Red Dead Redemption 2 was a divisive game when it came out a year ago on consoles – it was undeniably good, but some gamers were turned off by the slow pace and clunky controls. I’ve hung up my hat just long enough to tell you the tale of the PC port. So, settle down and listen close so’s I can saddle up again and yee the haw outta here and get back to cowboyin’.
Red Dead Redemption 2 follows the story of Arthur Morgan and the gang he rides with, led by the very meme-able Dutch van der Linde. The voice acting is superb, and I welcomed every opportunity to interact with people in the world. There’s a lengthy introduction during which the gang is holed up in the mountains while a blizzard rages around them, and after this, once the gang descends and sets up camp, you’ll be free to explore and pick and choose your missions. This are standard Rockstar fare, though there are some missions that mix up the formula. Outside of these, you’ll need to acquire money and items to donate to the gang, which then unlocks new abilities and equipment. There are also challenges to complete, from hunting and sharpshooting to horsemanship and survival. There’s always something to do, but the open world manages to feel full without being bloated.
Having played through the first game, which takes place chronologically after this one, I appreciated learning the backstories of the members of Dutch’s gang. It’s a real pity that the original Red Dead Redemption hasn’t been ported to PC, though Red Dead Redemption 2 certainly stands up on its own and you don’t need to have played the first game to understand what’s going on. All you need to know is that, contrary to Arthur’s opinion of him, John Marston is just the best.
The pace of the game can be glacial at times, though I rarely felt impatient while playing. For short sessions, it was easy enough for me to drop in and complete a mission or work on a challenge, but when I had the time, it was very enjoyable to just exist in the world and take my time playing poker, giving my horse a fabulous makeover, or exploring. It’s the type of game that you settle into and experience. Rockstar deliberately places you in the world – from harvesting plants and animal skins to playing the various mini-games, all actions are animated. No running over plants while spamming ‘E’ here (though running over ammo is enough to pick it up instantly – magnetic spurs, probably). While realism was clearly a priority, there are necessary sacrifices in the name of gameplay, like how you can simply visit a post office to pay that pesky fine you got for murdering all those lawmen.
If you’re looking for a change of pace, however, there’s also Red Dead Online. You’ll be able to create your own character and then go it alone or form a posse and, along with messing around in free roam mode, progress as a Bounty Hunter, Trader, or Collector. These roles add structure to the otherwise freeform gameplay of the online component. Whether you’re robbing trains or going on hunting trips, Red Dead Online is a lot of fun with friends.
Red Dead Redemption 2 looks gorgeous on PC and Rockstar has taken advantage of the hardware by incorporating graphical enhancements like increased draw distance, improved lighting, and higher resolution textures. The game runs fine on my five-year-old rig, and I’m happy to report that there’s support for ultra-wide monitors – which the vast, open spaces depicted in the game seem to have been made for.
The game controls very well with mouse and keyboard, though key bindings seem a bit random. For example, in some menus you press ‘F’ to go back, in others you hold ‘F’, and in the rest you press ‘ESC’. Button prompts are displayed onscreen so you don’t have to remember what to press when, but it can be confusing. This was a sore point on console and it’s not much better on PC. It’s less of an issue in combat, which controls as you would expect, and feels great.
It’s common knowledge at this point that the PC launch has been… rough. I’ve have experienced some random, short freezes and at one point the game just refused to launch. I don’t know what Rockstar was polishing this past year, but it wasn’t the PC port. Thankfully, the studio has been quick to push out patches which have largely resolved my issues. Unfortunately, not everyone has been as lucky or patient as I have been so this is something to consider, especially if your PC is closer to the minimum requirements than the recommended.
