• Red Dead Redemption may just be the best sandbox game, ever

    In just two days time Rockstar will let loose its next sandbox title, named Red Dead Redemption. Most of you will have heard of it, and if you're not a fan of the Western genre you will probably have already dismissed it, as I did. Perhaps I was a bit hasty to do so, as it now has a Meta review score of 95 on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

    While unlikely to top Grand Theft Auto IV's 98 average, many publications are saying it's the better game. Yes, apparently it's that good, and despite it running in 640 instead of 720 on the PS3 - as per GTAIV - scores have not been affected. Thanks to Joystiq, here's a round-up of some of the press...

    • 1UP (A): "This is simply a beautiful game, and it's provided more than a few moments where I completely forgot where the hell I was supposed to be going while riding over golden hills at sunset or through the desert in the middle of a nighttime lightning storm. It doesn't quite convey the loneliness of the real empty spaces, but does compress the essence of all the varieties of land and weather native to those parts into a few hundred miles ride."
    • GamePro (5/5): "Although this is said of almost every single new Rockstar product, Red Dead Redemption is arguably their best effort to date, if only because it distills all of the lessons they've learned from their previous titles into an engaging, expansive, and enthralling world. But the best part of Rockstar's open-world oater is its honest and open appreciation for the iconic Western genre."
    • Game Informer (97.5/100): "To succeed where other Western games have failed, Red Dead Redemption deftly recreates a sandbox playground of a tumultuous historical period swept away by technological progress. The game perfectly captures the expansiveness of frontier life and the gritty gunplay of spaghetti westerns, rightfully earning its place alongside the great Western films and the best Rockstar games."
    • IGN (97/100): "Red Dead Redemption is a must-play game. Rockstar has taken the Western to new heights and created one of the deepest, most fun, and most gorgeous games around. You can expect the occasional bug or visual hiccup, but you can also expect a fantastic game that offers the Western experience we've all been waiting for. Red Dead Redemption is a complete game in every sense -- both the single player and multiplayer modes are excellent -- and still manages to offer an attention to detail you rarely see from a game of this scope."
    • Edge (90/100): "If the story leads us through well-trodden territory ? blending The Good, The Bad And The Ugly's adventurous sweep with Unforgiven's morality, as played by Deadwood's perverts and bigots ? the greater game is more digitised Westworld: an impeccable example of world building begging to be interrupted with a bullet. As one character notes: "I dreamt of documenting the last days of the old west. The romance, the honour, the nobility! But it turns out it's just people killing each other." There's no shame in that."
    Comments 19 Comments
    1. Aegis's Avatar
      Aegis -
      inability to hijack a plane in midair = fail in the 'best sandbox game' department ;P
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      You're such a Just Cause fanboy.
    1. The Happy Devil's Avatar
      The Happy Devil -
      Yer might have to give this 1 a go, nothing like riding off into the sunset.
    1. Aegis's Avatar
      Aegis -
      Quote Originally Posted by rec View Post
      You're such a Just Cause fanboy.
      that's cos i'm awesome
    1. Bam Stroker's Avatar
      Bam Stroker -
      Damn it! I'm supposed to be saving for a holiday, but there's this AND Alan Wake coming out this week!
    1. paladin's Avatar
      paladin -
      Quote Originally Posted by Bam Stroker View Post
      Damn it! I'm supposed to be saving for a holiday, but there's this AND Alan Wake coming out this week!
      then maybe you should fucking start the civ4 game already. ignore those useless fucks that can't be bothered giving out the info AND START.
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      Quote Originally Posted by Harbinger View Post
      Also $89 from Dick Smith, Myer or Game's website (game.com.au) if you miss out on the BIGW price.
    1. mepm's Avatar
      mepm -
      awesome game, only played it for a bit so far but it is epic
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      Should be, considering it cost around AUD 120 million to make: News: Red Dead Redemption cost $100 million - report - ComputerAndVideoGames.com
    1. lrinaldi's Avatar
      lrinaldi -
      EB apparently started selling RDR today. I found out too late to make it to EB before they closed *sobs*
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      Updated GU theme for Red Dead Redemption. Shift+Refresh if you're seeing the Splinter Cell stuff.
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      Graphics are noticeably better on the 360:

      NeoGAF - View Single Post - Red Dead Redemption - 360 & PS3 comparison thread (Bish-approved!)
    1. Formula1's Avatar
      Formula1 -
      Quote Originally Posted by rec View Post
      Damn, I guess I'll just have to put up with sub-par graphics again.....i have no choice.
    1. Albino_kun's Avatar
      Albino_kun -
      Well, I only had a couple of hours to play it last night, but I really enjoyed it. Great graphics, great story (so far) and you get to kill and skin animals. Just like real life!
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      Radiohead hearts Red Dead Redemption:

      Bit of Friday celeb spotting for you: Seminal band of our lifetime / depressing millionaire noodlers Radiohead are big fans of Red Dead Redemption and ICO.

      At least, seminal guitarist of our lifetime / depressing millionaire noodler Jonny Greenwood is.

      The In Rainbows songsmith has addressed his fellow 'nerds' over on Radiohead's official site - and revealed what he does with his time when he's not crafting epoch-defining music / tunelessly masturbating a fretboard.

      'For all the nerds who are marveling, like me, at Red Dead Redemption: here's a different kind of office chart....', wrote Greenwood.

      That chart reads:

      Braid (various)
      Marathon (Mac)
      Goldeneye (N64)
      Elite (BBC Micro)
      Cave Story (various)
      Ico (PS2)
      Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
      Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64)
      Zelda Twighlight (sic) Princess (Wii)
      Half Life 1 and 2 (Mac, PS3)

      Say what you like about his great music / dreary tune-less nonsense - when it comes to gaming, the man's got taste. But not an Xbox 360, it seems.
      News: Radiohead hearts Red Dead Redemption - ComputerAndVideoGames.com
    1. ResLo's Avatar
      ResLo -
      No PC either... figures.
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      PC is never listed on those charts, because they don't count digital distribution platforms such as Steam. And PC game sales in retail continue to shrink at a dramatic rate.
    1. rec's Avatar
      rec -
      Free DLC hitting September 13th.
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