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11 early tips for being a better Outlaw in Red Dead Redemption 2
We've already had the game for a lengthy amount of time ahead of release, and wanted to give you a boost out of the gate with these 11 handy tips to get to grips with Red Dead Redemption 2 early...
Red Dead Redemption 2 is officially out in the wild and is already one of the highest rated games of the year. And rightly so. Rockstar has set a benchmark for open-world gaming from both a gameplay and world-building perspective. But early on a game of this magnitude, this level of majesty can be daunting, to say the least. So we've compiled some handy hints for you to grips with it early. This stuff will just set you on your way to being a stronger, more confident Outlaw.
The Trainline is Your Direct Path Friend
Red Dead Redemption 2’s mini-map functions similarly to modern GPS systems -- it will show you the correct route via actual roads and pathways, however, often this is the longest route and will take you way out of your way (often not a bad thing in this lush environment, mind). And this is an open-world game where you can go off the beaten track at any given point, so often we found that the trainline was the best way to get somewhere more quickly by risking both ours, and our trusty steed’s, lives. The best time we found them most useful though, was to cross huge chasms that had no other bridges, which meant staying on foot drove you into the cavern and then back up the other side. So if you’re willing to take the risk of not running headlong into an oncoming train on a bridge too high to jump from, we say do it.
A storm's a brewin'
© Rockstar
Hitch and Leave Your Horse Off City and Town Streets
At least early on. The reason we say this is it will take you a while to bond with your horse, and depending on its personality, a skittish horse can be trouble in town streets, and if you accidentally knock someone over, you can find yourself in trouble with the law or having civilians drawing on you pretty quickly. There’s nothing worse than riding into town in the early throes of the game with a hogtied bounty stowed on the back, bounty thieves in hot pursuit trying to steal your prize from you, only to literally bowl someone over as you make a sharp turn and either get knocked from your horse or worse, kill them. Besides, walking around towns is a good way to get to grips early with the Greet/Antagonise system which can sometimes lead to quests or unique encounters.
We’ve been in completely safe situations forgetting our weapon was drawn and accidentally aimed it at a sheriff which caused a whole world of annoyance...
Get in the Habit of Holstering
Speaking of encounters, the same button you use to aim when your weapon is drawn is the same button you use to focus on someone you want to Greet. This can be problematic if you’ve forgotten to holster your weapon, especially in a crowded street. We’ve been in completely safe situations forgetting our weapon was drawn and accidentally aimed it at a sheriff which caused a whole world of annoyance. You can scare off people and generally just cause a ruckus if you’re not packing that heat away. It’s a good habit to get into early because when the game gets more complicated and more things are happening around you, not being an antagonist can actually help more than being one.
That sunset...
© Rockstar
Go Fishing with Jack Early
Fishing becomes a very big part of Red Dead Redemption 2, but if you ignore a number of encounters with people in your camp, and ignore a few missions early on just to go and explore the world, it will take you a while to get to fishing. You gain access to your fishing pole after speaking with Abigail in the camp -- she’s Jack’s mother and John Marston’s wife. You’ll also be one step closer to learning how Arthur and John’s relationship will unfold ahead of the events of Red Dead Redemption, as well as get a glimpse into the type of man John was before leaving the Van der Linde gang. Plus, unlike how he is at the end of Red Dead Redemption, little boy Jack in RDR2 is actually cute and someone you want to be around.
Bounties ain’t Chicken Feed, but Pay ‘em Regular Like
Money can be hard to come by in Red Dead Redemption 2 early on, depending on how you decide to play. Ultimately you are an outlaw and this means you will break the law and often come into money, but that money is usually divided back up into the camp and split between yourself and anyone else who joined you in your law breakin’. You’ll also need to invest in your horse, weapons, clothes, baths, provisions and more. But the problem with this, is those law breakin’ activities will also likely net you a bounty on your head, and the bounty hunters in Red Dead Redemption 2 are relentless. With this in mind, strike a balance between how much access you feel you need to a town or county in order to make more money and just generally explore, and if it’s worth paying your $120 bounty, for example, over buying a shiny new saddle or sidearm. Early on, we recommend you go with the former, it definitely makes life easier.
Keeping an eye on your weapon's condition is super-important
© Rockstar
Clean as a Whistle
Speaking of saddles and sidearms, Red Dead Redemption 2 carries with it the realities of living off the land where dust, dirt and grime are concerned. It even factors in blood. You’ll get coated in whatever you’ve rolled around in or had slung over your shoulder, and your horse will get dusty as a mule the more you ride it around. Weapons will also gain grit and wear and tear. And so it’s good to take all of these things into account and try and be the cleanest, most fastidious outlaw you can be. Brush your horse often (and keep brushing, just one push of the D-Pad is never enough), clean your guns regularly (you’ll need gun oil for this) and take baths if you feel like you can actually smell Arthur through the TV. Not only does it improve most functions of the things you’re cleaning, it helps you when interacting with the various people you come across in the game-world. Plus you can get deluxe treatments at bath time as well.
Dressage and Love
As you love your purchased cars in a game like Forza Horizon 4 and want to cherish them and tweak them to get the most out of them, so too does this take place with horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. There’s very little by way of Fast Travel options in the game, and you will spend the majority of it on horseback -- partly because this is best horse riding experience ever created in games, and partly because it’s a great way to work on building your bond with your horse. Certain horses have different personalities, and the more you bond the better they’ll handle situations that might have made them buck you. You’ll come across opportunities for racing, and unlock challenges that build towards your bond and raising your horse’s stats. It’s also worth having a few horses stabled, and the more variety you have, the better opportunity you have to tactically take on specific tasks -- but you’ll need to invest heavily. Trust us though, it’s worth it.
Fetching water might not be glamorous, but it has to be done
© Rockstar
Happy Camper(s)
You can also play games in camp, and doing so also raises your bond and gives you a chance to hear stories and gain a broader sense of history surrounding the Van der Linde gang...
Without giving too much away, your camp will move more than once, but those moving dates are often quite far apart. In that time you’re essentially the main breadwinner, worker and ear for the camp and so it’s important to do your part, and do it often. Chores like moving hay bundles, bags of grain or filling water buckets might seem mundane, but doing them not only raises your station within the camp, it also goes towards building up your own personal stats. Talking to camp folk will give you missions that can range from finding them a lost trinket to fishing to full-blown robberies. You can also play games in camp, and doing so also raises your bond and gives you a chance to hear stories and gain a broader sense of history surrounding the Van der Linde gang and its members. And the more money you earn, the more quickly you can upgrade the camp too, which equally goes a long way toward keeping everyone happy, fed, healthy and able to load their weapons.
Arrow(s) of Apollo
It’s not all rifles and pistols in the game, either. Early on you’ll learn how to use a bow for hunting and while this is cool, the game doesn’t overly hold your hand in terms of explaining what the greater benefit of hunting with a bow is. Moreover, you can craft different kinds of bows, and depending on the cleanliness of your kill, you’ll either have a Perfect, Good or Poor pelt or carcass. Once you start upgrading your camp you’ll need to start hunting for the perfect stuff, so it’s worth getting good early, and while you can use the Varmint Rifle on small game to attempt to get perfect kills, it’s not always guaranteed (though we also recommend early purchase of this rifle). And study the animals you haven’t studied, because you’ll eventually be able to make Calls to them to aide in your hunt, but paramount here is keeping an eye on that arrow collection, and learning to craft as much variety as possible.
I hear the train a comin', it's rollin' round the bend...
© Rockstar
Pay it Forward
You’ll come across a number of Stranger missions throughout the game, and each is varied often with a few different outcomes. But early on you’ll likely find someone bitten by a snake, someone surrounded by wolves or someone caught in their own bear trap, among other scenarios. Now you can ignore these people, but we highly recommend you help them because later on in the game, you’ll likely find them outside a Gunsmith’s or the local General Store and they’ll usually offer you a total freebie on their tab in whatever store it is they’re sitting in front of. This can help with getting a solid weapon early in the game or just stocking up on essentials, such as a coffee pot which when used at a campsite means you’ll replenish some of those all-important stats. The more people you help, even though you are an outlaw, the better off you’ll be in this harsh game-world.
Don’t Sit on the Fence
Loot, and loot often. You’ll lose reputation for looting aged corpses you might come across, but any fresh kills of the O’Driscolls, Grays, Braithwaites, Lemoyne Raiders et al will often net you rings, pocket watches and more. And make sure you go into any abandoned buildings or dilapidated structures because you’ll more often than not find something of value. But don’t just hang on to these, or gift them to the camp, instead find the Fence closest to you (a dodgier kind of merchant who asks no questions) and get rid of them. Everything in Red Dead Redemption 2 has a price, and usually it’s the Fence who’ll pay the most. Some Fences also have specific things they’re after, which means you can find better ways to make quicker bucks, often without the need to kill and thus bring the full weight of the law or bounty hunters down on you.
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