Despite the parodying and high-jinx Rockstar always bring to the table, they are also somewhat ironically the masters of the emotionally taxing grand finale. Their instant-classic take on the Western genre Red Dead Redemption has an ending which is still the cause of much pain in the minds of gamers four years later. Though three years after the ending to the main games story you are given the chance to avenge the dishonourable murder of the games protagonist John Marston with his son Jack, this is very little consolation as John remains dead and Jack has been forced to enter a life of murder which his father wanted him to avoid. When that no-good yellow-belly Edgar Ross shows up at your ranch with his sizeable posse, all the loveable rogue you play as can do is send his wife and son to safety and accept his fate. You then confront the mob and have a quick-draw event to kill off as many as possible, though regardless of how many you fell, Johns fate is tragically sealed. This is an excellent yet extremely depressing move by Rockstar rather than just depicting Johns death as a cutscene we are directly involved in it and blame ourselves that our limited skill on the quick-draw wasnt enough to kill the entire mob. A Silver Lining? As mentioned previously, it does feel good to avenge your father as Jack. However, killing one man doesnt bring another back to life after all, an eye for an eye and were all blind.
Hailing from South East London, Sam Heard is an aspiring writer and recent graduate from the University of Warwick. Sam's favourite things include energy drinks, late nights spent watching the UFC with his girlfriend and annihilating his friends at FIFA.
