A new game means new ways to play! Red Dead Redemption 2 will definitely
improve upon previous titles - and not just the RDR series. Here's a few things to expect.
Customize Arthur
There are many ways to make Arthur unique to your liking. Firstly, you can mix and match all clothing items. You can even choose to roll up the sleeves! But before you prance around the snowcapped mountains shirtless, know that clothing will have an effect on Arthur's performance. Dress appropriately.
Arthur's hair will also grow out. Either trim it back or let it grow so the barber has something to work with. Unlike previous games where the barber shop can make hair magically appear, in Red Dead Redemption 2 you'll need to actually grow the hair out first.
Arthur's lifestyle
In addition to weaponry having an effect on interactions with people, Arthur's cleanliness will do the same. If Arthur is covered in mud or blood he will be unable to have useful interactions with pedestrians or mission givers.
Arthur also needs to eat and rest to be ready to fight. Meals can be bought from local places or you can hunt down a quick meal. Rest at camp sites or hotels.
Arthur's Stats
Keeping with RPG elements, Arthur has some basic stats. These include health, stamina, and Dead-Eye. Health is the standard state of Arthur. Keep clear of bullets, take a breather behind cover, or give yourself a little first aid to improve health. Stamina is the typical amount of energy Arthur can exert. Walking or running can improve stamina and keep him dodging bullets longer and faster. Dead-Eye returns but with added features as outlined below.
Dead Eye
The signature feature of the Red Dead series is
Dead Eye. At the click of a button the world slows down so you can paint your enemies with hits. Then hit the trigger and your character makes quick work of hitting each mark.
Dead-Eye will be improved for RDR2. Level-up your senses to show weak point on enemies or
animals including the heart or brain.
Wanted Level
We can't
always be the good guy... When you have too much fun local law enforcement will ride in to set you straight [into the ground]. The larger your wanted level the more attention you'll seek. Hide out for a while until they give up the search or go to the local post office to pay your own bounty.
Honor Level
Returning from Redemption, your notoriety in the game world is tracked and people will react accordingly. Higher honor will have citizens greet you when arriving in town. Lower honor will have them quietly exit the area and the tougher ones will try to make a name for themselves. Your honor can also help you get a fairer price for goods. But don't worry if it gets low, simply greet people as you find them and it'll slowly creep back up.
Weapons
Many of the
weapons from Red Dead Redemption will return plus some new. Following step with shooter games, guns can be customized in numerous ways to make them uniquely yours.
Arthur has the ability to dual wield pistols or use a sawed-off shotgun with a pistol.
Rockstar Games has come to love using a weapon wheel in their games. It makes selecting weapons much easier than cycling through like games of old. Red Dead Redemption 2 will continue to use the weapon wheel but the around it has changed a little.
We now have 8 sections to choose from. Single-handed weapons are kept in the top corners with the middle (straight up) used for dual wielding. Longarms carried on your back are straight down, melee (fist, knives, etc) is to the right/bottom, longarms carried on your shoulder are to the left, and throwable weapons (lasso, dynamite) are to the left/bottom.
Weapon wheel in Red Dead Redemption
But unlike games of yesteryear, you won't be able to carry every single weapon you come across. As far as guns, you'll need to choose only the two best handguns and rifles. Arthur will carry the smaller guns and sling a rifle. Weapons not in use will be stored on your horse.
Upgrades for weapons can be purchased including sights, grips, engravings, wood type, and more. Your gun will be your show piece so make sure everyone remembers you.
Another added feature is that weapons need to be maintained in order to work efficiently. After a good fire fight be sure to clean them up so they are ready for the next one.
Hunting
Hunting will be more of a minigame and important for the survival of yourself and your gang. After taking down a large beast you have to drag it back to camp for food or a town to sell it off. The longer you take, the more the carcass rots. Using a bow and arrow will create a cleaner kill and increase your spoils.
Hauling fresh kills
Your gang gets hungry. If there's no food they won't be in high spirits and not perform as well as you need them to. Fishing will also be available if you want to grab food in a more relaxed way.
Eagle Eye is the hunting equivilant of Dead Eye. It will give you a better sense of the creatures you are after (or are after you) allowing you to get the kill. Also aiding the hunt are items such as bait and scent neutralizers. If you don't have bait on you, you can use a smaller animal carcass instead to attract larger prey.
In-game Camera
Previews from September 20th revealed that an in-game camera will be available. You can even take selfies with it!
Camera Modes
Watching the beautiful game world over the should of Arthur is fine but wouldn't you rather see if from his eyes? Rockstar has implemented a first-person camera so you can immerse yourself in the detailed landscape.
In addition to that, the cinematic camera has been updated. Either select it with the other views or simply press a button (similar to GTA V) and the camera will perch itself nearby as you wander around. Arthur or the horse he is riding will automatically move towards a waypoint or keep on the road.
Collectibles
There are various things to look for and collect trhoughout the world.
- Points of Interest - Noteworthy places hidden away in the landscape
- Cigarette Cards - find packs laying around and collect all the cards within
- Dinosaur Bones -
- Rare Fish -
- Exotics Collection -
- Rock Carvings -
- Taxidermy -
- Treasure Hunter -
- Dreamcatchers -
The world around you
Red Dead Redemption 2 will include many other world features from the previous game including:
- Duels - Settle disputes the
old fashioned current way.
- Bounties - Not-so-nice people are wanted by law enforcement. Take them in alive for big rewards.
- Strangers - Secondary mission strings where you meet and help other people. Redemption 2 attempts to blend missions into the background so these may seem like random events.
- Random Events - Encounters in the open world that may or may not be worth your while.
- Animals - One of Red Dead Redemption's bigger features was the wildlife you could interact with.
- Trading Posts - Sell or trade your animal furs or meat for more useful items.
- Games - Play poker, blackjack, five finger fillet, and dominoes for extra cash and bragging rights - assuming you get out alive when they catch you cheating.