Red Dead Redemption 2 remains the gift that keeps on giving. Despite having been released almost three years ago, players continually find new overlooked details in-game. Just recently, a Red Dead Redemption 2 player discovered that Arthur's behavior changes in an appropriate way while traveling through the swamp.
Within Red Dead Redemption 2, the term "swamp" loosely describes the regions of Bayou Nwa and Bluewater Marsh, north of the city of Saint Denis. Not only are the swamps home to some of the most dangerous animals in the game, including panthers and the legendary Bull Gator, but they are often cited by fans as the creepiest place on the entire map due to their more horror movie-like encounters.
It appears that the developers were acutely aware of the disturbing atmosphere they built in the swamps because Arthur keeps his head on a swivel while passing through the area at night. It's a subtle detail that can be easily missed—as players will likely be looking around themselves—but Arthur unmistakably takes on a more paranoid demeanor, looking over his shoulder constantly. It's impossible to blame him, though, since one of the many encounters to be had in the swamps at night is one with the drowned ghost of Agnes Dowd.
If you’re in the swamp at night you can see that your character looks around because they are paranoid. from reddeadredemption
While panthers, gigantic alligators, and drowned ghosts would already be enough to shake even the most foolhardy traveler, the swamps are also home to the infamous Night Folk. The Night Folk are essentially a wandering band of murderers that camouflage themselves in white paint and dirt in an effort to prey on unsuspecting victims. While traveling through Bayou Nwa and Bluewater Marsh at night, players can find evidence of the Night Folk's sadistic behavior in the form of hanging men, victims brutally mutilated and tied to trees, and various cryptic symbols that are scattered throughout the swamps. Needless to say, the Night Folk are among the most avoided encounters in all of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Despite their bone-chilling reputation, the Bayou Nwa and Bluewater Marsh consistently rank among players' favorite areas in Red Dead Redemption 2. They're also completely necessary to visit in order to complete some of the many hunting challenges in the game. Still, if players are prone to paranoia like Arthur, it's best to avoid the swamps at night, as passing through the area in broad daylight will mitigate the odds of encountering some of the more disturbing scenarios in the game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is now available on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.