Arthur Morgan’s incredibly captivating story captures the narrative of a man struggling with the decision of following the only life he has ever known; or venturing off onto a path of redemption.
Imagine. You are placed into the perspective of the senior gunslinger Arthur Morgan; you have people who depend on you; who want to kill you; some who even care for you, but ultimately there is no running away from this life. This story is set in the late 1800’s as the Wild West is being tamed, civilized from the miscreants who seek to keep the West wild and ruthless. Arthur Morgan is a compelling hero who sees that his way of life is crumbling around him, as he states “We’re thieves, in a world that don’t want us no more”. Killing. Stealing. Arthur has only ever known the life of crime, but that life has given him the only true family he has ever known. He was born into this vicious life, but the question is what can we do to stop it? Or will it truly be “Outlaws for life”…
Regardless of Arthur Morgan being the main character, this game is not just about him. It’s about the lives that surround him, the people who have shaped this rugged character into the complicated, brooding Arthur, as we know him. Red Dead Redemption 2 consists of an ensemble of characters that create the outlandish world of Dutch Van Der Linde’s gang. This game is structured to develop just as a T.V show, with several seasons, and each character with development arcs to elevate the story of Arthur Morgan. As you play through this 65-hour long game, you begin to care for each character as the game makes you feel as if you are truly immersed in the Wild West through Arthur Morgan’s eyes. Whether you can relate to the father and son relationship between Dutch Van Der Linde, Hosea, and Arthur, or the brotherly bond he has with John Marston, who is the heroine of the first instalment Red Dead Redemption. This game has everything you would expect from a T.V show such as; Arthur dealing with a past flame, a woman who tries to save him from his dangerous life; betrayal from within the gang, and finally the love that these characters have for one another. At the end of this game, you will feel compelled to play it again, to see all your favourite characters, or to make different choices… Something you always wished you could do with your favourite T.V show.
500,000 lines. That’s right 500,000 lines of dialogue were written for Red Dead Redemption 2, this is more than your average book. An interview from Vulture with producer Dan Houser, revealed that the final script for the game spans 2,000 pages, which if stacked would reach a whopping eight feet high. These lines of dialogue show the attention to detail that is given in this game, as each character in the game, no matter how small, has a story. This is something that T.V shows, movies, and even books can look past, but this game’s world is fully immersive, and ultimately alive.
The company, Take Two, Interactive described Red Dead Redemption 2’s opening weekend sales as “the single biggest opening weekend in the history of entertainment”. This game has overpassed sales of the Avengers: Infinity War, as Red Dead Redemption 2’s opening made $725 million dollars in comparison to Avengers: Infinity War making a mere $640 million. These numbers prove in comparison to a blockbuster corporation of Marvel Studios to Rockstar Games, the gaming industry is catching up as these numbers prove that consumers care about the interactive storytelling that games can offer.
The gaming industry has come to a state of evolution as it is constantly changing, Red Dead Redemption 2 creates the pace for all forms of entertainment: as it inhabits all the features of entertainment we cannot get enough of. The interactive nature of this world is only something the gaming industry can offer, as you are thrown into Arthur Morgan’s perspective, and you ultimately decide who he is going to be. Will he have morals, and virtue? Or will he be as savage as the government makes him out to be?
This game shatters the mold, as its themes could be compared to modern day society. A quote from the game directly comments on an issue that is active today, “This place… ain’t no such thing as civilized. It’s men so in love with greed it has forgotten himself and found only appetites.” A great piece of art has repercussions, and a bigger message than itself; this game provides this, and more. Rockstar proves to all consumers that gaming is a force to be reckoned with.
Written by Olivia Mickus
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