Highlights

  • Red Dead Redemption 2's Van Der Linde Gang captures the essence of the Wild West, with complex characters and compelling narratives.
  • Characters like Arthur, Dutch, and Hosea stand out as key figures in the gang, each playing a significant role in the game's story.
  • While some gang members are memorable and likable, others fall short, contributing to the dynamic and diverse ensemble cast of RDR2.

When it comes to ensemble casts in gaming, it's hard to beat Red Dead Redemption 2's Van Der Linde Gang. Helmed by the charismatic rogue-turned-villain Dutch Van Der Linde, the outlaw crew is a powerful and meaningful representation of the fabled Wild West setting. The narrative of Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of friendship, duty, honor, betrayal, and disillusionment, and it is inextricable from the rich and diverse tapestry that is the Van Der Linde Gang.

For years, Red Dead Redemption players were left to wonder about the glory days of the Van Der Linde Gang, as the organization plays a significant role in the first game. In Red Dead Redemption 2, a more complete and intriguing picture of the gang is formed, with the game digging deep into each individual member, presenting them as complex and believable people. At the same time, not all gang members are equally memorable, interesting, likable, or critical to the overall story of the game.

While the following tier list takes likability into account, other criteria, such as overall narrative significance, usefulness in the camp, depth, and memorability will also be considered; the list isn't intended to rank Red Dead Redemption 2 characters by charm or moral fiber alone.

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S Tier

Arthur Morgan

It would be impossible to fully capture what makes Arthur Morgan such a great character with any sort of brevity, but suffice it to say that the hero of Red Dead Redemption 2 will likely go down as one of the best video game protagonists of all time. Arthur, brought to life by Roger Clarke's incredible and nuanced performance, is not a good man, but his raw humanity, surprising sensitivity, and complex inner struggles are what make him far more than just a brutal or amoral criminal. Arthur Morgan is not only the best Red Dead Redemption 2 character, but quite possibly the best character ever penned by Rockstar's writers, which is saying something.

Dutch Van Der Linde

The patriarch of the Van Der Linde Gang, Dutch is something of a secondary protagonist in Red Dead Redemption 2. Like Arthur, he's somewhat ethically compromised, choosing to look at the world through a morally flexible lens while leveraging his intelligence and unparalleled charisma to achieve questionable ends. Dutch does become an antagonist throughout the game, but he isn't psychopathic or outright evil. Rather, he is a man whose talents can cause great destruction if not reeled in and channeled properly, making him easily susceptible to not only outside forces, but his own whims and psychic frailties.

Hosea Matthews

One of Red Dead Redemption 2's rare cooler heads, Hosea serves as something of an angel on Dutch's shoulder, steering him in the right direction and keeping his wrathful and rash tendencies at bay. He manages to do this with a gentle, practiced hand, making the soft-spoken character one of the most crucial, respectable, and impressive characters in the game. The importance of his role in the story is underscored after his death, which can be seen as the final turning point for Dutch's descent into madness and cruelty.

A Tier

John Marston

After the first Red Dead Redemption, it was hard to imagine another character leading the franchise; John is a complex character who is hard to dislike. Arthur may steal his thunder a bit in RDR2, but John is still a great character in the prequel, where he is portrayed as a less mature man, on the verge of being transformed by a series of emotionally ravaging and stressful events.

Javier Escuela

The Javier players meet in Red Dead Redemption 2 is strikingly different from the one they hunt down in the first game. In RDR2, he's perhaps a bit distant or aloof, but he is ultimately a decent man, showing loyalty and respect for the gang. He's downright likable and trustworthy, which is majorly incongruent with his characterization in RDR. This inconsistency makes Javier representative of the Van Der Linde Gang as a whole, as he epitomizes the corruption and degradation of the outlaw crew.

Micah Bell

Micah Bell has drawn the ire of many RDR2 players, but this is by design. Rockstar set out to present a detestable and irredeemable character in Micah, and the studio undoubtedly succeeded at this. The ever-present devil on Dutch's shoulder, Micah is the embodiment of selfishness and corruption, and an antagonist that no Red Dead Redemption 2 fan will soon forget. As for usefulness, Micah is proven to be a skilled and resourceful asset, though this is undermined by his ultimate betrayal.

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Charles Smith

Noble, brave, and loyal, Charles is one of the few Van Der Linde Gang members who may be viewed as honorable. As the son of a black man and a Native American woman, Charles has a unique outlook on the outlaw lifestyle and America as a whole. He's a relentlessly competent survivor, a good friend, and arguably far too good for the Van Der Linde Gang.

Sadie Adler

A fan-favorite pick for the hero of Red Dead Redemption 3, Sadie Adler is one of the brightest stars of RDR2. Her transformation from helpless victim to ruthless, almost sadistic outlaw is grotesquely satisfying, and her chaotic, devil-may-care attitude helps her stand out amidst the Western genre's sea of stoic, macho heroes.

B Tier

Sean McGuire

Scrappy, friendly Sean is in a bit over his head with the Van Der Linde Gang. He's young, boyishly charming, funny, and likable—all traits that make his sudden death all the more shocking and tragic.

Lenny Summers

Although he's the star of one of the funniest Red Dead Redemption 2 missions, Lenny is also a source of great heartbreak for many players. Another youngster in the gang, Lenny is something of a younger brother to Arthur, who regards him with great fondness and is subtly devastated by his premature demise.

Karen Jones

Karen Jones is an indefatigable firecracker, always looking to start trouble and exemplifying the exuberance of the gang's more youthful members. She's not particularly influential in the story, but she is certainly charming, playing a memorable role in some of the game's more low-stakes missions and serving as one of the gang's most vibrant, beating hearts.

Abigail Roberts

Abigail and John's love story is a rare bright spot in RDR2's often bleak narrative, and the game does a great job of showing a side of her that wasn't quite apparent in the first game, when she is already waist-deep in domestic life.

Tilly Jackson

Another youngster whom Arthur has a sweet spot for, Tilly is kind, dependable, and wise in spite of her rather tragic backstory. She often shows her resilience and depth of will, making her a good addition to the gang.

Mary-Beth Gaskill

Clever thief and aspiring writer Mary-Beth is a smart and kindhearted character. She serves as one of just a few gang members with whom Arthur opens up, divulging details about his TB diagnosis, family life, and troubled past.

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C Tier

Bill Williamson

Unlike Javier Escuela, Bill Williamson isn't all that different in Red Dead Redemption 2 compared to the first game. He mostly serves as a dull-minded, somewhat mean-spirited lackey of Dutch.

Susan Grimshaw

Though she is reliable and invaluable as a camp administrator, players ultimately don't get to learn much about Ms. Grimshaw, aside from her brief relationship with Dutch in the distant past.

Uncle

Uncle is Red Dead Redemption's infamous freeloader, often seen as lazy and unwilling to put in any real effort. While this is mostly true in RDR2, the prequel shows that he does have some redeeming qualities, with John praising his surprising helpfulness in building his ranch house in the epilogue.

Leopold Strauss

It's hard to blame Strauss exclusively for his loan shark operations, as this is explicitly and implicitly endorsed by the gang at large, but while characters like Arthur are moved to some degree of guilt over situations like the Downes' debt, Strauss is calloused and predatory, seemingly unbothered by his unethical practices.

Josiah Trelawny

Trelawny is an enigmatic, charismatic con artist who helps the gang in many key ways, but he winds up not doing too much in the grand scheme of the narrative, dipping in and out of the story at many points and ultimately bowing out of the plot without much fanfare.

Reverend Swanson

Much like Trelawny, Swanson has an interesting backstory and personality but doesn't really impact the narrative; he is somewhat memorable, and certainly not offensive, but he is more like set dressing for most of the game.

Kieran Duffy

Kieran has a unique introduction to the story and an even more memorable exit from it, but he doesn't do too much during the interim, making him one of the game's more forgettable characters.

D Tier

Molly O'Shea

Molly may not be one of RDR2's most evil characters, but she's a strong contender for the gang's biggest freeloader. To make matters worse, she doesn't seem to have any respect for the other gang members, refusing to engage or even acknowledge most of them, despite the fact that they are essentially supporting her lifestyle.

Simon Pearson

As the camp's cook, Pearson is markedly more helpful than Molly, but he undermines his usefulness through incessant complaining and bitterness, often criticizing others while refusing to do more than the bare minimum or offer constructive solutions, making him one of the more unlikeable and ultimately inconsequential characters of Red Dead Redemption 2.