Red Dead Redemption 2 is a feast for the eyes. The five states that players travel between have some jaw-dropping vistas and lived-in frontier towns that draw the player into the world. It should come as no surprise that Red Dead 2 is the most popular game for digital (in-game) photography. Fans have sought out the most picturesque places and posted photos to social media of their favorite in-game locations. Some of that scenery is based on real world locations, like a particular set of falls in Kentucky.
With so much to explore in game, it takes players a while to uncover all the hidden gems tucked into every bit of Red Dead 2. The city of Saint Denis is loaded with charming little details that players might miss if they're just riding through town on a mission. The game rewards a slower pace by revealing to players the level of detail Rockstar went to in making Red Dead 2 feel alive.
One nod to real world geography that most players will miss when they make their way through the game is Red Dead Redemption 2's Cumberland Falls. One fan noticed they are clearly inspired by the real world counterpart of the same name found in Kentucky. The real life Cumberland Falls are the largest falls east of the Rockies, with the exception of Niagara Falls, and are the only known location in the Western Hemisphere to produce moonbows, rainbows produced by moonlight. In Red Dead 2, players can find a treasure chest hidden behind the falls, but sadly there is no similar treasure to be found behind the real Cumberland Falls.
It is quite common for real world locations to inspire game worlds. Square Enix's Yasumi Matsuno took some of his development team to France to absorb the style of the Bordeaux region for Action RPG Vagrant Story, for instance. This certainly isn't the first time Rockstar has used real world locations and integrated them into its games. The Grand Theft Auto franchise has recreated famous landmarks in its games for years, and what better way to make a game connect with the real world and feel alive than to include nods to real locations.
When the game is so photorealistic that news stations are fooled by Red Dead 2 photos, an unwitting anchorperson can be forgiven, because sometimes these might be based on actual locations. The discovery that Cumberland Falls is based on a real world set of falls by the same name is no surprise. There are likely more locations to be found that have real world counterparts, the only question is when.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
Source: Reddit