: The series depending on the success of Red Dead Redemption 2 . In each game in the franchise, the player takes the role of an outlaw in the waning years of the American Old West. All three titles are third-person (although Red Dead Redemption 2 also gives the option to play in first-person), yet there are crucial differences between them. The first game in the series follows a linear storyline with fixed, limited locations. Red Dead Redemption , however, provides

24966-462: The side content's variety avoided the repetition of Assassin's Creed . Game Informer ' s Bertz found Red Dead Redemption "tranpose[d] the Grand Theft Auto gameplay template onto a Wild West setting". Good Game ' s Stephanie Bendixsen felt the game used Grand Theft Auto IV ' s best elements. GameSpot ' s Calvert lauded the bounty system for adding consequence to

25137-418: The single-player mode's gameplay. In addition to in-game cash, which can be used for supplies, Online adds gold, a second in-game currency used to purchase luxury and special items, and tokens, which are earned by unlocking role ranks and can be used to purchase role-specific items. Players acquire gold nuggets by completing challenges and can convert 100 nuggets into gold bars. Rather than having to travel to

25308-448: The single-player's animal hunting mechanics and felt it could be effectively imitated in Red Dead Online . The naturalist's Vitalism Studies feature, allowing players to temporarily assume control of an animal, was viewed as an experience that "bend[s] reality" in contrast to the otherwise grounded tone. For Halloween in October 2020, Rockstar added a new mode, Dead of Night, wherein players fight against zombies . The Halloween Pass, which

25479-406: The sixth-highest rated PlayStation 3 and seventh-highest rated Xbox 360 game. IGN ' s Brudvig described Red Dead Redemption as "a must-play" and "one of the deepest, most fun, and most gorgeous games around"; GamePro ' s Will Herring named it Rockstar's best game to date, a culmination of its previous successes. Eurogamer ' s Simon Parkin called it "a blockbuster video game:

25650-452: The smaller player count and slower playstyle. Official Xbox Magazine ( OXM ) named King of the Castle the best game mode. Kotaku ' s Heather Alexandra wrote Red Dead Online was "gamier" than its single-player counterpart, specifically in seeing the realistic towns transformed into deathmatch levels. IGN ' s Luke Reilly praised the game's co-operative story missions but noted

25821-432: The story was not intended as a satire of contemporary America but parallels were inevitable due to the similarities of the time period. Some scholars identified the game conforms to neoliberal values, particularly in its depoliticizing of the sufferers of corporate greed, though others felt it ridicules the selfishness of neoliberals. Matt Margini described the narrative as a tragedy , citing Aristotle 's proposal that

25992-450: The strengths of the single-player, effectively fulfilling his childhood fantasy of cowboy life. Matt Martin of VG247 criticized some balancing issues but attributed them to the beta status, overall finding the game more enjoyable than Grand Theft Auto Online from both a technical and gameplay perspective. The Verge ' s Andrew Webster found Red Dead Online ' s battle royale mode more tense than games like Fortnite due to

26163-466: The survivors move to any part of the battlefield in preparation for respawning enemies. Event types include deathmatch scenarios and capture the flag variants. Crates contain extra weapons, ammo, and other powerups . Players can level up and complete weapon challenges to earn rewards such as new character models, golden weapon skins, new titles, and new breeds of animal mounts . Multiplayer features open-world gameplay, wherein players can form or join

26334-432: The team's experience on Grand Theft Auto Online helped with the foundations of Red Dead Online , the differences in direction, pace, and scale demanded a different overall approach, slowly leading the player into the world with smaller steps instead of the fast pace of Grand Theft Auto Online . Red Dead Online 's public beta opened for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 27, 2018, to players who owned

26505-521: The trader role, focusing on producing, managing, and distributing moonshine. The update included additional content, such as the first purchasable property and a new Outlaw Pass. To celebrate Christmas in December 2019, Rockstar granted free supplies to players and added a temporary period of snowfall. The Naturalist , released on July 28, 2020, added a fifth role, revolving around players tracking down animals to study or hunt them. The update added new clothing, animals, and an Outlaw Pass. The team enjoyed

26676-504: The two Red Dead Redemption games had shipped over 81 million units. Red Dead Redemption Red Dead Redemption is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games . A successor to 2004's Red Dead Revolver , it is the second game in the Red Dead series. Red Dead Redemption is set during the decline of the American frontier in

26847-562: The two men and their bodyguards in Blackwater. When Amos denies any involvement in Philip's death, an enraged Jessica shoots him dead with a pistol hidden in her purse. The player's posse retrieves the contract from Shaw, and escorts Jessica and Horley out of Blackwater. With only Grace left to be dealt with in order to avenge Philip, Jessica vows to do so one day, and laments her vendetta has led to both her and Horley becoming fugitives. She then thanks

27018-438: The use of José González's "Far Away". Game Informer ' s Bertz described the multiplayer as "a fully featured complement" to the single-player. GamePro ' s Herring praised the variety of modes and open gameplay but noted it put more responsibility on the players to keep the game interesting. GameSpot ' s Calvert felt there was a lack in customization options for players, and 1Up.com ' s Sharkey criticized

27189-459: The violence and simplistic moral dualism of previous pop-cultural representations of the Old West". The game drew some commentary for its depiction of violence; Margini considered it justifiable since "violence means something", and Timothy J. Welsh added it is "just a game", but recognized the worrisome nihilism it could perpetuate if generalized. Conversely, Christopher Bartel expressed hesitancy at

27360-502: The weapon variety and handling. G4 ' s Jake Gaskill opined the Dead Eye "can feel a bit too powerful at times". GameSpy ' s Tuttle found the minimalist score added to the world's authenticity, and Eurogamer ' s Parkin named it "standout", praising the use of multiple instruments. GamePro ' s Herring favorably compared it to Ennio Morricone's work on the Dollars Trilogy . PSM3 ' s Andy Hartup thought

27531-458: The year 1911. It follows John Marston , a former outlaw who, after his wife and son are taken hostage by the government in ransom for his services as a hired gun, sets out to bring three members of his former gang to justice. The narrative explores themes of the cycle of violence , masculinity , redemption , and the American Dream . The game is played from a third-person perspective . The player can freely roam in its interactive open world ,

27702-443: Was actually killed by his business partners: banker Jeremiah Shaw, landowners Amos and Grace Lancing, and Grace's brother, outlaw Teddy Brown, with the aim of taking over the entire business. Jessica enlists the player's help in avenging Philip's death in exchange for proving their innocence and allows them to leave. After the player is provided with a camp and some work, they meet with Horley in Blackwater; he advises them to work with

27873-468: Was added to Red Dead Online through free title updates. Rockstar planned to evolve the world over time, including expanding the player's in-game businesses from a small camp to a larger company. Rockstar intended to add more role-playing elements to Red Dead Online over time, including additional roles and missions. One of the team's greater challenges was the addition of experiences that allow player freedom without too much structure. The first update to

28044-422: Was available from October 20 to November 16, added several Halloween-themed reward, including horse masks, emotes, and weapon variations. The team felt the events reflected some of the mysteries present in single-player. The Bounty Hunters update was released simultaneously with the standalone client in December 2020, adding new ranks to the bounty hunter role and three additional targets to track down, as well as

28215-460: Was envisioned to improve the core mechanics of Red Dead Revolver by scaling it up to the standard of other Rockstar games, maintaining key gameplay elements like the Dead Eye and dueling mechanics but majorly overhauling the experience otherwise. In particular, the team faced a challenge in creating realistic movement for the horse, resulting in the engagement of a stunt horse to simulate movement for

28386-564: Was no "Western sound" in 1911; he felt that the soundtracks of 1960s Western films, such as Ennio Morricone 's work on the Dollars Trilogy , was more representative of Western music. Rockstar also consulted musicians who played traditional Western instruments, such as harmonica player Tommy Morgan . The game also features vocal performances by Ashtar Command , José González , Jamie Lidell , and William Elliott Whitmore . An early trailer for an untitled Western project by Rockstar Games

28557-445: Was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in May 2010, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in August 2023, and for Windows in October 2024. It received critical acclaim for its visuals, music, performances, gameplay, and narrative. It won year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications , and is considered one of seventh-generation console gaming 's most significant titles and among

28728-423: Was released in October 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game's main story is set in 1899, 12 years before Red Dead Redemption , and depicts John's life as part of Dutch's gang alongside Bill, Javier, Uncle, Abigail, and Jack. Players control fellow gang member Arthur Morgan . Red Dead Online Red Dead Online is a 2019 action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games as

28899-440: Was released without an announcement, Kotaku ' s Zwiezen partly attributed Rockstar's silence to the fan campaign. Rockstar's social media posts were met with responses in support of the campaign, and some employees were reportedly spammed with abuse. In May, Take-Two's chief executive officer, Strauss Zelnick , said the companies had "heard the frustration". On July 13, players hosted in-game funerals to mark one year since

29070-728: Was shown at Sony's E3 conference in May 2005; it was a technology demonstration of RAGE for the PlayStation 3, and theorized to be a sequel to Red Dead Revolver . Rockstar officially announced Red Dead Redemption on February 3, 2009. The debut trailer was released on May 6, 2009, introducing the game's protagonist. The game received an extensive and expensive marketing campaign, during which Rockstar partnered with several companies and media outlets, including IGN , GameSpot , LoveFilm , Microsoft, and YouTube . To encourage pre-order sales, Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets to provide pre-order bonuses, including exclusive in-game horses, outfits, and weapons. Rockstar also released

29241-418: Was written in two years. Taking inspiration from films like The Wild Bunch (1969), High Plains Drifter (1973), Unforgiven (1992), and The Proposition (2005), the team felt that most Western fiction takes place between 1840 and 1880, and that Red Dead Redemption ' s setting in 1911 allowed a more intriguing analysis of the transformation from "the old West " into the modern world. Regarding

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