Red Dead is the last franchise one would expect to find mythical creatures. Even compared to Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar's ode to the Old West is known for its realistic depiction of the time period. Of course, the Red Dead franchise just wouldn't be a Rockstar franchise without the developers hiding more than just a few weird easter eggs and secrets for fans to discover in their massive open worlds.
In the first Red Dead Redemption game, mythical creatures could only be found if the player downloaded specific DLCs, specifically Undead Nightmare. In Red Dead Redemption 2, however, mythical creatures are found in the basic open world. There may be an abundance of real-world wildlife teaming within the environment, but those looking in the right places just might stumble upon creatures that are out of this world.
Updated on September 18, 2023, by Jason Van Duine: Don't be fooled by Red Dead Redemption's historical roots. When Rockstar makes a new game, there are sure to be new, strange secrets to be found. While some secrets are mundane, others are otherworldly and supernatural. Out-of-place for a Western, but right at home for Rockstar. With a world as huge as Red Dead Redemption, it can be easy for players to completely miss some or even all of these mythical elements. That's why it can be important for players to know exactly where to look so they don't miss out on all the weird things that the Red Dead games have to offer.
Jackalope
Introduced in the Hunting and Trading Outfits DLC, the jackalope can be discovered in the original Red Dead Redemption. Jackalopes are similar to rabbits, only that they also feature large dear-like horns. Since they are similar to rabbits, jackalopes will spawn anywhere in the game where rabbits spawn.
Where to Find the Jackalope
For players replaying the game from the beginning, they may even show up in the early mission "New Friends, Old Problems". They can also usually be found at Pleasance House. Killing a jackalope unlocks the Expert Hunter outfit for the player. They run faster than normal rabbits, however, so killing them may be a bit more difficult than players will expect.
Four Horses Of The Apocalypse
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With the Undead Nightmare DLC, players could now traverse the Wild West amidst a raging zombie apocalypse. While zombies are the star of the show (and the easiest to find), the DLC actually includes several fantastical animals. One, or four, of the most notable, would be the four horses of the apocalypse, each of which the player can tame and ride.
Where to Find the Four Horses of the Apocalypse: War
The first, War, can be found in New Austin. War usually spawns near Gaptooth Ridge, as well as near Armadillo, Fort Mercer, and MacFarlane's Ranch. By taming War, players will find that it has infinite stamina and will also ignite any undead it touches.
Where to Find the Four Horses of the Apocalypse: Famine
The second horse, Famine, tends to spawn whenever the player first enters Mexico. Being pretty easy to find, Famine is the fastest horse in the game.
Where to Find the Four Horses of the Apocalypse: Pestilence
The third horse, Pestilence, can be found in West Elizabeth, usually in Tall Trees or near Broken Tree. Pestilence can take more damage than any other horse in the game, has infinite stamina, and briefly stuns the undead.
Where to Find the Four Horses of the Apocalypse: Death
For the last horse, Death, players will be required to have tamed the previous three horses. It spawns randomly in one of the previous locations or can be unlocked by completing the main story.
Sasquatch
The famous Bigfoot is also featured in the world of Undead Nightmare. It's featured in one of the most memorable side quests Rockstar has ever put together, which was even referenced in a bonus mission of Grand Theft Auto 5. While the side quest most prominently features the creatures, they can also be found roaming the wild
Where to Find Bigfoot
The side quest in question is "Birth of the Conservation Movement", in which John is tasked with wiping out the Sasquatches, assumed to be a menace. It's only upon confronting the final Sasquatch that John discovers that they're actually peaceful animals. Sasquatch can be found in Tall Trees, and are generally peaceful and run away if provoked.
Chupacabra
The legendary Chupacabra, which translates to "goat sucker", is a mysterious creature from Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the southern United States. Along with many other animals, it, too, makes its way into the world of Red Dead Redemption through the Undead Nightmare DLC.
Where to Find the Chupacabra
The creature can be found primarily in Mexico and generally acts hostile towards the player. It can't be found until the player completes rank 4 of the Undead Hunter challenges. From that point forward, the Chupacabra spawns randomly throughout the Mexico portion of the map. Killing it is necessary to complete various objectives, including the last Undead Hunter challenge, as well as being the only way to unlock the Unicorn.
Unicorn
Undead Nightmare might feature four deadly new horses, but for players looking for a peaceful alternative, the Unicorn is their safest bet. The Unicorn, found in Undead Nightmare, is another tamable horse for the player. After completing all the Undead Hunter challenges, killing the Chupacabra, and taming all four horses of the apocalypse, the Unicorn will be unlocked.
Where to Find the Unicorn
The Unicorn spawns in Torquemada, though it does not alert the player like any of the apocalyptic horses. Peace and love essentially follow it wherever it goes; it's always surrounded by butterflies and leaves behind a rainbow trail. The Unicorn is still a powerful steed, however. It is nearly invincible, incredibly fast, and has unlimited stamina.
Horned Goat
This eerie entity, fitted with large horns and red glowing eyes, is arguably the most demonic creature to ever enter the Wild West. While horned goats aren't hostile, killing them can be quite the challenge. Shooting at their bodies won't do much, and even the Death horse won't be able to kill them. Defeating the horned goats isn't impossible, however. Using a well-placed headshot or a torch on horseback can kill them. Players shouldn't expect much from their corpses, though, since they cannot be looted.
Where to Find the Horned Goat
Also unique to Undead Nightmare, these horned goats can be found across the game map. They typically spawn either in Mexico or Tall Trees, sometimes in herds.
Vampire
Found in Red Dead Redemption 2, the vampire resides in the large city of Saint Denis. He supposedly has been alive for several centuries. Newspapers claim that he has killed several people in the city, and he has left messages where they died.
Where to Find the Vampire
To unlock the Vampire, the player must find five pieces of writing around the city. They can be found in the alley east of Fontana Theatre, the alley behind the gunsmith, the south-eastern side of the general store, the storage area southwest of the trapper, and the north-eastern corner of a building located south of Doyle's Tavern. At this point, the Vampire can be found in an alley south of the cathedral at midnight. Killing him will give players will get the ornate dagger, 1 stingy meat, and 2 bat wings.
Ghost Train
It seems that even the undead can't wait to get to where they're going. Hidden among the tracks that the trains of Red Dead Redemption 2 run on is a phantom locomotive. This apparition, while impressive, can be difficult to catch. It only appears in one location at a specific time, and it isn't always guaranteed to show itself.
Where to Find the Ghost Train
To find the ghost train, players should travel to the border between Lemoyne and New Hanover, specifically the Old Greenbank Mill. Hang around until around 3 in the morning, and players might catch a glimpse of the ghostly locomotive still making its rounds. If riding a horse, it will get spooked before the train approaches. If at first players don't see it, they shouldn't give up hope and try again the next night.
Agnes Dowd
For players looking for an actual ghost in the Old West, look no further than Agnes Dowd. Another spirit haunting the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is the ghost of a woman who killed her father after he killed her lover. Players careful enough can not only visit her multiple times but eventually speak with her and learn about her tragic past.
Where to Find Agnes Dowd
Dowd's ghost haunts Bluewater Marsh and can be found between 9 PM and 3 AM. She will appear 16 times, though players should be careful as she will disappear if they venture too close. She'll relive the life events that led to her death every night, though the order will vary with each encounter. In the final encounter, she'll actually speak to the player, in which she'll lead them to the tree where she unfortunately hanged herself.
Giant
Most encounters with mythical beings in Red Dead Redemption 2 are eerie and mysterious. This one, however, is just odd. This peculiar encounter is that of the giant. The giant can only be discovered, however, if the player has studied at least 30 different animals.
Where to Find the Giant
In Ambarino near Fairvale Shanty, the player can encounter a supposed giant man hidden in a cave. Unlike the other creatures, the player never actually sees the giant, since he's obscured by a boulder at the entrance to the cave. However, the player can talk to the giant, who will talk about how lonely he is. Cut audio files will reveal that he had recently escaped from a circus.
Robot
Being in a realistic, historical setting, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the last games players might expect to find a mechanical robot. That being said, it is possible to find some artificial intelligence in the world of the Old West. The robot can be found as part of the side quest "A Bright Bouncy Boy", which only becomes available at the beginning of Chapter 4.
How to Find the Robot
Players first can find the scientist Marko Dragic at the pond in Saint Denis, where the player can help him show off his new remote-controlled boat to some investors. Later on, players can visit him in the middle of the night at the northeastern corner of the map to help him with an electrical experiment. If players visit him a few days later, they will find him dead surrounded by a pool of blood. A note will lead the player to The Grizzlies on top of a snowy mountain, where they can find Dragic's robot.
UFO
UFOs are practically a staple of Rockstar games at this point, and Red Dead Redemption 2 is no different. While a historical Western might be the last place anybody would expect a science-fiction element to pop up, a UFO can still be found in the Old West.
Where to Find the UFO
For Arthur to experience the close encounter, he'll have to find a cabin overlooking a lake north of Emerald Ranch. Inside, players can find a note with instructions to find the aliens, which reads "second hour under half moon". Returning to the cabin at 2 AM when there's a half-moon will make the UFO spawn above the forests of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Red Dead Redemption is available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Stadia.