After the Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) map was leaked online, it led to widespread speculation as to what will be the storyline in the game; will we be going back to the bad old days of John Marston? Considering the size of the map, it's a possibility. Whilst we wait for Rockstar to give us something, anything about RDR2, here are five things I want to see in the newest instalment of the Red Dead franchise.
Coming in at number five would be the ability to plan and carry out your own heists/robberies. If we are going back to the bad old days of John Marston then maybe we should get him to rob a couple of banks or just have an old fashioned shoot out with the local sheriff in some town somewhere. Either way having something else to distract you amongst the dozen or so other things that you'll be able to do in RDR2 might just make the difference. Heists were a blast in GTA V so there shouldn't be any reason why they won't be fun in RDR2. Maybe not quite so much high-tech planning, but the idea is the same: Rob a bank or train so you can better equip your partners and your hideout, which leads me nicely onto number 4.
When I first encountered the settlement building part of Fallout 4, I wasn't sold on it. I built myself a house without a roof and used flags to patch up any holes in the walls, but it grew on me. I began to add more and more floors, nicer beds, pool tables, things I would actually want to use in my own house if I was fortunate enough to survive in the wasteland. So why not have something slightly similar in RDR2? Maybe you rob banks with your gang so that you can equip your hideout with better stables, a gunsmith and even your own private railway. Think about it, it could be pretty cool.
It's not a big ask, but can we maybe have John Marston (or a new protagonist) be able to get into the water up to his armpits without melting? Considering the map for RDR2 has a large coastline and several islands, it would make sense for you to be able to swim or at least doggy paddle about a bit.
In the previous RDR game, we did have some form of 'reputation' system where if you did lots of nice things people were generally nice to you. If you did lots of bad things, like hogtying people on the rail tracks and waiting for the 1510 to Blackwater to appear, people weren't so nice to you. But this time can we have it so if you slaughter a bunch of people on the main drag and somehow get away with it there is a bounty put on your head? Maybe people will be less willing to help you on missions or just don't serve you in bars/general stores. It might not work when and if you're a member of gang that robs and murders people for larks, but it could add another layer of depth to what could be a brilliant game.
Much like GTA V, maybe RDR2 would benefit from having more than one playable character. Plus, the ability to switch about from one another would help relieve some of the monotony of crossing that giant map. Maybe we'll have a playable female character in RDR2? Either way I think it would only benefit the game and make it a far more enjoyable experience when you're given characters with their own strengths and weaknesses much like in GTA V.
So when will we eventually see this masterpiece? Well, hopefully sooner rather than later, but for now we'll have to wait and see. When it comes to announcing things like GTA V, Rockstar like to pretty much do it all at once, so here's hoping we are soon flooded with RDR2 gameplay and trailers.