Red Dead Redemption 2 is an extremely well received addition to Rockstar's extensive video game catalog, providing a truly comprehensive portrayal of the Old West in one of the most immersive experiences that gaming has seen to date. As well as its commendably detailed core gameplay, the title has additionally received praise for how it expanded upon the narrative of the original Red Dead Redemption, as well as the characters within it.
Due to its nature as a prequel to the first game, Red Dead Redemption 2 features many returning characters from its predecessor, especially those from the infamous Van Der Linde gang. With over a decade of in-game time separating the two releases, a lot can be inferred from the change in looks of these characters, for better or for worse.
Dutch Van Der Linde
One of the characters that heavily features in both Red Dead Redemption games and undergoes one of the largest changes is Dutch van der Linde. The leader of the eponymous Van Der Linde gang, fans see Dutch in much of RDR 2 as a focused and shrewd leader with a grounded vision to live beyond the confines of an increasingly-involved government and the accompanying rules that come with it.
Players see a much younger looking Dutch in Red Dead Redemption 2, with a more groomed and refined look befitting his comparatively stabler mental state within the more recent title. As well as this, Dutch in RDR 2 shows off his sense of style, often sporting dashing formal attire with fine accessories accentuating it.
Following the events of Red Dead 2 and throughout the story of the first Red Dead Redemption, the Dutch that the player sees is a far cry from his younger self. Dutch in Red Dead Redemption is visibly older with gray in his hair, but also appears significantly more disheveled, scruffier, and thinner. To match his much more sporadic and ruthless nature exhibited in the first game, Dutch in RDR is unkempt, only wearing very basic and dirty clothing that's completely the opposite of the pride he placed into his outfits in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Javier Escuella
Javier Escuella is another character that faced changes in the way Dutch did between the two titles. As well as undergoing drastic shifts to his personality, Javier is also subject to a spate of glaring aesthetic differences between the two games. In the original Red Dead, Javier is portrayed as an unhygienic and unclean man, seen briefly in the title after being hunted down by John Marston and captured either dead or alive. Clearly placing little attention to grooming, Javier wears creased and stained clothing in the original Red Dead, but the sequel changed how the character is perceived by fans quite significantly.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, Javier is a younger and more sympathetic man with a quieter and more compassionate demeanor that is again reflected in his wildly different look. Like Dutch, Javier is well groomed and in control of his appearance in RDR 2, placing much higher importance on his own fashion by wearing much more stylish and pristine clothing. It is often said that Javier looked up to Dutch perhaps more so than any other members of the gang, making the similarities between the two figure's shift in appearance all the more appropriate.
John Marston
Since he's main protagonist of Red Dead Redemption and supporting protagonist of Red Dead 2, many fans were most looking forward to seeing a younger and more vulnerable version of John Marston in the latter title. While John is shown in various stages of his life throughout the long spanning events of Red Dead 2, it is the earliest glimpse that fans see of him that offers the most insight as to how the fan favorite character has changed over time.
Fans first see John Marston in Red Dead Redemption 2 during the opening chapter of the game, which is set in the year 1899. At this time, John is only 26 years old, and is predictably quite different from the 38-year-old that fans saw much of during the first Red Dead. The game opens with John receiving the infamous scars that he sports across his face throughout the first Red Dead. The prequel reveals that a pack of wolves inflicted the wounds on him. As a result of the freshness of these wounds, the scars on John's face are much more prominent for a majority of Red Dead Redemption 2's story, fading as they heal over the years and as John gets older.
While John sports most of the same hairstyle and facial hair, he is also more visibly skinnier in the prequel, further exemplifying his youth. In Red Dead Redemption, John possesses many more wrinkles and more leathery skin, providing a tangible indicator as to just how rough of a life he has led throughout the course of both stories. Many will of course expect there to be significant changes to the looks of returning characters between Red Dead Redemption and its prequel, but the more implicit information and detail that can be inferred from many of these aesthetic differences are a fantastic way to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the epic tale that the franchise tells.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
