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| Also available on Xbox 360 |
Meet John Marston, a former outlaw forced to pick up his six-shooters one last time.
When federal agents kidnap his family, Marston is given the task of tracking down the gang of criminals he used to run with. Only when the gang is brought to justice will he see his family again. With or without honour, you decide.
Red Dead Redemption is essentially Grand Theft Auto out west. A third-person, free roaming action/adventure game. Its developed by Rockstar San Diego and uses the same euphoria game engine as GTA 4.
The story and mission process is layed out in the same 'sandbox' style. After the first introductory missions, the player is given the choice who to work for next. Missions are varied enough throughout the 20+ hours you are likely to spend on the story sections of the game to keep you always wanting more. Be it gang shootouts, quick draws, cart races or sharp shooting you will no doubt have tons of fun along the way. I never thought I would enjoy herding cattle in a videogame, but in true Rockstar style, they make it thoroughly enjoyable!
Side quests will pop up all over the huge map as you make your way through the game, upping the total playable hours considerably. Multiplayer action is also available although I won't be going over it in this post. As a package, there's a lot of game for your hard earned cash here.
There are plenty of weapons to get to grips with on your journey. A selection of repeater rifles and pistols are always at your disposal for the long and short range battles. The odd gatling gun, dagger and molotov are also thrown in for good measure. Wet work specialists will be happy to hear that shotguns are accounted for too! Once you get used to using the 'dead eye' slo-mo for targeting enemies the fun factor of this game is amplified even more.
Graphics:- Graphically, Red Dead Redemption is one of the best sandbox games in my opinion. Its bright, colourful and gorgeously detailed. Yes, there's some noticable pop-up in the scenery and the odd glitch that takes away from the atmosphere but overall it's beautifully portrayed. There are jaw dropping landscapes to be seen throughout the day and night in this dusty, desolate world. Character and animal models are top class, realistically created with the help of the euphoria engine. Each facial expression and animation is a joy to watch.
Sound and music:- Rockstar take no prisoners when it comes to the sound effects and music in their games and Red Dead is no exception. All the ambience you'd expect from a genuine wild west adventure.
Gameplay:- The control sceme is similar to GTA in a lot of ways with confusing button combinations at a minimum. The standard button layout feels comfortable and everything feels easy to access and remember. All of this makes the gameplay smooth and fun with few annoyances. Load times are very respectable aswell given the size of the game. Generally the gameplay and controls are solid.
Story:- Red Dead has a top notch story that will keep you entertained from start to finish. It features some of Rockstars most memorable characters so far and enough one-liners to make Arnie jealous!
Overall:- Red Dead Redemption is the western game I always dreamed of. You will get so much bang for your buck with this game its impossible not to highly recommend it. Whether you own a ps3 or an xbox 360, this game is essential. A perfect head shot!
9 out of 10
