150 hours later... I finally understand why people never forget Red Dead Redemption 2
SPOILER WARNING ⚠️
This post contains some major story spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2, including late-game events, character moments, locations, and emotional story details.
If you haven't finished the game yet, I highly recommend experiencing it yourself first.
A little note before I begin:
Honestly, if I truly tried to speak my heart out about everything this game made me feel, it would probably take hours. There are so many little moments, conversations, characters, and memories I could talk about forever.
A little over 150 hours in the game so far....
This is just me trying to put a small part of that journey into words in my own silly way...
I started playing Red Dead Redemption 2 out of curiosity last month... thinking it was just another fancy AAA game. I knew it came out back in 2018, and I didn't have very high expectations....
I finally downloaded the game and started my first story game. The snow part, despite people initially saying it was boring, was immersive and impressive to me.... the failed train robbery and the resilience of the gang members to stick together was something unique....
As I moved forward in the story, I got a hold of how power was held in the West among different types of people coming from different backgrounds and families.
The gang was very lively, and when we reached Horseshoe Overlook after gathering everyone together, each gang member felt different and unique in their own way.
Uncle — slacking off and drunk, Charles Smith — wise and responsible, Bill, Javier, Lenny, Sean, Sadie... the "muscle" and enforcers of the gang... and others singing together in the camp.
It was simply lovely...
Even though they didn't have any fancy or proper house/settlement made of brick or wood most of the time...
It was HOME...
Wherever the gang went, no matter who was chasing them or how many times they were forced to run, they somehow managed to get along as a lovely family (excluding Micah).
I still remember the gang singing and dancing at Horseshoe Overlook, having the time of their lives. It made me feel at peace...
It ignited HOPE within me...
The feeling where you aren't judged... no matter your race, position, or resources. They stuck together through every fight and difficult time and helped each other no matter who got into trouble.
The story is so well plotted and made... the betrayal, the encounters, the survival of the gang in pursuit of their freedom...
It felt real...
Too real.
Every fight they had, every argument among the gang...
Some gang members stood out to me more than the rest.
One of them, who we tend to overlook, was Mrs. Grimshaw.
I had a soft spot for her.
She was a mature and wise lady who kept the gang running, looked after the chores, and guided everyone. She managed the women of the gang like her own daughters.
She always took the initiative whenever the gang had to switch places and move, making sure everything was taken care of.
One funny encounter I recall was her hitting Karen while Karen was slacking off. She hit her, Karen screamed starting an argument, and it felt too real... like you wake up one day and there is some random drama to entertain you with her around.
She considered everyone as her children and was a strong woman, hardened by life and strengthened by motherhood.
She made the camp lively, and I grew attached to her scolding. I recall greeting her every morning before embarking on my adventure.
She was a wonderful soul and a magnificent portrayal of a mother's love and care — something she didn't always show on the outside, but inside she was more tender than anyone.
I remember when Tilly was kidnapped, she took matters into her own hands to rescue her, like a mama bear protecting her cubs from danger.
Just simply lovely.
Then I met her........
This Horsee....
My perfect horsee...
The white Arabian near Lake Isabella....
And God, she was beautiful....
Magnificent...
I remember skipping a beat when I first saw my horse for the first time.
She represented that feeling of purity and calmness, but NOT weakness.
She was the most beautiful horse and my only companion throughout the game.
She was there for me during my tough times, when I needed to run from outlaws, bounty hunters, the law...
She didn't disappoint.
I kept her well-fed and groomed her regularly. I made sure I wasn't being too harsh on my pony.
We were a team...
We developed a bond over time.
A bond that could not be shaken.
I never eyed another horse no matter how far the game progressed... no matter the stats, the size...
We went to the faraway mountains near Big Valley...
We hunted together.
She was very brave.
We were a perfect team.
Every time I saw her, my face lit up.
She stood there in front of me at the start and end of every mission.
She stood tall and brave with me.
I never cheated on her with another horse ever...
She and I were the perfect match for each other.
All the fights, chaos, Saint Denis encounters, and troubles...
We went through them together.
She looked very calm, and I used to stare into her beautiful calm eyes every time she accidentally fell or when we... I messed up.
I used to feel that fall damage in my heart for her...
Eventually, I became a good rider with her.
When she saved me from the O'Driscoll run...
She was very brave...
She took me HOME.
She cared for me. I could see that in her eyes.
Her love for me was silent, and she communicated through neighs and grunts.
She was the most beautiful horse and my VERY BEST companion.
Her final goodbye at the end of Arthur's journey was something I never expected.
When she got shot...
My heart skipped a beat, and it hurt so bad for that split second.
I still remember when she was shot in the last mission by those b@stards...
I literally felt that bullet myself.
It pained me so much in that moment...
She felt HOME...
She felt FAMILY...
She was MY FAMILY!
I could feel my heart beating for her in the last mission...
And that:
"Thank you... for EVERYTHING."
Finally shattered my heart into millions of pieces.
Some stories...
Some companions...
They leave you unexpectedly.
She was a very loyal horse and my best friend.
We used to have deep conversations heart to heart whenever we went somewhere in the open grasslands and I set up camp.
I kept her close and warm beside the camp.
AND GOD SHE LOOKED BEAUTIFUL under the full shining moon at night while riding through the empty grasslands of Emerald Ranch.
My trip to Guarma felt unreal, as things took a very unique and different change.
A failed bank robbery leading to an unknown island felt unreal, almost like a fantasy.
The reflections of the sea, the moon, the survival, and the land wrapped with dense forests and vines felt tropical and adventurous, igniting a sense of freedom, exploration, and curiosity within me.
It ignited that strange feeling I used to have when I thought about writing a pirate story on a faraway tropical island with treasure mysteries...
I was a kid back then.
It reminded me of that lost hope and curiosity that faded as I grew up.
RDR2 brought those fantasies to life and gave me an environment where my curiosity could run wild.
Those sunsets, the beach...
It felt surreal and breathtaking.
It was one hell of an experience.
I hadn't thought about those dreams for years until Guarma brought them back.
It was therapy for me...
It felt so peaceful living in those good old days...
The legends...
The folktales...
The islands, the ranches, the mountains, the industrial revolution in Saint Denis, stranger encounters while roaming across the map...
It felt too real.
And then there was Arthur himself.
A man who spent his life believing he was nothing more than an outlaw.
He had hurt people, made mistakes, and carried those sins with him.
But watching him slowly realize that it wasn't too late to do something good was beautiful.
Redemption wasn't about erasing his past...
It was about making his remaining time mean something.
Dan Houser, along with the entire team of writers, portrayed the story so well that it made me question the impossible.
I thought it was just a Western game.
Cowboys.
Gunslingers.
Ranches.
Saloons.
Revolvers.
But it was more...
It was a FANTASY paired with REALISM that I cannot forget.
At this point, it was more than just a game.
Some games are fine, some are good, some are impressive...
But there are a few...
Very few...
That engrave a lasting impact on one's mind and soul throughout their life, changing the way they think and question the real and unreal.
I started this game thinking I was about to play another AAA title.
I finished it saying goodbye to people who never existed...
And crying over a horse that never breathed.
Maybe that's what makes stories so powerful.
They don't have to be real...
They just have to make us feel like they were.