Before I spur my horse of ideas and get rolling, lets just say that this is how I simply feel for the title and how I see things happening for the story line. I believe Red Dead Redemption is what every PC gamer has missed until now; because RDR is the reason why Rockstar Games will forever be etched in my memory. It may not be a life changing title for everyone, but I can totally claim that I have not experienced anything as Red Dead, before and after. Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us may have made me sob a little bit in the beginning, but Read Dead has made me fall in love with a character, and in a flash took it away from me. I have always moved on from the end of a title to the beginning of another, but with Red Dead Redemption, I was left with a glass of scotch in my left hand and a handkerchief full of tears and questions in the other.
Starting of this week, speculations arose of an upcoming sequel/prequel to Rockstar Games’ Wild West encounter – Red Dead Redemption. Take Two, the distributor, may have dropped a hanky on the ground last July when they spoke hopefully of a Red Dead Return. But it was when CEO Strauss Zelnick commented the following that actually made real news all across the internet: “Our goal is to try to create permanent franchises, that’s the unique goal in the industry. Our competitors do not see it that way. Our competitors’ view is that our franchise will have a certain life, and at the end of that life, you move onto the next thing – so you better make hay while the sun shines. Our view is to the contrary: The best franchises are permanent franchises. Look at James Bond, for example. And it’s been our goal not just to preserve and grow the Grand Theft Auto franchise, but also to build other franchises that we think can be permanent, whether that’s the Red Dead franchise or the Borderlands franchise or the BioShock franchise or others; Civilization, for example.”
I’m one of those people who believe in not milking a title for the sake of profit. A game is like a movie to a gamer, an experience; probably even bigger than a movie because the gamer feels more attached and responsible for the story build up. When you make movies simply for the sake of publicity and profit you end up like Blair Witch Project Part 2. And that is exactly where games like Assassin’s Creed are heading. Despite its sales value and high word of mouth, Assassin’s Creed is a mere public stunt these days because I know how advertisements and promotions work. Where Rockstar Games come in is totally different. It almost took a decade to reincarnate the famous Max Payne, and for a fact the game blew everyone away with the third installation. Even though the core team may not be the same for GTA, Max Payne and Red Dead Redemption, the company ethics stay the same. Rockstar has single handedly given us lifelong experiences, be it in the story driven Max Payne or the history/realism driven Red Dead Redemption. And why would they trade that bit for profit? Profit is not only cumulative of the money you looted, it also comprises of what people like us feel and share ten years down the line. Red Dead was such an experience. So I won’t say that Rockstar is trying to sell its most touching title till date for extra cash. We know what Rockstar Games is capable of; we know how they seamlessly fitted Max Payne 3’s reasons with Max Payne 2’s. The genius of the script, the depth of its gameplay and the reasons to stay firm as a fan boy.
Having said that, there is no doubt about how thrilled I am with the scope of a new RDR installation. John Marston is one of the most iconic characters to have treaded the chip of my console! Red Dead Redemption’s epic tale through the culturally pulverizing America to a better future can make your stupid life seem inferior to your struggles as John Marston. Like I said, he is the hero that every game deserves. Sixteen hours of gameplay can turn into eternity if you fall for RDR. For me, RDR will always be the classic case because factually it was also the first game I played on my new console. But like every gamer’s wish list, I have some wishes surrounding the probable upcoming Red Dead edition:
But first, here’s some epic Wild West music to set the mood:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Kujas1IsM&w=300&h=180]
1. We want John Marston!
Get that straight! There can never be a Red Dead Redemption without the simple hearted cowboy/bounty hunter John Marston. Jack, Marston’s boy, may have explained why the title is called Red Dead “Redemption”, and no matter how happy I was with his deeds, it was Marston whom I missed hi-5ing in the end. Governments can turn their backs on anyone and with the enormous power that they have, can use anyone as a foolish tool to their ends. Even John Marston. This time around I want to role play John Marston again and run my horse over every government official I meet on my way to Armadillo. I want to make sure no one f***s up with my hero, no one! This time around I want to cry tears of joy, not brood on my bad luck and treason.
His one liners, his cigarette-flicking after every mission, his heart of gold, his ways of saying ‘Heya’ while spurring the steed, these can never be replaced. Not even by his own blood.
2. We want the gang side!
To have John Marston back in the title automatically means that the story that I am aiming for is set before Redemption and not after it. If you have listened to every chit chat that occurred while Marston rode his horse with a partner, you will recall about some gang hey days with Dutch van der Linde. Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella, Dutch van der Linde, they all have reasons like John Marston. I want to go back in time, talk to them like brothers in arms, and discover their sides to the tale. The story of the gang was missing big, big time in Redemption. With the prequel I want to live those days as well.
3. We want John and Abigail’s story
John’s relationship with his wife Abigail is one of the purest things in this otherwise shape shifting side of Western America. There must be a good reason why the best outlaw of the gang felt it was necessary for himself to break ties with his brothers and give his rambling up for a woman. We have seen in snippets how close Abigail is to John, and how she gets separated from John in the end until you-know-what-happens. There is way too much sorrow on her side in the game, because throughout Red Dead Redemption her husband is either doing internships for goons/sheriffs or getting almost killed in the process (including the ending). For a matter of fact, John Marston sacrificed Bonnie McFarlane’s mysterious ways for his noble wife. We want to know what it was for John and Abigail to fall in love, what kept them going even in their middle ages. We want to play them as young lovers, as gang members, know how they found love even when they were being chased by the government or their ex gang members.
4. We want the earlier Red Dead Redemption style side missions and jobs
If we are already headstrong about a solid prequel to one of the most memorable stories ever plotted for the gaming fraternity, why not welcoming back the best of gameplay as well. The story of Red Dead was great because the gameplay made it look even better. Some of the side quests, like ‘American Appetite’ and ‘Funny Man’ were way too interesting; I’d love to see some of those mind blowing sequences again. I’d love to have a consistent stream of cash and perks arriving at my doorstep while I’m Marston again, the ways would definitely be – Nightwatchman jobs, Poker games, Bounty Missions and of course coach raiding. The theme of the American dream and the Wild West has been so seamlessly fitted into the story build up, thanks to these mini quests that would always keep you satisfied besides the main plot.
If we are really aiming for an all thematic gang style prequel, why not add some badass missions to it as well. Well, the company of Escuella, Dutch and Bill can easily intrigue me into stealing coaches, burning down towns overnight, kidnapping citizens and asking for money, finishing off opposing gangs and hiring bandits to do my jobs, to be a few of those.
5. We want limitless prairies, sun kissed horizons and loads of wild west roaming
The best bit about Red Dead Redemption is that you cannot fast travel to a far away location without shelling out some of your precious money. For most of the times, I cared about my bank balance and decided to ride till the end of the map. I have a horse and I’m young, no thank you stage coach! And as suspected, random things would happen on the road and I’d halt my horse not once, not twice, but several times. I might get attacked by pumas, treasure hunters or even bandits hiding. The epic Wild West rambling must be brought back with tons of new action, new animals, new locations, new encounters, bettered by even more detailed terrain and environment. Riding in Red Dead will never tire you out because the changes in weather and time of the day will always have an effect on your game. And situations around you will also change accordingly. These prairie lands are vast, so I really won’t mind a lightning bolt ripping open my road amidst a rainy ride or the afternoon sun taking the hell out of my horse unless I find a shed or something. In the new title of course! Realism was plentiful in Red Dead Redemption, I want even more of that stuff in the probable upcoming edition. I loved the different lifestyles in America and Mexico; I hope we get to explore more parts of this strange continent. Someone wants to explore Canada?
If someone from Rockstar Games is reading this article, these are some of my recommendations in case you guys are really making it happen sometime sooner. Red Dead Redemption needs a proper re-introduction, and by all means, I do really hope you don’t leave me crying in the middle of the night like last time.
Having said that, I’d also like to add that these are some of the things that I feel should be the cue of the next title. But then I’m no head of Red Dead Redemption Creative Team, I’m just an anxious fan boy. I’m sure they will be back someday, astonishing us in the best way they feel that there exists. A beautiful co-relation between my speculations and their creative genius can be a bullet through my head. Until the next RDR is out, this is me heading back into Chuparosa to find that coward gang that’s been hiding there for some time now.
‘Heya’
To each their own opinion, but I would disagree with a recycling of the Old West storyline. Controversial though this opinion would be, I would like to see a follow-up where Jack is now nearing his own middle-age, and an established gangster in his own right. The game would be set in the 20’s, and be very Bonnie-and-Clyde/Al Capone. However, it’ll still take place in the same area (or, at least, a similar area) so you can still travel out to the prairies and into Mexico, where the times haven’t quite caught up yet.
I think any Western sequel to Red Dead will just be a violation of Redemption’s “End of the West, Last Gunslinger” theme.
I’d like to see the prequel as well, but one thing I would add is at *least* a couple hundred phrases and one-liners that John says [[or in the case of RDR Jack]]. Reason? The game is enjoyable and, even after 100% completion, I find it relaxing to hop on the horse ad continue riding, playing cards, huting [[mostly what I do now]] and so on but…I really start getting tired of the same five lines “This stinks!”, “I can sell that!”, “Let me take you coat Madam.” over and over. A huge repertoire would keep the gamer playing and interested while waiting for the next release..
I also like Harold’s idea of Jack, older ad having lost that grating girly-boy scream “Work it nag!” ad see how he turns out.
TWO game ideas there.
Whatever they do, if they do it I hope they hurry. Got some health issues that make it worrisome as to whether I’ll be able to continue playing over too many more years. Such is life.