Revisiting Red Dead Redemption on the Nintendo Switch 2 has been the perfect opportunity to reminisce on everything it does so well. Its open world is barren yet fascinating and rewarding to explore. It has a memorable central cast of rogues and freaks typical of a Rockstar game. John Marston is as captivating as ever, especially after playing the 2018 prequel. Red Dead holds up remarkably well even 15 years later, and remains a benchmark for Rockstar’s ascension to the top of the industry.
But what stands out to me the most on this most recent playthrough is how well-written and sincere Red Dead Redemption is, especially compared to the developer’s other big blockbuster franchise. And less than a year away from Grand Theft Auto 6, replaying Red Dead has me hopeful that Rockstar will look to its masterpiece from 2010 instead of the franchise’s uneven history.
