7. Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)
The wild west was a time of violent and chaotic change; a shift between eras. The atmosphere of the era reflected that, populating it with outlaws, bootleggers, crooks, and swindlers. However, time only moves in one direction, and eventually the west died. But what happens to those left behind?
Red Dead Redemption tells the tale of one such individual, John Marston, retired outlaw, husband, and father. As the flesh and blood of horse is gradually replaced by the steel and gas-powered automobile, John is forcibly drawn back into an increasingly unfamiliar world that threatens his very existence.
Red Dead Redemption is a masterpiece, as good as any book or film of its genre. An epic spanning two countries and populated with so many great characters, big and small, it gave gamers their first chance to experience a true western. Rockstar's love of the genre bleeds through every pixel, demonstrating a clear affection for a genre that, until this point, hadn't had a universally praised video game adaptation. The world is vast and open, yet intimately detailed. Like many other open world games, especially Rockstar's
Grand Theft Auto series, it risks obscuring its powerful narrative with its ambition. Unlike those titles, it never does; its open world design perfectly suited for the genre. It is without a doubt the best open world game up to this point. What really makes
Red Dead Redemption a work of art is the story, its main protagonist, and the context. John, like all good western anti-heroes, is a deeply flawed and troubled man; his past a nightmare that fuels his pursuit for a stable life. He wants to make amends for his mistakes, but at the same time is an outlaw by his very nature. He no longer fits in this increasingly technological world, and it continually chews him up and spits him out. John can and does do horrible things, but the player understands his plight. We want to see him succeed, but the world won't let him.
Red Dead Redemption deals with the dark side of the west, its destruction, and the people left behind. Its writing is smart, its themes are mature, and its subject matter is dark. However, like all Rockstar games, it never forgets to lighten the mood with a laugh.
Red Dead Redemption is Rockstar at their best. It is the best open world game, the best western game by far, and one of the best games ever made, period.