Resting On (Almost) Perfect Laurels // Red Dead Redemption 2 - Luke Stephens

Red Dead Redemption 2 had a LOT to live up to. Years of hype and anticipation all built up to the eventual release in late 2018 at which point the game was met with unprecedented praise and admiration. In this feature length critique, 'Red Dead Redemption 2: Resting On (Almost) Perfect Laurels,' Luke Stephens will break down what makes the game work, why it has been received the way that it has, and what the game could have done better. Thank you for watching!
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#RedDeadRedemption2 #Gaming #LukeStephens

[@ethanayye4646]

"Knock on wood for Cyberpunk" Funny how that aged.

[@Matas05]

He said “I think that’s wood.” 😩 Cyberpunk’s failure was assured at that moment.

[@absoluteschmuck]

Aged like fine milk.

[@Nolaris3]

It's official: Luke Stephens ruined Cyberpunk

[@simonbrown2789]

It wasn’t wood

[@monk3ynutz42]

hahah 1 year after release and the game still sucks

[@TheBoostedDoge]

RDR2 was the first game ever to make me feel every emotion under the sun. But the two that stuck with me were. -Feeling complete peacefulness when going fishing with Hosea and Dutch -The complete despair and hopelessness of knowing that this was it for Arthur on his last ride to camp. I fucking cried like, not just a tear but sobbing, man. By the time it happened I was so connected with Arthur that it felt like a piece of me was dying. The writers did a great job with this game, and if Rockstar is planning on RDR3 they have A LOT to live up to, even more than they had with RDR.

[@GMak81]

Completely agree. Losing Arthur, and knowing for hours before hand that it would happen, was incredibly sad. His final moments made me cry. So many emotions experienced in this game.

[@Xivinux]

I didnt make me cry but the end is very powerful. The fishing with dutch and hosea was tremendous The only game ever to bring a tear to my eye was Lufia 2😅

[@mr.mysteriousyt6118]

I wish rdr3 happens in my lifetime

[@recondogohome360]

@@mr.mysteriousyt6118 it will, or.... something even better.

[@Quack_attack_]

When i told 2 of my little brothers that i had choked up and was teary eyed playing rdr2 they kinda laughed and didnt get it and i told em most people who played up felt likei did and if you didnt you def did not play rdr2 the way it was ment to be played or experienced may be a better word for it than just "played" lol

[@itsmelenx]

I found whale bones in new Austin as John he drew it down and wrote "whales in the desserts, another thing I don't understand"

[@ianmcdonald3053]

Plenty of whales had been found in deserts 🏜. Stuck there after the Noah flood!

[@finalbreath15]

@@ianmcdonald3053 No its 🐋 🐳🐋 in 🍨🥧🎂🍮🧁

[@ianmcdonald3053]

@@jimbo5107 call it what you want but when around 80 different cultures from around the the world all speak of the world flooding, so....

[@calesmith7342]

Many deserts were oceans in the past... or at least underwater. They find marine animal fossils/ skeletons in many deserts, even here in the US. Hints the whale bones in the game, but most prolly knew that.

[@lennarthumpf8031]

@@ianmcdonald3053 goddamn you ultra Christians aren't just a myth right? Like in the USA some people really take the Bible as unconditional truth? Reading this stuff as a European really makes me question how anybody would be premature enough to question obvious scientific facts

[@TheJoker2580]

I didn't realize there was anyone who didn't complete the epilogue.

[@led_tower]

@The Mind Is A Powerful Thing But how can you leave a game unfinished? Any game? I don't get it. Plus, you get to see how Arthur's death inspired John to keep going, get married, get a life and such.

[@svaldez1829]

@The Mind Is A Powerful Thing someone didn't play red dead 1...

[@zacshelton539]

ByGuardian ZX I played red dead 1 and it’s honestly not as good a red dead 2 try to go back and play it again. I just lost interest.

[@jasonshaneyfelt1039]

@Will G1986 Dude. Play the epilogue.

[@Arttu_Palva-aho]

Jason Shaneyfelt Prolly he played it already but its hes lost if did not👍

[@lukeduggan8306]

For me without a doubt one of the best missions was building the house with Charles and uncle. That mission put a smile on my face. It was such a simple mission but was completely different than any other mission I’ve ever played. Also that music is still stuck in my head months after playing.

[@burnhitsforlove3317]

You mean that cutscene?

[@SirDankleberry]

@@burnhitsforlove3317 Is it counted as a cutscene if you can interact with it?

[@burnhitsforlove3317]

@@SirDankleberry yea, I'd say chopping wood or doing chores are just as well cutscenes.

[@-Twotonepony-]

@@burnhitsforlove3317 I mean... It's still gameplay. I don't know. I don't count anything that utilizes the in game character model to be a cutscene.

[@vortektor]

Stuck in my head for years

[@KingsandGenerals]

That wasn't wood...

[@thelivingdead1728]

Wow, didn't expect you here.

[@cow4741]

Should be fine

[@unijack_black6677]

LMAO that’s exactly what I was thinking when he said that

[@AdityaSathya]

you never talked about Arthur's dead wife and son. They are mentioned twice in the story.

[@RedBananas]

Therriffic Gamer when was the first time??

[@AdityaSathya]

@@RedBananas One was with Sister Calderon and the second was with Rains Fall or vice versa depending on the order you do the missions.

[@clippers7909]

Not his wife, it was a waitress named Eliza who he got pregnant when she was 19. And he says how he would stop by for a few days, every few months. It was his son but Arthur and Eliza weren't married or in an intimate relationship.

[@mrsspiritwolf]

arthur was never married

[@SledgeMain69]

I feel like this is always overlooked and never see anyone acknowledge it.

[@BlackPantherFTW]

1:22:00 that quest with the oil for the train, you can actually miss this quest by progressing other parts of the heist and John tells you he had to do it because you took too long

[@Fratzu]

yeah, that happened to me in my 3rd playthrough :D

[@thefreshprincer5587]

"You never got that oil tanker did you?"

[@cow4741]

For something serious

[@davidstinger1134]

And thank god, getting that oil is a pain in the ass.

[@karenamyx2205]

@@davidstinger1134 I'm on my 3rd playthrough, and I always thought the oil was a pain too, because you gotta break into that guarded oil buisness, right? But this time, a 2nd oil cart was parked in the back of valentine. With just one guy. Gave him a head bonk and rode off easy peasy. Never saw that before.

[@thecheck968]

Cyberpunk, one of the most hyped games ever failed to deliver on impossible promises. Same time as its launch, RD2’s sales rocketed and people’s impossible standards were met. That is this game’s legacy: maybe not surpassing standards, but meeting the impossible.

[@vijaykryesItsMe]

Wasn't Red dead released 2 years before cyberpunk?

[@thecheck968]

@@vijaykryesItsMe Yeah, but we all have 2020 games that definitely did not come out in 2020. Crazy long year. Besides, red dead is stupidly immersive and detailed, what I was hoping Cyberpunk would actually be.

[@zelestial1681]

It did what 99.9% of games cant do nowadays : made you feel. Let you escape into a world thats believable.

[@BensonBoy2019]

I loved everything about the game except for the mission design. Rockstars Missions feel so outdated. drive/ride miles and miles to a location, stuff goes bad, shoot 100 people, rinse and repeat.

[@Deeplycloseted435]

React Much? Yes, and it was SO shockingly bothersome because the rest of the game was so well done. Literally, ZERO opportunity for attacking a mission in a different way, no flexibility, no improvisation whatsoever. Your only choices were which weapon? Dynamite? Fire bottles? Knife throwing? It really gave me no desire to replay any missions. I suppose when the game was beginning development, this style was more acceptable, but its really not anymore. The game holds your hand at all times. Go here, now go there, now approach this person, now shoot everyone, now escape. Its not terrible, just disappointing. The bar was set so high with voice acting, story, facial animations, world building, random encounters, music, audio design, etc.....the gunplay and mission design simply didn’t stack up to the standards set elsewhere in the game.

[@sablemae8853]

I would've like more freedom,more variety,less enemies that were more difficult instead of tons of enemies. The game is going for realism until the main missions. By the end of the game you've killed more people than lived in these towns.

[@nate1735]

I think the missions ar great, the problem is the slow controls

[@sablemae8853]

@@nate1735 there's no freedom in how u do these missions. It's a complete contradiction in the rest of the game. Are they good? Yes but they're severely restrictive

[@nate1735]

@@sablemae8853 Yeah i agreed

[@eternal2202]

This game is a masterpiece. Aurthur Morgan is one of the best protagonists ever.

[@lepsikilla6998]

Author is the greatest gaming protagonist ever PERIOD…one of the greatest protagonist in movies, tv, books ect

[@PatrickBarnes86]

I will agree with most people, Rockstar NEEDS to make a new mission design. The story telling in this was fantastic, I was so taken into the world I would lose track of time in the real world. Hunting, Bounties (there needed to be more), finding fossils, etc. BUT mission design needs to be changed, hard part is Rockstar makes MONEY from their games, why change what works for them

[@guitarman0365]

what in your opinion is wrong with the mission design? do you mean like how it kind of restricts freedom within a mission itself? Clearly you said the story telling is fantastic but the story comes from the missions so what do you refer too specifically when saying it needs changing?

[@SaberRexZealot]

guitarman0365 More options and depth to missions in general, no forced walking, no immediate mission fails for deviating slightly from the path. All of these things are pretty obvious fixes.

[@PatrickBarnes86]

I feel that I wish the missions gave you multiple ways to do things (Metal Gear Solid 5 for example). Versus the whole, follow Dutch, shoot this guy, run up these stairs, shoot that guy. The LENNY mission was the perfect mission in this game in my opinion. It was 100% different than what I have ever thought it would be.

[@SaberRexZealot]

nikos 90 They certainly do, but most are also scripted and punish you for not thinking outside of the box. For a game that encourages exploration and combat of player’s accord in the open world the game sorely lacks that sense of freedom within its missions. As said in this thread, MGS5 does this incredibly well and feels fun to play because of it. RDR2 manages to do everything else so well but it needed that extra bit of polish in its gameplay and player agency to be a proper game masterpiece.

[@SaberRexZealot]

nikos 90 nor did it take mine. I fucking loved the game dude, doesn’t make it immune to criticism, or that a lot of its features feel outmoded by other games over the last 9 years since the first game.

[@residentevil4onps2]

RDR2 is easily one of my favorite video games of all time. I'm almost through my second play through of the game and am currently in Saint Denis. The story, characters, open world, graphics, and soundtrack all hold up. It's truthfully a stunning achievement in AAA gaming. However, there's a lot of gameplay elements that fall short. Rockstar doesn't want you to approach the missions in your own way, they want you to do it exactly their way. Sneaking in through a secret door or trying to approach the mission in a more tactful way almost always results in the Mission Failed screen. They don't give very much liberty or control to the player, everything is supposed to unfold in THEIR way. I wish there was more than just one way to complete a mission, this happens in almost every side mission as well. I feel limited in the world that they have created, none of the gameplay systems that they created allows player freedom. I play RDR2 for Arthur and the overall narrative, not for the gameplay. Which is a bit of disappointment bc there's a lot of promising aspects about the gameplay, but they aren't ever fully realized and feel incomplete. EDIT: I still love this game, and I understand that most of the gameplay is the way it is to serve the overall narrative. However I want freedom in an open world. Even in stealth missions you are limited by your approach and it's frustrating for new and veteran players alike. In terms of story, graphics, open world, score, the game is a 9-10/10. However in terms of gameplay, the game becomes a 6/10.

[@maxim196]

Maybe the gameplay will turn to 7\10 once the game comes out on PC ? better controls and smoother aiming with a mouse with no auto aim ?

[@807D14M0ND5]

@@maxim196 It's not just the aiming. The games takes control away from you many times during missions and it signals no confidence towards the player. Say I have to approach a character with my horse. A horse I've ridden on for hours and hours. You'd expect the game to just let me handle this but it doesn't. The game makes the horse slow down and stop near the character without my input. It doesn't trust me to do it.

[@dominickstepper5302]

did you visit everyone's graves as John? i made a big thing out of it, put him in the nicest suit money could buy, got him a shave, bath, and haircut and took one long journey in order of their deaths. a bottle of brandy and a cigar and at arthurs grave i read the notebook.

[@tetrafuse3096]

I assume you now what happens when you 100% the game? You visit Arthur's grave one last time as John

[@meysamsamadi7587]

Visiting Arthur's grave was the last thing I had to do to get the game to 100%. So as I visited the grave, the trophy showed up. It was fantastic.

[@GhostOfVan]

I hate Micah so much that I nearly punched my TV everytime I saw his face. (Luke, Give me your Heart!)

[@amazinglarry9920]

Van The Gaming Man i didn’t finish the game why does everyone hate him?

[@GhostOfVan]

He's literally just a prick toward you always calling you soft, making fun of you and he is obviously meant to make you angry.

[@salmanazhar88]

Micah is very bad character

[@amazinglarry9920]

Alen ty for the response. So Micah kills him and not the tuberculosis?

[@Ballinger71]

@@amazinglarry9920 Why would you want it spoiled for you. Better yet why didn't you even finish the game??

[@hayabusa09]

I didn't notice Arthur getting TB but I did notice the first cough. It was the lightest, almost forgettable cough. But it came at the end of a scene and kinda caught me off guard. I said to myself "well that was weird", as the story went on the cough got heavier and more intense, I knew R* was going somewhere with it. When he went to the doctor and found out he had TB it took me back to that first scene where he coughed. That was amazing story telling.

[@irishman7329]

I think R* supposed to make you forget that cough to make you think that is nothing

[@exemplar7205]

to be honest id say Micah is the only one without a redemption/character arc as he is consistent throughout the entire game in his behaviour as opposed to Dutch who gets slowly worse into madness and has very good character development

[@karenamyx2205]

Dutch has an inverted arc to Arthur or John. They are on a journey of redemption ofc. But Dutch.. he starts as this amazing, charismatic, savior. And slowly becomes irredeemable.

[@grogwire]

Micah is a snake rat. That’s all.

[@caden_t_k1384]

Reminds me of Breaking Bad when you were talking about how Dutch says he was doing it for the group. Same way Walter White says he does it for his family but in reality he does it for himself

[@MidnightSt]

I'm amazed by the fact that we got to a stage where 2 minutes between a stimuli that interrupts one's thought process is too long and makes a thing boring. Don't get me wrong, I (probably) percieve it in that way too, but realizing it, and thinking about it is... ...depressing, I guess?

[@BananaBrainsZEF]

Yes! Everything I was hoping for in this critique, you covered perfectly. Now that I've had some time to get used to this new critique formula, I have to say, I much prefer this style over the old one. I love having the TV in the background for irrelevant gameplay, but switching over to full screen for when you are discussing that particular segment. (Although that glare is a bit annoying) Regarding the critique itself, you absolutely nailed it. I would say this one is on par with your Witcher 3 critique, maybe even better. My only complaint is I wish you spent more time talking about the rest of the gang, as well as all the other side characters like Milton. I would have liked to see you discuss about how the Pinkertons wove in and out of the story, and the ever present sense of dread the gang (and the player) feel, knowing that the Pinkertons could show up at any moment and destroy everything they have built. I don't know about you, but I felt quite a bit of anxiety near the end of Arthur's story. I knew it wasn't going to end well, and I could feel the dread the characters were feeling, knowing that the Pinkertons were just around the corner. One last thing: I've brought this up on the Discord before, but I would loooove to see a character study/analysis of Dutch. I find him to be a fascinating character, and remarkably complex. (That "you can't fight nature" speech is a highlight) Keep up the great work!

[@LukeStephensTV]

Thank you so much! That's high praise, I'm so so so glad to hear that you enjoyed it so much! I actually do have a new series in the works that I think you will like a lot (more coming in the next few weeks). As for the glare, I totally agree. It wasn't that bad in the original shoot but the color correction made it much more pronounced. I'm working on a fix for this. Again, thank you so much for letting me know your thoughts! It helps me keep improving these, especially when there's specificity included!

[@rashaadpratt2011]

Idk if you noticed but the epilogue punishes you for going back to outlaw habits before you buy beacher’s hope. When you leave the first ranch for more than a few hours the game critiques you through Abigail who gets upset and frustrated. I always though it was a really cool little detail that I would have not thought of and adds to the immersion.

[@jasboneanprime5425]

Definitely one of your best critique. Keep doing what your doing, because it's amazing

[@jamesbell1186]

If you like this you should watch Joseph Anderson. He does the best game critiques on KZbin.

[@Trucifer]

I also like how you can notice Arthur progressively becoming sick, you can see him coughing more and slowing down throughout chpt 3-6

[@stuglife5514]

You can also see it in his skin too. Keep a close look on the skin around his eyes and the color of his skin

[@_spacesamurai]

What I really don't like about RDR is the "Snitch" Trope that ALWAYS appear in R* stories. All those games have an asshole character that betrays the main character (and surprises no one). I liked Micah as a villain, but I'd love him more if the subplot of the Snitch was just a lie to instigate conflict and fights inside the gang, and Micah was actually just a ruthless utilitarist asshole, that wanted to cut the weak ones thinking that it would make the gang stronger, and Arthur saw the end of the lawless era coming miles away, and wanted to move on from that.

[@riccardomallardo9929]

Well to be honest we can't really tell if Micah was a snitch or not, according to Milton he started to snitch after coming back from guarma, so who snitched on the saint denis heist? The more I think of it the more it seems weird to me that he is a snitch, I despise him sure, but I don't know...he doesn't make sense as a snitch, he enjoys way too much being an outlaw, Molly as a snitch makes more sense, or reverend swanson, hell even Abigail as a snitch would be more probable. People who wish or at least wouldn't mind leaving the outlaw lifestyle behind. Micah instead...I mean look at the epilogue, he just kept being an outlaw, I don't know what deal he made with the law but they sure wouldn't allow him to keep killing and stealing, in the first game they came after john who did much more for them and who turned his life around, micah instead not only gets away with it by simply revealing the gang's camp but he is even allowed to keep being a criminal? In my opinion rockstar left that quesion unanswered on purpose to let the player wonder wether micah is a snitch or not, we have no evidence, we just know what agent milton said, up to you if you believe him

[@_spacesamurai]

@@riccardomallardo9929 your theory actually makes a lot of sense dude.

[@Karasugou_]

@@riccardomallardo9929 Molly literally says that she told the Pinkertons about the Saint Denis Bank Heist. She says its because she wanted to see him dead, and then she's shot in the stomach by Mrs. Grimshaw, when you first make it to Beaver Hollow.

[@ryanhowe6543]

This game's ending felt so good it kinda makes me want to pretend the first game isn't canon

[@vilevillain1059]

all he had to do was not go after micah :(

[@Powerful_TDFAM]

This was such a good analysis on the dynamic between Arthur and Dutch. When playing the game for the first time it really weirded me out how co-dependent and enabling the other characters are with Dutch. And that codependent relationship Dutch has with Arthur really leaps out in the examples that you highlighted, the Guarma chapter is so necessary to see Arthur with the blinders off and he is seemingly witnessing Dutch for the first time objectively. The writers did such a great job in building that moment up when Arthur just flat out asks Dutch if he is going to kill him next if it serves him. Foreshadowing what happens later in Chapter 6. That dynamic is just amazing from a story telling perspective, as it captures the essence of these really flawed human characters and their intense unstable relationships.

[@Trucifer]

You know one of the upgrades for the camp is improving the lodging and the description is"Dutch wants something more comfy"

[@daviakira2526]

I can stress enough how iconic these characters are, almost all of them... At this point the accent and dialogue have become memes but its beacuse they are so well crafted that they stick on out minds and we just wanna keep hearing it.

[@karenamyx2205]

Maybe when your mothers finished mourning your father, I'll keep her in black, on your behalf -most gangsta line ever

[@badhydra78]

The thing nobody seems to point out is at the end John asks Dutch why he’s here and Dutch reply’s same as you I guess. He was there to kill Micah he didn’t kill him just because John talked him into it he was going to in the first place. I guess you could say he really did get his redemption.

[@tikkidaddy]

And then we move on to RDR where Dutch has gone full on nuts and starts mouthing off at John about Abigail being a prostitute, "We all had her* etc. I really wanted to see Dutch redeemed. I really did. But Dutch is unbalanced as an elephant on ice skates

[@samhood1856]

My one problem is you don't cover Hosea. Hosea was the glue. He kept Dutch largely in check and kept the group together. They butted heads but Dutch respected him enough to keep his ego in check. Once Hosea was out of the picture Dutch lost the check to his ego and the one person who he saw as his equal and that is why the group imploded.

[@shotty.]

we really need a whole chapter dedicated to sadie would’ve bloated the game but i would love it

[@wippyfr]

I hated sadie so much by the end i started killing myself to skip her missions. I have nothing against tough woman, but the way she was written made me furious. I wouldve preferred getting more mission with Javier or miss Grimmshaw. She fucks up so many situations by becoming a bloodthirsty psychopath, killing people she doesnt need to, not unlike micah, but because shes a woman its suddenly okay. The final straw was when she killed the guy who ran with micah because he actually had morals. Fuck that bitch.

[@MuddHutter1]

I agree. But something tells me it will never happen as a DLC.

[@thoremblem3625]

@@wippyfr the difference between micah and Sadie is that Sadie is fueled by the rage and depression from her husband’s and closest friend’s (Arthur’s) murder. Micah is a coward fueled by greed for money and power, only caring about his own personal gain. Sadie is flawed but that makes her a better character, not a worse one.

[@bobgunjoe2577]

@@thoremblem3625 yes, but that is from a lore perspective. If you are dropped in without context, she is an annoying character with few redeeming qualities. Now most people aren’t dropped in without context so they understand her emotions, but when you finally get a mission where she kills her husband’s murderer, it gets disappointing when you realize it takes place at the end of chapter 6.

[@KevinPetersdp]

@@wippyfr same, I found her so annoying

[@claiminghawk]

I like how throughout the story and the epilogue it shows how John Marston becomes the person he is in red dead redemption. Showing what happened before the events of red dead redemption 1 and confirming what john says during the events of his own redemption story.

[@JelloNonay]

DUUUUDE. Absolutely love your channel and everything about the content. If I can just chime in as an actor who has worked in VO, some games, and everything else.. it’d usually be less of a one sheet and more of a full production for something like this. Each actor would probably get a full book on their character’s details and backstory. They’d spend hours of time in table reads and personal conversations with the directors and line producers. I had the pleasure to work with the actor who played Jimmy Brooks once here in NYC and he told me he got something more like a packet. Obviously not saying that these actors weren’t geniuses in what they brought to the role. But for something as big in scope as this, the table read and development process is VAST. Even MORE so than something like a film or theatre project since there’s just SO many ways this game can play out. Just thought I’d throw that in and hope I could provide some perspective! Really loving your content and so happy I found your channel. Keep up the awesome work.

[@ShubhamKumar-sj6dp]

Great , your voice and the script is so flawless and smooth that I didnt realize that video was over an hour long . Great work keep it up.

[@zacshelton539]

Arthur has a southern accent and In the beginning he is Dutch’s right hand man.

[@celadon6554]

Dutch also has some moments in the early chapters before he went off the deep end where he tells Arthur that he feels like Arthur will betray him, because he "seems the type." That could be something.

[@Apparoid1]

I don't think thats the case whatsoever, in that northern accents back then were a little closer to southern accents than they are now. Or atleast in perception, also locations is an important aspect here. Although both of those things are harmonious.

[@Frank-kq4te]

"Red dead redemption played it safe" i don't think so, they managed to slow down things so much that everyone freaked out the game was "slow". Having all those animations, all those dialogue, all the slow pace that the game impose to you is a bigger risk in my opinion than making GoW like every other action around here, full of armors, upgrades, semi open world map, gems, bility, sidequest etc.. Yes GoW used to be an "hack and slash" and they changed it, but what we got was a more mainstream action game, and change is not always for good, nor brave. Also,I don't understand what you mean by "revolutionary" in a sequel like RdR2.

[@PlantOutofPot]

I'm not sure I agree that Rockstar didn't take any risks at all. I think making this game as slow paced as it is, is very much a risky and innovative thing. Not many other studio's would dare make a game that might bore people (keep them engaged at all times so their dopamine dependency forces them to gives us more money!!!), even if (like with this game in my oppinion) it would actually fit the narrative, realistic and immersive nature of the game. I do still agree that they could have tried to innovate more when it came to freedom in missions and such, but on the other hand I'm not entirely sure it would fit this game.

[@stuglife5514]

Sometimes though risks like this pay out, but yea I agree with you. I mean, look at the zombie survive genera, project zomboid did to zombie survival what RDR2 did for open world story games. It was a massive risk, but RDR2 is one of the best most well written well made story games ever due to its pacing and details

[@MrDueltube]

I wasn't really surprised that Dutch was the villain but that's only because I played through Red Dead 1, which most of us did. But I imagine there were people who never played RDR1 who wanted to play this game but weren't interested in going back to a PS3/X360 era game. To Rockstar's ctedit he is the best example of a sleeper villain in any game I have ever seen.

[@tracyrae4854]

What do you mean sleeper villain

[@MrDueltube]

@@tracyrae4854 A sleeper villain is a character that is initially either on your side or if not that they are a non-threat originally only to become the main threat later on.

[@tracyrae4854]

@@MrDueltube oh yea I agree

[@Arc69]

I just listened to this whole critique through my the remainder of my morning shift, thanks for getting me by......MORE NOW!!

[@drushe1983]

the way the game starts lays the ground for another sequel prequel (and the final in the red dead trilogy) setting the scene for how the gang came to be, allowing for multiple protagonists to be playable as the story leads to the events of blackwater.

[@ks4793]

Red dead 3 will be phenomenal If it happens

[@huskytzu7709]

David Rushe don’t want it if rockstar still sticks with the clunky and dated gameplay mechanics. They need to be more innovative in gameplay terms and mission design

[@James-vq4jw]

huskytzu Rdr2’s gameplay wasn’t that bad everyone exaggerated it

[@drushe1983]

@@huskytzu7709 i think that the limitation of the controller (i played on ps4) often let to frustrations between actions and commands. overall i adapted to it pretty quickly (once you get off the mountain) and found it overall to be an enjoyable experience. i think what rockstar could look at doing is ditching the scripted nature of missions and allow players to approach missions in a more flexible way (think watch dogs 1/2, metal gear solid 5) with player choice trumping setting up cinematic moments.

[@ninamonroe9336]

WTH, Sadie didn't burn her house down, Micah did! I swear he knocked that table over.. 😒😌 watched this whole video to correct you on that.

[@Karasugou_]

Yeah while Sadie was scared Micah flipped the table over to get at her, knocking the lantern over causing the fire.

[@hanselthecaretaker]

When in doubt, blame Micah Bell.

[@chaseblauvelt7008]

To be honest, after I beat the main game I waited 2 or 3 months before playing the epilogue and that seems like the best way to play

[@roythien7043]

48:14 I never got that point of view, that was one of the best chapters in terms of the story.

[@ronsutton4853]

You made a really great point at the beginning of this video about viewers who can't financially support your content are grateful for those who do. You are 100% correct.

[@Ham-om3nh]

Love watching your critiques, and would also love to see your thoughts on the now classic GTA 4.

[@TheB0sss]

Imo GTA 4 did not age well compared to most rockstar games. I prefer GTA 5 (single player) and GTA SA over 4

[@jordandennis6794]

@@TheB0sss I like Niko more than GTA 4 in general.

[@BoomerMiku]

Love to listen to these kind of videos while studying or drawing. This just made my day.

[@bishbosh4815]

Minor detail, but John's idea was to put the oil tanker on the tracks, and the train would have to stop otherwise it would crash through it and blow up 🤪

[@williamtuckwell9158]

So, I disagree that the story is about Dutch's mental collapse, rather it's about the force of modernity forcing it upon their world. Dutch may not be a saviour, but it's the force of modernity and the necessity to survive against the weight of their situation that really breaks the morals. Dutch may be bad, but that's put under a microscope and pressurised by the world around him.

[@sash9249]

It's interesting how just being able to greet and speak to every character you come across can make the entire world feel more alive. I think this IS where RS innovated and began to perhaps not reinvent - but certainly add to - the wheel. No other game allows you to interact with every single NPC. It took my 2nd playthrough, where I began to play dishonorably to even realise that you could make JOKES with PUNCHLINES to NPCs. That there was an contextual system there. And I hope people take that dialogue system and develop it further. Mission-wise, I think RS could have been a lot more creative and done things to give the play more autonomy and freedom, and I hope they take that criticism to heart for the next installment of this franchise. Having said all that, it's still my favourite game of this generation, and I'm still playing it 6 months on! (and I'm talking about singleplayer). Nice work, man.

[@Barcodez5555]

finding "Dutch's Speech Notes" just outside camp where it even had planned pauses in for effect is quite chilling once you know how manipulative he his... also i think people forget that another main antagonist is the world... the changing world... the Pinkertons and over bearing state who wish to destroy and then control communities. Dutch's actions are influenced heavily by other people wanting to kill him....

[@ashirmalik2310]

I like chapter 5, change my mind.

[@BrixAlive]

Ashir Malik it’s okay

[@maxcatanzaro3309]

Its weird. Its really farfetched and out of place. 6 guys holding a beach from 100s of soldiers and a warship. Its very out of place and i think it could have been done differently. But it does not ruin or change the fact that this is my favorite game of all time

[@jacksonb.valentine8208]

Dutch at the end there tied together why John was so pissed about having to hunt him in particular in the first Redemption to me. Yeah, he raised John. But why would he be so against getting Dutch if he left him for dead? It all makes sense now and thats very impressive given what little grey area they had from the first to make the second.

[@t-0096]

It would be cool to have Dutch as a protagonist in a Red Dead game

[@captaincbt]

T-00 I can see where your coming from but I think it’s too late now, we not only know how is story ends but we also know his fall, and because we’ve seen him at his worst it would numb our experience and make the narrative feel very weak because of how we as the player already feel as Dutch

[@tomashill7703]

You’re work process and ethic is how I and we should all be attacking life. Goodluck with everything. Love it!!!!!

[@matthardy1588]

just started up my third playthrough of RDR2. this time im going all in. complete immersion. i am arthur morgan. personally ive never played a game that can suck me into the game world like this game can.

[@sarveshkharade8323]

I have a friend like Dutch. This game made me realize it so deeply. Opened my eyes and made me get out of the blind cult culture under the name of faith and love.

[@jamesbendon6496]

So happy to relive this game with this review. Felt everything you said was spot on. I thought that this game was just a story-telling masterclass. The clarity in the story of Arthur's death and redemption story is so emotive and unforgettable.

[@ayhamshaheed7740]

I spend two months during the main story alone. Three weeks so far on the epilogue and I’m about halfway through epilogue 1. I’m really trying to take my time with it as theres so much for the world to offer

[@herredward9277]

I think RDR2 might be hands down, head up, best game of the decade in my opinion, such open world, living and breathing world, beautiful views, great story, amazing realism and slow rides that make you think about the evolution of the situations and the characters, great roleplaying opportunities. That game has everything I love in games, RDR1 is very closely following behind, but as Jack Marston says: Landon Ricketts, eat your heart out. Forgot to mention but I think this is an important detail: Finished the game 13 times, the first one only twice when it released but I'm going on my 3rd playthrough.

[@hoodedmetal7970]

It would be cool to see a video comparing different well written characters in games and see how they compare to one another. For example comparing Geralt from Witcher to Kratos to Arthur Morgan to John Marston to Joel from Last of Us. Basically comparing their acting performances, their depth, their moral compass perhaps, etc.

[@pasaniusventris4113]

another thing about dutch being selfish and his tent- the first tent upgrade goes to dutch. it's a 175 dollar upgrade, just for him, and aside from arthur's fast travel, everyone else in camp gets to split 250 bucks between them for the upgrade to the rest of their tents. i'm ~35 minutes in, so maybe you mention it later in another video, but! you can find dutch's speech notes as early as chapter two, on a box near arthur's wagon, with mentions of "if i could throw myself in the ground in their place," and whatnot. the guy's been practicing.

[@colincraigo5793]

Everyone thinks Chapter 5, on the fictional tropical island of Gaurma, is the weakest part of the game. I completely disagree with that just like you, Luke.

[@naddit]

CCKillbilly most people hate it because it isn’t fun to play in, as the mission design in them feels as if it was repeated.

[@miltsockj5742]

One of the most memorable things for me was when I rode around, as you do. And out of nowhere the things I thought was big rocks turned out to be a herd of bison resting. They all rose up at the same time and it felt like a real life nature experience, it was magical and awestriking.

[@orenju465]

Finally, was anticipating this so much.

[@senshai1267]

Rockstar truly makes 60 bucks feel like a bargain .They did so many things in this game...that isn't really necessary at all! That other devs would easy do without ...but Rockstar didn't, the pacing itself can be considered risky !!. You can sense this game is a labor of love . Every small detail and all systems so organic and immaculately crafted. I think the credit to Rockstar should be in the small things . The little things that they do which sets the stage for so much pay off at the end .

[@riverdaletales8457]

God of war is not a reboot , the story continues (with it's original main character) hence why it's not a reboot

[@geoffdb8118]

@Autismo they aren't reboots

[@duhchizzz]

I seriously did not even think about the reasoning behind the mundane nature of the epilogue. Laugh at me if you will, but I’ve become so accustomed to the sad and shallow games we’ve been getting that when a title comes out with an incredible amount of depth to the gameplay AND story, I miss certain nuances. FANTASTIC!!!

[@Arachnolad]

To be fair, that old crone held Dutch at knifepoint demanding money they didn’t have. Plus she seemed kinda crafty. I felt that killing her was fairly justified. Other things he does... not so easy to write off

[@someguy-bv3il]

Yes exactly. Everyone acts like Dutch killing her was super immoral and unforgivable when arthur is killing people on a regular daily basis.

[@kam2840]

Luke has talked about RDR 2 for longer than some people played it.

[@dr.skulhamr3220]

You said it right my friend, when you said that the pacing of the game reflects the times in which it is portrayed. When I get up in the morning, I don't have to heat water for a bath. I don't have to go out to the wood pile and collect wood for a fire to get us warm. In 1899, those conveniences and many others were simply not there. It took time to do things.

[@walterleduy1165]

"There's gotta be a term for this..." I'm a new fan, but I'm shocked you haven't heard the term ludonarrative synchronicity!

[@jamesj6426]

Shocker hey? I hear that phase almost daily!

[@buckeyestrait8631]

RDR2 is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I was around 3 years late to the game, only starting my first run in 2021, but even with endless spoilers, RDR2 literally made me feel a flurry of emotions. i knew arthur was going to pass, but it still hit me like a truck when it happened. and I just finished my second run, and goddamn… Low Honor and High Honor is in itself a great reason to play for a second time. Rockstar is a king of writing games.

[@TheDeathmachine2000]

Another cool detail I just noticed: before Arthur and Dutch go into the caves in the Guarma chapter Dutch emphasizes that the gold he’s gonna give the guide is the last piece of gold they have from the heist. Yet, when Dutch kills her, he doesn’t take the gold back. Just shows where his priorities are (or aren’t).

[@ddogwr83]

New viewer. Watched the entire thing while starting the epilogue (took a break since the game released). Really quality video man. So much dedication. You gained a sub today

[@exemplar7205]

Sadie is loved so much that a lot of people want a dlc where u play as her bounty hunting so fingers crossed for that. oh and she also appears briefly with her husband Jake in the online mode so there is a little more character development and more of her in the online :)

[@spencersteinbrecher6511]

For a game that had eight years to develop I would think that they would have much better gameplay. Don’t get me wrong, the story and the attention to detail were outstanding but the controls and gameplay were pretty outdated

[@RedBananas]

Spencer Steinbrecher they worked on the game for 5 years they didn’t start til 2013 but still the gameplay is terrible thats why i have custom free aim

[@LoadedFPS]

I'd really have to disagree with that, at least on the controls side. It played like a Rockstar game, that's something I feel either you like or you don't. I do have to admit I had a lot of trouble with some parts of the game, such as controlling the camera angle from horseback, my hands would get pretty uncomfortable. To me it felt a lot like GTA V did, just obviously in a western package rather than a modern one. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you mean by controls, though. Gameplay I'd have to agree with you, I ran into a lot of glitches and just weird bugs along the way. Parts where Arthur's skin was completely black and his hair was white in cutscenes as well.

[@hammadkhan450]

the weapon mechanics aren't outdated. I see this everywhere and don't get it. People usually mean that the encounters are outdated. The bullet damage and gore effects, AI, environment destruction, sound, animation and physics are pretty cutting edge.

[@James-vq4jw]

That toxic Kid 2010 not 2013

[@hammadkhan450]

Straight To The Point i think he means they started full production in 2013

[@DarkKnightofThrones]

The industry standard for voice over artists is 4 hours maintaining a consistent voice. If you're going that long before the shift, you're up there with the pros, friend.

[@AWretchedMan]

I've had the game since Ps4 launch and I've played over 100 hrs of online 100+ of story and I'm not even 15% through the main storyline haha I've just been role playing and robbing people and hunting for the people at my camp and I go into town and stay for a night and have a bath etc go to the saloon then go back to camp the next day. It's so immersive!

[@knurdyob]

I really enjoyed the review, up until you compared it to gow and said how red dead 2 played it safe as opposed to gow. I really don't get this point personally, gow was one of the safest games to come out recently, and as a result I don't see it leaving a lasting impact in players some years from now. gow was basically just a mash up of everything that is popular in the industry right now. gameplay elements from dark souls, story and overall presentation was just a successor to what the last of us had to offer, but without the storytelling skills and scope that game offered. Meanwhile, red dead 2 went to certain lengths to achieve it's realism in the gameplay that are rarelly seen, all of the management your character and horse require, the slow but realistic movement, coupled with an open world game that's way ahead of its time, something you even mentioned in one of your analysis on the game. And it's honestly the first open world game that I've played for hundreds of hours, and not a single random event repeated itself (they would be repeated but with different character models and dialogue, often said dialogue would even mention the last time you foudn a similar encounter with that npc, which was a clever way of having the same situation happen but grounding it in a way that made it a new one in the context of that world). Red dead 2 isn't perfect of course, no game is, but it sure took a lot more risks than gow. Just the whole "camp" concept that's present thorughout the story is taking a way bigger risk than anything in gow. 23 characters in a camp that you can spend time in and interact and find countless random interactions between them for the duration of the story, that is insane in my opinion and I still have no idea how that was pulled off with the current technology. So yeah really enjoyed the analysis, but you also struck a nerve there at the end for some reason. So in short, I guess what I'm getting at with all of this is that not only I thought rockstar took way more chances with rdr2 than santa monica did with gow, even if they hadn't, just because something is new for a certain studio, doesn't mean it's better than anything else in the industry by default. The game santa monica made may have been a new direction for them, but that new direction was just a mix of a bunch of different decisions that proved to be successful in the past with other games. That being something new for the studio doesn't necessarily mean it's new for the industry, and for gaming in general, red dead 2 took way more risks than gow

[@TomDuncanPlummer]

Even though I feel that RDR2 took lots of risks within the open world genre itself i.e. heavier realism, slower pacing etc., it didn't branch out to elements far beyond the series' original scope if that makes sense. Like, the audience of the original GoW trilogy probably would have had a harder time adjusting to the RPG elements, open world, dual protagonist and a more compassionate Kratos in 2018's GoW than Rockstar's audience moving from RDR to RDR2. I think both games show amazing progression overall though with the attention to detail, graphics, world design, and engaging stories, but for me GoW shows more risk when considering its departure from the original target audience and the merging of genres.

[@knurdyob]

@@TomDuncanPlummer I agree with you in that gow took more risks within the context of its series and what the fanbase was expecting, but that's also what I was refering to in my comment when I mentioned that just because something is different for the context in which it was made (in this case santa monica as a studio and their previous work) doesn't mean it's different when compared to the rest of the market. I personally couldn't see how gow did anything new at all, it just felt like a lot of stuff already seen before and perfected before. Red dead 2 stayed more consistent with what the previous game was about but because doing anything else would've been for the worst, and did things it's own way, not thinking about what's famous in the industry, but about what would suit their game best. All things considered they are both great games, but I felt the exact opposite to what was mentioned in the review in regards to which game took more risks. this new gow felt a lot like castelvania: lords of shadow, which is ironic because that game was basically just copying aspects of gow's trilogy gameplay and presentation, as well as some other elements from other famous games, but this time it was gow taking elements from other games. I still think this new gow is a much better game than that castelvania, but much like that game, I felt it should've brought a bit of its own dna in one way or another to go along with all of the other elements borrowed to make it stand out a bit more. I hope the sequel adds something more unique to it and expands the story in an interesting direction.

[@iladelproductions8820]

I picked the game up on release and im just finishing the story now. i didn't want to rush through this one i did that with the witcher 3 and really regretted it. foor most of my playthrough i would do a handful of missions then head off into the wilderness for a while, find a nice spot setup camp then hunt and fish. i really loved it!!!

[@Skateandcreate9]

Kiz you have unreal patience to wait that long, over half a year! I needed to know what was going to happen to the characters. Did my intense exploring after the story.

[@Aceboy270]

Today, today is a good day sir. Thanks for making my Monday great.

[@Ant-dx9uu]

I love these long form critiques man, keep up the good work

[@NateMulder]

I enjoyed God of War, and really enjoyed the story, but I felt the overall experience and story in RDR2 is so above and beyond everything in gaming right now it'll be hard to ever top. The gameplay is it's weakest element, but the story and writing is so tremendous that I can look past it. I thought God of War was great and arguably the better "game", but I don't think it'll be remembered in 10 years in the same way RDR2 will be. Just an opinion

[@RedX165]

LOL are you saying God of War has a trash story? You Rockstar fanboys can't admit the better game won...

[@k00l98]

@@RedX165 He didnt say anything close to that. You God of War fanboys cant admit the better story won.

[@NateMulder]

@@RedX165 sorry mate, where did I say God of War had a trash story? My first sentence was literally "I enjoyed God of War and really enjoyed the story".

[@nerad1994]

@@RedX165No better game "won"

[@RedX165]

@@nerad1994 You're right. God of War did win more Game of the Year awards... Good thing too. It was a true game between the two of them...

[@The_SmorgMan]

I live and work as a mountain man. I essentially spend spring summer and fall in the wilderness. I work with horses moving supplies, I own a small gold mine, I hunt and explore. The moments with nothing going on actually feels the most lifelike. If you are used to fast paced games it comes across as boring. But if you ever spend time in the mountains, life has a very slow pace. It’s quiet. Usually the only objection to the silence is a melody of squirrels and songbirds. you get the occasional deer elk or wolf, but it’s usually quiet

[@bigslime4384]

RDR2 is one of the only games to ever make me cry. I still tear up a little on extra playthroughs of the game knowing what’s coming. It is my without a doubt my favorite game of all time, but I hope R* can surprise me with their further projects.

[@withalittlehelpfrom3]

With how long these videos take, and how long you spent mapping it out, would you say you have a... ...plan?

[@derekwestbury6955]

I forgot how fucking creepy that guarma mission is

[@Updogg3000]

One thing worth noting is that it really pays to take things slowly in missions and in general in this game, as you’re able to get more dialogue and details that otherwise are missed. For instance, in the mission where Dutch kills the old lady (a justified decision in my mind; leaving her alive would’ve almost certainly led to the deaths of the entire gang in Guarma, as the lady would’ve had zero reason to help the gang and risk her own life by remaining silent), if you walk slower in the cave, Dutch responds to Arthur saying “I’m not sure what you mean” with “Nor am I, yet” and I believe another sentence or two. I’ve put close to 1000 hours into this game, play it daily to this day, and I am STILL coming across dialogue I’ve never heard before. And keep in mind that I’m someone who takes it slow and always looks for new dialogue. It’s insane how much work was put into this game. It’s an epic of epic proportions!

[@dyz39]

I think RDR2 did take risks with the whole realism and slower gameplay which in my opinion works well but other than that great video!

[@garrettott9397]

Dude the mission with the white gator 🔥🔥🔥 I was genuinely scared 😱

[@Dereks402]

Luke love you but for some reason I couldn't take my eye off the reflection of the KZbin achievement on the TV. You still look great tho

[@moonkinx]

Working as intended ?

[@Matt-ij6gm]

Don’t ever stop making videos. Your critiques are amazing and I respect you so much for the amount of time and passion you put into them. You make me think about and realize things that I never realized while playing some games. Great stuff, man!

[@andruwu4524]

Hey Luke,I'm glad you broke down at the start the process of making this sort of video,thank you for putting in So much effort to get this out to us💜

[@janis317]

Great content but I think you missed the boat on Dutch a little bit. Part of the story arc is his fullfillment of a narsistic personality and not that he was always this way. Also I think Hosea and Dutch became friends during their time with the O'Driskall gang, not before. Dutch also thought of Colm as a sort of father figure that he was missing after his father's death. He in turn becomes a father figure to Arthur and he actually sees a lot of him in Arthur. The story arc completes with Arthur turning on Dutch just as Dutch eventually turned on Colm once he realizes that he isn't the man he thought he was. Dutch isn't just deceiving the gang but himself as well. Micah had a lot to do with Dutch's downward spiral as well.

[@Karasugou_]

Dutch and Hosea met in the 1870s when they both tried to rob each other I believe

[@conorkirwan1835]

22:10 as an Irish man i feel personally attacked the way you drank that Guinness luke

[@jackdraven4363]

Luke's closing message felt like that PBS message

[@deniahmetaj]

8:18 I am playing through the game for the first time (only a handful of missions into chapter 3, 40% total completion because I've been exploring and doing side quests (they're absolutely great!)) and I got that feeling of Dutch being not who he seems already without having spoiled the game at all these last two years. You cam see a few subtle hints here and there. It's a terrifically written and acted game. Truly deserves all the praise it has gotten

Luke, just thanks, you nailed it, as always, looking forward for GTA V critique :)

[@Degas93]

The way they started playing that theme from rdr1 when John starts shooting at the raiders attacking the farm he lived on, was I believe intentional too. First of all- a throwback to fans, second- a signifying moment, showing that John understood his destiny- he can apply the same skills he has, but to the good of people, essentially becoming a white hat.