Red Dead Redemption 3 is likely years away as Rockstar Games gears up for its official announcement of a different AAA game it's working on. Grand Theft Auto 6 will probably be the biggest event of its respective release year, and players will certainly flock to it in the millions, as the series has always provided dozens of hours of player-created amusement. The former series is more subdued, however, and puts storytelling and character development closer to the forefront to make it differ from the company's usual outings.
Few people know what kind of direction Red Dead Redemption 3 will go, but the fabric of the series rests in the wild west during its twilight years as outlaw culture shrinks and society becomes more civil. Red Dead Redemption tackles some compelling historical themes, but putting players in the boots of a character who is dealing with a hostile cultural takeover could be a fresh new change. That inspiration should come from one of PlayStation's newest and most compelling protagonists, Ghost of Tsushima's Jin Sakai.
Jin Sakai is Pushing Back Against a Foreign Force
Ghost of Tsushima begins with a massacre that places Jin Sakai in a near no-win scenario. He's one of the few samurai left on Tsushima, and flirting with abandoning his moral code to rid the island of the Mongols makes for a great narrative wrinkle. He's compromised because of an unwanted foreign force, which gives players an overbearing threat to overcome on a gameplay level, while allowing the story and environmental exploration to feel constructive. Every Mongol outpost conquered feels like a small step to restoring the island to its best and ridding it of its unwanted guests.
It's a clever way to not only make the experience feel productive and progressive throughout, but add layers to Jin Sakai's character, also. Players shepherd him through hostile situations and go with him along a journey that feels far too tough to actually achieve, so when hours have passed in the story, it's easy to be impressed by his bravery and competence. He's the one to fight against something big, whereas the Van Der Linde Gang in Red Dead Redemption rarely do anything to further a morally righteous cause.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Could Turn the Tide
The protagonists of both Red Dead Redemption games are in a similar position to one another in the wider world, and the third game could be in the best spot to change that. They are both part of the same group, so while Arthur Morgan and John Marston are different in personality, they each see the setting through similar eyes. For Red Dead Redemption 3 to change that by putting the player in the perspective of someone of a different background could be a subtle way to differentiate it from the first two. Interactions with Eagle Flies and Rains Fall are fascinating because it's Arthur's people who are comparable to Ghost of Tsushima's Mongols in this situation.
Red Dead Redemption has used themes of the dying American west before, and it could build something new with that same idea intact. Positioning the protagonist as a person in a community or group being encroached upon would do well to push a narrative forward and assist with character development. Be it as a Native American or as an outlaw but emphasizing the advancement of modern society pushing out the lifestyle, Red Dead Redemption 3 taking cues from Ghost of Tsushima's protagonist journey could make the next game's story something special.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.