2010 was the last time. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a Red Dead game, but it was worth the wait. “Red Dead Redemption 2” is a prequel to the 2010 game “Red Dead Redemption,” and the third entry in the expansive series. “Red Dead Redemption” was an automatic hit in 2018 and it seems as if “Red Dead Redemption 2” is another hit. On October 26th, this spectacular game was released.

The game is set in 1899 and it follows the story of bandit Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. Throughout the game players follow the leader of their gang Dutch Van Der Linde past the Grizzlies and into the Southeastern U.S. With Dutch you will set up camp in man different towns. From your camp you travel into town partaking in missions and finding ways to acquire money for your camp. “Red Dead Redemption” is filled with a ton of action and a great storyline making this game your perfect portal to the western world of the past.

This game has been a hit for many reasons but the best part about “Red Dead Redemption 2” is the graphics. It is simply one of the best looking games I’ve seen this year. This frontier-set game is incredibly sharp. When it comes to story missions, there’s no other free-roam game, other than GTA 5, that comes close to matching the sheer quality of Redemption 2’s main campaign missions. Similar to “GTA 5” transportation comes primarily through vehicles. In “RDR2,” your primary mode of transportation is horseback. Throughout the game, you have opportunities to steal or buy new horses. Every horse has its own unique attributes and as you bond with your horse these attributes will improve.

The missions involve over 60 hours of shootouts, robberies, and train heists, all add to the wonder of this game. Most missions involve chase downs, bar fights, or interactions with other characters within the community.  Within the game you have numerous other side-missions that involve interacting with locals across the map. If you are feeling adventurous there are also over 500 different animal species that you can hunt down and study. This game does an exceptional job of portraying the time. The saloon dialogue, horse-riding, and outfits all encapsulate the late 1800’s. This game has become a hit in the gaming world because of its pristine animation, storytelling, and gameplay.

Considering there are 104 main missions in “Red Dead Redemption 2” and GTA V’s Franklin, Michael and Trevor’s Los Santos adventure only has 79, this gives a more involved and engaging experience. This is the best game of 2018, and Rockstar Games’ masterpiece. “Red Dead” is the most spectacular and periodically accurate game that has ever came out. I would recommend this game for anybody who wants an engaging storyline that sucks you into the outlandish world of the past.