Highlights Red Dead Redemption 3 faces a difficult challenge

Red Dead Redemption 3 faces a difficult challenge in surpassing the incredible missions of its predecessor, which perfectly captured the Old West. The missions in Red Dead Redemption 2 were both action-packed and grounded, making players invested and keeping them on edge. The developer will need to find a way to either escalate the missions and risk losing the game’s serious tone, or keep them at the same level and risk stagnation. It’s a tough task for the upcoming third game.

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Since the release of the franchise’s latest installment, it’s been expected that the next Red Dead Redemption game will be put into development at some point. Rockstar is currently chipping away at Grand Theft Auto 6, so fans will likely not see a new Western entry for some time. Plus, there is one element that the studio may struggle with when it comes to the upcoming Red Dead Redemption game.

Since the second game was released, gamers have speculated on the franchise’s direction and what paths it may take. Many have suggested that Red Dead Redemption 3 should focus on Jack Marston while others support leaving the Van der Linde Gang behind altogether. Regardless of what direction the game takes, the game will have a hard time topping the missions of Red Dead Redemption 2.

The Incredible Missions Of Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game full of amazing missions that have players do all sorts of things. The story takes gamers from traditional Old West Towns to modern cities and even other countries. It truly gives players a good look at the world of this period for better or for worse. The missions themselves are everything a fan of the time period could dream of as Red Dead Redemption 2 perfectly captures the Old West. The game has players pull train robberies, rustle livestock, and go after other outlaws for bounty money. Later quests have gamers commit elaborate bank heists and help Native American Tribes fight off the United States Army.

The big finale of the game has the Van der Linde Gang attack a train transporting United States Army payroll. This mission continues to escalate as they battle soldiers and Pinkerton Agents before concluding with a fistfight between Arthur Morgan and Micah Bell. They’re overall action-packed and suspenseful enough to keep players invested, on edge, and having fun, but also grounded enough to where they feel like they belong in this world. Unfortunately, this is also why a third game may have trouble topping its missions.

Why Red Dead Redemption 3 Will Have A Hard Time Topping 2’s Missions

For as fun as the missions were Red Dead Redemption 2, they managed to pull off a perfect balancing act. While some were somewhat sensationalized they still felt like they could have happened in the real world. The missions of Grand Theft Auto 5, on the other hand, were bombastic and over the top, and not anything anyone would likely ever do outside of fiction.

In terms of thematic presentation, this is one of the big differences between the two franchises. In trying to escalate the missions and make them more fun, Grand Theft Auto 5 became something of a satire while the Red Dead Redemption games managed to remain serious. If the developer wants to keep upping the ante it might be difficult for the series to keep that grounded approach. At this point, it almost feels like there is only one of two routes that the franchise can go with its main quests. The first option is for the series to continue to escalate things and go into more over-the-top territory at the risk of losing its identity. In the second option, the missions could more or less stay at the same level as Red Dead Redemption 2 but would risk stagnation. Either way, the franchise will have a challenge for itself for the third game. It’s currently predicted that Red Dead Redemption 3 won’t be out until the 2030s, so the developer will have plenty of time to figure out what it wants to do. The missions of the previous game, however, remain some of the best gamers have ever seen. Because of this, the planned third game will have a hard time topping them while still staying true to the franchise.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

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