Red Dead Redemption

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Mon May 17, 2010 3:22 pm

I wasn't interested in the MP before, but watching the video explaining the free roam mode makes me interested. I'm kind of wondering if it's going to wind up like GTA's MP, where it winds up being too open-ended, and thus has no focus and fizzles out.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon May 17, 2010 4:03 pm

Woot got my shipping email. Now I just have to hope someone doesn't swipe it from my porch during the day. Very unlikey but man that would suck.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon May 17, 2010 4:24 pm

I was initially a little disappointed at the "20+ hour single player campaign" statements. 20-25 hours seemed a little on the short side for such an epic sounding game. However, the UK IGN review gave me hope when they said the content after the campaign could "take a lifetime" to complete. I assume there are a ton of objectives, hidden secrets, side missions, etc. that will keep us busy well after the final main mission is history.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon May 17, 2010 4:26 pm

20 hours campaign if you just focus on that is pretty good. I'd say that's in range for what Fallout 3 was like if you didn't do side quest stuff. From the sounds of it you can totally go off the beaten path and just do your own thing. That's what I plan on doing once I get the lasso of course. I want to do some bounty hunting.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon May 17, 2010 4:39 pm

If I can live this song via this game, I will be a happy camper.

TENNESSEE STUD

Along about eighteen and twenty-five
I left Tennessee very much alive
I never would have got through the Arkansas mud
If I hadn't been a-ridin on the Tennessee stud

I had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa
One of her brothers was a bad outlaw
I sent her a letter by my Uncle Fud
And I rode away on the Tennessee stud

CHORUS:
The Tennessee stud was long and lean
The color of the sun and his eyes were green
He had the nerve and he had the blood
And there never was a hoss like the Tennessee stud

One day I was ridin' in the beautiful land
And ran smack into an Indian band
They jerked their knives with a whoop and a yell
But I rode away like a bat out of hell

Well I circled their camp for a time or two
And showed what a Tennessee hoss could do
And them redskin boys never got my blood
'Cause I was a-ridin' on the Tennessee stud

CHORUS

We drifted on down into no man's land
We crossed the river called the Rio Grande
I raced my hoss with the Spaniards bold
Till I got me a skin full of silver and gold

Me and a gambler we couldn't agree
We got in a fight over Tennessee
We jerked our guns, he fell with a thud
And I got away on the Tennessee stud

CHORUS

Well, I got as lonesome as a man can be
Dreamin' of my girl in Tennessee
The Tennessee stud's green eyes turned blue
'Cause he was a-dneamin' of a sweetheart too

We loped on back across Arkansas
I whipped her brother and I whipped her pa
I found that girl with the golden hair
And she was ridin' on a Tennessee mare

CHORUS

Stirrup to stirrup and side by side
We crossed the mountains and the valleys wide
We came to Big Muddy and we forded the flood
On the Tennessee mare and the Tennessee stud

Pretty little baby on the cabin floor
Little hoss colt playin' 'round the door
I love the girl with golden hair
And the Tennessee stud loves the Tennessee mare

CHORUS

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 9:22 am

In transit! God speed little buddy! Is it 5 yet?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:07 am

My copy started it's journey at 10pm last night, on the truck this morning. What a waste of everything if I just get a "delivery attempted" notification.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:55 am

LawBeefaroni wrote:My copy started it's journey at 10pm last night, on the truck this morning. What a waste of everything if I just get a "delivery attempted" notification.

They always just dump it on my porch. I hope this isn't a exception.

FYI I checked my order and it doesn't say anything about a signature being required...

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:59 am

Octavious230 wrote: They always just dump it on my porch. I hope this isn't a exception.

I imagine you'll be stressing your F5 key.

Amazon via UPS usually delivers between 11am and 1pm for me, so I'll know by then.

Octavious230 wrote:FYI I checked my order and it doesn't say anything about a signature being required...

It's usually up to the driver's discretion if there isn't a signature required.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:07 am

I think UPS is going to block me for fear I'm trying to DOS attack their tracking site.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:11 am

Octavious230 wrote:I think UPS is going to block me for fear I'm trying to DOS attack their tracking site.

Text Track allows you to track your Amazon.com packages via text messages (SMS) sent to your mobile phone. When you sign up, important tracking updates for that package (also visible in Your Account) will be sent to your mobile phone.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:18 am

Out for delivery! My kids are going to be might annoyed when I kick them out of the living room at 7:30 tonight...

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:20 am

hentzau wrote:Out for delivery! My kids are going to be might annoyed when I kick them out of the living room at 7:30 tonight...

The greatest thing I ever bought was the VGA adapter from my 360. I have my 360 hooked up to my computer and can play whenever I want. Otherwise I'd never get to play.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:21 am

Octavious230 wrote:
hentzau wrote:Out for delivery! My kids are going to be might annoyed when I kick them out of the living room at 7:30 tonight...
The greatest thing I ever bought was the VGA adapter from my 360. I have my 360 hooked up to my computer and can play whenever I want. Otherwise I'd never get to play.

It's my ferverent desire to complete my man cave transformation this year, with another HD TV, another Blu ray player, and another 360. Then the kids can keep the living room, I'll be in the basement!

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:26 am

That would be great if I had a basement.

I don't know how I bought a house that didn't have a proper place for a man cave.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:28 am

From Phoenix to Memphis to Garland TX, out for delivery to Dallas. Too bad they don't put stickers like the old steamer trunks on packages.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:29 am

Amazon.com wrote:May 18, 2010 10:01:00 AM Chicago IL US Delivery attempted. Signature is required to complete delivery. Please see carrier notice for next delivery attempt or contact the carrier

There is a reception desk 5 feet from my front door. I really should remember to leave a note when I'm expecting something. Oh well.

Slightly different language from UPS:

UPS wrote:CHICAGO, IL, US 05/18/2010 10:01 A.M. THE RECEIVER WAS UNAVAILABLE TO SIGN ON THE 1ST DELIVERY ATTEMPT. A 2ND DELIVERY ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:36 am

LawBeefaroni wrote:
Amazon.com wrote:May 18, 2010 10:01:00 AM Chicago IL US Delivery attempted. Signature is required to complete delivery. Please see carrier notice for next delivery attempt or contact the carrier
There is a reception desk 5 feet from my front door. I really should remember to leave a note when I'm expecting something. Oh well.

Slightly different language from UPS:

UPS wrote:CHICAGO, IL, US 05/18/2010 10:01 A.M. THE RECEIVER WAS UNAVAILABLE TO SIGN ON THE 1ST DELIVERY ATTEMPT. A 2ND DELIVERY ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE

Ouch now you're scaring me.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:51 am

I recently replaced my 42" primary TV with a 50" and moved the 42" upstairs into the office (aka Man Cave). I also moved my 360 upstairs to the office so I'd have a little more freedom to play whenever I wanted.

Tonight will be the first night I've fired up the 360 upstairs on the 42 (which looks absolutely ENORMOUS in my tiny office). I can't think of a better game to commemorate the occasion with.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:53 am

Game is in hand. Manual is above average - it's more than a black&white pamphlet. There's also a poster-sized map, but I can't get any appreciation for how large the game world is from looking at it.

I'll be firing it up in about an hour; impressions to follow.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 12:02 pm

Smoove_B wrote:Game is in hand. Manual is above average - it's more than a black&white pamphlet. There's also a poster-sized map, but I can't get any appreciation for how large the game world is from looking at it.

I'll be firing it up in about an hour; impressions to follow.

Jealous very very jealous.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue May 18, 2010 12:16 pm

Wish I some Morricone to listen to at work today...

Booner · Post by **Booner** » Tue May 18, 2010 12:47 pm

I was able to get about 3 hours of SP in last night and so far my impressions are mostly positive. Due to it's pedigree, I just can't help but compare it to GTAIV when writing about it.

Horse riding is not a simple point and go, it definitely take a bit of getting used to. They seem way too fast at a full gallop, yet feel just right at a canter or slower. Maneuvering at slow gaits can be a bit frustrating, but I bet it becomes easier with experience. Spurring your steed to hard will result in it bucking you the hell off it's back. One thing that surprised me is that the horse begins to 'trust' you with time and will perform better the more trust it has in you.

Gunplay will be familiar to anyone who's played GTA. It's a bit more refined though. The 'lock-on' (normal setting) requires you to be pretty accurate initially as the snap to target margin is tight. Even with Dead-Eye, taking down a mere five rowdy outlaws takes a bit of skill. I'm still kinda unsure of the duel mechanics...I've won two, but it's been more by sheer luck than any skill. I'll need to read up on it as the tutorial wasn't very clear to me. So far...gunplay is far less forgiving than GTA. Where I would go on a mad rampage and slaughter dozens as Nico, Marston will end up face down in the mud. There are tons of cover options...and they're needed.

Missions are set up just like GTA with the minimap, side missions, etc. The few story-line missions I've finished have been well done, excellent cutscenes, and they feel right for the character and the period. The other characters I've encountered so far have been more believable than GTA fare...there are some tongue-in-cheek caricatures, but they're not so over the top that they bust up the cinematic feel. One thing that kinda bugs me is that cutscene Marston is a gritty man with straightforward talk, but in gameplay he can become a hootin-n-hollrin Curly Bill...not always, but it seems out of character sometimes.

I've also had the chance to mess with some side missions as well as some mini-games...both are presented to you in great fashion and feel as much a part of the main story as well...the main story. nod

One thing I'll say is that the games nudges you to be a reluctant good guy. If you go out into the world as a ruthless killer of men, women, and children...the story line will seem a bit jarring.

Other than the main points above: Great graphics and sound overall...I could nit-pick, but nothing that takes away from the game. The couple of towns I've visited are full of life...people seem to go about with a purpose rather than just wandering around.

Not much I more I could comment on due to limited play.

Is it 'Grand Theft Palomino' as someone else called it? Yes...and no.

It's very much a Rockstar game in it's underlying mechanics. If you just don't like the way they drop you off and let you make your way, I doubt RDR will win you over unless you really enjoy westerns. If the GTAs didn't appeal to you due to it's ruthlessness and the way it encouraged you to do very bad things...this might be your way to enjoy their style of gameplay without the guilt.

Anyways..I look forward to spending more time with it later today.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 18, 2010 1:22 pm

picked up the 360 version at lunch. i'll be lookin' for some posse partners later this week (after I get some practice with my dead eye shootin' skills in SP).

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue May 18, 2010 1:28 pm

Status says delivered! Yee-haw!

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 1:30 pm

hentzau wrote:Status says delivered! Yee-haw!

Still in transit.

Most of my stuff doesn't get delivered until towards the end of the day so I'm not sure why I keep on looking.

Tscott · Post by **Tscott** » Tue May 18, 2010 2:20 pm

Mine arrived this morning. Popped it in. Rode a train, rode a horse. That was about it. I'll have more time with it later.

I got this and Demon's Souls screaming for my attention right now. Should be interesting to see which wins out.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Tue May 18, 2010 2:30 pm

May 18, 2010 12:30:00 PM Wilmington NC US Delivered

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 18, 2010 2:53 pm

I only have about an hour in, so my impressions aren't as detailed as Boomer's.

The horseback riding is definitely something you need to get used to. It's not nearly as simple as driving a car in GTA. And I can't figure out any way to change the radio station. Maybe that's a saddle upgrade later on.

I've only been involved in a single gun fight so far, all part of what I'm guessing is unofficially the tutorial. It feels...right. I never enjoyed the gun fights in the GTA games; this feels like an improvement. Being able to shoot to kill or shooting to disable was a nice change of pace.

I still can't say for sure how large the game area is, but looking out into the countryside and knowing I can just ride anywhere is damn awesome. It certainly looks huge. I'm not sure when I'm going to break off from the tutorial (?) and just start exploring, but at this point I feel sufficiently fearful of just riding off into the wilderness.

I would definitely agree that you can feel the GTA pedigree as you're playing. Some of the textures are off (particularly the hair on the main character), but overall it looks damn fine.

I would also agree that the setup for the main story seems to have you playing the reluctant hero, so if that's not your inclination I have no idea how your game experience will play out. Without question the game oozes style. It really feels like a gritty Western movie. Most disturbing so far? Watching two guys beat a prostitute to death on the porch of a saloon. I ran to help, but I was too late. Crazy, crazy world.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 18, 2010 3:06 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Some of the textures are off (particularly the hair on the main character),

returning my copy after work.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 18, 2010 3:10 pm

Hmmm...just kicked me off of XBL and it's now indicating an update is available. Maybe it fixes the hair problem.

EDIT: It's also a 6.7 GB install for anyone that cares.

I actually feel honored that I was playing a game on release day before Hetz, though it seems he went for Alan Wake, a game I just couldn't justify buying on the same day as this one. God speed lil' buddy, god speed.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue May 18, 2010 3:24 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Maybe it fixes the hair problem.

turning car around...

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 4:18 pm

Status delivered!

ChuckB · Post by **ChuckB** » Tue May 18, 2010 4:28 pm

I hate you guys ... just bought my copy at the local Fry's, hope I'll be able to spend some time with it tonight ...

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 18, 2010 4:51 pm

ChuckB wrote:I hate you guys ... just bought my copy at the local Fry's, hope I'll be able to spend some time with it tonight ...

I'm still at work until 5. Only 9 more minutes!!! I just know the traffic will be epic today just to taunt me.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue May 18, 2010 6:37 pm

Wife got home about 10 minutes after attempted delivery. *snap*

I guess I have to watch hockey tonight.

Going to try to avoid any impressions.

naednek · Post by **naednek** » Tue May 18, 2010 6:46 pm

I told my wife that I'll take care of the baby, and put him to bed, as long as moves upstairs to watch crappy tv shows, while I play my game

lildrgn · Post by **lildrgn** » Tue May 18, 2010 8:05 pm

This game was not on my radar until yesterday. I am living vicariously through you guys. Even if I could get this game, my 360 took a dump yesterday night. Don't know if that's a sign or not, but keep the impressions coming. I love reading them!

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:06 pm

So I played a couple of hours.

The game starts off somewhat slowly as you go through the tutorial areas and get introduced to the storyline. Once it opens up, however, it opens up wide and you are pretty much left to go out on your own and do whatever you want to do.

It definitely has a GTA in the West feel in as far as the map, mission layout, etc. However, that's where the similarities end. Unlike GTA, the game is beautiful. The presentation is just jaw-dropping in some areas. Everything just feels *right* - from the feel of riding a horse to the feel of the gunfights to the Old West atmosphere of the land. Voice acting is really great so far and the game has a sharp sense of humor.

If you were worried at all about length like I was, I doubt you will be after you realize the scope of the side challenges. Performing certain actions triggers certain challenges, which you can work on to become really famous. These almost have the feel of Call of Duty achievements or even MMO quests. Even outfits in the game are unlockables that consist of multi-part quests. Once you "discover" an outfit, you'll have to do something to collect each piece of it before you can wear it. Combine this with the random side missions and the "stranger" quests - in which you are given a side mission by a stranger in town, and you could spend hours upon hours not even touching the storyline.

The random stuff that can happen is just awesome. Early on before I realized I could choose bare fists as a weapon, I was attempting to save a woman from a couple of guys that were harassing her. I was shooting them, aiming for their legs to incapacitate them without killing them, but it turned into a vicious firefight right in the middle of town. A couple of stray bullets later and the marshal and his deputy were on my tail. Panicked, I took off running into the desert, but there was nowhere to hide. Then I remembered I could whistle for my horse. I whistled, and she came running at full gallop. I grabbed the reins as she ran past and did a running leap into the saddle as the lawmen's bullets whizzed past my head. I hauled ass out of there and finally got away, only to return to town later under the cover of darkness to sheepishly pay my bounty.

Without a doubt this is the closest video gaming has come to genuinely letting you play a Western movie. I just kept thinking that this was like taking those valiant attempts at western games like Call of Juarez and GUN and just removing all the structure and limitations and just letting you play in the world. Yes, FINALLY we got a good Western game. Woo hoo!!!

Doomboy · Post by **Doomboy** » Tue May 18, 2010 10:20 pm

My exciting western movie started out poorly. I was out at hangman's rock looking around, killing snakes and armadillos and whatnot. I suddenly saw my horse a few feet away rearing up and whinnying because there was a guy shooting at it. At least that is what I thought. I shot him, turned out he was hunting too, and was trying to shoot a snake that was near my horse.

So a couple of lawmen show up, and I had to waste them too, because they didn't want to hear any backtalk or something.

Then, I went over to where the guy had been, whistled for my horse, saw the rattlesnake, aimed at it and fired just as my horse's head got in the way. Awesome. Dead horse. Dead friendly, dead lawmen.

Later on, I nearly shoved the marshal's deputies off the cliff when we were going after some bandits. And I very nearly put bullets in their heads when I was shooting at bandits as they ran in front of me.

I think no one who wants to live should stand anywhere near in front of me.

I haven't yet been given access to the lasso. I don't know who eventually gives it to you, but I guess I haven't gotten that far.

I wonder if I can avoid death long enough to get it?