Although known for its massively detailed open-world sandbox filled with unpredictable events and impressive physics, most ofRed Dead Redemption 2’sfun comes from its riveting story that stars a diverse cast of memorable outlaws such as John Marston, Sadie Adler, and the ruthless but lovable lead protagonist, Arthur Morgan. These characters have managed to resonate with many players, leading tonumerous creativeRed Dead Redemption 2fan art. Now, one artist pays homage to the legacy of the Van der Linde gang by revealing what the crew would look like years after the game takes place.There will be spoilers for the campaign ahead.
Despite being almost three years old,Red Dead Redemptionstill remains to be an incredibly popular series within the gaming community, mostly because it seems people cannot get enough of the now-iconic Van der Linde gang. Although disbanded and separated in the original game,Red Dead Redemption 2’sfamily of gang membersare the main center point of the sequel as the sprawling narrative sees them travel across the hostile Old American frontier while on the run from Pinkerton agents. This is where the surrogate family picks up around a dozen new members along the way, usually criminals who seek family and live outside of conventional society.
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Now,Reddit user QuadPhoenix5000shares an alternative piece of fan artwork that shows what the Van der Linde gang would look like but if they “stuck together till they were old and grey.” After releasing the gallery of images onto the game’s official subreddit, the post went viral, receiving over 7000 upvotes and near-universal acclaim as the community seemed to get a kick out of experiencing an elder version of characters likeDutch Van der Linde fromRed Dead Redemption 2.
Making up the gallery is a plethora of franchise defining characters, more notablyRed Dead Redemption 2’sfan-favorite Sadie Adler, Javier Escuella, Josiah Trelawny and Sean MacGuire. What makes the tale of the action-adventure Western a harrowing one is that most of the listed members are killed at the hands of the law or by their former friends as the gang’s inner conflicts tear it apart. This is what makes these incredible pieces of fan art even more enlightening, as to see the gang with wrinkles, turkey necks, and flabby skin offers a glimpse of an alternate timeline that sees the gang still fighting together, rather than against each other.
Clickhere to see more of QuadPhoenix5000’s artof olderRed Dead Redemption 2characters.
Despite the appreciation for all the NPCs that make up the gang, it’s clear that most fans on the thread directed their attention at the senior interpretation ofRed Dead Redemption 2protagonist Arthur Morgan. The more dominant peculiarities of this interpretation include overhauling Arthur Morgan’s thick mountain beard with flecks of silver, rusty and grey colorization for his plentiful hair, and heavy crow’s feet on the sides of his eyes. On top of this, QuadPheonix5000 gave Arthur a more worn and battle-hardened facial texture, as creases plus cracks carve through his skin.
Overall, while some users humorously made jokes and memes, many genuinely expressed their adoration for the cast of personalities that make upRed Dead Redemption 2. Thus proving that while many games are crammed with forgettable NPCs and controllable player characters, the legacy of the Van der Linde gang will persist to be a fundamental part of gaming pop culture.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
