2018 was a big year in gaming. There were games like “God of War” releasing and continuing an established franchise and also games like “Sea of Thieves” or “Marvel’s Spider–Man Remastered.” There seemed to be a game coming out for nearly every genre and type of game for anyone to enjoy, and as games came out, creators worked to push hardware limitations as they told even more expansive stories and built further upon existing and new franchises. One game that came out and has had a long-lasting impact on gaming was the prequel game “Red Dead Redemption 2”.
“Red Dead Redemption 2” (Rdr2) is a game that adds onto the world of “Red Dead Redemption“, a game released back in 2010, making its world more detailed and adding more life to the characters in that world. It acts as a way to bridge the gap and fill in the timeline of the game with what happened between 1899-1907 and gives a look into the history of the characters and their relationships and how those relationships fell. “Red Dead Redemption 2″ takes place in the 1890’s, a time when the era of outlaws was coming to an end. As America became a place of law and order, gangs were hunted or broken up. Rdr2 follows the Van der Linde gang and how they are fighting the ever-changing world and keeping to their lives as outlaws.
Rdr2 follows a new protagonist, Arthur Morgan, who for the entirety of his story is in a constant battle of morals. Throughout his story, he tries to meet the needs and demands of the Van Der Linde gang that he’s been a part of since he was a child. He strongly believes in loyalty from beginning to end. As the game takes place in the 1890’s, and the age of outlaws comes to an end as America becomes a more lawful land, tensions between the gang rise and eventually bring their downfall as the gang’s members are at each other’s throats, leaving Arthur to try holding together the only family he’s ever known.
At some point, he contracts a disease that’s fatal, giving him only six months left to live. With this diagnosis, he ponders the question “how do you make up for 20 years of misdeeds in just six months?” Quickly he comes to the conclusion that you just can’t, but he still tries to be better.
As his health is deteriorating, he has to keep pushing as everyone he had considered friends turns their backs on him. Nearing his final moments, he admits to something that has made him one of the most influential characters ever written: he admits to being afraid of dying. A man who has faced death more times than he could count, who has gone through so much, finally admits he’s afraid. And this is one of his biggest moments. This realization makes him realize he must do whatever he can to protect those he cares about, and as a result, has to go against someone he looked up to and thought of as a father-figure all his life.
Through the interactions he has experienced throughout his life, Arthur comes to terms and accepts the life he’s lived. Not regretting his choices and ready to face the people he once considered family and the people that had been hunting their gang through the whole story, the Pinkertons, he prepares to do what he feels is impossible. He knows he can’t win as he’s gotten weak and is dying, but he still tries. As he confronts his once-family, he only stands side by side with one of them as the rest go against him. With things getting heated, he sends away the one man who stood by his side so he could live his life with his wife and child. Eventually in a fight, his disease catches up to him and he loses the fight.
As the man he once considered a father-figure stands over him, dying and on the ground gasping for air, he states his final words.
“I tried, in the end, I did.”
Arthur’s character from beginning to end was a story of change and doing what’s truly right. He never believed he was a good person, but that never stopped him from doing good things. He showed it doesn’t take a good person to change the world for the better, giving a meaningful conclusion to his story. His impact on not just his world, but how all games are perceived has lasted and influenced many characters and how in-depth they and their worlds are written, and it’s only going continuing.
