Red Dead Redemptionoffers plenty of action and adventure, but the heart of the franchise lies in its story telling. Through the years,Red Dead Redemptionhas offered a compelling look into life in the quickly changing Old West, and if a third game is on the horizon, it has its work cut out for it. The first game and its prequel have been hailed as some of the strongest narratives in gaming, andRed Dead Redemption 3will have to bring something fresh to the table in order to meet expectations.
Despite no official confirmation from Rockstar, a potentialRed Dead Redemption 3has been on a lot of gamers' minds. WithRed Dead Redemption 2being a prequel to the first, there isn’t really a clear path for a third game to go. Since the franchise has mainly focused around the Van der Linde gang, there’s the possibility forRed Dead Redemption 3to follow Charles or Sadie, but the road forward is foggy. There will likely be a new path taken by Rockstar, but when it comes to the tradition of a game-changing epilogue,Red Dead Redemption 3would best benefit from sticking to this formula.
BetweenRed Dead RedemptionandRed Dead Redemption 2, the epilogues featured in both stories offer endings that bring much of the game’s narrative to a bittersweet close. The themes and conflicts of the franchise are brought full circle in these last moments, andRed Dead Redemption 3needs to continue this approach. If a third game continues toconnect the stories ofRed Dead Redemption, then a final chapter led by a fresh character will be expected. The change from Arthur Morgan to John Marston in the second game, and the switch from John to his son Jack in the first, has offered a fascinating way for the story to continue through new eyes.
Major Events Saved For a Story’s Final Moments
The story throughout themany hours of bothRed Dead Redemptiongamesfeatures plenty of compelling and harrowing moments, but these epilogues are the final pieces of the puzzle to tie everything up. They have brought some of the most iconic and monumental story changes to each entry, and putting an end to such a beloved storytelling device could prove to be a mistake.
Honoring Some of the Franchise’s Strongest Qualities
Even though it seems like the franchise’s time withthe Van der Linde gangis through, that doesn’t mean all the traditions established by its story have to be forgotten.Red Dead Redemption 3could still easily explore a brand-new set of characters while still sticking with the same storytelling formulas that the series has become so loved for. The story structure is just as much a part of the franchise now as the harsh world of the frontier.
After the long development of the upcomingGTA 6, a possibleRed Dead Redemption 3may be years away.
When it comes to games with a solid blend of action and well-crafted stories,Rockstar has been a trailblazer in the industry. As hope forRed Dead Redemption 3continues to build, it will be intriguing to see where the developer chooses to take one of its most successful franchises next. A new cast of characters or a fresh setting could be a welcome change of pace, but sticking to the storytelling methods that have helped build the franchise is necessary.
