Red Dead Disapointmnet?

 Like many videogame fans I was eagerly anticipating Rockstar Games' new sandbox western, Red Dead Redemption.  The game was highly touted by critics and had visuals that put me in mind of my favorite Western RPG, Aces & Eights.  I have always enjoyed Rockstars' flagship tittle, Grand Theft Auto, getting plenty of playing time with GTA 4, even going back to it for a time after having finished it.

All this adds up to a mad rush on the 18th to go get the game at the store.  I was lucky enough to secure a copy and headed home right away to give the game a whirl.  At first it was great, just as advertised.  But something odd happened while playing the game, I stopped liking it.  Now that's not to say that I hated it, but even before I was done with the game I was tired of it.  I only did the main quests for the most part and the game was only about 22 hours long, but I'd say about half way through I just wished it would end.

How did it fall so fast?  I have some theories.  The first is that I played too much GTA and RDR is more of the same.  At time it can almost feel like you are playing GTA 4, and I don't mean that in a good way.  The physics engine is called on to handle a lot but is very glitchy.  Some of these are minor and some make you want to tear your hair out.  Like GTA RDR isn't a shooter, at least not a good one.  As I feel a western should be more about gunfights I really wish this aspect of the game would have been improved.  Unlike GTA the voice acting in this game is not great.  In fact, some of it is downright bad.  The characters themselves are, for the most part, no better.  Some are funny, but that's about it.  The main character himself is a terribly dull character, lacking the charm of a repentant hero that Clint Eastwood portrayed in Unforgiven.  The story is also pretty bad, and very boring.  It wouldn't be so bad if you could skip to the action, but for hours on end you will be called to ride next to whoever gave you the quest and listen to bad dialog that you can't skip.

While this piece focuses on the negative aspects of the game, those that caused me to be disappointed by it, I will say it isn't a bad game.  All the classic Western elements can be found; wagon chases, train robberies, holdups at gunpoint, shootouts, duels andhttp://www.kenzerco.com/aces_n_eights/ high noon, and all the other great stuff you would expect in a western.  Unfortunately my expectation for this game couldn't be higher, had I tempered them perhaps my opinion would have been different.

My advice to you is twofold... First, temper you expectations.  Second, rent the game.