Predicted by many to be the most exciting game of 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2, developed by Rockstar Games, offers a dose of Wild West exploration, multiplayer action and sheer graphical wonders. Available after its release date of 26 October 2018, the game is available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 systems, and this buyer's guide will provide you with everything you need to know before making a purchase.
When the first Red Dead Redemption title arrived back in 2010, nobody had ever seen anything quite like it. It followed the career of outlaw John Marston in the last days of the Wild West. As the American frontier closed, Marston became embroiled in a saga of “redemption”. With his family held hostage by the government, Marston was blackmailed into seeking out his old gang, picking them off one by one.
But the beauty of Red Dead Redemption wasn't this storyline, so much as the environment that Marston could navigate. The game world for the original RDR was vast, spanning the “states” New Austin and West Elizabeth, with some Mexican surroundings also thrown into the mix. Players could follow Marston's narrative if they wanted to, or just saddle up and explore an authentic (and violent) Wild West universe, interacting with countless non-player characters along the way.
Another huge aspect of RDR was its multiplayer aspect. Most FPS games until then had been based around sci-fi or World War Two scenarios. But with RDR, players could combine in a completely new environment and Rockstar went out of their way to add plenty of co-operative game modes, both in the initial release and subsequent DLC, which helped to give the game an extended lifespan.
The first RDR received critical acclaim across the board and is thought of as a ground-breaking classic. The question for Rockstar was, how could they top their original achievement? Let's see what they have come up with, and how it measures up.
In the second instalment in the Red Dead saga, the storyline actually predates the first game, taking us back to the outlaw origins of the Van der Linde gang, which Marston battled in the first title. This time, players take the role of Arthur Morgan, a member of the gang who must fight his way out of a tight spot, with numerous law enforcement officers and bounty hunters close on his heels.
Starting out in the town of Blackwater, where the gang have botched a robbery, the action stretches across the American West. Marston returns, and players have to deal with his personality, along with other tough, unscrupulous gang members, as Morgan seeks to survive. In other words, it's a classic western scenario.
So what does this new Red Dead adventure add to the experience?
World Size – First impression from games testers and reviewers is that the RDR2 world is massive. The first RDR game was already big enough to become lost in for days on end. This time around, the scale is beyond anything yet seen in first-person games. So get ready to hone your navigating skills, because the Wild West is out there to discover.
Red Dead Online – The new multiplayer platform for RDR2 will be more complex than before, with all sorts of cooperative spin-offs from the single-player storyline, as well as a massive multiplayer world that you can simply explore at your leisure, bumping into fellow outlaws as any when you find them.
A Cast of Thousands – The latest Red Dead game is almost more of a movie than a video game. To create this epic, Rockstar brought in over 1,000 actors, creating one of the most cinematic gaming experiences ever conceived.
Community Matters – In this adventure, Arthur Morgan doesn't exist alone. He needs to survive as part of a moving community of gang members, which is where the camping dynamic comes in. You and your fellow nomads need to hunt, make fires and fish to help each other out, and slackers will quickly find that their laziness has consequences.
Nature – Rockstar haven't just tried to create an immersive western adventure story. They have also gone all out to recreate the ecology of the West, from herds of bison to wild horses and pet dogs, all of which you can interact with in realistic ways.
The actual gameplay in Red Dead Redemption 2 is entirely themed around Morgan and his gang's battle to survive. But for these guys, survival isn't just about evading their pursuers. It also involves working together to provide food and drink, and continuing their criminal career in pursuit of wealth.
As Morgan, you'll be able to choose exactly how brutal his career will be. For instance, heists are a key element of the action. You can hold up stagecoaches, kill random strangers, rob trains, hold up banks and general stores, join poker games, and generally behave like Wyatt Earp's worst nightmare.
Combat brings back the “Dead Eye” mechanic that was so successful in the first Red Dead game. So you can slow things down and take on multiple targets during your shootouts. And as in the first RDR, the way you behave is critical to your fate. Treat people well, and they will probably help you out in return (although double-crossing is totally part of the deal). Start betraying people or generally acting like a thug, and the storyline switches direction; just like in the real West.
As with the first RDR, everything you do revolves around a first-person perspective in classic arcade fashion. So there are no surprised there. The surprises lie in the experiences available, the graphic richness, and the sheer scale of the environment players can explore.
As with the original RDR, multiplayer is just as important as single-player mode in Red Dead Redemption 2. However, on the day of release, the only mode available will be single-player. Red Dead Online will follow in November 2018, and will be available to every owner of the game.
Again, as with the first game, there will be a varied roster of multiplayer challenges. The game world can be explored solo, while you can team up with actual friends in a virtual gang to terrorise the West if that's your preference. And a Battle Royale style mode may well be added at some stage, in keeping with the trend among first person shooters. What we do know is that the multiplayer modes will feature up to 32 players, so there's plenty of scope for carnage and cooperation in equal measure.
Red Dead Online will initially be trialled as a beta version – so it's far from the finished article. Still, even as a work in progress, it's sure to offer a portal into more of the gunslinging, buffalo hunting, saloon-smashing action that we know and love from the first game.
If you want to join the gang and cause havoc across the Wild West, there are a number of ways to purchase Red Dead Redemption 2. As noted above, the game is available for Xbox One and PS4 consoles, and comes in a variety of editions. Here are the major options you'll encounter at the Red Dead Redemption 2 hotukdeals listings:
Standard Edition – The cheapest option is to get hold of the Standard Edition, which comes with the game itself and nothing more.
Special Edition – Moving up the price scale, this edition adds more story mode episodes, such as the bank robbery and hideout missions. You'll start out with a fast thoroughbred horse, and receive bonus items to enhance Morgan's skills. A Nuevo Paraiso Gunslinger Outfit is part of the mix as well, while Morgan will also be able to access three special weapons immediately, giving him extra firepower from the start.
Ultimate Edition – One for hardened outlaws, the Ultimate version of Red Dead Redemption 2 features all of the extras you'll get with the Special version, along with an even faster horse, a couple more outfits, the ability to create customised camps via the Survivor Theme, and a “rank boost” to level 25, giving you an extra head start.
Collector's Box – This collector's product is unmissable for real Red Dead heads. It comes with unique extras like cigarette cards, a double-sided jigsaw puzzle, a special treasure map, playing cards, a pin set, bandana and a copy of the Wheeler, Rawson & Co catalogue. And it also comes with a metal tithing box to store all of your RDR goodies. However, and this is essential to understand, the Collector's Box DOES NOT come with the game itself. If you can pick up a copy of the box and the Standard Edition cheaply, it can be a great purchase, but beware of accidentally buying the box, thinking that you're buying RDR 2. It might not be the case.
Pre-order bonuses – If players order early, they can take advantage of Rockstar's pre-order bonuses for Red Dead Redemption 2. These include cash bonuses and extra items that would normally take hours of game time to acquire. Additionally, all pre-orders receive a bonus stash of GTA dollars, which could come in handy for fans of Rockstar's other iconic franchise.
Whether you buy the game for Sony's PlayStation console or the latest Xbox, bear in mind that Red Dead Redemption is a seriously big game. In all, it totals around 105GB of content, which makes it one of the largest games ever released. If you're running out of space and don't want to delete any other games, it could be a good time to invest in extra storage space via an Xbox or PlayStation external hard drive.
So far, there has been no official announcement from Rockstar about a Windows version appearing, so we just don't know whether computer gamers will be able to join the action.
History suggests that it might not happen. The original RDR game never had a Windows release, and other Rockstar games have taken years to move from consoles to home computers. The company haven't ruled it out, but there's little chance of Windows users taking control of Arthur Morgan in the next year or two.
Yes, DLC is lined up for Red Dead Redemption 2, or at least extra content is ready to ship. At first, additional episodes will be available exclusively for PlayStation owners. Each module will have a 30-day exclusivity period, before Xbox players can try it for themselves. We don't know whether DLC will be paid for, or how regularly it will be released, but it's a safe bet that Rockstar will arrange periodic releases in the year after the game's release.
If you want to join the Van der Linde gang as it cuts a trail of blood across the Wild West, there's no reason to pay top dollar for Rockstar's latest masterpiece. For starters, think about whether it's worthwhile buying the Standard Edition or one of the Deluxe Versions. Sure the extra content will be welcome, but most of the equipment and game modes can be unlocked later on. And there's a huge price difference between the various editions, too. Alternatively, you could hunt down special offers for the Collector's Edition (without the game), and combine this with the cheapest version of the game itself. That way, you'll get a heap of Red Dead swag and the game, potentially at bargain prices.
Whatever version you choose, the best place to look for Red Dead offers is hotukdeals. Our listings include offers from gaming merchants like GAME, Amazon, Very, Argos and Smyths, as well as the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Check for hard and digital copies, too, as there could be big differences in price. And be sure to shop around.
Additionally, the game's release date coincides neatly with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you want to update to a PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One S, this could be the ideal time to pick up a Red Dead bundle. And any gaming related products are likely to be reduced dramatically around Black Friday. Just remember that these deals will be time-limited, so be quick on the draw to avoid missing out!
Released in October 2018 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles, Red Dead Redemption 2 is surely going to be one of 2018's classic games. Take the role of Arthur Morgan and navigate the dangers of being a Wild West outlaw. Join hectic multiplayer heists and shootouts, or just explore a gorgeous, vast gaming environment. Whatever you choose, visiting the Wild West doesn't have to be expensive. Check the hotukdeals Red Dead Redemption 2 listings for the best prices around.
