Despite the 8-year gap between the release ofRed Dead RedemptionandRed Dead Redemption2, there are still plenty of things that the original game actually did better. WhileRed Dead Redemption 2is beloved for its world, characters, story, and pretty much everything, a few elements were left out thatallowedRed Dead Redemptionto succeed.
With many similarities betweenRed Dead RedemptionandRed Dead Redemption 2, why not look into the things that made them different, and more importantly, the things thatRed Dead Redemptionmanaged to do better than its modern sequel, even with its advancements to graphics,gameplay, and story?
8Enemy Reactions to Bullets
Funny Ragdolls and Limb Impacts
As immersive asRed Dead Redemption 2is, it lacks a few elements that the original had. One such element is the enemy reaction system. Enemies inRed Dead Redemption 2will fall down rather fluidly, but shooting weapons from their hands andwatching them limp aroundisn’t as possible as it is inRed Dead Redemption.
For the originalRed Dead Redemption, players were able to shoot weapons repeatedly out of enemy hands, forcing them to run and pick up what they lost. Individual limbs would also matter on what’s been shot, and to make things even better, the ragdoll physics had strong Spaghetti Western vibes over realistic impact.
7Strangers and Creeps
Stranger Missions Are Far Stranger and Bleak
Arthur Morgan meets a colorful cast of side characters across the world ofRed Dead Redemption 2, but while they are strange, they’re not outright creepy. Some of these characters are trying to create mechanical life, or to impress a woman with feats of danger, but there’s nothing to make the skincrawl quite like the strangersinRed Dead Redemption.
From grief-stricken old ladies suffering with dementia, cannibals, and even a Strange Man who seems to know all about John Marston, there’s something so impactful, bleak, and hopeless about thecharacters John Marston meets, leaving a lasting impression that perhaps this is the end of the Old West once and for all.
6Carrying Every Weapon with Ease
There’s No Need for Horse Storage
With such levels of immersion,Red Dead Redemption 2made it essential for players to think about their loadout. After all, it wouldn’t make sense if Arthur Morgan could stashdozens of gunsunderneath his shirt, so players were limited to two revolvers and two rifles for the back and shoulder. This is something thatRed Dead Redemptiondidn’t have to worry about.
ForRed Dead Redemption, players could use the weapon wheel to pull out any weapon that they had purchased without worrying about any space. Sure, it was fun forRed Dead Redemption 2to make players choose loadouts and swap between weapons, but it was nice to just have everything on hand in the Wild West with the original game.
5A Simpler Wanted System
A Bandanna Halts All Criminal Activity
The expansive clothing options ofRed Dead Redemption 2meant that not every Arthur Morgan had to wear his iconic hat and jacket, but that also meant that the wanted system was revamped. Arthur could be spotted in town after committing a crime based on what he was wearing, as he might have already been seen with a certain attire on, thus making a bandanna to hide his face pointless.
Red Dead Redemptiondidn’t use such a complex system, and so long as players wore a bandanna, they wouldn’t geta bounty for John Marston, nor would they incur a loss of honor. To top it off, the law wouldn’t chase John endlessly after they had been killed, and witnesses didn’t travel across counties just to report a petty crime, so whileRed Dead Redemption 2had a more complex wanted system, the original game’s was less frustrating to work with.
4Gambling Games
Liar’s Dice and Other Minigames Provide a Real Winner
Red Dead Redemption 2had quite a few fun minigames to its name, with more of a focus on a detailed poker system than anything else. However, these were games that had already been seen inRed Dead Redemption. Sure, the fishing waselite and immersive, but it’s hard to beat whatRed Dead Redemptionhad with games like Liar’s Dice.
Liar’s Dice was one of the many minigames inRed Dead Redemption, and most certainly its best. Every game could be fun and intense, allowing players to bluff or be tactical with their approach to victory. Outside of Liar’s Dice, there were even Horseshoes, and Arm Wrestling, things that were lacking in the sequel.
3The Vibes of a Spaghetti Western
The Original Doesn’t Shy Away From Spaghetti Western Influence
Red Dead Redemption 2is an immersive staple of the Western genre, providing players with the definitive experience for those seeking out the Old West in virtual form. However, while the riveting detail and immersion of the realistic West is great, there’s something nostalgic and aligning withRed Dead Redemption’s influence from Spaghetti Westerns.
Red Dead Redemptionwasn’t trying to be overly realistic in design and character, and that paved the way for a more movie-like experience, with fun characters, expected visuals, and settings.Red Dead Redemptionbrings fun Spaghetti Western vibes to its design with its choice of music and location, whileRed Dead Redemption 2prefers to keep things calm and realistic.
2Being John Marston
John Marston’s Character and Attention Receive Justice
Red Dead Redemption 2is set in 1899, which is 12 years beforeRed Dead Redemption. The John Marston that players meet as part of the Van der Linde gang is one who acts very young and immature, and he can ask some really stupid questions that make players wonder how he went from a foolish man into a polite and confident gunslinger in just over a decade of mental development and experiences.
Even theJohn Marston seen in the epilogueofRed Dead Redemption 2isn’t all that smart, but once players jump into the originalRed Dead Redemption, they are faced with a Legend of the West. For many, John Marston doesn’t live up to Arthur Morgan, but he doesn’t have to. John’s character in the original game is far more mature and of its time period.
A Separate Zombie Mode Makes Sure the Original Game Never Rots
There are many creepy elements to the open world ofRed Dead Redemption 2, and with literal UFOs, fourth-wall-breaking preachers, and ghosts, there’s one thing completely lacking and that’s zombies.Red Dead Redemption 2lacked any DLC, with a higher focus placed on Red Dead Online as opposed to expanding single-player content, much like the success ofGTA Onlinestopped single-player DLC from appearing inGrand Theft Auto 5.
Luckily,Red Dead Redemptiondidn’t have that focus, and Undead Nightmare crawled from its grave to provide players with a terrifying expansion where the undead walk the earth. Undead Nightmare was incredible, and the lack of an Undead Nightmare 2 hauntsRed Dead Redemption 2, proving yet another stellar reason whyRed Dead Redemptionearns its crown.
