It's hard to believe any single player game has lasting appeal nearing almost two years after its release. For the hardcore fans of the wild west epic Red Dead Redemption 2, it's a reality though. Every Rockstar Games title is known for its Easter eggs, references, and subtle quirks left within its game worlds. Much of this began with Grand Theft Auto, but that tradition bled into Red Dead Redemption as well despite the difference in tone or setting. Red Dead Redemption 2 in particular, this far away from its initial release date, continues to surprise fans with every little hidden detail scattered throughout the game.
Myths and legends that spread from New Hanover to New Austin have continued to captivate and encourage players in the devoted community. Countless mysteries have been solved, some still left up in the air, and maybe even some that haven't been discovered yet. Somehow Red Dead Redemption 2 continues to have a completely new detail or story discovered around every corner.
Red Dead Redemption 2's Attention To Detail
It all starts with the little things. Fans knew even before the game came out that Red Dead Redemption 2 would be a game filled to the brim with insane attention to detail, but just how much of that turned out to be true is incredibly surprising. Leading up to the release back in 2018, much of the game's marketing was centered on how Rockstar Games intended to fully immerse players in this wild west world. Whether it's Arthur's poor personal hygiene disgusting others, predators and prey in the animal kingdom hunting each other to extremes that happen in real life, conversations being interrupted and resuming from logical starting points, or perhaps male horse parts shrinking in cold weather, Red Dead Redemption 2 is full of little details and secrets throughout the in-game world.
Given that Red Dead Redemption 2 was in development for at least eight years, it makes sense considering how much development budget and manpower was put into the game. Dan Houser once explained that the character animations, dialogue lines, a programming code of nightmares, and a script longer than most novels all came together to make this happen some way or another. Of course, Take Two Interactive and Rockstar have never cited an official development cost for the game, and likely never will considering both of the companies' tight-lipped nature.
Cost aside, these details do paint a picture of how much quality control and care was put into developing the game. The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 does everything in its power to engross the player within its world.
Myths and Creatures
And what a world players can get engrossed in. While Red Dead Redemption 2 tells a truly compelling story of outlaws and retribution, the in-game world holds many myths and legends within it as well. Venturing outside of the confines of the main narrative rewards players with subtle hints at various rumors and old wives' tales throughout every part of Red Dead Redemption 2's world. These could be as simple as discovering old treasure maps to get valuable loot, or as complex as hunting and finding seemingly supernatural creatures. Players have discovered tons of monsters like Cave Trolls, a vampire, some kind of mutant bear-pig, aliens, and all sorts of evil creations.
These particular examples just encompass the more direct stories players can encounter when exploring the game's world. Plenty of other landmarks and hidden areas around the map have more subtle stories to tell. Other tales have more require more legwork and to find the whole truth about what happened. Stories like the ghost of Agnes Dowd who lurks within the Lemoyne swamp, lamenting her loss of innocence and her life over the course of 16 in-game days. Or the story of Miriam Wegner from Emerald Ranch, and what happened to the saloon that is now boarded up and closed due to a horrible incident. Both of these tales are told through letters, locations, and other things spread across the in-game world that make no sense on their own, and these tales are just some examples of the Red Dead Redemption 2 world being so alive.
Unsolved Mysteries
Of course, it wouldn't be a Rockstar game without having its fair share of mysteries yet to be solved. Even in 2020, approaching two years after the console release of Red Dead Redemption 2, there are still many confounding items and locations whose stories are yet to be uncovered. Many of these mysteries have spawned from NPC conversations or even dumb luck discovery by players looking for answers. Mysteries like the third meteorite in Red Dead Redemption 2 continue to stir investigators to this day, despite having no hard leads to go on about its location. The story of Limpany, a small western town burned to the ground with seemingly no information as to why other than a few oil barrels, still doesn't have a concrete answer as to what happened.
That being said, there's still plenty of time for fans to investigate the unknown in Red Dead Redemption 2. Whether it's a long-running and enigmatic tale, or a completely new mystery no player has discovered, Red Dead Redemption 2 lives on as a game filled with stories yet to be told. Only the most devoted will be capable of uncovering the answers to the many questions the game still poses.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.