Although size is not everything when it comes to maps, developers need to offer good content to supplement the size of a map. Otherwise, players feel like they are wondering a large void instead of a fun video game.
Rockstar is among one of the publishers who create games that are massive and filled with good content like Read Dead Redemption 2. That being said, many forget that Bethesda paved the way for large open world RPG titles and in many ways provided the blue print that is still being used by other developers to this day. Skyrim turned out to be one of the more perfect titles Bethesda released when it comes to map size and overall content, so here are the major differences between Skyrim and Read Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) when it comes to map size and overall map content.
RDR2 is almost twice the size of Skyrim with about 29 square miles of land compared to Skyrim's 14.3 square miles. Some discrepancies should be made however when comparing these games. First off, Skyrim was released almost ten full years before RDR2, which means little when it comes to map size, but it does when comparing the overall quality of the games. Secondly, Skyrim feels larger than it is compared to other games because of the effort players have to put into moving across the map. Interestingly, this is the same if not more so for RDR2. It takes a little over 2 hours to walk across the Skyrim map while it takes about two hours to walk across one territory in Read Dead Redemption.
Once players have unlocked enough locations, they can essentially fast travel all over the map in Skyrim. The fast travel system in RDR2 is a little more complicated. Once unlocked players can fast travel from their wagon but this isn't until later in the game. Before this, players must use their horse, a stagecoach, or a train to travel around the vast RDR2 map. This applies the same effect the Skyrim map does to players when they first try the game but to a whole new scale. Not only is the map larger than Skyrim's but RDR2's map seems to be harder to traverse than Skyrim's, making it feel even more realistic when players travel.
Clearly RDR2 is much larger than Skyrim's map but is the content there? Skyrim has a total of 343 locations to fast travel to while RDR2 only has 12 main cities and towns and 6 major territories. As far as quests go, Skyrim has a total of 273 quests while RDR2 only has 109.
Technically speaking, Skyrim offers players almost twice the amount of content in half the amount of space that RDR2 does. This in turn can make some players feel like Skyrim is bigger than it realistically is compared to some more realistic feeling games like RDR2.
This being said, RDR2 is newer, and therefore has not had as many DLCs as Skyrim and also offers different content to the map like the multiplayer mode in RDR2. RDR2 has done extremely well offering players a lot of good content with the size of map it does.While there are times players may feel like they need to seek out quests or may feel a little bored with the vast landscapes, this adds to the realistic feel of RDR2 and is a big part of the game.
Finally, one thing RDR2 beats Skyrim in without question is the quality of graphics in the landscapes. While both games feel vast, offer breath taking views from tall mountains and inspire wonder in those who decide to enjoy their amazing scenery, RDR2 was made after Skyrim and used a different engine. It is no surprise that RDR2 graphics have better quality when it comes to their realistic scenery. Unfortunately, players will never see a dragon flying out from behind a mountain in RDR2; that players have to go to Skyrim for.
To summarize, RDR2 has a map twice the size of Skyrim's but does not include as much content. Skyrim is easier to travel around than RDR2, but RDR2 has much better graphics. Players that enjoy true freedom and endless content should play Skyrim while those who enjoy realistic gameplay, peak graphics and challenging travel should go for RDR2. However, players need to enjoy both maps before deciding for themselves which one is better for their playing style. With all this information in mind, it would be hard to ever argue that Skyrim's map is anywhere close to how large RDR2's is.
Skyrim is available now.