Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 are equally incredible, but there are a few things that the 2008 game did in a superior fashion.
Despite the 8-year gap between the release of Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2, there are still plenty of things that the original game actually did better. While Red Dead Redemption 2 is beloved for its world, characters, story, and pretty much everything, a few elements were left out that allowed Red Dead Redemption to succeed.
With many similarities between Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2, why not look into the things that made them different, and more importantly, the things that Red Dead Redemption managed to do better than its modern sequel, even with its advancements to graphics, gameplay, and story? 8
Enemy Reactions to Bullets
As immersive as Red Dead Redemption 2 is, it lacks a few elements that the original had. One such element is the enemy reaction system. Enemies in Red Dead Redemption 2 will fall down rather fluidly, but shooting weapons from their hands and watching them limp around isn’t as possible as it is in Red Dead Redemption.
For the original Red Dead Redemption, players were able to shoot weapons repeatedly out of enemy hands, forcing them to run and pick up what they lost. Individual limbs would also matter on what’s been shot, and to make things even better, the ragdoll physics had strong Spaghetti Western vibes over realistic impact. 7
Strangers and Creeps
Arthur Morgan meets a colorful cast of side characters across the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, but while they are strange, they’re not outright creepy. Some of these characters are trying to create mechanical life, or to impress a woman with feats of danger, but there’s nothing to make the skin crawl quite like the strangers in Red Dead Redemption.
From grief-stricken old ladies suffering with dementia, cannibals, and even a Strange Man who seems to know all about John Marston, there’s something so impactful, bleak, and hopeless about the characters John Marston meets, leaving a lasting impression that perhaps this is the end of the Old West once and for all. 6
Carrying Every Weapon with Ease
With such levels of immersion, Red Dead Redemption 2 made it essential for players to think about their loadout.
