This Edgy Western will Round You Up and Never Let Go!
User Rating: 9 | Red Dead Redemption X360
Red Dead Redemption really begs the question, what ever happened to a good old fashioned gentlemans duel? Well you'll be no stranger to dueling as you assume the role of John Marston, a former outlaw whom realized the error of his ways and left the life of crime to start a family. Only now his family was taken, and the only way he can get them back is to bring down his former gang. The story line has enough juice to keep you interested, and is plump with racey characters, and vulgar cutscenes, but that's hardly the most impressive part of Red Dead Redemption. Open world games have been anything but common over the last 5 years, but this one has many things that makes it special. Like any good cowboy, you have a horse that magically appears anytime you whistle, and when it dies (heaven forbid) you'll have another, just whistle again! Riding the horse is much better than in other games that have attempted it (Oblivion, Two Worlds etc.) and shooting from the back of the horse is rewarding as you take down pursers. The shooting is a pretty simple, 3rd person package. You have the standard types of weapons, Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles, Shotgun, and all that jazz, and they're all fun to use with Redeye. Redeye is a slowdown power that you will constantly utilize throughout the game (if you like living that is.) where time will slow down and you can "mark" multiple targets and Marston rarely misses his mark. The only drawback to the system is that it takes a bit of getting used to as the several buttons you have to push to use it can be a bit confusing, but it is definitly the fastest way to take down the hundreds of wanna-be cowboys that will be coming for your head. You may find yourself hunting as much as doing missions, since there is a vast array of wildlife just waiting to be slain, skinned, and sold in a very Organ Trail-esk manner. On top of that, there are almost too many side activities to count, Alchemy, Gambling, Law Enforcement, Neighborhood Watch, Breaking Horses, and Night Patrol are just a few of the side jobs you can entertain in this huge world. Not only that, you can keep track of all these statistics in your journal, really giving a concrete feel to your accomplishments. This is a must play for all Open World gaming fans. 
