9 Ways Red Dead Redemption 2 Has Already Revolutionised Open-World Gaming

6. Refining Weapon Loadouts & Designing Combat Scenarios

Weapons in open-world games tend to get left behind whenever we're talking about signature elements.

Honestly, try to name your favourite firearm in GTA, or any open-world game weapon for that matter. It's hardly the Gears of War Lancer, is it?

Red Dead 2 wants to change that, both minimising loadouts to only two "types" of weapon (pistol and rifle), and putting a huge emphasis on customisation and weapon handling. We see Arthur clean his revolver whilst out amongst some dust, and alongside we can see him brandishing pistols that have intricate details carved into their handles, shafts and barrels.

Rockstar clearly want you to consider your approach in every combat scenario, and that means designing "pockets" of enemies that can be tackled with a variety of methods. As the majority of open-world games just let you leap in and blast your way to completion, Rockstar mentioning that combat is now "deep" points to a refined system of weapon balance that should be way more satisfying to flesh out.