Anticipation for Red Dead Redemption 2 recently reignited when the Rockstar Games released a new trailer for its upcoming game. Being the sequel to one of the most iconic games from the previous generation, gameplay details have been pretty scarce. That’s a bit alarming considering the game is releasing in five months, but we now have some juicy information for all you Red Dead fans out there.
Rockstar Games presented two games journalists from IGN with the opportunity of playing a demo of Red Dead Redemption 2 and they revealed gameplay details in a video released earlier today. Unfortunately, the video does not contain any actual gameplay footage, as it only features the two journalists discussing their gameplay experience. However, we still managed to squeeze out several gameplay details from the discussion.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Details: The World
It turns out that Rockstar Games has developed a “living and breathing world” in Red Dead Redemption 2. Every NPC in the game will adhere to day and night cycles as they live out their lives with daily routines. It sounds similar to what Ubisoft accomplished in Assassin’s Creed Origins. These NPCs will also react to the player’s character, Arthur Morgan’s, reputation. If there’s a bounty on the Morgan’s head, NPCs will shun him and react with negative responses. A holstered or unholstered gun will also elicit different reactions from different people.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Details: The Gang’s Camp
The story of the game places the player in the role of Arthur Morgan, who is the second-in-command of the Dutch van der Linde gang. As such, the player will be partly responsible for managing the gang and its camp. What this means is that the player will have to forage for money, food, and resources to provide for the camp’s survival and development. Players will be rewarded for contributing to the camp but no specific details have been revealed about particular gameplay element.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Details: The Horse
The first game treated the player’s horse as simply a “disposable vehicle.” In Red Dead Redemption 2, the player will build an emotional connection with his or her horse. As the bond with their horse grows stronger, the horse will perform better, including not running from gunfights and the ability to call their horse from farther away. However, there’s a catch. If the horse dies, all the hours spent developing their bond with it will have been a waste, as players will now have to find another horse and start connecting all over again.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Details: Hunting
Hunting will be another major gameplay element in Red Dead Redemption 2. Players will hunt different animals for loot and resources. They will have the choice of either keeping it for themselves to sell in the nearest town or contribute the resource to the gang’s camp. When hunting, players can use the bow and arrow for a cleaner kill, thus yielding better loot and value. Using guns will damage the animal and lower its value. After successfully hunting an animal, the player will have to carry it on their horse, so bigger animals like deer will take up more space. These animal carcasses can also decay if kept for too long, prompting the player to discard it.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Details: Bank Robberies
The demo was said to have culminated in a bank robbery segment in the town of Valentine, where the player aims to rob the bank with the aid of the gang. However, it’s not specified in the demo whether this particular mission is part of the story or simply side quest. The bank robbery seems to be continuously shot, with no cutscene transitions. Players can choose what action or choices to make during the mission. For example, the bank robbery mission presented the player with the choice of either cracking the safes or blowing them up.
The action segment comes next as the player exits the bank with the loot. The town’s law enforcement lies waiting and a firefight commences. The player and the gang will have to fight their way out of the town. The gunplay is described as “loud” and longtime fans will be happy to know that the Dead Eye mechanic returns in this game. The Dead Eye ability allows a “bullet time” of sorts, slowing down time for players to aim and shoot as many enemies in a limited amount of time.
That’s quite a lot of gameplay detail to process but we’re still waiting for Rockstar Games to unveil some gameplay footage. In the meantime, check out the new trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 in our post from yesterday.
