Mexico has seen its fair share of representation in the gaming industry, making appearances as playable grounds in notable franchises likeForza HorizonandLara Croft. The country’s beautiful scenery and ancient ruins have made it a popular choice in media, games, and movies alike, although a select few have taken the care to delve deeply into its rich history. The first iteration ofRed Dead Redemptionboasts one of the most iconic video game renditions of Mexico to date, taking players on a journey through time back to the age of the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century.
However, this brand of storytelling was not without its faults, and withRed Dead Redemptionrumored to be getting a retouch, the potential remake could address the Revolution’s pain points to enhance its gaming experience. Whilethe Mexican Revolution undoubtedly had its golden moments inRed Dead Redemption, many players felt the storyline was lacking in more than a few departments, from its disproportionate length compared to the rest of the game to the almost impassable surroundings. But Rockstar Games needs to get Mexico’s act together if the potential remake is to have the customary groundbreaking effect ofRed Dead Redemptionreleases.
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The Mexican Revolution Could Use Increased Autonomy
Choice is an increasingly essential mechanic in gaming, with many titles offering players autonomy to forge their paths during gameplay.Red Dead Redemptioncame before the popular push for autonomy, however, and the inability to choose sides in the Revolution got on gamers' nerves. Players had to sojourn through the rebel and military pathways at the end, causing the section to drag on much longer than it was welcome.
Unsurprisingly, the sheer length was off-putting to a sizable portion of the fanbase, and coupled with the lack of expansive gaming mechanics in the first edition, the Mexican Revolution was a recipe for disaster that threatened to derailRed Dead Redemption’s reviews. The Mexican section ofRed Dead Redemptionis widely regarded in the fanbase as a filler, and such sections aim to pass time entertainingly.
With this in mind, Rockstar Games should have afforded players the choice of sides in the conflict to begin with, instead of forcing players to pander to both sides of the gallery. For the rumored remake, an obvious path for the developer to tread would be to bring the choice mechanism into play for its Mexican portion, even incorporating unique outcomes based on player decisions.Games likeThe Witcher 3andMass Effect 3are some of the best in the choice-based genre, with such titles worth a glance to enhance the remake’s experience.
Another pain point of theMexican Revolution inRed Dead Redemptionwas the state of travel through the map. The country’s outlay mainly comprises deserts and cliffs, and the first installment struggled remarkably with movements in this terrain.Red Dead Redemption 2fared much better with the snowy mountains in its prologue, leaving Rockstar with a solid blueprint for the remake, even as players expect advancements from the latest edition.
Red Dead Redemption’s Mexico Revolution segment may have caused annoyance for some fans more than others, but it was far from the only issue in the title. Repetitive missions, annoying characters, and missions with tenuous links at best to the overarching plot dominatedRed Dead Redemption’s gameplay, with the Revolution taking the brunt of the blame for accentuating these inadequacies. While it was a great game by all accounts, Rockstar has some work to do to bringRed Dead Redemption’s alleged remake up to the lofty standards set by the sequel.
Red Dead Redemptionis available on PS3 and Xbox 360.
