Nukezilla Review: Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360)

John Marston is a man with a dark past tasked with tying up the loose ends of his life as an outlaw. During his time in the fictional American state of New Austin he must take on a motley crew of old friends and new enemies if he wants to earn a future inside the law. These events occur during 1911, as the wild west recedes into history and modernity takes its place. In practical terms, this means taking on a series of missions from characters that range from noble ranchers and sheriffs to machiavellian officials and corrupt soldiers. Between these story-advancing missions, animals can be hunted, bandit hideouts can be raided and a host of other emergent scenarios plucked from the milieu of wild west fiction are played out.

There are two main activities that define Red Dead Redemption, gun slinging and horse-riding. Thankfully, these combat and traversal mechanics are well implemented and a lot of fun. I was mopping up side quests long after I’d finished the game, just to spend more time on horseback with a revolver in hand. Even the mundane activities of gathering plants and killing wild animals were entertaining as a way to extend my time with the game.

I only wish that I could pay the same compliments to Red Dead Redemption‘s story and themes. John Marston is apparently a man with a moral code, more Robin Hood than Clyde Barrow. Nevertheless he still winds up working alongside individuals who are so inhuman that I lost any sympathy for the man. Marston isn’t a character that straddles the line between black and white, he’s someone who ping-pongs wildly between extremes. Sure he’ll help a damsel in distress and show an anachronistic sympathy for Native Americans and women, but he’s also willing to work for rapists and murderers.

As well as telling the story of John Marston’s personal salvation, Red Dead Redemption depicts the ‘civilisation’ of the wild west. Once again, it handles a delicate theme in an inelegant way. The references to the novelty of automobiles, the imminent arrival of powered flight and the expansion of the railways started to grate. I don’t think it takes a PhD in North American history to realise the kind of technology and social norms that would be present in 1911. The writers seem to disagree with me on that point.

Eventually, I started to erect a mental barrier between the story being told and the open world I was exploring. I found the brief glimpses of grisly, frontier experiences afforded by the standalone missions on behalf of mysterious strangers much more interesting than the over-arching narrative. Despite my lack of interest in its story, I was still utterly compelled to play through the game’s campaign and spend hours on its side quests.

My time with Red Dead Redemption‘s multiplayer has been a mixed bag of fantastic co-operative experiences and lacklustre competition. Roaming the game’s world, hunting animals and taking on hideouts filled with bandits was a lot of fun with a posse of friends. Playing the standard team-deathmatch and objective based competitive modes wasn’t as enjoyable. It’s certainly a competent third-person shooter in this regard, but there isn’t anything new or interesting enough for me to spend a lot of time competing against other players.

I’ve had a fantastic time with Red Dead Redemption and I’d wholeheartedly recommend that others play it. I only wish that the story and themes were handled in a more subtle, nuanced fashion. Luckily, the shootouts and gorgeous environments were enough to keep me engaged. I may not care about New Austin’s inhabitants but that didn’t stop me from traversing its valleys, plains and canyons for many hours.

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