One of the games that has resisted leaving its initial consoles the most is without a doubt, red dead redemption of Rockstar Games. The Western cut title, until now, could only be played on PS3, Xbox 360 and Xbox Series X through backward compatibility. This caused many of us to wish for a remaster with the graphics of RDR2 or at least with a better polish.

After a series of rumors indicating a hypothetical remaster, at the beginning of August Rockstar Games announced the launch of red dead redemption… just like that. After the smoke cleared, many fans cried to heaven because they realized that the game is a simple port of the original versions and not the aforementioned remaster. We tested the game on Nintendo Switch, and while little was changed, they at least added the RDR: Undead Nightmare expansion and the occasional buff.

An outlaw hunting outlaws

Red Dead Redemption has one of the best stories in the Western genre and video games in general. In fact, along with GTA 4, it’s one of the darkest, wildest, and even rawest stories in the studio’s games. If we have played the second installment, from the outset we will know that this game is the continuation of the events that took place in that title and we will know some of the characters involved.

We play John Marston, one of the former members of the band Dutch van der Linde who must hunt down former partners in crime at the request of two newly created FBI agents. These agents kidnapped John’s family in order to ensure that he completes the mission. It’s not just that John goes to the locations where these criminals are and catches them, it’s that he will walk a path that will lead him to meet other characters who will help him.

Part of the game’s charm is its Wild West setting with which the developers achieved one of the virtual environments closest to what it was at the time. It still maintains some of the satire that Rockstar is known for, but at the same time shows us a gritty world that refused to die, therefore its characters act as such.

As for characters, we will meet all kinds but their interventions are quite convincing. They are people hardened by the times in which they live, especially the protagonist John Marston himself. He is torn between getting his family back and having to betray his former teammates, making him an interesting and complex character.

Grand Theft Horse

One of the big differences of Red Dead Redemption, with respect to GTA, is that in addition to having a map with several connected counties instead of a city, the transport par excellence here are horses or carriages pulled by them. Along the way we will find towns, settlements and the occasional city in the making with little more than several streets and a few points of interest. We will see hotels, grocery stores, police stations, and even taverns with drunks fighting and everything. They knew how to capture very well the setting of a West in decline.

Regarding the transfer by horse, in general we will spend more time galloping to go from one point to another, either in a main or secondary mission or in one of the many extracurricular activities that the game has. However, it is a delight to gallop on our steed while we watch a sunset in the distance. The modeling and behavior of the horses is one of the most realistic in the games of that time.

The gameplay is a mix between the shooting system of Max Payne 3 and GTA 5 but on horseback. We will have dozens of ranged weapons such as revolvers, repeating carbines, shotguns, rifles and throwing ones. The combats take place with the use of covers and the health bar disappears due to its regeneration. Many interesting situations can occur during the fights and the controls adapt very well to the Nintendo hybrid.

We can do everything a cowboy would do in one of those many movies we’ve seen. If we want to be an outlaw outside the law or a legend that helps those most in need, everything is possible. On the map we will carry out rescue missions, hunt animals, collect herbs, stagecoach assault, hunt criminals, etc. Like any Rockstar game, we have a lot of freedom to do what we want.

Undead Nightmare

One of the additions that will always be welcome is the expansion for Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare. It’s one of the best expansions or DLCs of all time because it offers a new alternate campaEsports Extrasof what would happen if there was suddenly an outbreak of zombies in the game world (a recurring theme in games at the time). Practically, it changes part of the game’s gameplay by making ammunition and weapons scarce, as well as showing us supernatural events such as taming one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse horses.

However, the online multiplayer mode, still active today on old consoles, has been dispensed with. We suppose it’s one of the big sacrifices to port the game to Switch, but nothing like conquering the Wild West with a gang of friends.

A big game in a compact console

The issue that has many fans annoyed is precisely the graphic section. It is true that there have been improvements in lighting, adapted resolution and a frame rate at 60fps, at least it seemed to me that I am playing the game on Xbox and the difference is better on Switch. However, we can notice some glitches such as a shorter draw distance, late textures, and frame drops at certain times of higher stress.

The game’s soundtrack plays a major role in the setting. We will have themes that will remind us of Western-style movies like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, The Magnificent Seven, they called him Trinidad, among others. It’s great to hear those instrumental songs where the harmonica dominates and a tumbleweed crosses the middle of the road.

Verdict

the port of red dead redemption it had taken his time to reach modern platforms, although he did it through the back door. While some graphical aspects such as a better frame rate have been improved, some somewhat obvious sacrifices had to be made. However, it is still one of the best Western-themed open world games for all that it offers. That and the possibility of playing the alternative Undead Nightmare campaEsports Extrasmake it a good proposal for the Nintendo hybrid.

Note: This review was made thanks to the review copy provided by Rockstar Games.