The characters and stories that theRed Dead Redemptionfranchise has featured over the years have justifiably earned a lot of praise throughout the gaming industry. While these figures and narratives deserve acclaim in their own right, it is undeniable that the franchise’s Wild West setting is the catalyst through which everything else flourishes.
TheRed Dead Redemptiongames are largely considered as the definitive gaming depiction of the Old West, providing a comprehensive portrayal of one of the most fascinating eras in relatively recent human history. Despite the success that Rockstar has consistently found with this setting over the years, there are essentially no real competitors in the gaming space that also attempt to tap into the rich storytelling capabilities of the Old West. For better or for worse, this is definitely something that has influencedRed Deadover the years, seeming worlds apart from the massive saturation of recent AAA titles that have chosen Feudal Japan as their primary setting.
The Old West Deserves the Same Competition as Feudal Japan in Modern Gaming
Rockstar has been establishing itself within the Old West genreas far back asRed Dead Revolverin 2004, amassing two decades of experience within the setting over the years. WhileRevolverleaned more into the arcadey shootouts of classic Western titles, Rockstar would go on to craft deeply personal and memorable stories inRed Dead Redemptionand its acclaimed 2018 sequel.
The firstRed Dead Redemptionreleased in 2009, coming at a time when there was much more variety in the concept of Old West games, with other popular franchises likeGunandCall of Juarezalso finding success around the time. It can be argued thatRed Dead Redemptionwas one of the first Old West games to really humanize the era through its story and characters; this is even more applicable toRed Dead Redemption 2.
Alongside a gripping and unforgettable narrative,RDR2is renowned for its immensely detailed gameplay. From horse bonding to weapon maintenance to a very complex honor system, the 2018 title is rightfully considered as the peak of the Old West genre in the gaming medium. The anticipation for, and the success of,RDR2can at least partially be attributed to the essential radio silence from the wider industry in terms of other Old West titles, especially within the modern AAA industry.
The lack of industry competition within the Wild West settingallowed Rockstar to nurtureRed Dead Redemption 2for a longer time, while not restricting the game’s sequences or narrative to avoid comparison to other games. This is something that other iconic settings in the modern gaming sphere can no longer enjoy, with Feudal Japan being one example of a setting with an intense amount of competition.
Feudal Japan Settings Are Sink or Swim in the Modern Gaming Space
The sheer amount of projects using Feudal Japan as a primary setting has given way to a lot of variety over the years, with games likeSekiro: Shadows Die Twicesmartly merging the setting with the otherworldly chaos that From Software titles usually provide. This is contrasted by more grounded portrayals of the setting in more recentcritically acclaimed titles likeGhost of Tsushima, with the upcomingGhost of Yoteilooking to extend this success even further.
This saturation of Feudal Japan games only increases the expectations of newer titles trying to adopt the setting, with the upcomingAssassin’s Creed Shadowsalready facing delayspartially due to the pressure that is on Ubisoft to get its long-awaited Japanese-setACtitle absolutely perfect. TheRed Dead Redemptionseries has been largely spared the constraints and pressure of competing against other AAA titles for Old West dominance, but it would be nice to see how a healthy level of competition could impact the franchise and the setting as a whole in the future.
Red Dead Redemption 2
WHERE TO PLAY
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
