Spaghetti Western Gaming
What Sergio Leone and many other filmmakers did to the western and action film genre so many years ago Rockstar has now done with video games. Cowboys were always seen as heroes and saving the girl while stopping a back robbery but the genre changed when murder, crime and deception opened up an entire new outlook on what the west was. Gamers have spent a good time shooting up the world in modern day times where relatable circumstances took place in New York City style setting but take that one many army aspect and brnig it back to the gritty, bloody days of the wild west and you have yourself a unique and interesting gaming experience form the norm these days.
John Marston is a man stuck dealing with the transitional phase of early 20th century America. Trains are being built, power and communication lines sprouting up outside of towns and even the way people dress and act. John is the last of his kind it seems in this soon to be modern style world as he proudly walks amongst suit and tie men and elegant dressed women in cowboy boots and a hat as a revolver hangs inside his trench coat. He even brings his horse into the car driven towns at times to hold up traffic.
This game is built off of the groundwork that the recent Grand Theft Auto releases were built upon. The graphics, gameplay and all other small details and functions are very similar to that of GTA IV and at times it felt like I was back in Niko's shoes, just in a different setting. The setting however is what completely makes you forget everything from the Liberty City expeirence. Horses are in place of cars, cannons take the place of rocket launchers and throwing knives and firebottles replace your grenades.
Shooting has always been questionable in many third person shooters and Read Dead still has some awkward moments with aiming but makes up for it with the option of "Dead Eye", a matirx like slow motion mode where you can take your time, although lmited, to aim and taret one enemy or even multiple enemies and do a quick Clint Eastwood like finish with your revolver. You are also open to rifles, early adaptations of sniper rifles and even a lasso. The lasso ends up being the factor with decisions at times as it's the way to neutralize your enemies without lethal force. Definitely gives you the option to handle a bounty capture without lethal force or even capture new horses.
After getting the hang of riding your horses, which is a step away from driving a car but quite rewarding and enjoyable, you'll spend your time riding through the deserts and woodland inbetween towns keeping an eye out for bandits and wild animals (those bobcats are crazy). The games universe defnitely sets the mood for cowboy and western film lovers as sunsets and sunrises are met with the sounds of animals, gunfire, and even acoustic spanish music. It's all very comparable to the sights and sounds of cars, people yelling and music of GTA but far more intimate and appreciable.
When out and about you can go from mission to mission but have many side missions and fun little stuff to do here and there like any other sandbox style game. John can rank up as a master hunter or animal skinner as challenges for hunting animals or gaining certain materials are open to those who are up for the challenge of hours of herb collecting and treasure hunting. Each location of the game has it's own little gang style holdup where John can clear the area of criminals and make way for more missions with strangers (which are even more unique in their own story telling experience).
John Marston leads gamers on a very serious and mature story, not in violence and what not but by the morals and messages the game puts out through it's wonderful story. You'll feel at times that you're digressing from the main objective as you do anything you can to get a clue to the whereabouts of a few former gang members that conjured up this mission you were forced to do but still feel like that these other important characters are dealing with those own issues that are relatble to your world.
Multiplayer is added as well and it seems Rockstar fixed a few things since their attempts with GTA. There is a ranking system once again that seems like it could take quite some time to fully level up but makes it accessible with so many game modes to obviously feel in that time period. Deathmatch and team deathmatch are described as shootouts and gang shootouts. In place of the typical CTF matches, gold bags and treaures are spread out for gamers to shoot and snatch as quickly as possible. In addition, single player like experiences can take place as up to ten players can do co-op missions against AI characers in gang hideouts and missions to just add on to the lore and fun of the game's world.
From a New Orleans type city setting to the deserts and Alamo like bunkers full of soldiers and even all the way to Mexico, Red Dead takes gamers on a fun but gripping series of challenges and gameplay but more importantly gives everyone the opportunity to be a part of a dramatic story experience as well.
