There’s no doubt that Rockstar’s recent Wild West epic, Red Dead Redemption 2, has taken the gaming community by storm, dominating the conversation since its release several weeks ago. While console players have mostly enjoyed their time with everything this open world period piece has to offer, PC fans have been left out. The developer hasn’t outlined a port for the title just yet, though there’s hope that it will come if Grand Theft Auto V serves as any indication. In any case, the following games will help you bide your time well in between Tweets and online petitions.
PC Games Like Red Dead Redemption 2 – Fallout: New Vegas
Gambling, robberies, and good old fashioned plots for revenge are all staples of Fallout: New Vegas, the Obsidian-developed Fallout entry that many still argue is the greatest in the series. Taking place in what remains of the casino capital, New Vegas uses Fallout 3 as a foundation to introduce world building mechanics that successfully immerse players into a ruthless desert civilization.
Its characters are rugged and personable, and gameplay is versatile. The V.A.T.S. (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) makes its return, allowing fans to wind down time and aim for specific body parts just like Red Dead‘s Dead Eye mechanic. New Vegas may take hundreds of hours out of your time just for how engaging and genuinely fun it is. Mods can easily boost that number into the thousands.
PC Games Like Red Dead Redemption 2 – Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
Outside of Red Dead, the Call of Juarez series is one of the most critically lauded Wild West video games on the market today. Though there’s plenty of fun to be had in earlier iterations like Bound in Blood, Gunslinger refines the formula with a cel-shaded look and a very familiar gameplay mechanic that slows down time for precision aiming.
Numbers fly out of enemies when they’re damaged, littering the screen in a satisfying fashion. Gunslinger encourages players to be gung-ho and fire at anything they see, thus perfectly capturing a certain cowboy fantasy. It helps that protagonist Silas Greaves is a gruff bounty hunter looking for any excuse to draw a little blood.
PC Games Like Red Dead Redemption 2 – Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is reminiscent of games like Beyond Good and Evil in how well it presents a convincing sci-fi world that feels inhabited and bursting at the seams with all kinds of life. Following a hairy bounty hunter in search of outlaws, players have an arsenal of unique tools at their disposal, including a crossbow that fires insects.
Stranger’s Wrath‘s gameplay isn’t the most impressive from a technical standpoint, though its clever steampunk world alone is worth a look. It’s a game that’ll satisfy your itch for Red Dead Redemption 2 in ways you wouldn’t expect.
PC Games Like Red Dead Redemption 2 – The Borderlands Series
Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel each successfully capture the lawlessness and rampart craziness of the Wild West through a near-infinite amount of weapons to choose from, an eccentric cast of characters, and plenty of dark humor probably inspired by the darkest corners of the internet. It seamlessly combines first-person shooter and RPG mechanics and rewards fans for daring to be just as frenzied as the personalities they witness onscreen.
The Borderlands series practically begs to be played by aspiring (virtual) outlaws, especially since its frequently featured in seasonal Steam sales. Each piece of DLC is worth buying too, as it offers a sizable amount of worthwhile gameplay outside of the main experience. You owe it to yourself to play a Borderlands game if you haven’t before, partner.
PC Games Like Red Dead Redemption 2 – Hunt: Showdown
Putting the controversy surrounding Early Access titles aside, Hunt: Showdown offers a rewarding PvP/PvE first-person shooter experience that’s exciting just to watch. Players are tasked with killing both other real people and beasts either alone or in a group within the confines of a mysterious swamp laden with all kinds of environmental dangers. A menacing boss lies at the center of it all, searching for the right moment to give you and your friends hell.
Hunt: Showdown isn’t a gun blazing experience like Borderlands or Call of Juarez: Gunslinger. It requires players to take their time with tracking down the monster. Money can be earned from completing bounties, though your fortune could be easily lost if you are killed by another player. Wild West fans who have patience and obsess over tales of betrayal may find a nice home in Showdown. It’s a well thought-out cowboy experience with a solid twist that is fit for the age of battle royale games.
PC Games Like Red Dead Redemption 2 – SteamWorld Heist
SteamWorld Heist follows Captain Piper Faraday and her growing crew of misfit pirates as they explore the universe in search of the daring adventures it has to offer. Petrolbots and scrapbots are among the many enemies players will encounter as they break into nearby spaceships and loot them for all the treasures they hold.
This side-scrolling strategy game revolves around turn-based shoot-outs in which players can bounce bullets off the environment to hit an opponent where they least expect it. There are hundreds of weapons to collect and many different types of abilities and clothing options to experiment with. Hats especially confer special advantages should players be lucky enough to shoot them off an enemy’s head.
SteamWorld Heist a smart family-friendly PC title that may be a nice alternative for younger audiences, especially those that shouldn’t be allowed to play Red Dead Redemption 2 in the first place.
Whatever Rockstar decides to do, the titles above are each worth a playthrough for their own merits. Be it side-scrollers, RPGs, or first-person shooters, each successfully immerses players in the ruthlessness that once was the Wild West. There’s an underlying spirit of adventure to be found in each one of these games. It’s time to put on your favorite cowboy hat, boot on your PC, and saddle up for something new—at least until Rockstar gets its act together.
