Trailers here (http://techland.com/2010/03/27/first-impressions-rockstars-red-dead-redemption-is-pretty-awesome/). It seems they got the Spaghetti Western look just right.
I love the game myself...the ability to play as a "good" or "bad" guy is illusory; it's only relevant on side-missions. That said, it's as good as any of the GTA series, and I'm a sucker for westerns.
Also, they have swell merch: http://rockstarwarehouse.stores.yahoo.net/redderediand.html
Fantasic game been playing it solidly nearly every day since launch. I can't really think of anything specifically negative. I can see where they could always do better and expand on what there is but that's not really a criticism for what we've got. There's just so much to do and explore and the most profound impact on the play experience for this game is the random generator that populates the world. It really helps to make the world feel a live.
As opposed to say Oblivion/Fallout where you can walk to area X die come back through a save game walk back to area X and know exactly where the monster will be. In RDR beyond the fixed story adventures everything is randomly generated in the wilds.
Love this game. Love it!
Looks nifty! :)
It's confusing. Stuff is not explained well (in game text is also hard to read), even if it's not compleicated.
It's one of those games where there's stuff that you want to do that really adds to your experience but it's not apparent how it works or what you need to do or when/where the game explains it to you. The manual is crap and the onlin is equally bizarre.
A good game, once you figure it out which i've yet to do. Free roam seems rather pointless since 99% of the XBL community are cunts of the highest order sadly.
Playing a few hours each night as i can...still loving it. Oh, also the merch is fantastic: http://rockstarwarehouse.stores.yahoo.net/redderediand.html
I haven't had any problems with the text in-game, but we just got a larger TV as well. I'm still kinda hoping the back story is explained at some point, though.
Don't get me wrong pardner, it is very awesome - thunderstorms in the desert when fighting against scumbags trying to hang some poor woman (made all th emore poor when i accidentally shoot her) are just incredible gaming moments. But the game has a learning curve, and you kinda have to follow the storyline initially to learn stuff otherwise you end up scratching your head a bit.
The online isn't bad (much better than GTA4) but it suffers from a lack of balance between player levels (some people seem bulletproof) and is a bit random (the opening standoff), plus the layout for the online is a bit messy to say the least. Free Roam is a great idea, in theory, but, as with many games these days, it really depends on the people you play with. It seems the more ambitious the title, the more disappointing the experience when you inevitably join a game hosted by a bunch of random idiots.
Sandboxing on PCs and consoles finally seem to be getting the idea as to what an RPG is. Instaed of following some predestined plot, with a vague towards free will, they have realised the lure of pen and paper RPGs as being open ended.
I will definitely be using RDR as inspiration for my Deadlands game, as that's pretty much how I run my game. Here is an adventure or two you can go on, or you can go off and do your own thing as a group and find adventure in that direction.
Story is what you make it, and the best stories and moments have come from sandbox adventures rather than pre-written 'somebody else's' story.
agreed 110% esp. wrt (seemingly) 90% of the userbase of Live. that being said, feel free to add me (gamertag: kr3g) especially when the co-op DLC arrives, cause I'm always up for some fun with someone who's not going to shoot me repeatedly and scream profanity non-stop. ;)
the one-on-one shoot outs where where i was really dumbfounded. It seemed random as far as winning, and it also seemed peculiar that they weren't explained until I met Rickets later in the game. Seems like it should be part of the initial "tutorial" missions.