RDR2 has the most active, engaging, rich, and the most visually stunning open world I’ve seen so far.
I finally played RDR2. And since the game also made its way over to PC I thought I’d write a review.
The only problem is I don’t know where to begin. This game is so massive and so amazing I’d probably have to write a 20,000-word review to make justice for it.
Of course, nobody in the right mind would read such a long review. So instead I decided to try and capture the essence of the game with some of the things I loved doing in the game.
This wasn’t easy. Especially because there are so many things you can do in RDR2. These are mostly the things you can do in the open world while free-roaming. Which is something I really enjoy doing. I couldn’t even begin to cover the side missions and its incredible story.
Alright. Let’s dive in.
Warning! Minor spoilers ahead
Rob a train: Robbing trains is one of the most enjoyable activities I’ve found in RDR2. Even though it’s just a small payday, the thrill and the chase makes it fun.
Help a stranger: Helping out strangers is also super fun. I was able to score a free weapon from a stranger that I had helped out earlier.
Rob a store: Robbing stores is also fun. Reminded me of the early GTA days.
Hunt bounties: Sometimes playing the good guy can be pretty exciting. I met some crazy criminals and serial killers while chasing bounty missions.
Find dinosaur bones: This is actually a side mission I got from a stranger.
Steal and sell coaches: The coaches are like cars in RDR2. I was able to steal and sell some of these to make pretty good cash.
Steal and sell horses: Stealing and selling horses is not as fun as stealing coaches. But still, it pays.
Hunt animals: Forget Deer Hunter, hunting animals in RDR2 is way more fun.
Skin animals and sell them: After hunting animals, you can skin them. And there are vendors who pay well for those skins.
Cook meat: You can also cook meat and consume to regain health and stamina.
Make potions: While roaming around you can pick herbs and make potions with them to get an advantage in combat.
Upgrade guns and horses: Your horse and the guns you own can be customized with colors and custom equipment. Which is super fun.
Go fishing: Fishing is tough in RDR2, but it’s very advanced. You can even equip bait to catch different types of fish.
Rob pedestrians: I rarely rob pedestrians since it doesn’t pay much at all.
Play poker: I managed to score some big scores playing poker.
Play dominos: I have no idea how to play this, but it’s available.
Catch circus animals: This is another side-mission you get from a stranger. It’s also one of the fun missions in the game.
Watch a show: You can go to the theater to watch a show. These are different in each city/region.
Take a bath: Taking a bath from time to time is required to maintain your hygiene. Plus you get to have some company too.
Shave and groom: In RDR2 your beard and hair grow with time. You can shave and trim in different styles. Or even use tonics to grow bigger beards.
Dress up: Buying and trying out different clothes is another thing I loved doing in the game. I got so many costumes and hats.
Collect cigarette cards: You’ll come across cigarette cards throughout the world of RDR2. No idea what happens once you collect them all though.
Eat and get drunk: You can also enter different establishments and order food and drinks. As much as you want.
Sell valuables: When looting you’ll find valuables like rings and buckles and all kinds of stuff. You can sell these to specific vendors.
Upgrade camp: By upgrading your camp you can get access to cool stuff, including fast travel from your camp.
Collect debts: Another side mission. This one is more fun since it often involves beating up people or unearthing graves.
Drive a train: In addition to robbing trains, you can drive them too.
Camp in the wild: Whenever you travel with your horse, you can setup a camp in the forest to rest for the night.
Find treasure: Sometimes you’ll come across treasure maps which reward well.
Talk to your horse: Constantly talking to your horse improves bonding and unlocks new abilities.
Rob a house: Look for houses with smoke coming out of the chimneys and rob them
Travel around: I actually planned a trip across the map in RDR2 and traveled around. I came across fun encounters, camped in forests, and it was so relaxing.
There’s so much more you can do in RDR2. Especially in story missions. You’ll find that each mission you play is completely unique and involves different gameplay.
This makes the game a must-play before you die. Heck, I’m still playing this game.