That’s it. That’s the review.
I loved Red Dead Redemption when it launched in 2010, and I love it today.
As a game — as an EXPERIENCE — it offers unparalleled depth and enjoyment and storytelling and replayability and drama and thrills. It’s just ... perfect. There is not much else to say.
Like everyone who worshipped at the temple of RDR, I was excited for the sequel a few years back. But while I could marvel at its beauty and immersion and technical magnificence, it could not quite capture the heart of the original. Where the sequel wanted you to die, lots, and get as close to experiencing the misery of the American frontier era as possible, the first allowed you to have great fun at the same time.
John Marston, the gunslinger on the trail of former gang members and seeking a peaceful life for his family, has become more than a video game character to me. He is a companion, an inspiration, a mate . . . and yes, I realise I am talking about a game.
So, after playing RDR a great deal on the old PS3, there was no doubt I was going to be in like a toothless Wild West grin when news broke that RDR was going to be ported to the PS4 (so playable on the PS5) and the Switch.
Just a port — not the long-awaited remaster or remake. And boy has that annoyed some people, especially as the price is not cheap.
Those grumbles aside, this is a welcome move. Keeping consoles from previous generations going can be a drag, and it is simply more convenient to play an old title on new hardware.
The game is exactly the same — and it’s perfect, remember — and comes packed with the Undead Nightmare expansion, the hilarious mini-campaign featuring zombies.
You can see the effect of the superior hardware on the graphics, though it is not mind-blowing, and it generally plays smoothly with only a few framerate issues and one or two instances of horses jogging on the spot.
If you have never played Red Dead Redemption — WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? — this is an essential purchase. If you simply hanker to step back into John Marston’s boots, it also works.
Unless and until Red Dead 3 lands and is even greater than the greatest game of all time, this is well worth considering.
