Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption is out now on Nintendo Switch and PS4. The iconic open-world Western has made a comeback, but it’s not a long-awaited remaster or remake. Being solely a port of the decade-old game, it has caused quite a backlash in the gaming community.
Not a remake
When Rockstar announced a Red Dead Redemption comeback earlier in August, gamers thought they would finally get the long-awaited remake. However, the studio has opted for a port of the game, meaning it’s largely the same as it was when it first launched over a decade ago. The port just launched on Nintendo Switch and PS4. While there’s no native PS5 version, players can play the port on Sony’s newest console thanks to its backward compatibility. Besides the base game, the port includes the popular Undead Nightmare expansion, as well as some other content from the Game of the Year Edition. However, it doesn’t include the game’s multiplayer mode. You can get the digital version of the game on the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop now, while a physical edition of the game is set to launch on October 13, 2023.
Gamers are frustrated
The re-release of Red Dead Redemption has seen fans of the hit game disappointed. Why? Fans have been waiting for a remake or remaster based on the same engine as Red Dead Redemption 2 for years. A port that doesn’t feature any visual upgrades and is just a conversion of a 13-year-old game seems insufficient for many fans. The absence of a multiplayer mode adds to the frustration, while the high price point has left the community enraged. The port of a game that originally launched in 2010 has a $49.99 price tag, an amount many consider too high for what it is. Publisher Take-Two Interactive, however, defended their choice, pointing out that it was a valuable bundle well worth the price thanks to the inclusion of the popular Undead Nightmare expansion.
The original game was released on Xbox 360 and PS3 in May 2010 and immediately met with critical acclaim. It was never ported to other platforms, although Xbox players have been able to access the original game, including the multiplayer mode, via Xbox Series X/S’s backward compatibility. The re-release doesn’t include an Xbox version, and a PC port is also still MIA, something players have been asking for for years, leaving fans frustrated.
Wild West Games continue to draw gamers in
Regardless of the backlash Rockstar Games is getting, re-releasing the 13-year-old game and the passion it evokes in players prove that it hasn’t lost any of its appeal. The age of the untamed frontiers and lawless landscapes with rugged characters has an irresistible allure for gamers until today, which can be seen in the many games using the Wild West as a backdrop. For instance, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a popular first-person shooter where you play a ruthless, gunslinging bounty hunter. Last year, WolfEye Studios launched Weird West, an isometric action RPG set in a mysterious Wild West with fantasy creatures. Anyone looking for an arcade-style experience can gun down steampunk enemies in the old-school Wild Guns Reloaded. The Wild West has also become a popular choice for casino games, with online slots featuring all kinds of themes on their reels. Many of the best-rated platforms as reviewed and rated by experts on CasinoBonusCA include Western-themed titles in their extensive game libraries. Players can find slots such as Dead or Alive 2, Sticky Bandits, and Western Gold, all of which put the era of the ruthless gunslingers front and center. With games such as Guns’n’Glory and West Gunfighter, the cowboys have even infiltrated mobile platforms, offering action-laden game rounds in the Wild West on the go. Clearly, the gritty age of the gunslingers continues to inspire developers and draw gamers in. Now, anyone who hasn’t experienced the original Red Dead Redemption yet can do so on more modern platforms.
While the inclusion of the Undead Nightmare expansion is a welcome addition, the lack of a PC port, visual upgrades, and a multiplayer mode has left fans disappointed about the Red Dead Redemption re-release. However, the hit open-world Western is now available for more players, which is always a win for gamers. You can play the port of the original game on PS4 (backward compatible on PS5), and Nintendo Switch, and the original game on Xbox 360 (and Xbox Series X/S via backward compatibility) now. Physical copies will launch on October 13.