9 Reasons Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Better Than GTA 5

9. Side Activities Factor Into The Overall Progression

In the never-ending quest for expansion in Rockstar's games, GTA V almost felt like the embodiment of Ian Malcolm's Jurassic Park quote. To paraphrase, "Rockstar were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn't stop to think if they should."

What I mean is, GTA V had entire systems dedicated to playing the stock market or investing in property to grow your empire of cash. Each character could purchase different places, but to what end? You'd get more money to buy more property, to get more money, to buy... what?

In Red Dead 2, all these side activities - hunting, playing poker, completing bounties etc. - factor into the growing of your camp, and the wellbeing of the Van Der Linde gang. More food and resources means unlockables like fast travel, better inventory space and a canoe to access different parts of the map.

There's an entire subsystem of customisation so the camp itself looks more accomplished too, and combined, you've got a far more compelling, gameplay and narrative-driven reason to interact with the entirety of everything on offer.