9 Reasons Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Better Than GTA 5

1. A Character You Want To Play As

Simply because they exist to exude the worst characteristics of the modern day American (as they were in 2013), GTA's trio of Michael, Trevor and Franklin aren't especially likeable, relatable, or even workable as delivering on any power fantasies.

It's occasionally hilarious to see just what lengths Rockstar push Trevor in the story, but jump across to Red Dead and Arthur is immediately a more interesting individual. Starting the game off living by his own, almost Robin Hood-esque code under the teachings of Dutch Van Der Linde, his "kill those who need killin'" mentality is the perfect encapsulation of an outlaw; wanting to do right by people one minute, only to kill them in the name of survival or fun the next.

You're free to mould Arthur however you see fit, and his dialogue and character interactions will reflect this. In GTA, Trevor went from butchering helpful side characters to torturing people without so much as a comment from anyone else, and it left you feeling as though Rockstar didn't know what the throughline reason for his wanton slaughter actually was.

Likewise for Michael and Franklin, they end the game with the exact same mental state as at the beginning, not feeling as though they've grown in any meaningful way - sans Franklin's increased wealth.

It's obviously a cliché to say "your choices matter", but with all its combined elements including that meaningful sense of player agency, Rockstar have created something altogether more impressive in Red Dead 2.