GAMES FEATURE

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was hands-off and used to set-up the session and introduce some of the gang members, including a younger John Marston. Featuring a train robbery in the snow-swept Grizzly Mountains, it's my first close look at the game and, as a big fan of the first two Red Dead games, my fingers are getting itchy in anticipation. Finally I'm handed the PlayStation 4 controller and after a little familiarising with actions mapped to buttons, I'm off in a new part of the map. Thunk! That’s the sound my arrow makes as it hammers into a deer startled by my presence and trying to escape. I’m trialing the hunting component first up. “Whoah, you got it in the neck! Great shot,” comment my hosts. Of course I play along with the notion that it was fully intentional but I learn that where the arrow/bullet strikes your prey when hunting will affect how much you can sell it for when you find a butcher. And the longer you keep it, the lower the price will be – fresh in the West is king. It’s just one example of the incredible detail that RDR 2 has in abundance. Your horse can now do the equivalent of an equestrian hand brake stop and it can even perform dressage. Saddle, saddlebags and other equipment strapped to your nag has all been animated individually and moves independently, adding impressive realism. And you have to feed and pet your horse to keep it in good shape because if you let it die, it won’t regenerate. Different breeds have their own advantages and idiosyncrasies, so it’s all about gaining trust in your steed. Visually, the game is a knockout. From the snow-filled mountains in the hands-

Rockstar returns with the next entry in its Red Dead series, Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26, and late last month we played it.We strongly recommend that you cancel all social engagements for the rest of year. Words Paul Jones

W hen Rockstar bought Angel Studios, renaming it Rockstar San Diego in 2002, one of the titles the studio was working on caught the eye of the Houser brothers; it was a Western-themed game called Red Dead Revolver for Capcom, who, after a troubled development, dropped it in 2003 leaving Rockstar to pick up the rights. A critical success more than a commercial one, the game, despite its cartoon-like characters, was a gritty and entertaining representation of the Wild West and a perfect foundation on which to build. Six years later, expanding on the Western theme established in Revolver , Rockstar San Diego, utilising the innovative GTA series DNA, delivered an authentic depiction of the last days of the Wild West. It came complete with an array of memorable characters, including protagonist John Marston, a well-developed story and an entire in-game ecosystem, all topped off with a solid multiplayer. In the space of seven months, Red Dead Redemption sold eight million units. While the GTA V juggernaut and its pioneering business model has kept Rockstar busy over the last five years, its next title was announced in October 2016 as Red Dead Redemption 2 . A prequel to Red Dead Redemption set in 1899, the protagonist is now Arthur Morgan, a man described by Rockstar as a “more or less unrepentant outlaw”. Morgan is part of the Van der Linde Gang headed up by Dutch van der Linde, who players may remember from the previous

title. The gang is at the forefront of Morgan’s loyalty: it’s where he lives and fights, but that doesn’t restrict his ability to explore the world solo. I grabbed some time with the very latest code. The initial part of the 4K presentation

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OCTOBER 2018

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