Summary
With the upcoming release ofGrand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar Games has its hands full for the next few years as it tries to reassert its place at the top of the open-world genre. This doesn’t mean that chatter about a possibleRed Dead Redemption 3has gone away entirely, though, as the sequel toJohn Marston’s epic story has been one of the most revered titles of the last 15 years.
Symbolism is everywhere inRed Dead Redemption, with subtle nods and references being caught by eagle-eyed fans. It’s a smart way to keep conversations going long after release, and one poetic inclusion inRed Dead Redemption 2could be the perfect catalyst for an ideal protagonist in the rumored third title.
For a series as synonymous with strong personalities and heartfelt stories,Red Dead Redemptionis surprisingly non-commital to having a consistent main character. The first game focuses on John Marston and his desire to outrun the past, with an epilogue that puts his son, Jack, in the forefront, but the 2018 game has players assume the role of new character, Arthur Morgan, before a final two chapters as John once again. Any other franchise would struggle to make them all feel equally memorable, yet Rockstar Games does so with ease.
Red Dead Redemption 2takes place in 1899, 12 years before the events of the first game in 1911.
Red Dead Redemption 2has the added challenge of introducing and developing theVan Der Linde Gang, consisting of over two dozen members, with some being more beloved than others. Hosea is one of the best, being a relatable, but criminally-seasoned character who has a checkered past and a golden heart. He would be primed for his own story in a possibleRed Dead Redemption 3, largely because he’s one of the few characters that is welcoming the evolving world instead of running from it.
Arthur’s appearance can be modified according to the players' preferences, but one of the things that can’t be changed during the main story isArthur Morgan’s hat. It’s an essential part of not just what he looks like, but who he is, and when he passes it to John Marston at the close of his life, it serves as a symbolic showing of the end of his story, and the beginning of John’s journey to the light. It’s a subtle, but beautiful inclusion in the story that elevates character development inRed Dead Redemption 2to new heights.
Hosea Matthews is a character that is rarely seen with a hat, at least during moments of strong emotion or tension. It might just be an aesthetic decision by Rockstar, but throughout the story Hosea’s old age and disinterest in the outlaw way of life makes moments when he wears a hat feel begrudging. He’s the group’s father figure, and has led a life of crime and misdemeanors, but during the game’s story he shows remorse for his actions, demonstrating a renewed advocacy for non-violence. Like his fellow gang members, he’s a relic of a fading time, however his age allows him to have lived and experienced the height of the wild west.
To feature a game around him during the mid 1800s could shine a light into a different time for America, but also give an account of Hosea’s life, with his gradual disassociation from the gang being illustrated by Hosea wearing his hat less and less as time goes on. Seeing his chance meeting with Dutch, his marriage to Bessie Matthews, and even theevents ofRed Dead Redemption 2through his eyes instead of Arthur’s could be the unique, but still somewhat familiar angle thatRed Dead Redemption 3needs.
It might just be an aesthetic decision by Rockstar, but throughout the story Hosea’s old age and disinterest in the outlaw way of life makes moments when he wears a hat feel begrudging.
Red Dead Redemption 2
WHERE TO PLAY
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
