Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most critically-acclaimed open world games released to date. Critics have given particular praise to the sheer attention to detail that Rockstar Games has applied to Red Dead Redemption 2's vast open world and the many complicated gameplay features that are at work. But like with every video game, there are things that were meant for Red Dead Redemption 2 that ultimately wound up on the cutting room floor, and some early concept art may give fans an idea of one such feature.

Reddit user Glass-Refrigerator12 recently shared some early Red Dead Redemption 2 concept art that was made by former Rockstar Games artist Daren Bader. The art appears to depict one of Red Dead Redemption 2's swampy areas, with characters traversing the waters on horseback. In the image, an alligator pops up from the water and seems to clamp down on a horse's leg, implying that alligators were once meant to be far deadlier in the game.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 alligators are still dangerous creatures whenever players are unlucky enough to run into them, but they don't attack horses in the main game. Other Reddit users have commented on the post, suggesting that the feature may have been cut because Rockstar Games didn't want players' horses to die too often. Of course, it's also possible that there were never any plans to allow alligators to attack horses in Red Dead Redemption 2 and that this concept art is representative of any features that were actually in the works for the game.

While alligators don't really attack horses in Red Dead Redemption 2, horses still have a reaction to them. If Red Dead Redemption 2 players happen upon an alligator while on horseback, it will often scare the horse. Some Red Dead Redemption 2 horses may even buck Arthur Morgan off their back if they get too close to an alligator, and so it's best to avoid them while out riding around on a horse.

It's best for Red Dead Redemption 2 players to avoid alligator confrontations on horseback, but the beasts are great to hunt. Hunting alligators in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a worthwhile endeavor because they get players Big Game Meat, one of the most valuable healing items in the game. Eating Big Game Meat with the right spices will allow players to keep Arthur's Health, Stamina, and Dead Eye cores at max capacity, which makes it significantly easier to complete the game's more challenging missions.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.

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