What am I missing?

[Dr.Acula]

Red Dead Redemption 2 has received so much praise (in addition to some controversy) especially for the single player campaign but right now I'm asking myself "why?"

I've started the campaign twice - once a year ago which I stopped at about 20% progress towards the end of act 2 and now a week ago I started it again and played to early act 3. But there is a problem. In both cases I've gotten bored and now lack the motivation to continue. But I'm not 100% sure why and what others are seeing that I'm not.

On one hand I can see a "wild west" world that feels quite alive to me. When I ride through that world often things happen around me that make me at least stop for a moment to look. I can go to different towns to shop, gamble or just take a bounty hunting job. Sometimes I could just watch and listen for a moment what the NPCs are doing or ride into the wild to go hunting.

Yet when I focus on the actual main part of the game I get very bored as it often just feels like a drawn out western movie. I ride for 5-10 minutes to get to a location and take a mission. Then I usually take another 5-10 minutes to ride to the location where the task of the mission is happening while often listening to some dialogues between the characters. But during these section I usually just activate auto-move and then watch it play like a movie. Changing to manual movement doesn't make it more fun though. This is why I keep auto-move active.

To me it feels like there is way to much down-time with long riding sessions. Also I'm always annoyed when i have to walk(!!!) through certain sections very slowly instead of just jumping of the horse and running to the mission npc.

I don't really have an issue with Arthur as the main character. I just don't feel any attachment to him or any of the other characters. And I think this is related to the main story. On one hand I can see that this is a group of outlaws trying to survive. On the other I fail to see a bigger goal of where this whole thing is going. I've done two train robbery missions which were supposed to make the group some major money but not much actually came from that. Most of the stuff happening is just daily minor things happening without much context to anything great happening.

And now after about 25 hours into the campaign I'm just bored.

Some might say "well, this type of game is not for you then" but I can't really agree. I played various GTA games in the past (played through GTA V completely twice) as well as several Saints Row titles. Just before I started my new attempt at RDR2 I played through Cyberpunk 2077 which is also a 60 hour campaign.

Just looking at RDR2 and CP2077 I'd say that RDR2 is a better game in terms of mechanics and world design. Still for some reason I was easily able to finish CP2077 but after initial excitement and fun in RDR2 with the various activities I just can't bring myself to continue.

What am I missing here?

[in]

Maybe a personal blog, idk.

[Flip 45]

It could be the genre/vibe? Did you play/what were your thoughts on RDR1?

I think perhaps there is/was more love/affection/tolerance for the genre in the critical/fan community that created the buzz around launch. Not to mention a typically sophisticated marketing campaign from R* and also a lot of 'sequel hype' from the widely acclaimed RDR1.

There are certainly mechanical aspects that are more ambitious/progressive of the open world genre here, but I don't disagree that the game has its faults, particularly the gameplay rigidity of the main story missions.

I also think that in context to other big open world games that have come since like Elden Ring, or been canonised into the genre during this time. like Breath of the Wild, RDR2's open world seems a lot less impressive.

Vibe-wise though, it kinda nails it I think. So it might be just a case of personal taste. Sounds like you got about 40 hours from the game, and hopefully some of that was fun/interesting/moving!? If so, sounds like not a total loss and you shouldn't feel bad putting back on the shelf for a while.

[JuiceWSA]

There are no flying horses that shoot missiles out of their ass.
Go play something else.

I guarandamteeya whatever you like more than RDR2 - I would HATE (probably).

It takes all kinds to make this world.
One size does NOT fit all.
Get over it.

[Dr.Acula]

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

There are no flying horses that shoot missiles out of their ass.
Go play something else.

I guarandamteeya whatever you like more than RDR2 - I would HATE (probably).

It takes all kinds to make this world.
One size does NOT fit all.
Get over it.

So that means you hate GTA 3, GTA 4, GTA V, Cyberpunk 2077, Saints Row 3, Saints Row 4?

Originally posted by Flip 45:

It could be the genre/vibe? Did you play/what were your thoughts on RDR1?

I think perhaps there is/was more love/affection/tolerance for the genre in the critical/fan community that created the buzz around launch. Not to mention a typically sophisticated marketing campaign from R* and also a lot of 'sequel hype' from the widely acclaimed RDR1.

There are certainly mechanical aspects that are more ambitious/progressive of the open world genre here, but I don't disagree that the game has its faults, particularly the gameplay rigidity of the main story missions.

I also think that in context to other big open world games that have come since like Elden Ring, or been canonised into the genre during this time. like Breath of the Wild, RDR2's open world seems a lot less impressive.

Vibe-wise though, it kinda nails it I think. So it might be just a case of personal taste. Sounds like you got about 40 hours from the game, and hopefully some of that was fun/interesting/moving!? If so, sounds like not a total loss and you shouldn't feel bad putting back on the shelf for a while.

I can't tell you my thoughts on RDR1 because I never played it. I don't like games with shooting mechanics on consoles and RDR1 was never released on PC.

And I don't think the open world itself is really a problem.

Maybe it's the mostly static and very repetitive nature of the story missions that are making the game boring for me but who knows. I just wanted to know if I'm simply overlooking something in the game that makes it more enjoyable.

[JuiceWSA]

Originally posted by Dr.Acula:

So that means you hate GTA 3, GTA 4, GTA V, Cyberpunk 2077, Saints Row 3, Saints Row 4?

Uhhhh - yea.

I did play the GTAs and have them all - single player only.
Didn't see one flying dirt bike the whole time.

RDR2 - 3000 hours
GTA5? - 374.4 - last played December 19, 2020.

[Dr.Acula]

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

Uhhhh - yea.

Is that so? And because you hate GTA V you spend over 370 hours playing it?

[JuiceWSA]

Originally posted by Dr.Acula:

Originally posted by JuiceWSA:

Uhhhh - yea.

Is that so? And because you hate GTA V you spend over 370 hours playing it?

In what other game can I not get from one end of town to the other without wrecking my car 15 times? I completed 5 - once. I remember 'crouch-walking' Franklin over hill and dale for about 2 hours to get him leveled up.... that was fun...lol

Also spent about a week making Millions in the Stock Market - and reloading a save many times when things on Wall Street didn't go the way I planned.

All that takes time.

I often ride my horse from 'anywhere' to 'anywhere' and don't wreck it once. I know... I'm special.

[Ravenfeathers]

Usually if I find a game boring I don't bother with it. Especially as there are so many other games to play. Not everyone will like a game most people seem to love. Iam one of the few people that could never stand The Witcher 3, I found it so boring and overrated I just accepted the game is not for me and played games I actually liked.

At first I found RDR2 first few story missions a bit boring but then I just explored and did other things such as exploring, catching horses and hunting and occasionally did missions and I love this game.

[Lucan Orion]

Originally posted by Dr.Acula:

Red Dead Redemption 2 has received so much praise (in addition to some controversy) especially for the single player campaign but right now I'm asking myself "why?"

The answer is simple, many people who play RDR2 are enjoying their experience very much. Rockstar put a lot of effort into releasing a good product.

Originally posted by Dr.Acula:

Some might say "well, this type of game is not for you then"... What am I missing here?

The answer might really in fact be that "this type of game is not for you". Here's the thing about that, there's nothing wrong with that. Except maybe being out any money you spent on the game finding that out. Or if you start going on to forums, like this one, to talk trash about the game, telling everyone how bad it is, even though it's really because "this type of game is not for you". I'm not saying you're on here trash talking this game now. But I have seen this happen...quite often. Neither the game, nor you, are flawed because you're not enjoying this particular game, but apparently enjoy other games more.

[Dr.Acula]

Originally posted by Lucan Orion:

Originally posted by Dr.Acula:

Some might say "well, this type of game is not for you then"... What am I missing here?

The answer might really in fact be that "this type of game is not for you". Here's the thing about that, there's nothing wrong with that. Except maybe being out any money you spent on the game finding that out. Or if you start going on to forums, like this one, to talk trash about the game, telling everyone how bad it is, even though it's really because "this type of game is not for you". I'm not saying you're on here trash talking this game now. But I have seen this happen...quite often. Neither the game, nor you, are flawed because you're not enjoying this particular game, but apparently enjoy other games more.

I don't really see anything to talk trash about in the game except maybe some situations where the auto traveling caused me some issues and I've had some unfortunate accidents with my horse due to the game being a bit weird with collision detection at times.

Other than that I just was interested if something else was there that would somewhat change the experience. Games like this may have have "slow" parts in the middle which then pick up the pacing again making it more exciting.

But if RDR2 is what it is after these 25 hours in the campaign then it probably really isn't my cup of tea.

[Vandal Savant]

It sounds like you're immersed into the game itself, but the main story just doesn't hook you. Simple as.

It is pretty drawn-out; it's difficult to get into it if I do back-to-back story missions. But I do enjoy it because it's kind of a story that I intuitively know isn't going to end happily ever after, especially with the foresight of RDR1 behind me. And that gives me a sense of morbid fascination with the characters in the story, and trying to mentally wrangle with why certain characters show up in RDR2 but are nowhere to be found in RDR1. That, and I genuinely find the dialog writing (both in the main story and side stories) to be captivating, and how each character kinda rubs shoulders with varying degrees of abrasiveness.

I'm very fond of Arthur, and that helps too. I find him to be both more and less than his romanticized outlaw stereotype. He knows he's a bad man, does bad things, and sometimes even takes pleasure in them (which makes all honorable/dishonorable choices fit his character very well) but he also enjoys more low-key things, like venting in his journal and sketching. He's a tired old man who loves wearily and hates unforgivingly. He's a train that's seen the end of his railroad from a hundred miles away, but has long resigned to keep chugging along anyway because he knows changing tracks now is a fool's hope. Some people might find him generic, but I find his tropes comfy and well executed.

[JACKSin]

The game is more interesting if you can play it suspended upside down. Hopping on one foot was good, too but I couldn't keep it up for long.

[JACKSin]

Just basic stupidity like the other wild assumption makers around here.

[ULTRA]

As someone who pushed all the way through the campaign despite having the same feelings, OP, I assure you the next 40-50 hours won't change that much. Cyberpunk 2077 is better at dumping dopamine on you but in reality it's similarly tedious. Maybe the problem is that there's very little progression and not really any character building aspect to RDR 2? Because honestly CP 2077 is turds in almost every regard compared to this game, and I wouldn't even call myself a fan of this one.

[Kind.]

i think its one of the best videogames made in the last 20 years.
r* has come a long way.
i used to play original gta and 2. top down.
see a vidya company go from original gta to rdr2.. amazing. 10/10

sometimes i wish r* would remake the original gta top/down with crazy graphics.
but the same thing. not like modern gta top down. but the old school feel.
just with crazy graphics.