Red Dead F**king Redemption

SkyNett · May 21, 2010, 12:42pm

Yes - this game is ridiculously good.

I just love cruising around on my horse, dealing with random events, riding into towns, duelling - playing poker, hunting bounties, killing animals and just generally feeling like I’m in the greatest of Eastwood westerns.

The missions are awesome, the story and characters are top-notch and everything about it is perfectly tuned. The Sergio Leone type guitar and horn music as you pick your way down a cactus covered hillside in the desert, incredible rain and storm effects as you herd cattle and ride through the countryside, and then suddenly you’re chasing down a horse thief or saving some poor bastard from getting hanged. I love how they captured the fast and brutal violence of gunplay in the old west - it just feels absolutely perfect - the sound of weapons is spot on, and it’s incredibly satisfying to get into massive gun fights in this game.

The atmosphere is so gritty and realistic - beautiful graphics - the landscapes and weather effects, the incredible horse animations and also Marston’s character model looks extremely cool.

All the insane little touches like tumbleweeds, dust devils, the shimmering heat waves as you ride through the desert, and outrageous sunsets (and sunrises) - everything just pulls together to really immerse you into the role of a badass gunslinger. The amazingly vibrant life going on all around you in the towns - drunks, hookers, saloons, trains, wagons, a gang of killers riding in raising hell - and taking them out is so much fucking fun!

I had some broad flag me down to help with her broken wagon and 4 bandits came at me - I was sitting on my horse, and they all rushed towards me together - I went into dead eye and painted all 4 of them with multiple targets and proceeded to absolutely destroy them all in one fell swoop - it was awesome!! Then I hog-tied their lady-friend…lol… and after all that, I love just seeing where the open plains take me next…

R* has proved themselves once again to be one of the best developers in the industry.

Magicpunch · May 21, 2010, 12:53pm

[quote]SkyNett wrote:
Yes - this game is ridiculously good.

I just love cruising around on my horse, dealing with random events, riding into towns, duelling - playing poker, hunting bounties, killing animals and just generally feeling like I’m in the greatest of Eastwood westerns.

The missions are awesome, the story and characters are top-notch and everything about it is perfectly tuned. The Sergio Leone type guitar and horn music as you pick your way down a cactus covered hillside in the desert, incredible rain and storm effects as you herd cattle and ride through the countryside, and then suddenly you’re chasing down a horse thief or saving some poor bastard from getting hanged. I love how they captured the fast and brutal violence of gunplay in the old west - it just feels absolutely perfect - the sound of weapons is spot on, and it’s incredibly satisfying to get into massive gun fights in this game.

The atmosphere is so gritty and realistic - beautiful graphics - the landscapes and weather effects, the incredible horse animations and also Marston’s character model looks extremely cool.

All the insane little touches like tumbleweeds, dust devils, the shimmering heat waves as you ride through the desert, and outrageous sunsets (and sunrises) - everything just pulls together to really immerse you into the role of a badass gunslinger. The amazingly vibrant life going on all around you in the towns - drunks, hookers, saloons, trains, wagons, a gang of killers riding in raising hell - and taking them out is so much fucking fun! I had some broad flag me down to help with her broken wagon and 4 bandits came at me - I was sitting on my horse, and they all rushed towards me together - I went into dead eye and painted all 4 of them with multiple targets and proceeded to absolutely destroy them all in one fell swoop - it was awesome!! Then I hog-tied their lady-friend…lol… and after all that, I love just seeing where the open plains take me next…

R* has proved themselves once again to be one of the best developers in the industry.
[/quote]

As far as short reviews go, this is excellent. Thanks man.

I’m very excited. Been a long time since I was this excited by a game. I mean, it’ll be a different experience to fragging someone’s brains with a rail gun (quake II anyone?) but excellent in a whole different way.

SkyNett · May 21, 2010, 12:57pm

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]SkyNett wrote:
Yes - this game is ridiculously good.

I just love cruising around on my horse, dealing with random events, riding into towns, duelling - playing poker, hunting bounties, killing animals and just generally feeling like I’m in the greatest of Eastwood westerns.

The missions are awesome, the story and characters are top-notch and everything about it is perfectly tuned. The Sergio Leone type guitar and horn music as you pick your way down a cactus covered hillside in the desert, incredible rain and storm effects as you herd cattle and ride through the countryside, and then suddenly you’re chasing down a horse thief or saving some poor bastard from getting hanged. I love how they captured the fast and brutal violence of gunplay in the old west - it just feels absolutely perfect - the sound of weapons is spot on, and it’s incredibly satisfying to get into massive gun fights in this game.

The atmosphere is so gritty and realistic - beautiful graphics - the landscapes and weather effects, the incredible horse animations and also Marston’s character model looks extremely cool.

All the insane little touches like tumbleweeds, dust devils, the shimmering heat waves as you ride through the desert, and outrageous sunsets (and sunrises) - everything just pulls together to really immerse you into the role of a badass gunslinger. The amazingly vibrant life going on all around you in the towns - drunks, hookers, saloons, trains, wagons, a gang of killers riding in raising hell - and taking them out is so much fucking fun! I had some broad flag me down to help with her broken wagon and 4 bandits came at me - I was sitting on my horse, and they all rushed towards me together - I went into dead eye and painted all 4 of them with multiple targets and proceeded to absolutely destroy them all in one fell swoop - it was awesome!! Then I hog-tied their lady-friend…lol… and after all that, I love just seeing where the open plains take me next…

R* has proved themselves once again to be one of the best developers in the industry.
[/quote]

As far as short reviews go, this is excellent. Thanks man.

I’m very excited. Been a long time since I was this excited by a game. I mean, it’ll be a different experience to fragging someone’s brains with a rail gun (quake II anyone?) but excellent in a whole different way.

[/quote]

Lol - thanks. I actually used to work as a gaming writer before I went back to school.

The game really is amazing. It just makes you want to keep playing - they’ve integrated the random events, hunting, bounties, etc… so well that it just all feels like a perfectly real, organic part of life going on inside the game.

Enjoy. : )

RSGZ · May 21, 2010, 12:59pm

[quote]SkyNett wrote:
Lol - thanks. I actually used to work as a gaming writer before I went back to school.
[/quote]

It shows, x2 on a good review.

Magicpunch · May 21, 2010, 1:05pm

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]SkyNett wrote:
Yes - this game is ridiculously good.

I just love cruising around on my horse, dealing with random events, riding into towns, duelling - playing poker, hunting bounties, killing animals and just generally feeling like I’m in the greatest of Eastwood westerns.

The missions are awesome, the story and characters are top-notch and everything about it is perfectly tuned. The Sergio Leone type guitar and horn music as you pick your way down a cactus covered hillside in the desert, incredible rain and storm effects as you herd cattle and ride through the countryside, and then suddenly you’re chasing down a horse thief or saving some poor bastard from getting hanged. I love how they captured the fast and brutal violence of gunplay in the old west - it just feels absolutely perfect - the sound of weapons is spot on, and it’s incredibly satisfying to get into massive gun fights in this game.

The atmosphere is so gritty and realistic - beautiful graphics - the landscapes and weather effects, the incredible horse animations and also Marston’s character model looks extremely cool.

All the insane little touches like tumbleweeds, dust devils, the shimmering heat waves as you ride through the desert, and outrageous sunsets (and sunrises) - everything just pulls together to really immerse you into the role of a badass gunslinger. The amazingly vibrant life going on all around you in the towns - drunks, hookers, saloons, trains, wagons, a gang of killers riding in raising hell - and taking them out is so much fucking fun! I had some broad flag me down to help with her broken wagon and 4 bandits came at me - I was sitting on my horse, and they all rushed towards me together - I went into dead eye and painted all 4 of them with multiple targets and proceeded to absolutely destroy them all in one fell swoop - it was awesome!! Then I hog-tied their lady-friend…lol… and after all that, I love just seeing where the open plains take me next…

R* has proved themselves once again to be one of the best developers in the industry.
[/quote]

As far as short reviews go, this is excellent. Thanks man.

I’m very excited. Been a long time since I was this excited by a game. I mean, it’ll be a different experience to fragging someone’s brains with a rail gun (quake II anyone?) but excellent in a whole different way.

[/quote]

Lol - thanks. I actually used to work as a gaming writer before I went back to school.

The game really is amazing. It just makes you want to keep playing - they’ve integrated the random events, hunting, bounties, etc… so well that it just all feels like a perfectly real, organic part of life going on inside the game.

Enjoy. : ) [/quote]

You should keep up the writing! It is very engaging. Nothing better than a well written passage (fiction or non). What are you studying btw?

GOOD GOD! NEWS FLASH - GIRLFRIEND JUST FOUND A COPY OF THE GAME FOR ME. She’s a genius.

SkyNett · May 21, 2010, 1:15pm

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:
You should keep up the writing! It is very engaging. Nothing better than a well written passage (fiction or non). What are you studying btw?

GOOD GOD! NEWS FLASH - GIRLFRIEND JUST FOUND A COPY OF THE GAME FOR ME. She’s a genius.[/quote]

Thank you. I’m actually moving into fitness writing at this point, but I do have great passion for gaming, so it’s easy to write about it.

I’m studying Nutritional Bio-Chemistry - going to be an R.D… I’m actually graduating with my Associate of Science on Tuesday (did all my lab science and math pre-reqs at a 2 yr school) and I just got my acceptance to 4 year university, and looks like I can be done with my BSc. in 3 semesters… : )

Glad you got the game. Prepare to sit in front of it for the next 36 hours or so…lol… you won’t be able to stop. Once you get into the rhythm of roaming through the old west, you’ll find you just want to keep on playing - there’s just so much to do.

marathe · May 21, 2010, 1:23pm

I didn’t think I’d like this after playing Just Cause 2 for upwards of 30 hours, just strictly due to the fact that it was lacking the speed and fluidity that got me hooked on JC2.

5 hours in and its starting to grow on me. Bonnie’s voice is grating as hell.

Magicpunch · May 21, 2010, 1:29pm

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:
You should keep up the writing! It is very engaging. Nothing better than a well written passage (fiction or non). What are you studying btw?

GOOD GOD! NEWS FLASH - GIRLFRIEND JUST FOUND A COPY OF THE GAME FOR ME. She’s a genius.[/quote]

Thank you. I’m actually moving into fitness writing at this point, but I do have great passion for gaming, so it’s easy to write about it.

I’m studying Nutritional Bio-Chemistry - going to be an R.D… I’m actually graduating with my Associate of Science on Tuesday (did all my lab science and math pre-reqs at a 2 yr school) and I just got my acceptance to 4 year university, and looks like I can be done with my BSc. in 3 semesters… : )

Glad you got the game. Prepare to sit in front of it for the next 36 hours or so…lol… you won’t be able to stop. Once you get into the rhythm of roaming through the old west, you’ll find you just want to keep on playing - there’s just so much to do. [/quote]

Looks like you’re on the way up. Congratulations on your accomplishments. Make sure you don’t let your mind become blunt. Keep it sharp - even more than your body if you can (in my experience)

I love roaming. Roaming is king. I heard someone say “mountain lions.” If this is true, I’ll cream … I mean scream.

SkyNett · May 21, 2010, 1:31pm

[quote]marathe wrote:
I didn’t think I’d like this after playing Just Cause 2 for upwards of 30 hours, just strictly due to the fact that it was lacking the speed and fluidity that got me hooked on JC2.

5 hours in and its starting to grow on me. Bonnie’s voice is grating as hell.[/quote]

Dude JC2 was/is AWESOME! Love that game - 35 hours in and only 20 % done with the missions and main story…lol…

This is just completely different - it’s really a badass gunslinger/old west simulator. I mean, if you ever wanted to feel like The Man With No Name, this is where to do it. : )

SkyNett · May 21, 2010, 1:47pm

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:
Looks like you’re on the way up. Congratulations on your accomplishments. Make sure you don’t let your mind become blunt. Keep it sharp - even more than your body if you can (in my experience)

I love roaming. Roaming is king. I heard someone say “mountain lions.” If this is true, I’ll cream … I mean scream.[/quote]

Thanks man - I will - never stop learning, or getting more bricked - words to live by…lol…

I do though - I have ALL my science and math textbooks - plan to be an R.D. that excels, rather than just does the job. Thanks for the encouragement.

And yes - free-roaming is so much fun. I’ve done a decent amount of missions for the marshall, Bonnie, Seth and that snakeoil salesman (and I’m still not out of the first area of the game - with 15 hrs in - still haven’t even seen Mexico or the northern, snowy country!) but just roaming around the country-side shooting birds out of the sky, killing…wait for it…MOUNTAIN LIONS (which will kill your horse and you in mere moments if you aren’t quick on the trigger) or wolves is awesome.

The weather is dramatic as hell (wait til you’re out on the plains at night when a thunderstorm suddenly hits!) and then you roll into a town to play five finger filet, or grab a wanted poster off the wall and go after a bounty, or get challenged to a duel (in the middle of the street, utilizing the incredibly cool Dead Eye feature) that’s really, really satisfying to win ( I painted one guy’s face with like 4 targets and just blew most of his head clean off when I drew…lol…it was sweet!).

The random events are so cool - nothing like having wild shootouts with a gang of bandits, or chasing down a horse thief, or having to shoot the rope to save a hanging victim…

It’s just the best western game I’ve ever seen, and honestly I’d expect nothing less from Rockstar. I actually played and reviewed the first game (Red Dead Revolver) and Activision’s stab at the open world western GUN, which I thought was a decent effort and pretty fun, but the open world was very small and it in no way had the kind of detail or production values of RDR, but it’s interesting to see that they truly have perfected an open-world western…

Professor_X · May 21, 2010, 1:51pm

I think it’s ironic that the age group that would likely get the greatest kick out of something like this (seeing as how some people over 50 probably grew up on westerns) will ignore it thinking “video games equal kids games”.

20 years from now, I imagine the experience will be so real people will go to hospitals for post traumatic stress after playing.

RSGZ · May 21, 2010, 1:55pm

[quote]Professor X wrote:
20 years from now, I imagine the experience will be so real people will go to hospitals for post traumatic stress after playing.[/quote]

Don’t even go there.

You just know someone will complain to have our rights revoked to play those types of games, you know, in case someone goes on a real life killing spree.

DJHT · May 21, 2010, 1:56pm

And the 50 year olds probably said the same thing about movies to there parents generation. Entertainment has evolved this is the next level in my opinion. TV shows are all the same reality or sitcom, in this medium of entertainment at least we have active involvment in the outcomes. I look forward after working hard all week, do deload my mind by immersing myself in good games and novels. This game is a keeper for us, my son was playing the online last night, that is never ending open world, just unreal.

Magicpunch · May 21, 2010, 2:47pm

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:
Looks like you’re on the way up. Congratulations on your accomplishments. Make sure you don’t let your mind become blunt. Keep it sharp - even more than your body if you can (in my experience)

I love roaming. Roaming is king. I heard someone say “mountain lions.” If this is true, I’ll cream … I mean scream.[/quote]

Thanks man - I will - never stop learning, or getting more bricked - words to live by…lol…

I do though - I have ALL my science and math textbooks - plan to be an R.D. that excels, rather than just does the job. Thanks for the encouragement.

And yes - free-roaming is so much fun. I’ve done a decent amount of missions for the marshall, Bonnie, Seth and that snakeoil salesman (and I’m still not out of the first area of the game - with 15 hrs in - still haven’t even seen Mexico or the northern, snowy country!) but just roaming around the country-side shooting birds out of the sky, killing…wait for it…MOUNTAIN LIONS (which will kill your horse and you in mere moments if you aren’t quick on the trigger) or wolves is awesome.

The weather is dramatic as hell (wait til you’re out on the plains at night when a thunderstorm suddenly hits!) and then you roll into a town to play five finger filet, or grab a wanted poster off the wall and go after a bounty, or get challenged to a duel (in the middle of the street, utilizing the incredibly cool Dead Eye feature) that’s really, really satisfying to win ( I painted one guy’s face with like 4 targets and just blew most of his head clean off when I drew…lol…it was sweet!).

The random events are so cool - nothing like having wild shootouts with a gang of bandits, or chasing down a horse thief, or having to shoot the rope to save a hanging victim…

It’s just the best western game I’ve ever seen, and honestly I’d expect nothing less from Rockstar. I actually played and reviewed the first game (Red Dead Revolver) and Activision’s stab at the open world western GUN, which I thought was a decent effort and pretty fun, but the open world was very small and it in no way had the kind of detail or production values of RDR, but it’s interesting to see that they truly have perfected an open-world western… [/quote]

Mountain Lions, haa-ooh!

I’m two hours away from getting my first stab at it. I heard someone else lay the praises down on the weather system too. Looking forward to this big time.

Rockstar, as you said, are pioneers. A family friend was part of the Rockstar North end working up in Scotland, and the team allowed everyone to get very involved in the process. They apparently had a really good sense of humour and were an inspiring place to work.

BTW, which did you prefer - San Andreas or GTA IV? I really can’t say! I see GTA IV as a better game, but there’s that part of me that yearns to put the san andreas disc in and drive a big fucking truck through the desert and maybe steal a plane to fly it under the damn bridges. Ahhh, the good old days.

And their radio shows LOL. Too funny. They parodied the shit out of everything. And did it well.

Professor_X · May 21, 2010, 3:01pm

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

BTW, which did you prefer - San Andreas or GTA IV? I really can’t say! I see GTA IV as a better game, but there’s that part of me that yearns to put the san andreas disc in and drive a big fucking truck through the desert and maybe steal a plane to fly it under the damn bridges. Ahhh, the good old days.

And their radio shows LOL. Too funny. They parodied the shit out of everything. And did it well.[/quote]

GTA iv sucked in my opinion. I felt ZERO connection with the lead character and the world of the game was EXTREMELY uninteresting even if it did have better graphics.

Games like that are why Saints Row started selling more copies…because people wanted THAT experience again and Saints Row was a pretty good knock off of GTA-SA…minus the heart and sense of humor.

Magicpunch · May 21, 2010, 3:08pm

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

BTW, which did you prefer - San Andreas or GTA IV? I really can’t say! I see GTA IV as a better game, but there’s that part of me that yearns to put the san andreas disc in and drive a big fucking truck through the desert and maybe steal a plane to fly it under the damn bridges. Ahhh, the good old days.

And their radio shows LOL. Too funny. They parodied the shit out of everything. And did it well.[/quote]

GTA iv sucked in my opinion. I felt ZERO connection with the lead character and the world of the game was EXTREMELY uninteresting even if it did have better graphics.

Games like that are why Saints Row started selling more copies…because people wanted THAT experience again and Saints Row was a pretty good knock off of GTA-SA…minus the heart and sense of humor.[/quote]

True. Would have been awesome if San Andreas had the graphics of GTA IV. My main gripe with GTA IV was the lack of variety. It became a little bland and repetative (and a little depressing) after a while.

As if they’d done something to deaden the colour.

Overall however it was still better than 90% of the shit that comes out. I’ve never played Saints Row, so I couldn’t compare.

Worth getting for cheap, I imagine?

Professor_X · May 21, 2010, 3:13pm

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

BTW, which did you prefer - San Andreas or GTA IV? I really can’t say! I see GTA IV as a better game, but there’s that part of me that yearns to put the san andreas disc in and drive a big fucking truck through the desert and maybe steal a plane to fly it under the damn bridges. Ahhh, the good old days.

And their radio shows LOL. Too funny. They parodied the shit out of everything. And did it well.[/quote]

GTA iv sucked in my opinion. I felt ZERO connection with the lead character and the world of the game was EXTREMELY uninteresting even if it did have better graphics.

Games like that are why Saints Row started selling more copies…because people wanted THAT experience again and Saints Row was a pretty good knock off of GTA-SA…minus the heart and sense of humor.[/quote]

True. Would have been awesome if San Andreas had the graphics of GTA IV. My main gripe with GTA IV was the lack of variety. It became a little bland and repetative (and a little depressing) after a while.

As if they’d done something to deaden the colour.

Overall however it was still better than 90% of the shit that comes out. I’ve never played Saints Row, so I couldn’t compare.

Worth getting for cheap, I imagine?[/quote]

I ONLY got Saints Row because I wanted to play a game like GTASA but with the graphic engine of my PS3. It is very similar…but what made GTASA what it was is the creativity that went into the world of the game, the humor and the characters.

Hearing some guy scream out about how he’s too high for this shit when someone rear-ends his car is fucking hilarious.

You connected with the man character better…and being able to change your physical appearance by lifting weights or eating too much was ground breaking at the time.

SkyNett · May 21, 2010, 3:36pm

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:
[BTW, which did you prefer - San Andreas or GTA IV? I really can’t say! I see GTA IV as a better game, but there’s that part of me that yearns to put the san andreas disc in and drive a big fucking truck through the desert and maybe steal a plane to fly it under the damn bridges. Ahhh, the good old days.

And their radio shows LOL. Too funny. They parodied the shit out of everything. And did it well.[/quote]

I’ve loved all the GTA games, but while I thought SA was incredible, I think IV is an incredible achievement.

Just utilizing the RAGE engine with Euphoria’s physics package made the character movement so incredibly cool and realistic, plus Liberty City next-gen (the first GTA on a current gen console) was simply too good to be true. Just loved it.

And if you loved SA, and all the craziness, you should consider Just Cause 2. If GTA IV is a Michael Mann film, then JC2 is a Michael Bay film…and I mean that in the best possible way - between the parachute and grappling hook, it’s just the most insane, over the top stunt/action game as there ever was… to illustrate a moment from JC2…

I was just finishing a faction mission and was followed back to the drop off point by military. Couple of jeeps and a few bikes…anyway, so me and the rebels are fighting it out with them, I get the mission complete message and continue killing bad guys.

They send a few more, I keep killing them, and then my heat hits level 3 and here comes the chopper. I grapple to the bird that’s shooting at me and take it…as I ascend I was thinking “so cool - mission was over and done but I still had to make a cool escape and fight it out…”

All of a sudden two more choppers show up - and we’re up high at this point, over a river that runs thru some of the desert area. I shoot down one, the other gets me…I leap out of my burning chopper and start freefalling towards the wreckage of the first chopper, while the other one is firing at me like mad - and then ANOTHER heli shows up, so at that point there was no way I was grappling to either one.

Health in the red, zooming towards the ground in massive freefall while tracers rip the air all around me, I go into a swan dive to outrace them…pull my chute inches above the river and then drop cleanly into the water and swim like mad for the deepest part…while the copters keep shooting into the water at me!! So I swam and stayed deep…I see a couple patrol boats cutting wake above me…I just avoided them and swam, eventually popped up just in time to see the last chopper retreating into the distance…and this was all during free-roam - not a mission. : )

No game has ever had more hollywood big action movie moments than JC2.

Magicpunch · May 21, 2010, 3:58pm