In Red Dead Redemption 2, Valentine will be the first populated town players come across. Some people might try to rush through the town, but exploring it a bit could reveal unexpected results. Special encounters can be found in Valentine, as well as unique hats. There might even be Easter eggs for players to find in the area.
While some surprises in the town can be found right away, others require players to progress through the story. Being a small western town, there are bound to be secrets the locals are hiding as well. It is up to the player to go out and discover them.
Updated on November 13th, 2021 By Gregory Louis Gomez: Red Dead Redemption 2 is such an all-encompassing game that players can spend hours in each of its various towns and locations. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive experience that immerses players in its time period, settings, and characters. Speeding through the campaign will only result in plenty of the game's finer details being glossed over, and that holds true for the town of Valentine. There are so many things to do, learn, buy and sell in RDR2's Valentine that a few more entries have been added to this article in order to illustrate this point.
This article contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2.
13 Can Get Raccoon Hat Here
Players who enter Smithfield's Saloon between 12 PM and 6 AM can find a man in the back corner. He will be sitting alone and ranting about his past experiences. On his head is a raccoon hat, something the player can take for themselves. All the player needs to do is knock him down in a fight and pick the hat up.
The raccoon hat will be saved in the wardrobe, meaning it cannot be lost. Just be warned – wearing the raccoon hat near the man in other encounters will cause him to instantly attack.
12 Unique Rock Found Nearby
Between Valentine and Emerald Ranch, players can find a rock near the trail. It will have names carved into it, with some of the names being familiar characters. This is the point of interest called Register Rock. It can be interacted with and drawn in the player's journal.
Looking closely at the rock, a few famous names can be seen. The gunslingers Frank Heck and Otis Miller have carved their names on the rock. The location is a reference to a real location where settlers would carve their name on a rock.
11 Church Seen In GTA Online
In GTA Online, the Cayo Perico Heist makes multiple references to Red Dead 2. The main antagonist's family is revealed to be the German family Arthur rescues, having photos in his compound of them. Included in the photos are familiar places around Red Dead's world.
One picture players can steal during the heist is a photo of Valentine's church. It is unexpected to see the location in a GTA game, but a nice surprise. Maybe the two games are more connected than players think.
10 The Curse of Valentine
If players do a little digging they can uncover a minor mystery surrounding the town of Valentine. The player can read a news article entitled "The Curse of Valentine: A Haunting Spectacle” found in the New Hanover Gazette, in which they will learn certain details about the supposed Curse of Valentine.
They will learn of the butchered Native American family associated with the curse as well as the startling reports from around town that allegedly relate to it. Though the curse doesn't have much influence on the main story per se, it has been speculated that this news piece is foreshadowing certain events.
9 Sheriff Might Have Killed Woman
The sheriff of Valentine is having a secret affair that players can learn about. He already has a wife but has taken a lover in the form of Moira Calthorpe. Players can enter the sheriff's office while the two are together, making the sheriff explain that 'absolutely nothing' was going on.
Later, the two lovers can be heard fighting if the player goes to the office's second floor. Moira demands the relationship to end, with a strangling sound heard right after. Moira is not seen in the town again, with the sheriff getting away with his murder.
8 Serial Killer Found Nearby
As the player explores the world, they will come across three murder scenes. At these locations, maps can be found that lead to an abandoned cabin outside of Valentine. The killer, named Edmund Lowry, can be found here. He will ambush the player and attempt to kill them.
Edmund must be fought and brought to the sheriff's office. At the office, Edmund will pretend to surrender and then attack the sheriff. If the player intervenes, they will get $20. If not, the sheriff will become angry and refuse to pay.
7 Graves Can Be Robbed
In Red Dead Online, if the player has the collector role, a man can be seen digging up a grave. The man will ask the player to help them out. A shovel is required for this, but helping out will give the player a collectible for their trouble. Just be warned, the law enforcement will discover what is going on and chase the player.
Assuming the player gets away, they will have another item in one of the many collectibles. These can be sold to Madam Nazar for a decent price.
6 Free Stuff at the Gun Store
While traveling out in the wild near Valentine, the player is liable to come across all sorts of random NPCs. One of which can result in the player receiving a reward in the form of a free purchase of their choice at the gun store in town. The player can run into a man panicking from having been bitten by a snake.
If the player has a health elixir, they can give it to him and save his life. In exchange, he will offer to pay for any item the player chooses at the Valentine gun store, after a few days wait of course.
5 Doctor's Office Has Secret In Back
The doctor of Valentine has a secret he keeps from the others. He is affiliated with the O'Driscoll gang, running a protection business in his back rooms. This is not the doctor's choice, as he is being threatened to allow this. Players can rob the protection business after receiving a tip about it.
The O'Driscoll members will be at a table, requiring players to kill them. Afterward, the money on the table can be taken. The only thing the player then has to worry about is outrunning the law enforcement.
4 Arthur's Hat Found In General Store
When players first get to Valentine in the story, they will go into the general store. On a hat rack, players will see something surprising. Two versions of Arthur's hat can be found – with the rope too. It would seem his hat is not as unique as he might want people to think.
Neither hat can be interacted with since they are being used as decoration for the store. It is not unusual to reuse items, maybe Rockstar thought players would not notice the iconic hats.
3 Mary-Beth Found Here In Epilogue
Mary-Beth is a member of the Van Der Linde gang, even planning the heist on Valentine's bank. After the gang falls apart, some players might wonder what happened to the former members. To find out about Mary-Beth, players should head to the train station in Valentine.
In the epilogue chapters, John will learn that Mary-Beth has become an author. Mary-Beth is using the pen name Leslie Dupont and wrote the book The Lady of the Manor. It is also revealed Mary-Beth and Tilly are still in contact with each other, visiting each other at times.
2 The Civil War Veteran is a Fraud
Players will instantly recognize the rather loveable if not a little odd Civil War "veteran," Mickey, who hangs out in Valentine. He is desperate for money and human interaction. Mickey is a very lonely, homeless man, but the player can spare a few moments and converse with him. They can also give him some money, which he will be very appreciative of.
Though Mickey repeatedly claims that he fought in the Civil War when asking for money, he will later reveal to the player that he never actually served in the military upon hearing that Arthur is dying of Tuberculosis
1 Angry Widow Can Be Found In Town
A very rare encounter can happen while the player is at Valentine. A widow will walk up to the player, accusing them of murdering her husband. It is not that unlikely, given how much the protagonist kills in the story. The widow will fall at the player's feet and start to cry.
Anyone feeling sorry for her can offer $2, which the widow will refuse. She will continue to cry, with the player's only option being to leave. The encounter adds some realism to the player's actions, showing the killings do have consequences.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia.
