At any given time, I am usually working my way through a console game. Lately, that game has been Red Dead Redemption. I only get in an hour or two a week, so it takes me quite a while to finish a game. It seems I will not be finishing RDR.
Red Dead Redemption is a game I both love and hate. Let's start out with the love. I love the Western setting, the voice acting is top notch, the graphics are great and the mechanics are a lot of fun. I also enjoy the overall story of the game.
Hate may be a strong word, but it is enough to overcome all of the love. First, I hate the multitude of mundane quests you are sent on. I don't want to herd cows or break-in horses. Shooting crows? No thanks. I don't even want to race.
Worse than the mundane quests was John Marston himself. He started out pretty cool, but then it became clear he had no real character. I think Penny Arcade had a comic describing it, but I can't find it. Marston would just do whatever people told him and take a lot of abuse. It really made me miss Mass Effect, how I would have liked RDR to have a little RPG mixed in.
Spoilers...
I pushed myself through Mexico and then back to the States. Finally killed Dutch and was hoping the game was over. Nope, I need to do mundane chores around the house. I just can't bring myself to play the game again. I have heard about the ending, which does sound good but not enough for me to spend any more time on the game.
Next up is Fallout 3. I played some of it on my PC, but got the Game of the Year for my 360. It's refreshing to have some control over the attitude of my character again.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Grrrrrr, Red Dead Redemption
