133-513: Red Dead Redemption is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games . A successor to 2004's Red Dead Revolver , it is the second game in the Red Dead series. Red Dead Redemption is set during the decline of the American frontier in the year 1911. It follows John Marston , a former outlaw who, after his wife and son are taken hostage by
266-409: A Mexican standoff , Dutch unexpectedly shoots Micah, letting John finish him off, before leaving. John and Abigail later get married at their ranch. The game's final scene shows federal agents Edgar Ross and Archer Fordham observing John's ranch. In 1911, Ross and Fordham command John to act as a bounty hunter and apprehend his former outlaw friends. To both motivate and ensure that John will comply,
399-402: A bandana when performing criminal acts. Gunfights are an essential gameplay mechanic. Players can take cover, target a specific person or animal, blindfire, and free aim. Individual body parts can be targeted to take down targets non-lethally. Weapons include revolvers, pistols, rifles, shotguns, knives, explosives, and lassos. Aiming utilizes a gunslinger gameplay mechanic known as Dead Eye,
532-627: A fantasy " setting. Tutankham , debuted by Konami in January 1982, was an action-adventure released for arcades . It combined maze, shoot 'em up, puzzle-solving and adventure elements, with a 1983 review by Computer and Video Games magazine calling it "the first game that effectively combined the elements of an adventure game with frenetic shoot 'em up gameplay." It inspired the similar Time Bandit (1983). Action Quest , released in May 1982, blended puzzle elements of adventure games into
665-459: A gunslinger gameplay mechanic called "Dead Eye" that allows players to mark multiple shooting targets on enemies in slow motion . The game uses a morality system by which the player's actions in the game affect their character's levels of honor, fame, and how other characters respond to the player. An online multiplayer mode is included with the original release, allowing up to 16 players to engage in both cooperative and competitive gameplay in
798-552: A jackalope to the game's world, and some additional outfits. Undead Nightmare adds a single-player campaign, set in a non- canonical , zombie apocalypse -themed alternate reality with ghost towns and cemeteries full of zombies, wherein John searches for a cure to the zombie outbreak. It was released on October 26, 2010, as DLC and in late November as a standalone expansion pack . Myths and Maverick released for free on September 13, 2011, adding additional characters and locations to
931-446: A joystick -controlled, arcade-style action game, which surprised reviewers at the time. While noting some similarities to Adventure , IGN argues that The Legend of Zelda (1986) by Nintendo "helped to establish a new subgenre of action-adventure", becoming a success due to how it combined elements from different genres to create a compelling hybrid, including exploration, adventure-style inventory puzzles , an action component,
1064-571: A monetary system , and simplified RPG-style level building without the experience points . The Legend of Zelda series was the most prolific action-adventure game franchise through to the 2000s. Roe R. Adams also cited the arcade-style side-scrolling fantasy games Castlevania (1986), Trojan (1986) and Wizards & Warriors (1987) as early examples of action-adventure games. Games like Brain Breaker (1985), Xanadu (1985), Metroid (1986) and Vampire Killer (1986) combined
1197-464: A non-canonical , zombie apocalypse -themed alternate reality , John finds that the world is plagued by a virus that brings the dead back to life with a taste for flesh. After tying up the infected Jack and Abigail, John seeks to discover the source of the plague. He rides to Mexico, where he learns from a nun that Reyes might be responsible. John kills the zombified Reyes and finds a girl, who reveals that Reyes had desecrated several catacombs beneath
1330-576: A profit . According to Joystiq , a source at Rockstar claimed that the game required four million sales to recoup development costs, but that the publisher expected to lose money and was more interested in proving the talent of Rockstar San Diego. Red Dead Redemption was the best-selling game of May 2010, selling over 1.5 million copies, according to the NPD Group . It sold over five million copies in its first three weeks. In June 2010, distributor Take-Two Interactive CEO Ben Feder stated that
1463-464: A special edition of the game in special packaging, with a copy of the soundtrack. The game was exhibited at PAX East in late March 2010, with a 15–30 minute playable demonstration. Rockstar released a Facebook application, Red Dead Redemption: Gunslingers , in April 2010. The following month, Red Dead Redemption: The Man from Blackwater , a machinima short film directed by John Hillcoat , aired in
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#17327728705131596-767: A subgenre of open world action-adventure video games in the third-person perspective . They are characterized by their likeness to the Grand Theft Auto series in either gameplay or overall design. In these types of open world games, players may find and use a variety of vehicles and weapons while roaming freely in an open world setting. Metroidvania is a portmanteau of Metroid and Castlevania ; such games are sometimes referred to as "search action", and are generally based on two-dimensional platformers. They emphasize both exploration and puzzle-solving with traditional platform gameplay. Survival horror games emphasize "inventory management" and making sure
1729-511: A "family man". Steve J. Palmer, who portrayed Bill Williamson, felt that John and Bill represented siblings in their former gang, while Dutch van der Linde was more of a parental figure. Benjamin Byron Davis, who portrayed Dutch, was told that Dutch was a well-read, charismatic former gang leader who had "lost his mind". Red Dead Redemption is one of the first games by Rockstar to use an original score . Music supervisor Ivan Pavlovich cited
1862-511: A Windows version started in May 2024, and in October, Rockstar announced the Windows version would release on October 29, with enhancements such as native 4K support, ultrawide monitor compatibility, and DLSS upscaling. Red Dead Redemption received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic . It is among the highest-rated games on Metacritic, and is ranked
1995-545: A choice of what to say. The NPC gives a scripted response to the player, and the game offers the player several new ways to respond. Due to the action-adventure subgenre's broad and inclusive nature, it causes some players to have difficulty finishing a particular game. Companies have devised ways to give the player help, such as offering clues or allowing the player to skip puzzles to compensate for this lack of ability. Brett Weiss cites Atari 's Superman (1979) as an action-adventure game, with Retro Gamer crediting it as
2128-416: A circular zone or kill all lawmen in a town. If players escape, bounty hunters will continue to track them. The bounty will remain on their head until they pay it at a telegraph station or present a pardon letter. The online multiplayer allows up to 16 players to engage in competitive and cooperative gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. Each game begins with a Mexican standoff , of which
2261-409: A classic gunslinger". Eurogamer ' s Parkin compared the combat favorably to Rockstar's previous titles, particularly praising the horseback shootouts, but criticized the "sticky and outdated" cover mechanic. Game Informer ' s Bertz found the aiming and cover system as "airtight" as Grand Theft Auto IV ' s, and lauded the unique weapons and animations, and OXM ' s Channell commended
2394-400: A cliff, where the latter steps off and commits suicide. With his old gang dead, John and his family are returned to their ranch. He spends some time working on the ranch, but it is soon attacked by a detachment of U.S. soldiers , and Uncle is killed. John defends his family, and is shot and killed by the soldiers and Ross. His body is buried on a hillside at the ranch. In Undead Nightmare ,
2527-474: A combination of complex story elements, which are often displayed for players using audio and video. The story is heavily reliant upon the player character's movement, which triggers story events and thus affects the flow of the game. Popular examples of action-adventure games include The Legend of Zelda , God of War , and Tomb Raider series. There is a good deal of controversy over what actually constitutes an action-adventure game. One definition of
2660-448: A complex text parser and no free-moving character. While they share general gameplay dynamics, action-adventures vary widely in the design of their viewpoints, including bird's eye , side-scrolling, first-person, third-person , over-the-shoulder, or even a 3/4 isometric view . Many action-adventure games simulate a conversation through a conversation tree . When the player encounters a non-player character , they are allowed to select
2793-548: A connection between MacFarlane's Ranch and the class conflict of Johnson County, Wyoming in the late nineteenth century. While marketing materials presented John as a traditional cowboy —isolated and violent, a "white, heteronormative, rugged individual"—his behavior and ambitions in the narrative are generally unconventional. His ambiguity and internal conflict lead him to exhibit "weariness more than manliness". Regardless, John continues to perpetuate stereotypes in some instances; he continues to preserve lives in his missions for
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#17327728705132926-459: A duel and walks away. Red Dead Redemption explores themes of the cycle of violence , faith, governmental control, law and order , the loss of innocence and freedom, manifest destiny , masculinity , social change , and redemption , and is noted for its representation of Native Americans and violence. IGN ' s Erik Brudvig considered the game a commentary on modern political issues such as racism and immigration; writer Dan Houser said
3059-569: A falsification of the indigenous experience being told as truth. Dr. Esther Wright proposed Native American characters were included only to justify and complement the white characters' otherness as oppositional to the government and civilization, describing it as "a disingenuous oversimplification and (mis)use of the complexities of Native American genocide". She opined that, while John is not overtly racist, his participation in an attack on an Indian reservation implicates him in "a micro-scale recreation of racist, genocidal violence". Margini considered
3192-517: A game with a mix of elements from an action game and an adventure game , especially crucial elements like puzzles inspired by older adventure games. Action-adventures require many of the same physical skills as action games, but may also offer a storyline, numerous characters, an inventory system, dialogue, and other features of adventure games. They are typically faster-paced than pure adventure games, because they include both physical and conceptual challenges. Action-adventure games normally include
3325-556: A group of up to eight players in a "posse" group and partake in hunting or attack other gangs or posses. In some game modes, players are unable to kill each other. In 1911, the family of former outlaw John Marston ( Rob Wiethoff ) is kidnapped by Bureau of Investigation agents, Edgar Ross (Jim Bentley) and Archer Fordham ( David Wilson Barnes ), who force him to hunt down his former gang members in exchange for his family's return. John first goes after former ally Bill Williamson ( Steve J. Palmer ), who now leads his own gang that terrorizes
3458-557: A handheld console. The Windows version's optimization and customization options received praise, though some found the visual enhancements limited, and HobbyConsolas ' s Alberto Lloret criticized the required use of the Rockstar Games Launcher and Social Club . Red Dead Redemption received multiple nomination and awards from gaming publications . At the Spike Video Game Awards in 2010,
3591-464: A local civil war between Colonel Agustín Allende (Gary Carlos Cervantes), the state's tyrannical governor, and Abraham Reyes ( Josh Segarra ), the leader of a rebellion against Allende's government. John works with both sides in exchange for help in tracking down his targets. When Allende decides to turn on him, John is rescued by Reyes and vows to aid the rebels in gaining an advantage in exchange for Reyes's help in finding Williamson and Escuella. During
3724-472: A male figure", though still defers to simple domestic tasks in her father's presence and on one occasion becomes a damsel in distress . Meanwhile, Abigail is presented as "the good prostitute who serves as a handmaiden" and later becomes "the nagging wife", and other female characters exist simply to reflect back onto John, both positively and negatively. In further opposition with the American Dream,
3857-441: A new standard for sophistication and ambition in electronic gaming." GamesRadar named the character among the best of the generation, particularly praising the vulnerability portrayed in his family life. Game Informer ' s Javy Gwaltney lauded John as Rockstar's best character, noting that the complexities of his personality make him more realistic than most protagonists. IGN ' s Brian Albert considered John one of
3990-425: A prostitute, died during childbirth and his father, who had been blinded in a bar fight, died when John was eight years old. John spent a few years in an orphanage before running away. When John was threatened to be lynched after being caught stealing at the age of 12, he was saved by Dutch van der Linde, who took him into his gang and raised him. When Abigail Roberts joined the gang, she and John fell in love and had
4123-445: A raid on a Mexican Army fortress, the rebels help him find Escuella, who reveals that Williamson is under Allende's protection. After killing or capturing Escuella, John hands him over to Ross and Fordham. Reyes eventually leads an assault on Allende's palace, and John helps him chase and execute Allende and Williamson when they attempt to flee. Leaving Reyes to rule Nuevo Paraíso and lead his revolution to Mexico's capital, John returns to
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4256-407: A recreation of the single-player setting. The game's development lasted over five years, and it became one of the most expensive video games ever made. Rockstar improved its proprietary game engine to increase its technological capabilities. The development team conducted extensive research, including field trips to Washington, D.C. and analyzing classic Western films, to achieve realism for
4389-711: A side-scrolling platformer format with adventure exploration, creating the Metroidvania platform-adventure subgenre. Similarly, games like 005 (1981), Castle Wolfenstein and Metal Gear (1987) combined action-adventure exploration with stealth mechanics, laying the foundations for the stealth game subgenre, which would later be popularized in 1998 with the releases of Metal Gear Solid , Tenchu: Stealth Assassins , and Thief: The Dark Project . The cinematic platformer Prince of Persia (1989) featured action-adventure elements, inspiring games such as Another World (1991) and Flashback (1992). Alone in
4522-400: A single avatar as the protagonist . This type of game is often quite similar to role-playing video games . They are distinct from graphic adventures , which sometimes have free-moving central characters, but also a wider variety of commands and fewer or no action game elements and are distinct too from text adventures , characterized by many different commands introduced by the user via
4655-571: A small part was done in a voice-over booth. Wiethoff worked on the first game for almost two years, with principal production lasting around six weeks. The first scene to be recorded was John meeting Nigel West Dickens. Recording would take place over a few weeks, before taking a break of a month or two. Wiethoff estimated that around 12–15 scenes were recorded each day. The recording crew often referred to scenes from Rockstar's previous game, Grand Theft Auto IV (2008); Wiethoff pretended to understand before eventually admitting that he had not played
4788-469: A son named Jack. During the events of the game in 1899, John is sent scouting ahead of the gang while they flee the Pinkertons . After being attacked by wolves and left stranded in the snow, he is saved by fellow gang members Arthur Morgan and Javier Escuella. Once recovered, he joins the gang on some tasks before planning and executing a successful train robbery . During a failed bank robbery , John
4921-466: A string of cinematic set-pieces and flawed yet endearing characters nestled within an orthodox narrative structure, seasoned with generous pinches of extra-curricular tasks". GameSpy ' s Will Tuttle found the themes more nuanced than expected, though occasionally "preachy". Mike Channell of Official Xbox Magazine ( OXM ) considered the death of the Wild West a pressure that loomed over
5054-409: A targeting system allowing players to slow down time and mark targets. Once the targeting sequence ends, players fire to all marked locations in quick succession. The Dead Eye system upgrades and grants more abilities as players progress. The game introduces the bounty system, a crime-governing mechanic inspired by Grand Theft Auto ' s wanted system. When players commit a crime, witnesses run to
5187-610: A traditional cowboy —isolated and violent, a "white, heteronormative, rugged individual" —his behaviour and ambitions in the narrative are generally unconventional. His ambiguity and internal conflict lead him to exhibit "weariness more than manliness". Regardless, John continues to perpetuate stereotypes in some instances; he continues to preserve lives in his missions for the government despite his bitter opposition to them, described as an enactment of Theodore Roosevelt 's masculine ideals . Benjamin J. Triana recognized that John's challenges reflected those of straight, cisgender men in
5320-537: A while" for the team to achieve, but they felt that it allowed them to develop an emotional connection to the character. Wiethoff was asked to return for the downloadable content Undead Nightmare about a month after moving back to Seymour, Indiana from Los Angeles , where the first game was recorded; Undead Nightmare was recorded in New York . When developing John in Red Dead Redemption 2 ,
5453-467: A world built on hypermasculine ideals", emphasized by John's unsuccessful attempts to adopt a new form of masculinity and play an empathetic father to Jack. WiderScreen Ajankohtaista ' s Juho Tuominen and Olli Sotamaa described John as an idealist and Jack as "the educated youth, a version of a new kind of woke man". Female representation is mixed; Bonnie MacFarlane is presented as "insightful and resourceful" instead of simply "a woman masquerading as
Red Dead Redemption - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-470: Is a Western -themed action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective . Players control John Marston and completes missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story; in the epilogue, players control John's son Jack. Outside of missions, players may freely roam the open world , consisting of the American states New Austin and West Elizabeth—fictionalized versions of
5719-407: Is a revenant who still retains his soul and his capabilities to use weapons. The character of John Marston received critical acclaim. Keith Shaw of Network World described the character as "complicated character". Seth Schiesel, writing for The New York Times , stated that "[John] and his creators conjure such a convincing, cohesive and enthralling re-imagination of the real world that it sets
5852-735: Is an action game that includes situational problem-solving. Adventure gamers may also be purists, rejecting any game that makes use of physical challenges or time pressure. Regardless, the action-adventure label is prominent in articles over the internet and media. The term "action-adventure" is usually substituted for a particular subgenre due to its wide scope. Although action-adventure games are diverse and difficult to classify, there are some distinct subgenres. Many games with gameplay similar to those in The Legend of Zelda series are called Zelda clones or Zelda -like games. Popular subgenres include: A Grand Theft Auto clone belongs to
5985-416: Is captured and incarcerated. Arthur and Sadie rescue him, much to the disdain of Dutch. John, like Arthur, becomes increasingly wary of Dutch's growing paranoia and recklessness; protective of John's family, Arthur warns him to leave the gang when the time is right. John is later left for dead by Dutch during a train robbery but returns to the camp as Arthur is confronting Dutch and Micah. When Pinkertons invade
6118-447: Is increased by morally positive deeds, such as capturing an outlaw alive or saving a stranger, and decreased by negative choices like murder. The Fame system affects how non-player characters (NPCs) react to players based on Honor. If players have high Honor, NPCs will greet them and they will receive discounts in some stores; if low, NPCs will act insecure and establishments may close their doors. Players can disguise themselves by wearing
6251-505: Is not overtly sacrificial, nor does it represent John as a hero. He also felt that the ending allowed the player to properly understand John's rejection of a developing society and institutions due to the misery endured from the government. While John's violent past rendered him unable to achieve redemption, it also impacted his son's own ability to achieve the American Dream as he becomes an outlaw like his father. John's mother,
6384-418: Is short-lived as Ross betrays John and leads a U.S. Army unit in an attack on his ranch. John tries to fend them off, but the attacking force is too large, and Uncle is killed. John helps his family escape and stays to face the attackers, who kill him and leave. In 1914, Jack buries Abigail next to John after she dies, before tracking down a newly retired Ross to confront him about John's death. Jack kills Ross in
6517-563: The Uncharted franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Ark: Survival Evolved . John Marston (Red Dead) John Marston is a character in the Red Dead video game series by Rockstar Games . He is the main playable protagonist of the 2010 video game Red Dead Redemption , wherein he must deal with the decline of the Wild West while being forced to hunt down the last surviving members of his old gang in exchange for
6650-871: The Western United States —and the fictional Mexican state Nuevo Paraíso. Different breeds of horses are the main forms of transportation, each with different attributes. Horses must be tamed in the wild, stolen, or purchased. Players can utilize trains and carriages for quick travel. Undeveloped land features rugged and vast landscapes with occasional travelers, bandits, and wildlife. Urban settlements range from isolated farmhouses to crowded towns. Players can witness and partake in random events, including public hangings, ambushes, pleas for assistance, encounters with strangers, ride-by shootings, and dangerous animal attacks. Optional side activities include dueling , bounty hunting , herb collecting, gambling , and hunting. Red Dead Redemption uses an Honor system, which
6783-589: The action game and adventure game genres. Typically, classical adventure games have situational problems for the player to explore and solve to complete a storyline, involving little to no action . If there is action, it is generally confined to isolated instances. Classical action games, on the other hand, have gameplay based on real-time interactions that challenges the player's reflexes and eye-hand coordination . Action-adventure games combine these genres by engaging both eye-hand coordination and problem-solving skills. An action adventure game can be defined as
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#17327728705136916-662: The best-selling video games . The game topped the charts in the United Kingdom following its release, maintaining the top position until the release of Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 in June 2010. According to GfK Chart-Track , 65 percent of UK sales in the first week were on Xbox 360. The game was the fourth best-selling game in the United Kingdom in 2010, as well as the fourth best-selling PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title. The game sold over 95,000 units in its first week in Japan;
7049-401: The greatest video games ever made . It is among the best-selling video games with over 23 million copies shipped. Several downloadable content additions were released; Undead Nightmare added a new single-player campaign in which Marston searches for a cure for an infectious zombie plague . A prequel , Red Dead Redemption 2 , was released in October 2018. Red Dead Redemption
7182-481: The leveling mechanics. G4 ' s Jake Gaskill echoed this sentiment and noted players are often respawned in close proximity to the opposition. Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare ' s re-release received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic, and 74% of critics recommended the game according to OpenCritic . Reviewers criticized the price due to lack of enhancements and omission of multiplayer; Nintendo Life ' s PJ O'Reilly called
7315-818: The "first to utilize multiple screens as playing area". Mark J.P. Wolf credits Adventure (1980) for the Atari VCS as the earliest-known action-adventure game. The game involves exploring a 2D environment, finding and using items which each have prescribed abilities, and fighting dragons in real-time like in an action game . Muse Software 's Castle Wolfenstein (1981) was another early action-adventure game, merging exploration, combat, stealth, and maze game elements, drawing inspiration from arcade shoot 'em ups and maze games (such as maze-shooter Berzerk ) and war films (such as The Guns of Navarone ). According to Wizardry developer Roe R. Adams, early action-adventure games "were basically arcade games done in
7448-510: The "most badass video game gunslingers", praising his skill and protective nature. Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer wrote that the script for Undead Nightmare understood the spirit of its characters and balanced sardonicism and honest pathos, and felt that its nuanced treatment of John Marston made him "one of gaming's great characters". Prior to Red Dead Redemption 2 ' s release, Kotaku ' s Heather Alexandra expressed hesitation towards John's return, as his past remaining vague made
7581-623: The Blackwater Bank, John partakes in the U.S. Army 's assault on Dutch's stronghold. Chased to a cliff, Dutch concedes defeat and warns John that the Bureau will not give him peace, before committing suicide. Afterward, Ross honors their agreement and allows John to be reunited with his family. Returning to his ranch, John reunites with his wife Abigail (Sophia Marzocchi), son Jack ( Josh Blaylock ) and former gang member Uncle (Spider Madison) to attempt an honest life again. However, this peace
7714-490: The Dark (1992) used 3D graphics , which would later be popularized by Resident Evil (1996) and Tomb Raider (1996). Resident Evil in particular created the survival horror subgenre, inspiring titles such as Silent Hill (1999) and Fatal Frame (2001). Action-adventure games have gone on to become more popular than the pure adventure games and pure platform games that inspired them. Recent examples include
7847-481: The End , released on June 22, 2010, added six cooperative side missions for multiplayer. Legends and Killers was released on August 10, 2010, and added multiplayer characters from Red Dead Revolver , as well as new map locations and a Tomahawk weapon. On September 21, 2010, Liars and Cheats added competitive multiplayer modes, minigames, characters, and a weapon. Hunting and Trading , released on October 12, 2010, added
7980-567: The PlayStation 3 version was the fourth best-selling game of the week with over 70,000 sales, while the Xbox 360 version was seventh with over 25,000 sales. Critics concurred that Red Dead Redemption was among the best games of the seventh generation of video game consoles . Eurogamer ' s Dan Whitehead hoped the eighth generation of consoles would offer "similarly powerful experiences". In September 2013, IGN ranked Red Dead Redemption
8113-528: The United States on the television network Fox . The game missed its original projected late 2009 and April 2010 release dates, pushed back to May 18, 2010, in North America, and May 21 internationally, citing the "optimal time frame" for release. Downloadable content (DLC) for the game was released following its launch, with focus on maps and game types suggested by the community. Outlaws to
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#17327728705138246-455: The United States. In Blackwater, Ross and Fordham enlist John's help in tracking down Dutch van der Linde ( Benjamin Byron Davis ), his former gang's leader and John's former mentor. Dutch has recently formed a gang with disaffected Native Americans , with whom he shares a hatred for the government and modernization. Aided by Ross's associates, John finds Dutch's stronghold in the mountains. After helping Ross and Fordham thwart Dutch's robbery of
8379-538: The Year and Best Game Design. It received ten nominations at the 9th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards , of which it won four: Audio of the Year, Music of the Year, Best Interactive Score, and Best Dialogue. The game was not nominated for any of the jury-based awards at the British Academy Games Awards as Rockstar did not submit it for consideration. It appeared on several year-end lists of
8512-532: The agents kidnap Jack and Abigail, promising their release upon the completion of John's obligations. He works with many individuals throughout the state of New Austin, who help him assault the fort of former gang member Bill Williamson. When Bill flees to Mexico to seek the help of fellow former gang member Javier Escuella, John pursues them. There, John becomes unwillingly entangled in a civil war between rebels and soldiers. He reluctantly works for both sides, only wanting information about Bill and Javier, but disavows
8645-408: The announcement were mixed; some appreciated the game's availability on modern consoles, but lamented the lack of visual and frame rate upgrades, absence of a Windows version, omission of multiplayer, and US$ 49.99 price point. An update in October added an option to increase the frame rate from 30 to 60 frames-per-second when played on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility . Speculation regarding
8778-703: The attack, including U.S. Marshal Leigh Johnson ( Anthony De Longis ), con artist Nigel West Dickens ( Don Creech ), grave robber and treasure hunter Seth Briars (Kevin Glikmann), and an alcoholic arms smuggler known as "Irish" (K. Harrison Sweeney). Ultimately, John and his allies storm Fort Mercer and kill all of Williamson's men but learn that Williamson has fled to Mexico to seek help from Javier Escuella (Antonio Jaramillo), another former ally of John. John parts ways with his allies and travels to Mexico. Upon his arrival in Nuevo Paraíso, John becomes involved in
8911-528: The best games of 2010, receiving Game of the Year wins from outlets such as 1Up.com , Computer and Video Games , Digital Spy , Gamasutra , Game Informer , GameSpot , GameSpy , GamesRadar , Good Game , The Guardian , Kotaku , and VentureBeat . Prior to the release of Red Dead Redemption , Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities estimated that it would need to sell at least 1.75 million units (generating US$ 80 million ) to break-even , and 3.5 million units ( US$ 160 million ) to earn
9044-581: The camp, Arthur and John flee. John returns to his family at Arthur's wishes. Eight years later, in 1907, John finds honest work with Abigail on a farm, but when John fights back against outlaws threatening him and his employer, Abigail leaves with Jack. John works to get her back by earning enough money to buy a property at Beecher's Hope. He builds a ranch with the help of Uncle and Charles Smith, while Sadie provides him with jobs to pay off his loans. After Abigail returns, John proposes. With Sadie and Charles, John attacks Micah's new gang, where they find Dutch. In
9177-438: The decade in 2019, comparing it favorably to other sandbox games Grand Theft Auto V and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015). Red Dead Redemption ranked high on several best game lists determined by the public; it featured seventh on Good Game ' s "Top 100 Games" list, and fifth on IGN ' s "Games of a Generation" list, as voted by the program and website's respective audiences. A prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2 ,
9310-445: The depiction of redemption "cynical and overly simple". Red Dead Redemption explores the impacts of the cycle of violence, most notably represented through Jack's continuation of his father's failures by adopting the outlaw status. NPR 's Jason Sheehan considered the game a tale of "the senselessness of violence used to solve violence begetting only more violence". M. Melissa Elston found, like other modern media, it attempts to "reframe
9443-422: The designers. As the story developed, a range of characters were organically created based on the period; Red Dead Redemption features around 450 characters. The game required a large amount of character dialogue in order to feel alive, comparable to Rockstar's previous game Grand Theft Auto IV . Researchers at Rockstar developed a style guide based on real sayings of the time period. Rockstar hired Rod Edge as
9576-406: The fifth-best PlayStation 3 and seventh-best Xbox 360 game. In 2015, GamesRadar ranked it sixth on its list of best games, recognizing its superiority in narrative over Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V (2013), and USgamer ranked it tenth on its list of best 21st-century games; Jaz Rignall called it "one of the finest open world games so far seen". GamesRadar+ named it the fourth-best game of
9709-451: The final chapter allowed the player to feel they achieved the promised redemption, only for it to be taken away by the story's end. Conversely, Kotaku ' s Heather Alexandra felt John achieved his redemption upon sacrificing himself to save his family. Benjamin J. Triana found that, while John's death "implies transcendence", it is not overtly sacrificial, nor does it represent John as a hero. Gamasutra ' s Richard Clark considered
9842-433: The first game compelling. Game Informer staff felt that, by the end of Red Dead Redemption 2 , John had developed into "the man we knew him to be in the original game: loving, faithful, honorable, and tragically doomed". Dave Meikleham of GamesRadar wrote that Red Dead Redemption 2 ' s climax was effective in explaining John's behavior in the first game. Polygon ' s Russ Frushtick considered John's story in
9975-466: The formation of a core development team. Rockstar San Diego 's 180-person team co-opted Rockstar's Leeds , New England , North , and Toronto studios to facilitate development between a full team of over 1,000. Having exhausted the use of previous hardware on other projects, Rockstar felt inspired after realizing the potential power of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 . Analyst estimations place
10108-467: The full-time director to handle the game's performances, recorded using motion capture technology, with additional dialogue and sound effects recorded in a studio ; the performance capture was recorded in Santa Monica , California. After an audition process, Rob Wiethoff was selected to portray John Marston. John was developed to be a nuanced character, as opposed to an explicit villain or hero, and
10241-520: The game received ten nominations and went on to win four awards: Game of the Year, Best Song in a Game ("Far Away"), Best Original Score, and Best DLC ( Undead Nightmare ). The game led the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards with nine nominations and five awards, winning Action Game of the Year and Outstanding Character Performance for Wiethoff's portrayal of John Marston. At the 11th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards , Red Dead Redemption won four awards of five nominations, including Game of
10374-411: The game was nearing profitability for the company. By September 2010, the game had shipped 6.9 million copies, exceeding Take-Two's performance expectations for the quarter. It was the fifth best-selling game of 2010; the Xbox 360 version was the ninth best-selling individual platform game. The game sold 8 million copies by February 2011, contributing to a 7.7 percent profit increase for Take-Two for
10507-446: The game's combined development and marketing budget between US$ 80 million and US$ 100 million , which would make it one of the most expensive video games to develop . The game's development received controversy following accusations of unethical working practices at Rockstar San Diego, including twelve-hour workdays and six-day weeks, with a lower-than-the-industry-average salary increase. Red Dead Redemption ' s 1,500-page script
10640-614: The game's depiction of violence, the team wanted it to "feel slightly raw and unpleasant", attempting realism without exaggeration. The open world was created to represent iconic features of the American frontier. The team organized field trips to Washington, D.C. , visiting the Library of Congress and the National Archives Building , captured a multitude of photographs, and analyzed various classic Western films, television shows, and novels. The team considered creating
10773-557: The game's environment its most impressive element, praising the ecology and geography, and Eurogamer ' s Parkin considered the world as dense as Grand Theft Auto IV ' s Liberty City while maintaining the Western theme of isolation. Edge found the world emptier than Liberty City but felt "Rockstar proves far better at guiding your eye to the relevant parts". Side missions received praise; 1Up.com ' s Scott Sharkey described them as "perfect little micro-dramas". Edge felt
10906-409: The game's epilogue to be more motivating than Arthur's as his quest has a direct purpose. Conversely, Paul Tassi of Forbes found John's story less interesting than Arthur's after spending so much time with the latter, partly due to John's lack of character growth. Jess Joho, writing for Mashable , considered Arthur and John to be "practically interchangeable anti-heroes", noting disappointment at
11039-410: The game's evil social forces" due to John's priority of reuniting with his family. Several scholars noted that, despite the use of the word "redemption" in the first game's title, such a feat was impossible for John. Kotaku ' s Heather Alexandra felt that John achieved his redemption upon sacrificing himself to save his family. Triana found that, while John's death "implies transcendence", it
11172-615: The game's representation of Native Americans is bleak, cruel, and violent. Jodi A. Byrd believed " Red Dead" signaled the Native American genocide . Bullet Points ' s McCarter felt, while the killing of Native Americans is explained in the context of the story, it is "a shaky rationale meant to echo the rhetoric" surrounding the genocide and forced relocation . Elston recognized the Native American character Nastas as an example of Gerald Vizenor 's " manifest manners ",
11305-491: The game, with the higher-end Series X running it with its Xbox One X-specific enhancements. Sony added Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare to its PlayStation Now cloud gaming subscription service in December 2016, which allowed them to be played on PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , and Windows ; they were removed in October 2022. According to industry sources, Rockstar shelved a Red Dead Redemption remaster after
11438-533: The game. John was developed to be a nuanced character in Red Dead Redemption , as opposed to an explicit villain or hero, and a "family man". Carson said that Marston "has a foot in both the old world and the world that was to come", and felt that the character became interesting due to the combination of cynicism and realism. Wiethoff felt that the early decisions in John's life were a direct result of his need for acceptance, and that he may not have been aware of his actions. John's physical appearance took "quite
11571-418: The game. The team hired professional actors to perform the body movements through motion capture . Red Dead Redemption features an original score composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson . The game's development received controversy following accusations of unethical working practices. The working hours and managerial style of the studio was met with public complaints from staff members. Red Dead Redemption
11704-406: The gameplay still follows a number of adventure game genre tropes (gathering items , exploration of and interaction with one's environment, often including an overworld connecting areas of importance, and puzzle-solving). While the controls are arcade-style (character movement, few action commands) there is an ultimate goal beyond a high score. In most action-adventure games, the player controls
11837-403: The government building, and had stolen an ancient Aztec mask, unbalancing order and unleashing the undead. John and the girl head down to the tombs and return the mask. John returns home to find that his family has been cured. Months later, after his death, John rises from his grave, as the mask has been stolen again, causing the dead to rise; however, as John had been buried with holy water , he
11970-468: The government despite his bitter opposition to them, described as an enactment of Theodore Roosevelt 's masculine ideals . Triana found the game's masculinity to be plural, with the male lead generally pitted against other men, though recognized the dominance of the characters often shifted throughout the narrative. He found John's challenges reflected those of straight, cisgender men in the modern era. Margini blamed John's downfall on "the false promises of
12103-488: The government in ransom for his services as a hired gun, sets out to bring three members of his former gang to justice. The narrative explores themes of the cycle of violence , masculinity , redemption , and the American Dream . The game is played from a third-person perspective . The player can freely roam in its interactive open world , a fictionalized version of the Western United States and Northern Mexico , primarily by horseback , and on foot. Gunfights emphasize
12236-428: The hero is neither good nor evil and "tragic heroes are tragic because they bring about their own fall, despite having good intentions". Several scholars noted that, despite the use of the word "redemption" in the title, such a feat was impossible for John; Reid McCarter of Bullet Points Monthly described the word as "bitterly ironic" due to the inability of reinvention for both the characters and country. Margini wrote
12369-498: The lack of shifting themes between the two. Game Informer ' s Gwaltney considered Arthur Morgan to be a better protagonist, citing John's lack of growth throughout the game. Some players criticized the game's patches for changing John's character model, considering it a "downgrade" to more closely resemble Arthur's model. For his role in Red Dead Redemption , Wiethoff won Outstanding Character Performance at
12502-657: The large scale of the game as one of the largest difficulties when producing the score; to achieve an effective gaming experience, the game could not solely feature licensed music, like previous Rockstar games. In 2008, Rockstar engaged musicians Bill Elm and Woody Jackson , who collaborated to compose approximately 200 tracks for the game over 15 months. The original score and subsequent album were both recorded and mixed at Jackson's studio, Electro-Vox Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and mastered at Capitol Studios . When researching music for inspiration, Jackson found that there
12635-417: The manner in which societal change acts as a catalyst for losing one's control and compromising their morality. The journey from the open fields to the city of Blackwater represents civilization's control over the natural world, though the player lacks control during the opening sequence in which John leaves Blackwater, only gaining it when reentering the city later in the game. While Red Dead Redemption grants
12768-549: The modern era. Matt Margini blamed John's downfall on "the false promises of a world built on hypermasculine ideals", emphasized by John's unsuccessful attempts to adopt a new form of masculinity and play an empathetic father to his son Jack. Juho Tuominen described John as an idealist. Dr. Esther Wright identified that, while John is not overtly racist, his participation in an attack on an Indian reservation implicates him in "a micro-scale recreation of racist, genocidal violence". Triana wrote that Native Americans "end up victims to
12901-560: The moral justification of virtual murder and noted "even hard-core gamers might balk at virtual sadism". The game presents the ethos of the American Dream in its formation, in contrast with the modern-day representation in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008). While John's violent past rendered him unable to achieve redemption, it also impacted his son's ability to achieve the American Dream as he becomes an outlaw like his father. The game features commentary on freedom and control, and
13034-545: The most requested titles for the feature. The game's sales position on Amazon.com spiked following the announcement. The release runs at a smoother frame rate on the Xbox One. In April 2018, the game received an update as an " Xbox One X enhanced " title, making it playable at 4K resolution (an increase from the game's original 720p resolution) with graphical improvements on the high-end revision of Xbox One, called Xbox One X . The Xbox Series X and Series S can also play
13167-517: The multiplayer. A Game of the Year Edition containing all downloadable content was released for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 11, 2011, in North America and on October 14, 2011, internationally. Microsoft added the game, along with Undead Nightmare , to its backward compatibility list for Xbox One , the successor to the Xbox 360, in July 2016; Red Dead Redemption had been one of
13300-416: The music complemented the action and scenery, never feeling intrusive, and Paste ' s Hamilton found it was integrated into the world seamlessly. GameStop ' s Calvert described the soundtrack as "superb" though noted it "occasionally swells up without reason". The vocal tracks received praise; the scene wherein John enters Mexico was described as "beautiful" by GamesRadar ' s Matt Cundy due to
13433-422: The narrative. Game Informer ' s Bertz named Red Dead Redemption the "best-looking Rockstar game to date". IGN ' s Brudvig lauded the environmental details and richness of dynamic events and weather. GamePro ' s Herring considered the open world superior to its contemporaries, appreciating the change from Grand Theft Auto IV ' s "brown, muddy 'realism' filter". GameSpy ' s Tuttle named
13566-474: The narrative. Game Informer ' s Matt Bertz felt the narrative momentum suffered from the length of the Mexico missions but praised the ending for using a "sense of immersiveness only a video game can impart"; IGN ' s Brudvig similarly lauded the climax as one of gaming's best. GamePro ' s Herring was surprised by John's likability—"one of the more sympathetic antiheroes in recent memory"—and found
13699-490: The nearest police station; players can bribe or kill them before they reach the station, negating consequences. Once the law is alerted, the Wanted meter appears with a bounty set on players' heads. The bounty grows higher as players commit more crimes, and more lawmen will be sent to hunt them; after committing enough crime, the U.S. Marshals or Mexican Army will be sent. To evade law enforcement in pursuit, players must escape
13832-506: The open world one of the most technically demanding aspect of the game's production, in terms of filling the world with enough content to interest players. Like other projects since Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis (2006), the game uses the proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) to perform animation and rendering tasks, and the Euphoria and Bullet engines for further animation and environment rendering tasks. Overhauling
13965-455: The player freedom, they ultimately lack control over the narrative as "being free to do things is not the same as being able to change things", an ideology reflected in John's inability to prevent his own death. Triana felt the ending allowed the player to properly understand John's rejection of a developing society due to the misery endured from the government. The game demonstrates the disparities of economic inequality ; Sara Humphreys identified
14098-489: The player has enough ammunition and recovery items to " survive " the horror setting. This is a thematic genre with diverse gameplay, so not all survival horror games share all the features. The Resident Evil franchise popularized this subgenre. Action-adventure games are faster-paced than pure adventure games, and include physical as well as conceptual challenges where the story is enacted rather than narrated. While motion-based, often reflexive, actions are required,
14231-458: The player's actions. Critics praised the horseback controls; GamePro ' s Herring found them authentic. Eurogamer ' s Parkin named the player's relationship with their horse among the game's greatest successes, but noted some awkward controls, particularly when running. Edge felt the Dead Eye mechanic "puts gunplay on a pedestal", and IGN ' s Brudvig wrote it "makes you feel like
14364-584: The poor reception of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021), instead increasing focus on development for Grand Theft Auto VI . Media speculation restarted in June 2023, and in August, Rockstar announced the single-player modes of Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare would release for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on August 17, developed by Double Eleven . Physical versions were released on October 13. Reactions to
14497-576: The potential processing power of RAGE allowed the game to create a high level of detail, including realistic animations and detailed textures. The potential power of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 experienced through the development kits motivated the team to begin development, and to create a game that could fully render the countryside, which was difficult to achieve on previous hardware. The developers at San Diego sought guidance from other Rockstar studios experienced with developing open worlds, particularly Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar North. The game
14630-452: The quarter. It shipped 8.5 million copies in its first year, and over 11 million copies by August 2011, 2 million of which were retail units of Undead Nightmare . By February 2017, Red Dead Redemption had shipped over 15 million units. As of September 2021, the game and its prequel had shipped almost 62 million copies combined, with Red Dead Redemption around 23 million units shipped, making it one of
14763-619: The release "bare-bones". Critics appreciated the PlayStation's enhanced resolution, shadows, and anti-aliasing , but felt improvements were otherwise sparse; Eurogamer ' s Oliver Mackenzie criticized the outdated user interface . Several reviewers praised the Switch version's portability and performance and considered it an improvement over Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition ; GamesRadar+ ' s Joe Donnelly favorably compared it to Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) for putting an impressive open world on
14896-664: The representation could either be an example of dark satire or "a crafty way of excusing their genocide at Marston's hand", aligned with a wider erasure seen in other Western media. Triana found Native Americans "end up victims to the game's evil social forces" due to John's priority of reuniting with his family. After the May 2004 release of Red Dead Revolver , publisher Rockstar Games wanted to create its own Western video game from scratch; it had acquired Revolver from Capcom in 2003 after years of development and completed development within nine months. Early development began in 2005, and full development commenced in 2006, following
15029-402: The residents of New Austin. He arrives at Williamson's stronghold at Fort Mercer, but ends up getting shot after failing to persuade him to surrender. Rescued and nursed back to health by local rancher Bonnie MacFarlane (Kimberly Irion), he helps her with several jobs around her farm in return, while formulating a plan to attack Williamson's gang. John makes a number of allies to help him carry out
15162-490: The safe return of his family by the federal government. John is also the protagonist of Undead Nightmare , a non-canonical , zombie apocalypse -themed expansion pack , and the secondary playable character of the 2018 prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2 . The latter game depicts John's life in the gang prior to its demise, and later his attempts to start an honest life with his family. Rob Wiethoff portrays John Marston in both games through performance capture . The character
15295-487: The secondary characters "interesting enough that they never feel contrived"; conversely, Paste ' s Kirk Hamilton opined the latter, "clichéd and unlikeable", undermined the narrative. GameSpot ' s Justin Calvert applauded the "deeply flawed but very likable" John, noting his scars and outfit made him feel more believable. IGN ' s Brudvig found John's motivations occasionally confusing and felt alienated from
15428-467: The side content's variety avoided the repetition of Assassin's Creed . Game Informer ' s Bertz found Red Dead Redemption "tranpose[d] the Grand Theft Auto gameplay template onto a Wild West setting". Good Game ' s Stephanie Bendixsen felt the game used Grand Theft Auto IV ' s best elements. GameSpot ' s Calvert lauded the bounty system for adding consequence to
15561-402: The sixth-highest rated PlayStation 3 and seventh-highest rated Xbox 360 game. IGN ' s Brudvig described Red Dead Redemption as "a must-play" and "one of the deepest, most fun, and most gorgeous games around"; GamePro ' s Will Herring named it Rockstar's best game to date, a culmination of its previous successes. Eurogamer ' s Simon Parkin called it "a blockbuster video game:
15694-452: The soldiers when they betray him. He eventually locates Javier, and the player can decide whether to kill him or give him to the agents. Bill is also tracked down and killed, either by John or the rebel leader Abraham Reyes. When John returns to collect his family, Ross tells him that he must track down Dutch. After several unsuccessful attacks on Dutch and his operations, John and the agents mount an assault on his hideout. John chases Dutch to
15827-427: The story was not intended as a satire of contemporary America but parallels were inevitable due to the similarities of the time period. Some scholars identified the game conforms to neoliberal values, particularly in its depoliticizing of the sufferers of corporate greed, though others felt it ridicules the selfishness of neoliberals. Matt Margini described the narrative as a tragedy , citing Aristotle 's proposal that
15960-465: The survivors move to any part of the battlefield in preparation for respawning enemies. Event types include deathmatch scenarios and capture the flag variants. Crates contain extra weapons, ammo, and other powerups . Players can level up and complete weapon challenges to earn rewards such as new character models, golden weapon skins, new titles, and new breeds of animal mounts . Multiplayer features open-world gameplay, wherein players can form or join
16093-430: The term "action-adventure" may be '"An action/adventure game is a game that has enough action in it not to be called an adventure game, but not enough action to be called an action game." In some cases an action game with puzzles will be classified as an action-adventure game, but if these puzzles are quite simple they might be classified as an action game. Others see action games as a pure genre, while an action-adventure
16226-434: The use of José González's "Far Away". Game Informer ' s Bertz described the multiplayer as "a fully featured complement" to the single-player. GamePro ' s Herring praised the variety of modes and open gameplay but noted it put more responsibility on the players to keep the game interesting. GameSpot ' s Calvert felt there was a lack in customization options for players, and 1Up.com ' s Sharkey criticized
16359-461: The violence and simplistic moral dualism of previous pop-cultural representations of the Old West". The game drew some commentary for its depiction of violence; Margini considered it justifiable since "violence means something", and Timothy J. Welsh added it is "just a game", but recognized the worrisome nihilism it could perpetuate if generalized. Conversely, Christopher Bartel expressed hesitancy at
16492-504: The weapon variety and handling. G4 ' s Jake Gaskill opined the Dead Eye "can feel a bit too powerful at times". GameSpy ' s Tuttle found the minimalist score added to the world's authenticity, and Eurogamer ' s Parkin named it "standout", praising the use of multiple instruments. GamePro ' s Herring favorably compared it to Ennio Morricone's work on the Dollars Trilogy . PSM3 ' s Andy Hartup thought
16625-508: The writers felt that his previous appearance could be limiting to them, since players have already resonated with the character. Wiethoff looked to his own life when returning to the character; he always looked up to his older sister's male friends for approval in the same way that John looks up to the rest of the gang for validation. He also took inspiration from the "pretty tough dudes" in his home town for John's personality. While marketing materials for Red Dead Redemption presented John as
16758-412: Was also met with acclaim. Rob Wiethoff auditioned for the role of John Marston by folding laundry while reading his lines. He was not aware of the game's identity, then only referred to as an "untitled video game project". He felt that the audition was a waste of time, but received the role a few days later. The performance capture process involved simultaneous recording of movement and speech, while
16891-435: Was developed to be a nuanced, family-focused character in the first game. When returning for the prequel, Wiethoff looked to his younger life for inspiration. The writers felt that John's original role could be limiting in the second game. The character was well received, with many critics citing his maturity, moral complexity and ambiguity, and quest for atonement as focal points of the first game. Wiethoff's portrayal of Marston
17024-464: Was envisioned to improve the core mechanics of Red Dead Revolver by scaling it up to the standard of other Rockstar games, maintaining key gameplay elements like the Dead Eye and dueling mechanics but majorly overhauling the experience otherwise. In particular, the team faced a challenge in creating realistic movement for the horse, resulting in the engagement of a stunt horse to simulate movement for
17157-568: Was no "Western sound" in 1911; he felt that the soundtracks of 1960s Western films, such as Ennio Morricone 's work on the Dollars Trilogy , was more representative of Western music. Rockstar also consulted musicians who played traditional Western instruments, such as harmonica player Tommy Morgan . The game also features vocal performances by Ashtar Command , José González , Jamie Lidell , and William Elliott Whitmore . An early trailer for an untitled Western project by Rockstar Games
17290-445: Was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in May 2010, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in August 2023, and for Windows in October 2024. It received critical acclaim for its visuals, music, performances, gameplay, and narrative. It won year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications , and is considered one of seventh-generation console gaming 's most significant titles and among
17423-421: Was released in October 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game's main story is set in 1899, 12 years before Red Dead Redemption , and depicts John's life as part of Dutch's gang alongside Bill, Javier, Uncle, Abigail, and Jack. Players control fellow gang member Arthur Morgan . Action-adventure game An action-adventure game is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both
17556-721: Was shown at Sony's E3 conference in May 2005; it was a technology demonstration of RAGE for the PlayStation 3, and theorized to be a sequel to Red Dead Revolver . Rockstar officially announced Red Dead Redemption on February 3, 2009. The debut trailer was released on May 6, 2009, introducing the game's protagonist. The game received an extensive and expensive marketing campaign, during which Rockstar partnered with several companies and media outlets, including IGN , GameSpot , LoveFilm , Microsoft, and YouTube . To encourage pre-order sales, Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets to provide pre-order bonuses, including exclusive in-game horses, outfits, and weapons. Rockstar also released
17689-416: Was written in two years. Taking inspiration from films like The Wild Bunch (1969), High Plains Drifter (1973), Unforgiven (1992), and The Proposition (2005), the team felt that most Western fiction takes place between 1840 and 1880, and that Red Dead Redemption ' s setting in 1911 allowed a more intriguing analysis of the transformation from "the old West " into the modern world. Regarding
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