I've just beat the game 2 days ago and I have to say, I've never gotten so emotional before in a game. The story isn't anything new nor are the characters but the atmosphere Rockstar created along with the pace and acting really help in developing that close bond to main characters usually only reserved to well written novels and some movies. One difference this medium does provide is that since your controlling the character throughout the story, I believe you develop an even bigger connection.
Looking back at my experience with the game as a whole, this is the first time where I feel as if this whole game was designed around building a strong bond between you and the main character. The huge, expansive yet desolate world leads you to spend a bulk of the experience alone on horseback which, over the course of the game, drains on you and has you yearning to have it all over and done with so you, an extension of John Marston, can finally return to your family. The characters you meet on your journey help build bonds which provide a nice touch of society and structure into what I can only imagine was a wild and dreary life living in that time period. In all, you just feel for the character and his plight.
The way music was also used in this game was just nothing short of amazing. The placement of the full length tracks within the story and gameplay were just perfectly timed and came as a pleasent suprise to me. Its the stuff you only see in movies which, as much as video games try now a days, I've yet to see pulled off to a successfull degree excect here. The voice acting is also up there as practically every single character you meet in this game is voiced perfectly. It makes you wonder how other companies can't achieve this level of professionalism as I'm sure these voice actors aren't hollywood actors.
As for the game structure and actual gameplay, its somewhat similar to GTA set in the midwest during the early 1900s yet everything just seems to vibe in this game. All the missions are somewhat reasonable/believable and don't just feel like they are there just to add length and options to the gameplay. After you've put hours into the game though, you do start to see the pattern in the structure of the world and its people which does take away from the escapism you initially get when you first play it. Once I hit that point though, I just gave up on all the side missions and tackled the main story line to keep the world progressing. The story had some twists here and there and had me thinking I might have beat the game twice only to realise there was more gaming to be had.
On a last note, the last stretch of missions felt boring and unnecessary to me at the time but they are brilliant in hindsight site once you've hit the ending credits.
I encourage anyone on here who can, to experience this game, through purchase, rental, or any (legal) which way you can. Its a flawless role playing game and by role playing I don't mean the typical stat crunching games we know and love (at least I do), I mean role playing as a true escape into the characters world through his eyes.
Topic: Red Dead Redemption (Read 5113 times)
