Given that the very release of GTA 6 is a long-brewing meme, the announcement of a Red Dead Redemption 3 game is nothing but dream material, at least for the next few years. However, whenever it rolls around, it needs to preserve what made RDR2 a masterpiece.
Released in 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 didn’t just set a new bar for open-world games; it literally redefined what storytelling and immersion are supposed to look like. In that process, Rockstar Games ended up creating mechanics that made the title evergreen, and from the living honor system to how the protagonist bonds with their horse, here are five mechanics Rockstar cannot afford to lose.
5. The Living Honor System
The honor system in Red Dead Redemption 2 should live on | Credit: Rockstar Games
Most open-world games have a morality meter in them. However, what set RDR2’s honor system apart was the depth of its consequences. A high-honor Arthur Morgan received discounts at the shop and was greeted warmly by strangers. Best of all, it also changes how the story ends in the climax.
For Red Dead Redemption 3, this system has the potential to not only return, but also evolve. An example of it could be gangs and lawmen tracking your behavior differently, rather than a universal honor system.
4. Ambient World Storytelling
RDR 2 had excellent ambient world storytelling | Credit: Rockstar Games
One of the hardest things to achieve in open-world games is to make the world feel alive and populated. Red Dead Redemption 2 did this better than any game before it, with random NPCs and side-quests scattered in abundance throughout the whole game. No matter where you head, there will always be something for you to do in this game.
However, crafting these moments can be time-consuming, especially from a writer’s perspective. When it comes to Red Dead Redemption 3, Rockstar Games needs to push through once again and make sure that these encounters are not replaced by structured content, as it doesn’t deliver the same feel of the game being alive.
3. Horse-Bonding in Red Dead Redemption 2
Horses are more than just animals in Red Dead Redemption 2 | Credit: Rockstar Games
RDR2 had a unique way of doing things when it came to horses. Your horse wasn’t just a health bar, but it was rather a companion with its own personality. With more bonding over time, the player unlocked mechanics like better handling and the ability to call your horse from greater distances. The horse felt more realistic than anything, with players even being grief-stricken when they lost it mid-story. Red Dead Redemption 3 absolutely needs to keep this going, with players likely to start a revolt if not.
2. Dead Eye Mechanic
The Dead Eye mechanic needs to make a comeback | Credit: Rockstar Games
The original Red Dead Redemption, as well as RDR 2, featured a mechanic that made you feel like a genuine Western gunslinger, and it was Dead Eye. At its highest level, the system lets Arthur slow time and manually paint red X markers on multiple targets simultaneously, and then release the trigger for a burst of rounds that would be precise no matter what.
Dead Eye helped in giving Red Dead Redemption 2 the weight it had in its gunplay, and there is no doubt about whether Rockstar should bring it back or not. Instead, even if the sequel takes place in a different era or a setting, it could be adapted to that era’s specific techniques.
1. Weapon Degradation and Customization
Weapon degradation and customisation is what subjectively made RDR 2 great | Credit:- Rockstar Games
In other games, when it comes to weapons, you simply pick them up, you shoot things, and you swap them out for better ones. However, Red Dead Redemption 2 treated firearms like reality, with every weapon in the game degrading with use and exposure. There is also the customisation system at the gunsmith, where nearly every single part of the gun, from barrel length to grip material, can be modified independently.
For Red Dead Redemption 3, this system definitely needs to return, and maybe even be expanded this time around.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Release Date October 26, 2018Developer Rockstar GamesPublisherRockstar Games
What mechanic would you like to see make a return in a hopeful Red Dead Redemption 3? Make sure to let us know about it in the comments below!
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