Red Dead Redemption 2 - now available on PC

[curry]

The graphics are really good but the actual gameplay is very bad. The controls are so fucking unresponsive it's mind boggling. Nearly unplayable with a mouse and keyboard.

 

[Danikas]

The graphics are really good but the actual gameplay is very bad. The controls are so fucking unresponsive it's mind boggling. Nearly unplayable with a mouse and keyboard.

Dude it wasn't much better on console, I played it on my brothers Ps4 and while graphics are just awesome especially snow effects, it plays like shit.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I dunno if it's actually possible to fatten up in the damn game. I actually tried to do that since I felt health would be more valuable than stamina, but goddamn Arthur's got a dream physiology that will burn through calories like a furnace.

 

[Sentinel]

That might enter into spoiler realm. But yes it is possible.

 

[Burning Bridges]

 

[DeepOcean]

The controls are that bad? I remember playing GTA V that pretty much played on ultra easy mode on the PC, as Rockstar assumed you were using a controller, so you could chain headshot popping moles when you have a decent control method with a mouse and keyboard. For the controls to be shit on the PC with all those bandits begging to be shot, then Rockstar really screwed up.

 

[sullynathan]

The controls are that bad? I remember playing GTA V that pretty much played on ultra easy mode on the PC, as Rockstar assumed you were using a controller, so you could chain headshot popping moles when you have a decent control method with a mouse and keyboard. For the controls to be shit on the PC with all those bandits begging to be shot, then Rockstar really screwed up.

It's just slow with a lot of animation and input delay. It isn't actually bad.

 

[Sentinel]

People mean Arthur controls bad because he has movement inertia meant to simulate weight. Going from stationary to walking isn't instant, for example.

Never hindered my ability to get around, but people get really triggered by it.

 

[DalekFlay]

The controls are that bad? I remember playing GTA V that pretty much played on ultra easy mode on the PC, as Rockstar assumed you were using a controller, so you could chain headshot popping moles when you have a decent control method with a mouse and keyboard. For the controls to be shit on the PC with all those bandits begging to be shot, then Rockstar really screwed up.

I was relatively fine with GTA4 and 5. RDR2 just takes it one step too far for me. Also controller versus KBM has nothing to do with it, as these same complaints plagued the console versions the entire year before it came to PC. If anything I'm sure mouse aim helps, and adds some fun that isn't there with the kind of auto-aim you're talking about playing the game for you. Also it has nothing to do with difficulty, the game isn't challenging at all. It's just annoying to play for some of us.

 

[dbx]

The worst part is the vast amount of literally railroaded sections where you can move your character in one direction only regardless of your inputs. Worst design decision ever.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I finally got a new videocard, and after setting up EE for Witcher 3, and then reverting back to my Ghost Mod et al config (the wife refuses to learn EE combat), the first game I actually started playing is this one.

I will begin with this, I work full time, but I've somehow done 18 hours of RDR 2 in the last three days, and story-wise, I'm in the beginning of Chapter 2, haven't freed Sean yet.

It's every bit as good as I imagined it when I was watching LPs on youtube. Huge potential for exploration, emergent gameplay, subtly done but impressive if light C&C.

The game is remarkable in how it expects you to take things slow instead of turning gameplay into a laundry list of errands. Witcher 3 is the only other game I can think of which also allows for such style of playing.

Some fun stories:

Slight spoilers


- In Valentine, some prostitute asked me to help clean a mess in her room where she had killed a john. I did help her, but then went to the Sherrif's office to check for bounties and completely by mistake, told the deputy about the murder. The deputy went "Oh, not this again", then proceeded to round up the prostitute, carrying her over his shoulder and into the cell. Turned out she has been killing folks suspiciously often. The production values and attention to detail with the dialogue and animations surprised me, but what was further surprising was that she was hanged the next morning with people from Valentine gathered in front of the gallows and the sherriff doing a little speech. I'm pretty sure if I had stayed and waited, she would have actually been brought to the gallows, no spawning directly. Should check it next time. It even left me with an uncertainty if turning her in had been the right thing to do. Yeah, she may have killed a few of them, but maybe it had always been self defense?

- I was doing the second bounty, the Black Widow. I snuck up to her hideout where she was talking to some poor bastard. She sensed me and send him to attack me. However I already had my lasso equipped, so I quickly hogtied him, and then it was just me and her. She actually commented on that, and I'm not sure but maybe the comment was specific to hogtying him. She didn't resist as I tied her up as well. But then I had to cut his ropes, because it felt like the logical thing to do. He ran away, thanking me. It's just insane how many outcomes Rockstar have provided for.

I can go on but you get the idea. For me this game is just what the doctor ordered. I'm a big fan of revisionist westerns, used to love reading O. Henry's short stories, and the game's tone is really somewhere between a serious western movie and "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs".

Something I could wish for was even more simulationist stuff regarding the shooting mechanics specifically. Also, I'm sorry AI can't be more intelligent regarding the crime system and establishing who is guilty, because I often get treated as the guilty party when I have actually been acting in self defense. When a guy pulls on me, I can either run or shoot him, and when I do, it's my fault.

 

[sullynathan]

Something I could wish for was even more simulationist stuff regarding the shooting mechanics specifically. Also, I'm sorry AI can't be more intelligent regarding the crime system and establishing who is guilty, because I often get treated as the guilty party when I have actually been acting in self defense. When a guy pulls on me, I can either run or shoot him, and when I do, it's my fault.

It's finnicky, but sometimes, if you aggro an NPC, and they punch or shoot first, then the cops come after them not you.

- I was doing the second bounty, the Black Widow. I snuck up to her hideout where she was talking to some poor bastard. She sensed me and send him to attack me. However I already had my lasso equipped, so I quickly hogtied him, and then it was just me and her. She actually commented on that, and I'm not sure but maybe the comment was specific to hogtying him. She didn't resist as I tied her up as well. But then I had to cut his ropes, because it felt like the logical thing to do. He ran away, thanking me. It's just insane how many outcomes Rockstar have provided for.

R* did a lot of this. There are a shit ton of random encounters, that actually repeat themselves, but you won't notice it until much later.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I ran into the encounter yesterday, where as you approach the Valentine saloon, two bullies are coming out and getting on their horses. The first time, I aggroed one of them, he pulled a gun, I shot both of them, but I was killed by intervening Valentine residents who for some reason opened fire on me, not on the other guys.

I loaded a savegame, aggroed the same two guys again, and this time walked into the saloon, hoping they wouldn't try to kill me inside the saloon. They did follow me back into the saloon and this time it was a fistfight. This time around, most of the patrons of the saloon came at me to join the fistfight. I barely made it, beating up everyone in the saloon unconscious, including the drunk trapper guy. It was part annoying part hilarious, if you are looking from the side.

Ironically and amusingly, also somewhat logically, the only people who didn't join the "me vs. everyone" fight were the four guys in the saloon around the poker table. I decided it would be fitting to sit with them and play a couple of hands, which I did. Then I crossed the street into the hotel and slept in a room. It was almost dawn.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

- In Valentine, some prostitute asked me to help clean a mess in her room where she had killed a john. I did help her, but then went to the Sherrif's office to check for bounties and completely by mistake, told the deputy about the murder. The deputy went "Oh, not this again", then proceeded to round up the prostitute, carrying her over his shoulder and into the cell. Turned out she has been killing folks suspiciously often. The production values and attention to detail with the dialogue and animations surprised me, but what was further surprising was that she was hanged the next morning with people from Valentine gathered in front of the gallows and the sherriff doing a little speech. I'm pretty sure if I had stayed and waited, she would have actually been brought to the gallows, no spawning directly. Should check it next time. It even left me with an uncertainty if turning her in had been the right thing to do. Yeah, she may have killed a few of them, but maybe it had always been self defense?\

Awesome. I actually had that encounter last night and I helped her (Since she offered money and I'm being a dirty mercenary/bandit) and Arthur writes in his journal that he hopes he did the right thing. You should check your journal and see if he says something different about it. As is usual with Rockstar they've got an absolutely fucking obscene amount of detail all over the place, the camp has continued to impress me with how lively it is with all the characters talking/joking/fucking/playing/singing and even playing out little custom-animated scenes and 20 hours in I haven't seen any repeats yet.

 

[AwesomeButton]

Is this the same prostitute, did you kill her? Why the blood on her head. Good idea about the journal, I'll check it today.

Meanwhile, I spent yesterday exploring the area forest northeast of Valentine, but without crossing the river. On a ridge I found some old guy camping with a small tent. He tried to chase me away. Also he had a completely white and very good-looking horse. I shot him and his horse ran away, and I couldn't find it any more. Has anyone had a different experience with this guy? Did you get the horse and how was it? Do these reactions have chance to be different if you are above neutral level of honor?

As is usual with Rockstar they've got an absolutely fucking obscene amount of detail all over the place

Yeah, it turns out that this game is much better ground for a murderhobo/hiking simulator than Bethesda's games, and even allows for more roleplaying, thanks to the richness of its systems and reactivity about small things*. The downside is that it's insanely expensive and time consuming to produce such a game, if we can even call it a game any more.

* Edit: Of course, the richness and quality of the writing and characters also plays a major role... I guess when your game is top-notch in every aspect, by necessity it happens to acquire some of the features of a good RPG.

 

[Hace El Oso]

I became frustrated with Red Dead 2 very quickly. Every time Rockstar make a new game they give you less and less freedom to enjoy it. With RDR2 it stings all the more because the world is so expansive and well made but they insist you do things in just such and such a way and no other. Deviate and "mission over". It reminds me of when they came out with the heists for GTA5 Online. Why not just let me pick my own equipment and vehicle/s and rob whatever place I want, figuring it out on my own? Why do I have to be led around like a big dumb baby?

 

[HanoverF]

I just want bigger satchels and better guns but the game is making me rob trains and shit

Meanwhile, I spent yesterday exploring the area forest northeast of Valentine, but without crossing the river. On a ridge I found some old guy camping with a small tent. He tried to chase me away. Also he had a completely white and very good-looking horse. I shot him and his horse ran away, and I couldn't find it any more. Has anyone had a different experience with this guy? Did you get the horse and how was it? Do these reactions have chance to be different if you are above neutral level of honor?

I met a guy camping in a small tent with a horse outside and he got up to chase me off, but stumbled into his campfire and burned to death. I just rode on.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I became frustrated with Red Dead 2 very quickly. Every time Rockstar make a new game they give you less and less freedom to enjoy it. With RDR2 it stings all the more because the world is so expansive and well made but they insist you do things in just such and such a way and no other. Deviate and "mission over". It reminds me of when they came out with the heists for GTA5 Online. Why not just let me pick my own equipment and vehicle/s and rob whatever place I want, figuring it out on my own? Why do I have to be led around like a big dumb baby?

IDK, maybe I'm still in a honeymoon phase, but I don't care much about the story missions and I'm just making my own fun, pursuing challenges and reacting to strangers, exploring the heartlands area little by little. The missions I guess are railroaded on purpose, because the Housers wanted to push their cinematic "vision", but you still have plenty of opportunity to be your own movie's director.

I spent the daytime trying to track 10 different species of animals, turned in some skins and meat to the butcher, then played the money away at poker. Good enough fun for me yesterday, and I spent like 2,5 realtime hours on it. BTW, I'm positive the poker is rigged. Maybe it becomes more tilted towards the player as he gains experience as a gambler, who knows.

I met a guy camping in a small tent with a horse outside and he got up to chase me off, but stumbled into his campfire and burned to death. I just rode on.

Must have been the same guy. In my case he fell into his fire when I shot him and his body burned, which prevented me from looting him.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Is this the same prostitute, did you kill her? Why the blood on her head. Good idea about the journal, I'll check it today.

Was a different, unrelated woman in Valentine that had to get shot in the head because reasons. Lotta that going around. Did some exploring yesterday though, no spoilers but I had my first mission that gave me reason to visit the town of Strawberry. On the way there, a shackled prisoner asked for my help in the woods. I shot his shackles off, and as reward he told me about some rich old lady that lives north of Strawberry somewhere as one of the random-ass home invasion side activities. Rather than do my regular mission in Strawberry, I started heading north and visiting likely spots on the map to try to find this old woman. Never did find her, but I went on a massive exploration bender that left my horse on the opposite side of a mountain as me and I'm in bumfuck nowhere surrounded by wolves. The story doesn't sound as good typed out here (In part because I'm avoiding some placed exploration spoilers) but actually playing it has been an adventure. Though as always, I can see how it'd piss people off too because that's an hour+ of walking simulator gameplay and there's no fast travel to bring me back to town and I didn't have a map marker for the old woman's house, which I still haven't found.

Did you get the horse and how was it? Do these reactions have chance to be different if you are above neutral level of honor?

I haven't met the guy, but I hadn't even considered reactions changing based on your honor. Met a random NPC that was using a treasure map (Not the first one that serves as a tutorial) and asked him about it, and he played coy and immediately tried riding away. I popped him in the back of the head (As you do) to get the map myself only to learn that corpses can sometimes get caught in the stirrups of a horse, which led to frantically deadeyeing the horse before it ran off with my goddamn map bouncing along behind it.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

And a nice scenic picture just because it's not all-murdering women and tasteful rape ALL the time. Just most of the time.

 

[Hace El Oso]

IDK, maybe I'm still in a honeymoon phase, but I don't care much about the story missions and I'm just making my own fun, pursuing challenges and reacting to strangers, exploring the heartlands area little by little. The missions I guess are railroaded on purpose, because the Housers wanted to push their cinematic "vision", but you still have plenty of opportunity to be your own movie's director.

I spent the daytime trying to track 10 different species of animals, turned in some skins and meat to the butcher, then played the money away at poker. Good enough fun for me yesterday, and I spent like 2,5 realtime hours on it. BTW, I'm positive the poker is rigged. Maybe it becomes more tilted towards the player as he gains experience as a gambler, who knows.

I don't disagree, I approached it in a very similar way. Never before in a game have I gone on a meandering canoe trip and thought to myself "yeah, this is pretty close to what it's actually like" . It's because I enjoyed making my own fun as much as I did that I was frustrated when I could not carry any of that freedom over into "structured" activities. They should have had the humility to abandon the cinematic pretensions and simply simulated their sandbox.

 

[Manjuice Nutella]

Try Online, it's more fun than Story Mode. The "making your own fun" as you describe is through the roof there, and the several story missions there are are more open-ended "choose your approach" themselves.

It's even an RPG as you gain experience and level up! From what I've seen in Poker, players just blindly bet everything so you can rob them blind if you know how to play it.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

THE VIOLENCE HAS ESCALATED

 

[TheEntitledOne]

I made it to the Epilogue. Then game starts to throw err_gfx_state on load. Tried different fixes.
Was forced to use Uninstall.exe at the end.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Current state of Arthur Dubois' getup:

Been avoiding the city since the story hasn't taken me there yet, but I saw the smoke on the horizon so I rode into town to find a tailor and found even more garishly orange pants and an actual tie. I went with a longer green coat and the green tophat (Both hard to see in the dim light) because they felt acceptable 1899-disco.