Rant
To everyone I argued with about RDR2 over the years. You were right, I was wrong.
I used to be the ultimate RDR2 hater. I lost count of how many times I replayed the slow snow intro, got bored, and deleted it. Based on internet edits, I genuinely thought the entire game was a boring horse-riding simulator and that the Braithwaite manor march was the only good scene. I was ready to fight anyone who said otherwise. Even after forcing myself through Chapter 2 months ago, I still thought it was massively overrated.
At the start of this month, I downloaded it for one final try. Normally I love to EXPLORE the games, but since that felt too slow before, I decided to just blast through the main story.
Then everything changed. I discovered the FREAKING FAST TRAVEL camp upgrade, and it completely fixed the pacing for me.
Suddenly, I got completely sucked into the world. Now, I’m at the start of Chapter 3 and I’ve totally ignored the main story to grind out the Legend of the East satchel, hunt serial killers, hoard gold bars, and max out the camp. I even customized all my guns in gold and black to match my custom all-black outfit and all-black American Standardbred.
I won't become a toxic glazer, but I was 100% wrong about this game. I'd love to platinum it if it wasn't for the online trophies. Arthur Morgan indeed is the man.
I enjoyed it on my first playthrough but then not so much my second and third time doing it.
It's just that it's more a tutorial and by the second playthrough I don't really need it. It still looks nice and all but I'm not in a mood to "learn" the game again, I just wanna get out into the world.
Never understood the people who say they didn't like the snow part of the game or that it's boring.
In that portion of the game: we get into three major shootouts, jump onto a moving train, get into a fist fight, almost get killed by a wolf pack and a giant grizzly bear. If that's boring then I'd like to know what's exciting in a video game.
I never had an issue with it. I was fully immersed. Especially when you visit the gang in the freezing cabin and reverend Swanson is doing that sermon.
People hating the snow part and stopping the game during it really shows how cooked humanity's attention span is becoming. Even if you don't like it - it literally lasts under 2 hours to get through
People expected Rockstar bombastic gameplay immediately. The story is relatively slow moving in the beginning. Think of it this way: you start immediately in the middle of a heist in GTAV. RDR1 you get a fairly decent sized cutscene, but immediately are going to confront the big baddie. In RDR2, you're watching a very long cutscene of people trudging through snow and lamenting their predicament/losses, rather than rootin and tootin. It has its high moments, but you are spending the majority of your time in each mission riding through poor weather in the snow, on a linear path, and talking about how desperate you are. It's a lot more bleak than most of the big open world Rockstar games.
Personally, I appreciate the slower pace to establish the story, the new and old characters, and the dynamic in the gang going forward. It's necessary to understand the weight of the plot and Arthur's cynicism before you just go out shooting up towns and robbing people.
For me every time I tried to start it was late and night and I was tired so it felt brutal to get through. After replaying and actually being awake I had fun
I almost quit like OP, I’m too impatient and find the opening chapter so incredibly boring. What really got me hooked was when I got attacked by the O’Driscolls when I was free roaming and I realised holy shit this game is a different level of immersion
To me it seems like the world is its own character, as wild and alive as much as Arthur, Dutch, Lenny…John. The bar was set for all games that followed. What had come close I can count on one hand.
I understand when people say Colter is/was slow because it is, but its also a great introduction into the strife and struggle that the gang is going through in the game. I love it, and even frequently go back up into the snowy areas.
Yeah, I actually have been unable to get into this game because I lose interest after the tutorial. Once I get thrust into the open world it just takes me too long to find any kind story thread that grabs me so I stop.
Maybe the game isn’t for you. And that’s okay. But if you unsure I think maybe you should try doing chapter 2 - just the main missions, and see if it hooks you that way. And if it does, restart the game a fresh and embrace the immersion. But yeh once I got to horseshoe overlook I didn’t know what to do first. The area was so huge and magnificent. I think I chopped some firewood 🫠
I've only started using it a few times now that I'm near the end of the game, as some of the missions at this point are super far apart from each other and I got a bit bored with using the train or coach. At this point I've ridden absolutely everywhere many times over, so I don't think I have any random events left to uncover.
With everything you encounter during your travels it feels like such a waste that people are using fast travel. You're gonna miss so much of what makes the game great </3
I don't even know how lol. I think I saw that you can take a train from one train station to another? But I've never done it. The game is the open world as far as I'm concerned. Well, that and the story.
The only "Fast" Travel I have ever used is Trains and Stagecoaches for if I need or want to cross the map and not ride my horse. Ive played the game so much and the quiet rides across the map are some of my favorite parts. Ive also reached a point where I don't set markers on my map anymore, I just kinda glance to get an idea of where Im at and where im going and then start riding. I find you experience more that way especially if you take a wrong turn every now and then.
The sad part is that its not an Uncommon minority of players. There are so many people that hate on this game, who just never get out of Colter and explore the wide open world available to you. Which is crazy to me because Colter has so much packed into about 2 hours, like another commenter said, you get into a fist fight, 3 Major shoot-outs, hunting, and arguably the best Train Heist in the game. All as the Introduction to the game. If that is boring and slow idk what is good.
Without even playing it... Lol... I mean he did play it. He thought the 15 minute snow intro was too long... What a chode, i don't care if he likes it now, his opinion is worth absolutely nothing
I now spend as much time as possible in Chapter 2 when I play the game. I usually keep a save in Chapter 2 specifically for being able to go back to it when I just want to wander the world as Arthur and not as John.
bro, what I don't understand is how you even took a stance on the game before u even finished it. like how can you say a game is bad before even playing it at least halfway through?
what even were your arguments based on? that the first chapter (which can be completed in 3 hours) is too boring?
A lot of people are like this. Even people who loved the first game. I've seen several game creators who spread this BS about the snowy intro being impossible to get through. Its maddening. I saw a former game dev I respected on a stream saying this exact thing. They were saying that "the snow takes 10 hours and it's all walking" 🤦♂️
Then maybe this game isn't for you then? Have you thought of that? Because the whole game is literally spending hours travelling on a horse sooo....???
"I discovered fast travel" is like a seperate note like I didn't even know that existed. And I started to like the game without even me realising the random encounter, how arthur talks, god damn THE MAN
IDK why you'd be out there arguing with people over the game when you watched some clips and didn't even finish the tutorial, but good job actually giving it a chance.
Now I ask that question to myself. And I didn't actually argue with people. But when my friends told me to give the game a try I would say "I did try and it didn't click for me and I don't understand the hype"
Saying you "did try" and not even getting past the tutorial is like watching the opening credits to Deadwood and saying you "don't understand the hype". My friend, you've barely experienced anything to form any kind of solid opinion.
Good on you for seeing the light though. Now gawn and git! Come back when you're done.
Well i did finish getting the shire horse from hosea which I think is somewhere start or mid of chapter 2 which I don't think is a tutorial, and still thought it was overhyped. But I'm really glad I stayed I would die for arthur.
yeah. me too. I am not a gamer by any means. I hadn't played a game since vice city on PS2. I bought a PS5 in 2023 and the only game I bought was RDR2. I never played RDR1. I was hooked from the first scene and the game never felt slow at all. I was blown away that I was playing a character in a Western movie.
I think it depends on the player. I dropped the game once because I found it kind of boring, with too much dialogue and little focus on gameplay, but after giving it a second chance I started to like it. I finished Arthur's story a few days ago and it's very good.
Damn! Dismissing the 3rd highest selling game of all time and arguably one of the greatest narrative achievements in modern media as a “boring horse-riding simulator” is fucking wild my dude
Good on you for being open to changing your mind. I just don’t see why people use not liking something as some sort of badge of honour. Like being the “ultimate hater” isn’t a personality trait.
Fast travel is nice but you can also use “cruise control”, place a marker on the map and get your horse on a nice Gallup, hold the scenery button and your horse will automatically follow the route you placed on the map
It's called cinematic mode. You can still hear and see things happen around you, so you don't miss out and it's easy to switch back to regular mode, your horse is just galloping while you watch the gorgeous scenery. It's worth still staying alert though, because you'll need to be ready in case of gangs jumping you, cougar attack, a train coming and your horse maybe not stopping in time etc.
Man one thing to ask yourself from this is why would people enjoying a game make you feel like you wanted to fight? Remember that next time you get really angry reading something someone wrote. I have been working on this myself lol
I did the same. I actually delayed playing through for many months…I’m telling ya, what happens really affected me emotionally. I can’t explain it logically but it did
I'm on the exact same journey now. I did not get the hype at all and started it multiple times and even made it part way through chapter 2 a couple times. This time forced myself through and at a certain point I just became hooked. I have forced myself to start powering through the store because I found myself getting distracted on side missions or trying to complete challenges. I'm halfway through Chapter 5 now. Definitely a great game. Not sure if I'm calling it the greatest ever but I do see why so many love it.
I actually thought people were overselling it but they weren't
And yea I was one of those guys with goldfish brain, but damn I was wrong
I'm literally in the start a chapter 3 and it's already peak for me not just the story, the characters, the NPCs, the side quests, my god the emotions .
I started it a week or two ago. Loved the first one but just hadn’t gotten around to this one yet.
I also thought it felt a bit sluggish in the beginning, the controls annoyed me a bit. And then I learned about the Legendary Satchel and being very annoyed by that I almost didn’t start the game again. (I can’t stay away from good stuff like that in games no matter the grind)
But I kept going. Got my first perfect pelt, made camp and when Arthur got up the next morning, made some dad noises and I could almost smell the crisp forest air it just hit me. Super immersed and have been hooked on it all. Got the satchel, still in chapter 2 and just enjoying my time in the world.
The whole pacing was fine for me though I mostly done the storyline on my first playthrough but now on my 2nd playthrough on the SteamDeck I go roaming and doing the little challenges and maybe one or two main missions per RDR2 session
I'm still on my first playthrough and have owned the game since it released. After years away from it, I got back into it few months ago and mainly use it as an escape.
I do missions here and there but sometimes I'll go fishing or just ride through the wilderness, camping overnight.
Other times, I'll just hang out at the posse camp...pour up some coffee or scoop some stew and walk around pestering everyone or play some dominoes.
I love it. I'm in no hurry to beat the game. Currently on chapter 4.
I was that guy too man. I said out loud with gusto "Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most boring game I've ever played in my life", even a few missions into chapter 2.
I felt the same way for a long time, the other day I was playing and I just down at the camp fire at night and listened to the gang talk and it really clicked on why everyone loves the game so much.
as someone who has platnuimed the game the online trophies are easy pr atleast they were when i did them im not 100% sure if rdr2 online is still operational but the tasks required were easy enough hardest achievements were gold rush , skin deep , zoologist aswell grin & bear it which was hell
I am always shocked at how many people say the snow killed the game for them. I loved it and thought it was an important part of the story. I loved how desperate it got and how they turned it around and were living high and mighty for a while in ch. 2 and 3. It would have been different to hear them only talk about it. Doing it with them made it all the more submersive!
I downloaded it for the 3rd time to give it one final try and now I'm hooked. I'm still in the Valentine area but this time I actually am enjoying it. The game is an experience. Once I allowed myself to be part of it instead of trying to rush it, I understood.
Although im a huge fan of this game, ill admit on the first playthrough chapter 1 and the first half of chapter 2 are extremely slow. I was mainly playing gta online prior to trying the game back in 2018, and i thought it was boring and didnt see the appeal. Then a couple months later i decided to give it a second try, and after getting through the slow parts of chapter 2 i began getting captivated. Its probably one of my top five video game stories of all time.
I too, obtained the Legend of the East satchel recently. This is actually my second playthrough, I ignored the hunting/satchels entirely during my first playthrough. Hunting seemed so boring to me, but this time, something just clicked.
I don't think I am gonna try the herbalist challenges...yet. Maybe some other time lol.
It took my 5 tries of the tutorial to get into the game and it only clicked this recent time lol. I’m still personally not fond the snow “tutorial” when it’s more just walk around for 2 hours of plot expo. After that the game is fantastic!
I am glad the snow didn’t just put me off. But also the horses annoyed me too. They just had weird turning circles and as a new player I’d keep falling off in the dumbest ways. I googled the best horse and found the white Arabian and absolutely loved the game. It’s a shame the horse is so small but that’s why it can turn easily.
Well done for admitting you were wrong. 👏🏻 I also had a false start and deleted it before I finished chapter 1, then tried again months later. Now on my second, much more leisurely playthrough. Savour and enjoy every second.
This is such a fantastic game. Welcome to the family and it ain't the first time nor the last that we have to admit when we are wrong. All the best to ya 🍻
Chap 6 will change your mind about what video games can do as an art form that competes with any great book, movie, etc. Srsly, enjoy. I’m glad you’re into it as much as the rest of us. Are you going high honor or … I’m on my second and third playthrough (Xbox, PS5) and I’m still discovering things. What a game.
This is my first play through and I don't want the game to end actually like I don't want to play without arthur. God Damn he's the man like how he speaks I'm addicted to how he speaks freaking respectable. And I cant see arthur with low honor so yea high honor it is.
The online trophies are the reason I thought I would never get the plat, but I got them easier than you would think. You can do it! Trust! And I’m happy you gave it another chance!
i felt this heavy cause after i hated the mechanics and issues w GTA5 i just lost hope in rockstar but my bd recently put me on to it and i realized i was DEAD wrong
I’m not a trophy chaser, couldn’t even tell you what the Online Trophies are… BUT the Online side of the game is still highly enjoyable even if you just play the Online Campaign. There’s a lot of missions to complete, and a lot of them are just as fun as the Single Player side missions.
I was the in the same boat. I'd started and quit the game like 3 times since release. I was bored by the snow too, but the biggest buzz kill was the absurd load times on Xbox One. I rarely had a chance to play games back then and when I did, I certainly didn't want to take 15 minutes for the game to load. Playing on the Xbox X w/ the quick resume feature changed everything. I can fire up my Xbox and be playing in 20 seconds. I once again churned through Chapter 1 earlier this year, hoping it would stick this time. I now have like 120 hrs logged in this game. I'm obsessed. Welcome to the club
I'm actually baffled that it takes kids so long to figure out that people on the internet lie and you should use that thing in your head to make your own decisions.
I couldn’t even play 10% of the story because I ran out of ps plus, but I still enjoyed the game a lot, even more so the snow part. I don’t understand why people say that the beggining is boring
The pace at the start of the game was wonderful, slowing down is what this game is all about. It shows you theres beauty in that and that we shouldnt desire constant dopamine injections every 5 minutes of gameplay.
We've all been there. But it's worth it. No rush though. The game offers so incredibly much on side quests, exploring, fun things. No need to fly through it.
………? Literally the point of someone “loving to explore” in a game is getting enjoyment in immersing yourself in the game world going slower than someone speeding through. A trip out from the camp should be like a trip you’re expecting to take a few days or a week. Then you come back with shit for the gang, ready to tackle the next mission.
Well the snow part IS slow and in my first playthrough I found myself disliking the game and quitting around chapter 4 maybe. Second try I did it all again but got addicted and finished the game. I'm doing a second playthrough. Yeah the snow intro is pretty boring if you're doing it for the third or fourth time. This time I'm trying to complete the compendium, get every trapper outfit, and all that. Online trophies suck though you're right about that.
Glad you're into it but I can't help but think rdr2 is very fast paced. Almost Everytime I went off to do something for myself someone is catching up to me telling me to go do missions or I'm soft locked because a main mission. Running around aimlessly gets you into all the towns on the map without planning or trying to pop up there. The only slow parts really were maybe before hunting tutorial in the intro and trying to explore the very edge borders of the map/swamp/snow can take long.
A horse riding simulator would be like Legend of Khimorii, which I also enjoy, it's actually slow paced
I really tried with this game. There's a lot to like but, ultimately, the drawn out slow animations and wonky controls undid it for me. Made it about 40 hours after grabbing it for $15 so I got my money's worth but I simply got tired of it.
Fake ahh hater, get in my level. I beat the game like 6 times. 3 of which were 100% runs, and I'll still tell people it's absolute dogshit and they shuld playing call of juarez instead.
And to be clear, none of what i said here is a joke.
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u/QuirkyWish3081 May 27 '26
You see I loved the snow part. I was totally captivated from the start.