I’m writing this after my 3rd full playthrough of Red Dead Redemption 2, and well over 1000 hours deep into this game. Over the years very few games have stuck with me the way this one has and still does, and I’m sure many can relate to that. I can’t tell if I want to keep this review short and concise or long and passionate since I have so much to say about Rockstar’s masterpiece. First I need to establish that this game is certainly not flawless. The mission structure is often restrictive to the point of it being almost comedic sometimes, the lack of content in the single player such as certain weapons and clothing that are instead put into the painfully neglected online mode is infuriating, and some aspects of the gameplay can be seen as a bit clunky or occasionally frustrating. But goddamn do those issues seem almost nonexistent when you’re too busy taking in the beauty of this game. It can’t be understated just how impressive almost every part of red dead redemption 2 is. From the absurd and unmatched level of detail that surrounds the incredible world that has been crafted here, to the fantastic story being told over the countless hours you’ll spend in the campaign. The emotions and ideas it provokes about industrialization, what it means to live a good life, and of course redemption above other things. The care that has been put into how well written these characters are is honestly brilliant and stands as one of the best stories ever told in this medium, and in general. In fact there’s honestly too much good in this game to list at once, you really have to see it to believe it. This is all coming from the same company that has made games like Grand Theft Auto 4 and the original Red Dead Redemption, so for them to show their skill once again in such an amazing way it’s clear that they deserve all the praise they get. This game is fucking incredible and on a more personal level, it just means so much to me and it always will.