Developer: Rockstar Games
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Android, iOS
Tested on: Switch 2
Red Dead Redemption (Switch 2) – Review
Way back in 2021, we took a look at Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy on the Switch, a notoriously bad trio of ports. While these have received various updates since, our original experience with these GTA games left such a sour taste in our mouth that we skipped the subsequent Switch port of Red Dead Redemption. Time heals all wounds, and the arrival of the Switch 2 version of RDR managed to pull us in again. Can this 15-year-old port redeem Rockstar’s reputation, or is it another disaster of GTA trilogy proportions?
Story
Carrying the feeling of a prestigious drama series on HBO, RDR’s narrative is as impressive as it is ambitious. The game tells the story of John Marston, a former outlaw, who is forced to hunt down his old gang in exchange for being reunited with his family. RDR leans heavily into character arcs, moral ambiguity and themes of industrialisation. Quiet moments lend an air of credence to the game’s overarching narrative. Long horse rides with music, slow character development and even sunsets all come together to really sell Marston’s story as something more than “just” GTA with cowboys.
Graphics
The original release of RDR hails from a different time, and its visuals haven’t exactly held up, so we’re happy to say that the Switch 2 version does come with a hefty coat of new digital paint. The game now supports 4K resolution as well as a solid 60fps. Those were to be expected, of course, but the introduction of volumetric effects, HDR and DLSS make it so that RDR really pops. We can safely say that the game has never looked better.
Sound
Of course, we can’t gush about RDR’s narrative without talking about the way the characters are brought to life through excellent voice work. The game is fully voiced, and the star-studded cast does a fantastic job of making the characters feel alive and believable. Unsurprisingly, music also plays a huge part when it comes to the game’s cinematic feeling. The scene where Far Away plays as you cross into Mexico is still considered one of gaming’s great cinematic moments, with good reason.
Gameplay
When looking at a port like RDR, it’s important to keep the game’s age in mind. By modern-day standards, this is a fairly basic open-world game, but back in 2010, it pioneered several gameplay elements that we consider standard these days. The game didn’t invent entirely new mechanics, but it combined open-world systems with cinematic storytelling and naturalistic world design in a way that no other game had done at the time. You never knew -and still don’t- what you’d encounter when you set out into the wilderness, whether that’s ambushes, hostage situations, duels, stray prisoners or stagecoach robberies. The game’s wildlife ecosystem feels naturalistic and real. Animals will hunt other animals or even NPCs, and will behave in a believable manner. The same applies to how NPCs react to Marston’s actions. Pulling out your gun, even unintentionally, will cause panic, for example.
That’s not to say that RDR has stood the test of time completely unscathed. The game’s age is showing here and there, but it’s more of a matter of the game hailing from a different era and design philosophy. The world itself feels shallow at times, with most objects being there as set dressing and not things you can interact with. NPCs follow simple, repetitive routines and don’t remember you or track your reputation realistically. While the illusion of your choices does persist, the outcome is secondary to a story that insists on unfolding in a specific -albeit good- way. The game’s combat and cover system is adequate, but it feels very basic by today’s standards, with janky movement and stiff controls. As a whole, RDR definitely holds up fairly well, but it remains a product of its time.
Apart from those visual bells and whistles we’ve discussed, the biggest addition that the Switch 2 version of RDR brings to the table is the introduction of mouse controls for aiming. “But wait”, I hear you say, “what about multiplayer? That feature was notably absent from the original Switch port!”. Well, partner, unfortunately, Rockstar didn’t add RDR’s multiplayer mode to the Switch 2 port. While that does mean that the Switch 2 port feels somewhat incomplete, you’re still getting a lot of bang for your buck here, as the game does include all of the DLC. If you happen to be an owner of the OG Switch version, upgrading to the Switch 2 port is absolutely free too, so if you’ve been looking for an excuse to return to the Old West, there you have it.
Conclusion
Fifteen years down the line, RDR manages to hold its own, both as a Switch 2 port and as a game itself. Yes, certain aspects of it are showing their age, but this port still confirms why the original RDR is considered one of the greatest open-world games of all time. While the absence of multiplayer, even for this upgraded version, feels like a missed opportunity, there are plenty of reasons to (re)visit Rockstar’s legendary cowboy adventure.
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