Red Dead Redemption 2: 11 Most Shocking Story Moments

Red Dead Redemption 2 is, by all accounts, the very definition of a western epic. It spans years, endears its cast of characters in no time at all and offers a compelling - and all too devastating - story, that marries the myth of the Old West with the historical realities of the post-bellum United States.

It's unforgiving at times, but the prequel's story ultimately turned out to be a tour-de-force of monolithic proportions. Arthur Morgan will ultimately go down as one of the finest video game protagonists of the generation, and the time spent with Dutch's Gang - replete with crooks, cooks, and colourful characters, spanning all walks of life - provided a fascinating insight into one of this decade's biggest gaming mysteries.

It was a joy to behold, but with the Red Dead Redemption prequel walking in the footsteps of anti-westerns gone by, it's also uniquely brutal. There isn't a shortage of shocking moments littered throughout the story, and though the story was always going to end in one way, that won't stop players from gasping during a moment of peril, or reaching for the nearest box of tissues while saying goodbye to a certain someone.

So sit back, have a good cry, and indulge yourself in a look back at Red Dead Redemption 2's most shocking story moments.*

*If you can handle it.