Leaves every sandbox action/adventure game for total dead. Easily the next step in gaming science.
Red Dead has nailed the western genre in any medium to date. Your mind will melt with glee as you traverse the spectacularly detailed classic landscapes doing what all legendary cowboy outlaws do.
Revenge and Retribution.
The game has it all, from amazing storytelling with brilliantly executed characters to explosive action packed showdowns with genius villains all the way to scavenging, hunting, gambling and god damned flower picking.
Everything is varied and constant. It's like you're really there. Believe me, there's nothing like this to date.
Horse riding and cover fire is simply the best I've seen so far. Incredible animations and spot on guides for combat make it very playable for all across the board. Unlike many other sandbox games, the missions are well paced and very meaningful.
Yes, it is the Grand Theft Auto layout. Yes, it is an updated and cleaner engine. But this is better than GTA because there is a much better pace to it and the realism factor has doubled. Also, every action you take is going to affect the journey you take. You want to kill people just for the sake of it? Fine. There's consequences. You want to save prostitutes from filthy maggots that try to rape them? Awesome. You will gain benefits. All of these factors make Red Dead more interesting and intense. It also raises the re-playability values.
Homages to Leone and Kurosawa glisten with delight. Eastwood himself will crap himself to death if he picked up the controller, as would John Wayne (if he was unfrozen and brought back to life).
Red Dead Redemption = Game of the Year so far.
Rockstar are legends. As far as I'm concerned, this game will go down in history as one of the best games ever made.