Other Games

REVIEW: Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360)

June 10, 2010

If you were to describe a game as “Grand Theft Auto, but without cars” then you may logically conclude that it will, in fact, be a bit rubbish.

But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth, because that is pretty much what Rockstar’s (the company that gave us Grand Theft Auto) Red Dead Redemption actually is. And Red Dead Redemption is anything but a bit rubbish…

Red Dead Redemption is Grand Theft Auto with horses. Or probably more accurately, Grand Theft Auto mixed with Clint Eastwood’s ultimate cowboy movie – The Unforgiven. Gritty, realistic and utterly stunning, Red Dead Redemption immerses they player deep into a Hollywood cowboy movie, which is far preferable to being immersed into the real Wild West, because that would make for a very boring game.

The highly-romanticised Hollywood version makes for a far better free-roaming action adventure and Rockstar have given us a thoroughly believable Wild West full of colourful characters all going about their lives as you take control of John Marston, a partially reformed outlaw who is forced by the government to round up a former member of his posse, in the best Hollywood Western way; dead or alive.

All the best Hollywood Western cliches are present, the graphics are stunning, the control system sublime and there is a a simply massive – and extremely diverse – area to explore. And pretend to be Clint Eastwood in. It simply doesn’t get any better than this.

Rated: R16

Reviewed on: Xbox 360

Also Available on:
PS3

Rating: 5/5

Stunning visuals, utterly absorbing gameplay and bears (yes, really, there are bears in it!). Brilliant.