Red Dead Redemption 2: Ranking Every Town From Worst To Best

Now we get to the standouts.

The lush green grass surrounding the Southern town of Rhodes is made all the more vibrant by its absence in the city streets, where it's been thoroughly worn down, giving way to red clay soil that stands as a stark contrast.

The town saloon is a picturesque piece of architecture. The statue at the town's center depicts its founder and namesake: Brigadier General Sherman M. Rhodes. Everything seem so prim and charming...

And that's exactly why Rhodes is so fascinating: it's only pleasant on the surface. There's a good deal of darkness hiding beneath. The town gunsmith is a microcosm of that complex identity. He's literally got someone locked in his basement, though you couldn't tell by talking to him.

Then, of course, there's the fervent Confederate revivalism; the decidedly pro-Southern, pro-slavery sympathies of Rhodes add a layer of racial tension that isn't present elsewhere in the game.

The prominence of the warring Gray and Braithwaite families - both of whom built their fortunes and legacies on the backs of African American slave labor - serves as a constant reminder of the implied social, financial, and racial dynamics in the community.