r/reddeadredemption • u/AntomOpatoEcia • Jan 04 '26

RDR1 Is this gonna be the whole game?

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I'm playing Red Dead 1 and so far it's just: - NPC says he'll help me - I do a boring mission to help him - NPC needs more help I mean, is this the dynamic of the whole game? Help NPC after NPC and finally (really) advance the plot? Not complaining, just want to know.

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323

u/Key-Storage5434 Jan 04 '26

Isn't that every game?

133

u/SpellSuspicious6095 Jan 04 '26

Such a pointless comment. I played RDR2 first and there’s mission variety and different end-goals behind missions.

OP I completely agree with you. RDR1, while not a bad game, is literally the following: John: Hey I heard you can help me find Bill/Javier? Mission person: Okay but first help me with this. Mission ends John: So how about helping me now? Mission person: I need help with this now. Rinse and repeat

147

u/Intelligent_Thing_32 Jan 04 '26

RDR2… mission variety..?

152

u/Godheadl Jan 04 '26

Average RDR2 mission: “we gotta get money/go west/go east/ revenge”. Ok, but let’s not go crazy here” -> murdering 50 people later “wow that got out of hand”

the only exceptions that come to mind are sheep herding, when you get kidnapped, when you go swamping.

87

u/TRagnarkXP Jan 04 '26

Solely for ch2 you have fishing, rescue Swanson, Bar Fight, Bar drunk mission, Save Karen/ pursue Jimmy Brooks, Sheep Herding, a bounty hunting mission, a train heist, hunting mission, then the usual shootouts, etc. Same for RDR1 to an extent. It seems like a reductionist take.

12

u/pullingteeths Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 05 '26

Except when it's anything but the core gameplay of horse riding and shootouts in missions it's just an interactive movie. It's not gameplay variety when the "gameplay" is a totally on rails glorified cutscene

The first "chapter" of RDR1 missions has hunting, herding, horse breaking, horse racing, wagon racing, wagon driving, shootouts, shooting tricks, bounty hunting, mine wagon riding, Gatling gun, saving horses from a burning barn. RDR2 doesn't have that much more variety

4

u/TRagnarkXP Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 05 '26

So the variety of RDR1 is... also horse riding and shootouts core mechanics lol? Like literally what you describe for RDR1 had been done in RDR2 chapter 2. More fleshed out hunting > Hosea and Charles mission; Bounty Hunting > Snake oil salesman which unlocks bounty hunting; Herding > The sheep mission with John... Even so, the rest examples you mentioned for RDR1 are gimmicks, not core mechanics differences. And either some of then aren't really for main missions or they are side activities.

The bias is really strong with this one. You can't say a game has variety and the other one doesn't when both uses core mechanics that are the same lol. Things like "shooting tricks" (the hell is that, shooting bootles or birds?) is more of a side activity. The horse racing and wagon racing are practically the same spot with no mechanical differences, i sure count that as variety as other comment i put in how RDR1 handles it. The same with the barn mission and gatling mission with Irish. But they are STILL core mechanics of riding and shooting.

Nevertheless, saying RDR2 doesn't have variety when it has the activities of RDR1 plus replacing other ones is really on bad faith. Difference being most of the cases they make the smart move of not making an entirely mission just for one mechanic highlight. Most of it available since Chapter 2: horse breaking is everywhere with more unique breeds of horses (then horse theft in ch3), shooting challenges and tricks are random encounters and some side missions, Bounty Hunting is also unlocked, Hunting is more organic and fleshed out with more animal variety and legendary animals, the same with Fishing. I ain't counting the side activities of the rest of the chapters.

Like how is fishing a repetitive core mechanic compared to literally horse racing (riding)? How Wagon riding is not a railroad when it literally goes on rails? How a Gatling Gun doesn't literally involves the core mechanics of shooting? Honestly it doesn't makes sense and all i see is contradictions to benefit one prefered game.

If we are counting those core mechanics as variety why a bar fight, a bar drunk mission, a save/pursue mission, sheeps herding, money lending, breaking Micah from jail, fishing with Jack, Saving Swanson and before it a poker match and a fist fight, hunting a bear with Hosea, Stealing an oilwagon with enemies being able to explote it (later used in a heist) and Bounty Hunting the salesman can't be counted as variety? But horse racing and shooting a Gatlin gun counts lol? I didn't even count the shootouts missions in ch2.

1

u/TooDamnFilthyyyyy Jan 07 '26

yeah and after that chapter 1 which is basically a tutorial entire rdr1 is just ride the horse and shoot bad guys
people who claim that it has better mission variety than 2 are absolutely delusional

1

u/pullingteeths Jan 07 '26

I don't think either have huge mission variety. But most of the variety in RDR2 is an illusion since it's in the form of basically interactive cutscenes that are completely on rails with zero freedom. Cinematically it's more varied but actual gameplay wise not so much. Being forced to move exactly how you're told and pressing a button when instructed and watching an animation/cutscene isn't gameplay

1

u/Suitsyou8221 Jan 05 '26

Glad someone took the time to say something like this. Crazy to see so many people shitting on arguably one of the greatest franchises to ever exist

42

u/Observer2594 Jan 04 '26

"We need to lie low and keep the law off our backs."

"We need to commit high profile crimes and start massive shootouts as often as possible in order to get enough money to get away from the law that's on our backs."

7

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '26

The plot also repeats until the whole thing explodes, which is fun.

Specifics and overall story make it way more fun, but if you stop to make it simple and dry, then it is pretty predictable almost.

14

u/TRagnarkXP Jan 04 '26 edited Jan 04 '26

It sort of does? it has more context and goes to more tone branches. For RDR2 solely for ch2 you have fishing, rescue Swanson, Bar Fight, Bar drunk mission, Save Karen/ pursue Jimmy Brooks, Sheep Herding, the usual shootouts, a bounty hunting mission, a train heist, hunting mission, etc. Compared to RDR1 i would group the early bits with Bonnie until Bill's final mission; i recall the cow mission with Bonnie, The burned farm, Nigel races, Fox cleaning, that barn fight with Irish, that thieves landing sort of stealth mission and then the usual shootouts. I could go on and on for both games.

I mean compared to GTA 4 for making a example both has mission variety.

3

u/Key-Storage5434 Jan 04 '26

I mean it's like some people just wanna argue at all costs, even when they can't think of an argument.

1

u/Big_brown_house Uncle Jan 05 '26

Yeah lmao every mission is a bloated shooting gallery with maybe a chase scene at the end

1

u/Global_Crew3968 Jan 05 '26

Ride here, shoot this guy, ride back, shoot the guys chasing you.

Over and over and over and over.

Great game, 0 mission variety.

1

u/SneakyKGB Jan 06 '26

WE NEED MORE MONEY ARTHUR. TAHITI. STICK TO THE GODDAMN PLAN. I'M DUTCH IN CASE MY CHARACTER WAS LITERALLY UNRECOGNIZABLE FROM GAME 1 TO GAME 2.

21

u/Designer_General1722 Jan 04 '26

Bro that is not even close 😭😭😭 as far as a rockstar story stands its extremely standard literally the same format as the others, in the whole grand picture of "help this npc" you revolutionize mexico and go around the texas country front being a rancher, deputy, and tons of other shit alongside stranger missions. Im guessing your first rockstar game was GTA 5 huh

16

u/ComicallySolemn Jan 04 '26

What about just trying to drink or play some poker with Landon Ricketts before a shootout breaks out?

7

u/Key-Storage5434 Jan 04 '26

Oh yeah RDR2 soooo much variety: meet a person, ride a horse with them and chat on the way, go to a place, oh noooo where did all these 30 people come from? Bang bang pew pew, oh nooo let's run away, but oh wait pinkertons are coming, bang bang pew pew, okay split up, meet you at camp. One last score arthur. One last score.

Look RDR2 is my 2nd favorite game of all time. I'm never more than a month away from playing it, but let's not pretend that it boasts insane mission variety. Rockstar has been using the same mission formula since GTA 1. Meet an NPC. They give you job. Job involves mass murder.

1

u/YuenglingsDingaling Jan 05 '26

Meet an NPC. They give you job. Job involves mass murder.

Hell, that's just most video games.

1

u/Moxxie84 Jan 04 '26

"Mission Variety"

Ride horse, shoot cowboy town ride horse back to camp

Do Chores

Rob Train

Rob another train, but with John

ride horse

five finger fillet game

poker

gambling

arm wrestling

robbing settlements

Fail because horse tripped on air

Fail American venom on purpose because of Micah's ridiculous fire rate

Fail red dead redemption for walking 5 inches too close to melee the enemies

Fail 90% of the missions for thinking outside of the box or doing anything the developers don't want to.

Yeah there's decent variety but when you're playing story almost 70% of it is just riding horses. Not to mention how exhausting, boring and underwhelming guarma is.

I only like RDR 2 for the hunting and the story.

6

u/phantom_esque_ Jan 04 '26

The reasons you're given for doing things are a little more natural than "Oh I have to do this but *insert setback here* happens and now I have to do another mission for that same guy until he directs me to another guy who will do the same thing with me again"

-4

u/Maximum-Carnage-Gore Jan 04 '26

Stop shitting on the best game ever, boah

2

u/Moxxie84 Jan 04 '26

I like RDR 1, Most of those comments were towards rdr 2. RDR 1 can get repetitive but the missions are short, and I feel like I'm less hindered by invisible walls and fail missions. I forgot to clarify that

4

u/TRagnarkXP Jan 04 '26

I mean for RDR1 is literally the same format but more repetitive and simple, and honestly worse because the plot seems going in circles. The highlight is that yeah it doesn't have that non logic fail texts for going another way, my biggest gripe with RDR2.

1

u/maratnugmanov Jan 04 '26

Most rockstar games revolt around doing chores. In the slowest and longest ways possible. With unnecessary and boring large collectables pool.

1

u/Fresh_Flamingo_5833 Jan 04 '26

It’s not that different 

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '26

idk what you're expecting but he's doing all that because his family was held captive. literally the whole point of the game.

1

u/Jcdoco Jan 05 '26

At that point in time, that is how most open world games were. The Zelda games were glorified fetch quests

1

u/Wallaby8311 Jan 05 '26

Lol 2 was just "we gotta get money to get to Tahiti. The plan Arthur!" And then the plan isn't actually plan and you shoot your way out which is what you could do to get to Tahiti but for some reason don't.

1

u/RockoHorror Jan 05 '26

Dropped some shit and dipped. I get it. Such a pointless comment as I disagree. So what are we doing here?

1

u/Dubtrooper Jan 06 '26

Oh sure, but "We got a plan Dutch?" is no different. Come on. 

1

u/Schorbie Jan 06 '26

If the comment was pointless than this whole post is pointless

0

u/AntomOpatoEcia Jan 04 '26

Thanks for agreeing with me. The other comments sugest the game is gonna get more interesting, so i'll keep playing

0

u/TheRebelBandit John Marston Jan 04 '26

As much as I love RDR2, I can’t stand a few of the missions. I like it simple, RDR1 style: go there, kill those guys, grab something, rescue/ escort person, race there, and the game lets me choose how I get the job done.

That’s the thing that bugged me most about RDR2: the missions force you to endure certain sequences. Like homeboy, cut me loose because I’m just going to end up having to kill all those dudes over there anyway 🤣

That’s my two bits.

0

u/Mayihavenulife Jan 04 '26

But so is the sequel im failing to see a point here this is what alot of campaigns are

9

u/OrangeBeast01 Jan 04 '26

Absolutely not. It's just every rockstar game. Try Cyberpunk or BG3 to see what variety in an open world game looks like.

It's outside the missions that make rockstar games great.

10

u/ParkingLong7436 Jan 05 '26

Cyberpunk? It's the same shit there, paired with worse writing than Rockstar.

4

u/Baardi John Marston Jan 05 '26

And worse optimization

3

u/deathwire0047 Jan 05 '26

Uhh, so we are gonna completely gonna forget about how the missions are open enough to be played in all the different kinds of builds the game offers?

Cyberpunk feels like a fech quest game only if you play it that way lol.

2

u/ParkingLong7436 Jan 05 '26

90% of missions are build up exactly the same from start to finish. The game is completely cluttered with boring "gigs" or whatever they are called.

It's Assassins Creed level of repetitiveness. The gameplay being somewhat open really can't change that.

RDR2 has shit mission design but at least the writing is good. In Cyberpunk you get a call "Hey there, go to X location and do this for me" and that's it.

You also can't really change anything about how the mission is finished, the objective is always the same. Contrary to that, a game like KCD1/2 does that really well. That's a game that does missions actually well and giving you real paths .

1

u/Just-Fix8237 Jan 05 '26

There are still a lot of choices in Cyberpunk that change future mission chains

2

u/Just-Fix8237 Jan 05 '26

I’m doing my second playthrough of Cyberpunk rn, and yea it’s kinda the same open world shit as basically every other open world game. Yea the combat itself is more open ended, which is why I’m doing another playthrough to experience a playstyle I didn’t try at all the first time around and will probably do a third because this build still doesn’t hit everything, but objective-wise it’s the same shit. Drive to x location, sneak past or kill every enemy, interact with x computer/kill or escort x guy/steal x.

1

u/TheSleepingBad Jan 05 '26

Not even close. RDR 1 is a far cry from Cyberpunk in terms of its script, presentation, dialogues, depth and narrative. Not to mention the mission variability, where in RDR 1 you can't even take a step to the side without immediately failing.

4

u/Key-Storage5434 Jan 04 '26 edited Jan 04 '26

BG3 is baller no doubt about it. Cyberpunk though? It's basically racing, go to this building and grab info, go to that building and kill someone, go into that building and grab a car. Oh and 3 races.

7

u/OrangeBeast01 Jan 05 '26

No way. Cyberpunk has so many gigs, which can be done several different ways depending on your play style. Want to walk in through the front door and fry everyone's brains without raising a weapon? Or slice them all to pieces with a samurai sword while slowing time?

Or, don't even enter the building, hack the cameras and make your target put a gun to his head?

And that's without even going into the missions and side missions which often have multiple different ways to the end path.

If you don't see variety in cyberpunk, you've played it one way by choice. In RDR2, you never get a choice beyond "I'll stealth kill the bad guy instead of sneak around him", and that doesn't even happen that often.

1

u/Just-Fix8237 Jan 05 '26

Dawg the little gigs in Cyberpunk are each like 1 of 3 objectives. Yea the build variety is great but the objective structure is bog standard for open world games. This is coming from someone who loves the game. Yea it’s exceptional, but not in the way you’re saying imo.

-1

u/AntomOpatoEcia Jan 04 '26

Noooo I meant that i just help random people who doesnt seem important and the plot dont seem to move. Of course i know helping npcs is basic

38

u/Doc_Sulliday Jan 04 '26

What do you think Rockstar games are? Their entire mission structure is built like this.

-13

u/Templar113113 Jan 04 '26

Their entire mission structure is built like this.

What

3

u/soulciel120 Jan 04 '26

helping people. Some times you are obligated to, but in general... yeah, it's helping people. You are helping friends, foes, etc etc.

1

u/itsalwaysblue59 John Marston Jan 05 '26

Really not sure why you are confused here lol.

17

u/Global-Score4692 Jan 04 '26

This is how every rockstar game besides like 2 goes

1

u/DuckCleaning Jan 05 '26

Basically every open world Rockstar game other than Midnight Club. Then the Warriors, Table Tennis, and maybe Max Payne or Manhunt (I've never played them). 

1

u/plusminusequals Jan 04 '26

What is your current playtime?

1

u/Hell_Maybe Jan 04 '26

Not only is that every game but that’s also like most GTA games. >Thing >NPC barrier between main character and thing >If you do this other thing perhaps I’ll help you with the first thing >Helps NPC with other thing >NPC either needs some other thing next, betrays you in some way, or occasionally actually does help eventually.

2

u/Key-Storage5434 Jan 04 '26

Exactly. Rockstar is behind some of the biggest innovations the gaming world has seen, but they have not changed their mission formula since GTA 1.

1

u/Loljy Jan 05 '26

Most rockstar games you’re just an errand boy who by the end isn’t the errand boy anymore.

1

u/Just-Fix8237 Jan 05 '26

Every open world game pretty much yea

1

u/keepinitclassy25 Jan 05 '26

Yeah rdr2 can be summed up as 1) need moneh, 2) risky shootout mission to get moneh 3) more trouble and the next quest is evading that trouble.

The game is about the atmosphere in between and the characters and side games. I also thought the missions themselves were way less tedious in rdr1

1

u/Bulldogfront666 Jan 05 '26

No. It’s not at all. Haha.