red dead redemption review
Test: Red Dead RedemptionIt took Rockstar six years to unearth the Red Dead license and imagine a spiritual sequel to the Revolver episode. Spiritual only because Redemption, apart from a drawing very close to its elder, has little to do with the action game that was released on PS2. More ambitious, richer, larger and more mature, this GTA-Like is one of the biggest productions of 2010, able to conquer the hearts of those who have loved the adventures of a certain Nico Bellic. To achieve this mission, Red Dead Redemption takes us back a good century back to the American-Mexican border, in the midst of "Revolución".
You are John Marston, a cowboy with features damaged by the scars symbolizing his ugly past. In the middle of the American West, our hero will take part in a real manhunt without his knowledge. His wife and son were kidnapped while John completed the part of the contract that tied him to the rotten authorities in Blackwater. Indeed, left for dead by his former acolytes, Marston has only one objective: to find each member of the gang and to kill two birds with one stone by taking revenge for the abandonment of which he was the victim and by eliminating those which the county sheriffs don't even dare to rub against. Those for whom he would have once given his life are now his enemies and on his fate depends his freedom. John is marked by the weight of the homicides he committed when he was an outlaw. Under his Stetson, gloved as it should be, John is the very archetype of the pistolero that we find in each spaghetti western. The medium-long hair, unshaven, clogged by his comings and goings in the dust of the West American desert, the one that we incarnate with great pleasure in Red Dead Redemption does not however have anything of the fatal thug. He simply aspires to a life of farmer, peaceful, productive, removed from the cruel world of fine triggers.
RDR has recovered a number of mechanisms from its cousin GTA IV. The player moves constantly on a huge map that an excellent MMO would not deny. Miles and miles of desert stretches punctuated by a few localities called Armadillo or Chuparosa to name a few. Cut in half by the Rio Bravo which extends from the northeast to the southwest, this map is rich in all the cultures of the time, causing changes in tone depending on whether you are crossing a cactus field or a simple pasture, whether one approaches a canyon or civilization. Supported by a day-night cycle of incomparable beauty and precision, these color variations contribute to making RDR a title with a very strong personality. Difficult not to be charmed by landscapes of such credibility, where all the fauna has taken up residence. Deer, bison, deer, horses, cougars, coyotes, grizzly bears, wolves, bears, raccoons, snakes, armadillos ... There are all kinds of wild species roaming free. Once again, the developers of Rockstar have imagined a whole cycle, a whole life in parallel with the history of the game that gives the player the impression of not being much, so much so that he feel tiny in this gigantic flora.
Using, among other things, his buffalo rifle, John can hunt any animal and even wreak havoc in a chicken coop, kill domestic animals or all kinds of birds (eagles, crows, hawks, vultures ...) .). The interest that he can get from this exercise is, after going through butchering, the resale of skins, meats, feathers, hearts, carapaces or fur to local businesses. Armourers, wholesalers or even doctors will never be against recovering these products. But their primary role is obviously to sell. The doctor will be able to pass on to you medication, chewing tobacco or a tubular gut, in particular to restore your health which, unlike GTA IV, follows the principle of automatic and progressive regeneration, without gauge. The gunsmith will provide you with what to defend yourself and what to hunt. Rifles, cartridge belts, throwing knives, dynamite, shotguns, automatic pistols, revolvers and even bait can be bought as and when they are unlocked in parallel with the various missions of the game. 'a simple trader, sells all kinds of objects improving the life or the skills of John. For example, by offering a rabbit's foot, our cowboy makes sure to collect more money from the bodies he searches. If he buys chewing tobacco (again), his Cold Blood gauge will be fully restored. Before tackling this mechanism, let's just point out that the Red Dead business presents itself more as a distraction than a real forced passage. It is quite possible to finish the game without spending a single dollar, which greatly reduces the importance of these places.
Cold Blood, therefore. This is the soul of RDR, which greatly contributes to making gunfights of the game exceptional moments. It is basically a bullet time, which can be used sparingly since it is limited and can be automatically (but slowly) or manually restored using an object provided for this purpose. As soon as he uses it, the player can mark all the enemies facing him with a simple touch and when he finishes, he just has to shoot to see Marston knock out the unfortunates one by one who have been selected. The effect is guaranteed, the result too, especially since in slow motion, you can easily aim at the head to ensure a death by gunshot. This mechanism therefore makes it possible to reverse compromised situations, in particular when John finds himself alone facing the American police, facing the Mexican army or more often, facing bandits whom he will have to hunt one by one to progress in his quest. It is then up to the player to use it when he feels the need, knowing that the Cold Blood is available as well on foot as on horseback or stagecoach, this last means of transport serving as a taxi to the GTA, paying but allowing you to move quickly by zapping the route. It is also possible to teleport by positioning a marker somewhere on the map and then using the camp route option. The camp also makes it possible to save in the countryside. While in town, John can rent properties to save his progress.
But John's favorite form of transportation remains his horse. It must be admitted that animated in this way, a horse makes you want to be privileged, sending back to oblivion all the animal physics seen in previous titles which highlight canassons. Each member of the beast is independent, which makes it much more alive and in fact, much more precious than one could imagine. Before riding for the first time, John must capture a horse, using a lasso then, wriggling as best he can on the back of the animal using the left analog stick to tame it. Later, he will be able to breed horses squarely or offer himself little by little a brighter and more powerful mount among a fairly wide choice of breeds: Ardennais, Bai de Cleveland, Lassitanian Canasson, Kentucky Horse, Hungarian Half-blood, Higland chestnut, warm-blooded Hollandai, Pinto, Tersk, American trotter, Turkoman ... In short, there is something for everyone and for all budgets, the main thing being to be careful not to ask too much of his horse. For this, the player must press the sprint button in rhythm while avoiding consuming all the horse's endurance gauge, otherwise he will unseat his master without hesitation. Also note that where he is on the map, John can whistle the beast at any time so that it appears galloping in seconds.
From New Austin to Homestead via Nuevo Paraiso or West Elizabeth, the player will therefore chain the missions for one or the other, making fun of the interest of his partners for a day. To find those he is looking for, John will agree to help anyone, even being an accomplice of the Mexican army, specialized in the execution of civilians ... If all of the missions obviously require taking out his weapon many times, others want to be calmer and do not necessarily advance the intrigue. Thus, you will need to be patient to lead a herd of cows in its enclosure, their propensity to listen to you varying with time. If a thunderstorm hits your head at this time, allow twice as long to regroup the lost and particularly capricious units. However, rest assured, this kind of mission does not take precedence over the rest, often made up of confrontations on horseback, duels using the Cold Blood mechanism or assaults towards improvised camps. In parallel, it is possible to have fun in town by playing poker, black jack, knife game, horseshoe throwing, arm wrestling ... It is even possible to go watch a movie at cinema or go for a drink in the local saloon!
During his adventure, John meets extremely developed characters, all more different from each other, mostly macho, dirty, without self-esteem, ready to kill to take advantage of a woman, to find the location of a treasure or simply, to take power during the Mexican civil war. It will also cross paths with charlatans, renegades, crazy people and each exchange, each cutscene reveals a lot of their character, on the sidelines of dialogues always as inspired but frankly less raw and delusional than those of a GTA IV. Here, it is more a question of honor, revenge, power, even if, at the four corners of the map, John will meet lonely civilians, little concerned by this merciless fight and therefore the concerns will be more down to earth. So don't be surprised if, in the middle of the desert, a forties asks for help to find his stolen horse before his eyes or if a stranger needs you to pick wild chamomile near the Rio Bravo to offer a bouquet to his sweetheart. These side quests will have to be successfully completed if you want to reach the 100% completed, for about forty hours of play.
But Red Dead Redemption is also a multiplayer mode of rare richness. As for GTA IV, Rockstar wanted to take care of the Online by offering players to participate in a wealth of game modes in this open environment, transforming RDR into real MMO. First of all, this multi allows to relive in cooperation, all the missions of the solo mode. First good point, especially since this option is also available offline but for a single player. Online also has a deathmatch, both solo and as a team, the opportunity to use the innumerable weapons of the game as it should be. There is also an equivalent to Capture the flag. Here, no flag to grab and then replant in your own camp but a bag of gold to go fishing before everyone else on the map and then bring back to your camp before being dispossessed. A mode which gave birth to a derivative in which it is necessary to bring back the famous bags in chests to pocket the sum which they contain. You can easily imagine that the perimeter of the chests is well guarded and that the home stretch is often dangerous. Note that players can choose to play as minors, rebels, the Dutch's gang, the Walton's gang, cattle thieves, the U.S. military, the feds, lawyers, or marshalls, the opportunity to test all RDR skins. Finally, note that in parallel multi modes, it is quite possible to walk in the "free roam", that is to say anywhere on the map, alone or in band and s' attack anyone crossing your path. If that's not the Wild West spirit, we don't understand anything anymore ...
The notes
Graphics 18/20
Attention to detail prevailed in Red Dead Redemption. In addition to benefiting from an identity that nobody will be able to take away from him, the title very rarely skids on technique. Full of personality, crying out for truth, exceptionally animated thanks to the RAGE and Euphoria engines, this track immerses us without any difficulty alongside John Marston, in this immense American west. The day-night cycle gives birth to landscapes of incomparable beauty and the colors pay perfect tribute to the different cultures that bring these settings of rare finesse to life. If some textures clip a little late, the whole is relatively stunning, the terrain evolving according to time and passages. Special mention to the faces of the protagonists who have been treated like never before.
Gameplay 18/20
If some elements have been taken from GTA IV, in particular the system of cover and movement in small spaces which are still a little rigid, the gameplay of RDR has enough new mechanisms and subtleties to avoid talking about copying- paste. The Cold Blood, this bullet-time so practical in gunfight, brings in this direction enormously. As for the aim, it is configurable. You can therefore experience the adventure in manual, semi-automatic or automatic mode, depending on your ability to knock out your opponents more or less quickly. The missions being perfectly balanced, no feeling of frustration appears. We would simply have liked an AI that camps a little less when it is on foot.
Lifespan 16/20
Allow 40 hours to complete the game 100% solo. Add to it the many future hours that it will be possible to spend in multi, looking for XP points, whether in the different modes or in exploration. The possibility of redoing all of the solo missions in cooperation is also a significant plus.
Soundtrack 20/20
Simply perfect. Dubbing, sound effects and music do not cough the slightest defect, not the slightest false note. The most impressive remains Rockstar's ability to bring the different environments to life, emphasizing the changing noise of horses' hooves, the wind that discreetly rises or even, the terrible thunderstorms that sometimes fall in the West American desert. . The work carried out was monstrous, the many themes associated with the missions or situations assuming their role perfectly from the beginning to the end of the story. Forty hours of happiness for your ears, Forty hours of a sound environment which will remain for a long time as an absolute reference.
Scenario 17/20
Again, screenwriters and dialogues worked hard to offer us an original adventure, enriched by delicious characters without ever turning into easy caricature. Each NPC encountered leaves a mark in the mind of the player who is delighted to find them several hours after leaving them, as if he had known them from several games. Marston's story is unique and makes the cowboy incredibly engaging, and that's the bottom line.
With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar signs a new masterpiece on HD consoles, probably a little too short. If GTA served as a basis and a source of inspiration, the adventure of this spaghetti western is enough in itself because masterfully staged. Endowed with a hallucinating atmosphere and personality, RDR is a perfectly balanced title, made extremely enjoyable thanks to the ingenious mechanism called Sang Froid. The smallest space in his record size playing field has been used and set up wisely and no moment of boredom is imposed on the player, even during the most insignificant trips. We may simply regret that urban interactions are made gadgets by a difficulty a bit lower than our expectations. That said, Red Dead Redemption has established itself as a title accessible to all, capable of making westerns love everyone who was allergic to it and, finally, like the GTA-Like of this first semester of 2010 to possess imperatively. Thanks Rockstar.
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