Every so often there comes a game that sets the new standard in its genre. From Final Fantasy 7 for JRPG's to Street Fighter 2 for fighting games, the medium often needs new innovations to push it forward. Red Dead Redemption 2 belongs among the greats, as it gave players a gorgeous, expansive open world and a spectacular, gut-wrenching story that lingers on the minds of players long after it concludes. Rockstar's most recent single player experience redefined what it means to provide a quality story in an open-world setting, and the amount of detail crammed into every nook and cranny means it never dips below being a visual marvel.
Arthur Morgan's journey takes him from the Bayous of Lemoyne to the cold, grizzly heights of Ambarino. The map is huge, and each area brings something great to the story, presentation, or tone. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring place in the territory is Saint Denis, a fictional recreation of real-world New Orleans, Louisiana. Arthur stumbles across its cobbled streets in Chapter 4 of Red Dead Redemption 2's main campaign, and while it offers a stark contrast to what he's traversed beforehand, it has more than enough capability to carry its own shorter, more focused story.
Saint Denis' Tone has Endless Potential
Whereas Arthur spends a lot of his time journeying through the rolling hills of The Heartlands and the somewhat modern, industrialized West Elizabeth, his story soon leads him to the smoky skies of a big city. Located in the southeast corner of the game's beautiful map, Saint Denis is the first glimpse of a civilization that doesn't feel like it was haphazardly thrown together in a few short months. The streets are clearly laid out, the buildings are towering, and the people have an air of sophistication that the wayfaring strangers in other settlements across New Hannover don't have.
Being in Saint Denis makes Arthur, an outlaw who rides the range from dawn until dusk, feel like a fish out of water, which is one of the reasons it's so intriguing. It's the same philosophy that BioShock uses, as Jack isn't from Rapture and is learning about the city as the player is. The lack of an open-ended structure means that more emphasis can be placed on the story rather than just exploration. That narrative wrinkle could be explored further in a smaller, story-focused experience, complimenting the vastness of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Red Dead Redemption 2's World is Vast and Unfocused
Red Dead Redemption 2 is significantly larger than its predecessor, and for the most part, it uses the size well. Hunting for legendary animals, taking on bounties, and enjoying a civil game of poker with locals can be as enjoyable as seeing the story of the Van Der Linde Gang unfold. However, what it has in scope it loses in its focus. Presenting many different terrains and landscapes is an impressive achievement, but the map in Red Dead Redemption 2 adheres to a 'Jack of all trades' philosophy. No particular area - save for Saint Denis - feels truly iconic like the Skellige Isles in The Witcher 3 or Gerudo Valley in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
A story set entirely in Saint Denis would remedy the issue, with more of a focus on a smaller area allowing for a tighter tale to be told in a more intimate setting. This could make every building seem important, and turning down a side street instead of galloping through endless fields and rock formations would feel more in keeping with Rockstar Games' more linear successes like Max Payne. Saint Denis is a gorgeous city, and its magic is due on large part to just how different it is to the rest of the map. It's the crown jewel of Red Dead Redemption 2's world, but it could be much more.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
