5/5 ★ – Frankaal's review of Red Dead Redemption II.

SPOILERS!!! ”I wish things were different, but it weren’t us who changed.” We play as Arthur Morgan who is easily THE BEST video game protagonist. His path from ruthless outlaw to redemption is one of a kind. Rockstar did a really good job in making this character because he’s not some hero or whatever. He’s human. He made some mistakes and is still making them but he’s trying to change. Arthur was doing these things because of loyalty, friendship which are his key values. Story takes place in 1899 in southern part of USA and ”By 1899 the age od outlaws and gunslingers was at an end” as Rockstar tells us. Arthur is a loyal member of Dutch’s van der Linde gang. He does many robberies on stagecoaches, banks etc. We witness his moments with long lost love of his life - Mary. We can sense that they aren’t over each other, and yet we know it can’t work. Moving towards the end of story we find out that his bills collecting job made him catch tuberculosis and he doesn’t have much longer to live. Arthur decides that he has to change for the better, save who he can save. ”I guess I’m… I’m afraid…” Moods in the van der Linde gang are also worse because of Micah Bell who is behind telling the law of the Saint Denis bank robbery in which Hosea and Lenny die. In the final mission of 6th chapter, Arthur confronts Micah and the rest of gang for their latest choices which include leaving John Marston for dead who has just now returned. Then we proceed do shoot our way to a safe place with Marston and we are given a choice whether to go back for the money or help John get to safety and this, as well as honour level, indicates our ending - it’s either peaceful death looking into the sunrise or being shot in the head by Micah. ”It would mean a lot to me.” ”You’re my brother.” ”I know.” In the epilogue that takes place in 1907 we play as John and we get to take revenge on Micah for everyone. It’s a really great transition from Red Dead Redemption 2 to Red Dead Redemption building John’s character we know in the first game. Every part of the game I’ve just summarised adds to the realism of Arthur and creates a bond between player and character through wich we understand him can relate to in a way. Also the soundtracks are strengthening these and others emotional moments such as Arthur’s last ride. The game runs so smoothly. You don’t even need to do main quests to have fun. It has extensive shooting, hunting, fishing, law, horse riding and gambling system. The honour system in this game is simply amazing - it is affected by everything you do in and outside of missions and also affects almost every thing inside the game. There are also random encounters like in GTA V but better. There’s so much do to that I, even on my fourth playthrough, am still finding new things. I would recommend this game to everyone even to people who don’t like shooters ’couse it’s not just a shooter - it’s an experience of a human who made mistakes and who’s trying to fix them. By far the best video game ever released. ”I tried. In the end, I did.”