Red Dead Redemption , after numerous delays for extra polish, has finally made it to store shelves. IGN posted its review last week , but that's only one man's opinion. Today we present to you other thoughts, critiques, and general feelings from the IGN editorial staff about Rockstar's sandiest sandbox game yet.

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: What really makes Red Dead Redemption successful is the context of the Old West in America. There was a thin line between life and death in this setting. If you didn't fall to disease or exposure there was a good chance that the lawless populace would take you down. The heavy consequences for even the slightest of actions make for gripping gameplay.And what's really amazing about the story is that the themes are even more relevant today than the issues players struggled with in Grand Theft Auto IV. The arguments about technology invading our lives, independence from the government and what constitutes a "real" American still pervade our everyday lives.: Getting through games I'm writing guides for is always a slow process. And because I'm writing the Red Dead Redemption guide , I haven't gotten very far in the game (I'm about 25 percent through, according to the in-game statistics). But I've certainly developed some feelings on the game that I think shine through.First and foremost, the game is better than Grand Theft Auto IV. Hands-down. Though the games clearly share a lot with one another, from the engine to the aesthetics --even the overall gameplay -- there's something far more endearing about Red Dead Redemption. Now, that says something, because I thought Grand Theft Auto IV was a stellar game in its own right. But Red Dead feels even more special to me. It's one of those games that you'll never forget playing. There's very little not to like about it.In Red Dead, you can see the things that Rockstar usually gets right, and usually gets wrong. Its voice-acting, writing, storytelling and presentation are virtually unparalleled in our industry, with only a few other developers, like BioWare or Bethesda, even remotely capable of rivaling what Rockstar conveys in this realm. Then again, the game is mildly buggy and a bit repetitive at times. But those are minor qualms with an otherwise amazing package. Red Dead Redemption is, in my estimation, the third best game of the year : I've put a considerable amount of time into Red Dead Redemption, and so far I've spent the majority of it doing nothing of consequence. I play Poker for hours upon hours. I ride my horse around the landscape, with absolutely no goal in mind. I explore abandoned camps and settlements, hunting for hidden stashes of money. I've got a badass rifle though. That counts for something, right?But that's why Red Dead captures me in a way that GTA never did. It's a different world, a different era, one that I don't see when I walk down the street. Quite frankly I live with some of the Grand Theft Auto world every day -- spend 30 minutes dealing with the insane and wealthy drivers in Beverly Hills and you have about 50 percent of the GTA experience. But Red Dead brings back something Hollywood only touches with rare productions like Deadwood or 3:10 to Yuma. Rockstar's renowned attention to detail creates something that feels so real and evokes such a reaction that you will start to believe you're in the wild west. Try not to ride slow when you see a beautiful landscape or sunset.All I've managed to mention is the world that has been created for Red Dead, and for some reason that's all that matters to me. It makes the game. I've seen disappearing weapons and chairs, flying people and everything between. Sure, my horse is a bit tough to control. I'm still not entirely sure why I'm rapidly pressing "A" to run when I have an analog joystick. But I don't care. I can still gamble on that straight flush with some old-fashioned ruffians. I can still have a shootout at an abandoned fort. I can still accept a mission from an old lady.. who I then rope, drag across the dusty desert, and knife in the shadow of the mountains while bounty hunters attempt (in vain) to track me down.What's not to love about that?: Let me start by saying that I have never been captivated by a Rockstar game until Red Dead Redemption came along. I played some of Bully and Grand Theft Auto IV, but never felt compelled to return to them. With Red Dead, I count down the hours at work until I can go home and continue my adventures as John Marston. Perhaps I prefer the western because it feels more "open" than the other worlds. Sure, you can technically do whatever you want in Grand Theft Auto and Bully, but if you hate being reprimanded for your actions (like me), you're restricted because of the close proximity of other people. The landscape of Red Dead is quite the opposite of a cramped city or private school -- there's space to roam and wiggle room to be a little bit bad if you want to without the consequences of urban civilization. You can slaughter innocent campers or just join them for a nice fireside chat and I enjoy that kind of freedom.Sure the story is interesting and the characters are unique, but more importantly it's just fun to run around the wilderness on horseback trying to find things to shoot dead.