Support NeoGAF

[zeldaring]

Except I did go there when I talked about mission design.

I didn't go into gameplay much more because I don't want to write a book here. I often see complaints about gameplay and I don't agree at all. The complaints about sluggish movement, while true are no issues at all for me. The fact that there's weight to the character is something I've always appreciated from Rockstar.

The complaints about the gunplay too, I don't get it. This is their best gunplay yet, extremely satisfying to use the weapons and seeing enemies fall dead in a realistic way. Boy are the physics SO much better than GTA 5. It's fun as hell just riding on your horse, taking in the scenery. The hunting is fantastic, I genuinely hope that if GTA 6 has hunting that it will be at least as well done as RDR2.

I've spent some crazy hours solely hunting or just "living" in this world. That should tell you something about the gameplay, because you wouldn't do that if the gameplay was no good.

The gameplay requires 0 skill, or critical thinking. It's all just auto aim fest. The mission structure is also very limited that things can only be done in one way.

 

[ComputerBlue]

I look forward to seeing what they do with GTA6, because now nearly 5 years later the insane detail in the open world has yet to be matched, in fact nobody’s come even remotely close.

 

[LakeOf9]

I love RDR2 and think it’s one of the best achievements of the medium but I’m not foolish enough to think it’s perfect or anything close to that. The controls suck, the mission design sucks, the story has massive pacing issues. It’s a great game but it’s absolutely a flawed one.

 

[oji-san]

The gameplay requires 0 skill, or critical thinking. It's all just auto aim fest. The mission structure is also very limited that things can only be done in one way.

Turn auto aim off?

 

[semiconscious]

I cannot think of many games that affected me this much...

op: it's strange the games that end up affecting us most. me? i've yet to again experience anything like the feelings i got from ico & shadow of the colossus...

 

[Montauk]

I mean that's the point of the game though. It's literally the ONLY game outside of maybe Last of Us Part 2 that actually attempts to simulate nearly every movement a real human can make. And it does a damn good job at it.

So it's entirely subjective, like another person said in this thread, if you want more of a game RDR1 is for you. RDR2 however is more of just a cowboy/hunting/camping simulator with a pretty in depth, though predictable.

This is obvious because it's a prequel but I'm just not the biggest fan of Rockstar telling me that Arthur is a good character. They never really did this with John in the first game, he was far more morally ambiguous. So at the end when he gets plastered by the sheriffs you can't really say whether he deserved it or not. Being evil as John fits him so much more than the soft spoken character that Arthur is. When I commit crimes as Arthur I just kind of feel bad for Arthur because it doesn't really reflect what his character becomes by the end. . It's kind of hard to explain but maybe someone will understand what I mean.

But, though I've only played through the story completely once, I've spent hours and hours just living in the world. Camping out and easting some beans at night, pitching a tent, waking up and boiling some coffee, maybe go hunting while it's cooking, come back pour some coffee out, then skin my kill, cook some meat for breakfast, cook another piece for the road, break down camping and continue on to the next place to explore. Over the years I've actually been mapping out every potential camping spot on the map. Not sure if anyone else has done this because it's not explained anywhere.

That’s the point of the game he says! Lol. Absolutely tragic.

You all sound like you’re discussing a film or even a documentary in here.

That’s where this obsession with graphics and story in games has gotten us.

Ooh Arthur this, Arthur that, ooh the themes. The finely detailed animations. Horse testicles.

 

[zeldaring]

Turn auto aim off?

Manual aiming is dog shit on a controlled, unplayable almost. The game is designed to played with auto aim.

 

[oji-san]

Manual aiming is dog shit on a controlled, unplayable almost. The game is designed to played with auto aim.

Never had an issue with free aiming neither in RDR2 or GTAV.

 

[oji-san]

That’s the point of the game he says! Lol. Absolutely tragic.

You all sound like you’re discussing a film or even a documentary in here.

That’s where this obsession with graphics and story in games has gotten us.

Ooh Arthur this, Arthur that, ooh the themes. The finely detailed animations. Horse testicles.

Not every game had to be Starfield that you seems to look forward very much(as i), but from saying that you didn't care for the gameplay to it has none gameplay and ruined gaming.. come on.

 

[Montauk]

Not every game had to be Starfield that you seems to look forward very much(as i), but from saying that you didn't care for the gameplay to it has none gameplay and ruined gaming.. come on.

I’m not particularly looking forward to Starfield actually. I snorted when they said they were still using their decrepit old engine.

I just find the totally strange and unrealistic expectations people have for it (or their idea of it) to be quite trying. So if you’ve tagged me as some breathless Starfield hype man or Xbox booster, that’s wrong.

And no, I didn’t blame it for ruining gaming lol. RDR2 is a landmark late in a long ongoing process that has harmed gaming - certainly AAA gaming.

You don’t *get* RDR2 or the hysterical reception to it without what I’m talking about. So it’s hardly responsible for the phenomenon itself, it long precedes it.

 

[oji-san]

I’m not particularly looking forward to Starfield actually. I just find the totally strange and unrealistic expectations people have for it (or their idea of it) to be quite trying.

And no, I didn’t blame it for ruining gaming lol. RDR2 is a landmark late in a long ongoing process that has harmed gaming - certainly AAA gaming.

You don’t *get* RDR2 or the hysterical reception to it without what I’m talking about. So it’s hardly responsible for the phenomenon itself, it long precedes it.

Ok see your point.. so it's not just RDR, I'm happy that i like games that invest in immersive mechanics like the combat in TLoU2 or RDR2, i like games that gives attention to details like horse balls etc, it doesn't reduce my enjoyment of the gameplay, my only gripe with RDR2 are things that can harm the exploring like skins gets rotten or you can't run in camps, but big attention to details and story makes me love the game even more.

 

[Montauk]

No comment.

 

[zeldaring]

Never had an issue with free aiming neither in RDR2 or GTAV.

Most people consider the aiming and combat to be shit in those games.

 

[Klosshufvud]

It's an extremely grandiose game and it's hard not to fall in love with its ambitions and dynamic nature. The combat can be fun but also really frustrating at times when Arthur can't reposition to flanking enemies at all without the auto aim crutch. But overall, I've come to be initially mixed on RDR2 to now loving it. It's a true western role play simulator.

 

[oji-san]

Most people consider the aiming and combat to be shit in those games.

Fair enough, millions consider them great.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Boring game.

 

[zeldaring]

Fair enough, millions consider them great.

I like rockstar games, loved GTAV and RDR2 and i never hear anyone say the combat and aiming are great lol.

 

[oji-san]

I like rockstar games, loved GTAV and RDR2 and i never hear anyone say the combat and aiming are great lol.

Here's one: The combat in RDR2 is great.

 

[Stafford]

to be fair, if the game didnt have auto ride i probably would have, didnt cost me much after all but the auto ride at least meant i could do something else on the laptop while he heads to the marker and hopefully the ai doesnt throw me off a cliff, again.

I've never used this feature, I do recall it being explained right in the beginning. But doesn't it still require you to hold a button? If not, how?

It's the gameplay that's severely lacking in this game. I think everything else is excellent and one of the best.

A very typical Rockstar game, really.

But that's a complaint I don't get. There is actually plenty gameplay here?

It let's you bond with your horse and in turns improves your horse and unlocks features. You can go into the stables and customise the saddle, the look and hair color of the horses. Same goes for Arthur, give him cool new hairdos or beards.

If you don't want him to get super skinny you have to make sure to eat enough, eat too much and you get fat. You can get different kind of issues such as being poisoned by snake bite, requiring you to take a herb or special potion that you can create. Speaking of that, you cook your own food and drinks like coffee.

If you want cool outfits you can either buy them from stores and/or make even more unique ones by hunting and getting perfect pelts and selling them. The hunting is extremely fun and well made too.

You can go to the gun stores, buy a great amount of weapons, customise their looks and also attach parts on them. By doing special challenges (fun ones) you unlock more weapons and equipment. You can go fishing too, which is just relaxing and also fun. I must have spent several hours just fishing, getting the legendary ones was great.

Legendary animals to hunt, minigames, i can go on. The unique strangers you meet during your adventure etc. You can drive a canoe as well, not just horseback.

How is gameplay lacking? I keep seeing some people say this, I give these examples and it's ALL gameplay. So I just don't get it what people want more when it comes to gameplay. It offers plenty.

That’s the point of the game he says! Lol. Absolutely tragic.

You all sound like you’re discussing a film or even a documentary in here.

That’s where this obsession with graphics and story in games has gotten us.

Ooh Arthur this, Arthur that, ooh the themes. The finely detailed animations. Horse testicles.

And yet people have given plenty examples that aren't even about graphics or animations at all. I've also haven't seen anyone mention testicle, nobody cares about that. Yes it shows the extreme detail Rockstar put in, but it's really nothing that affects gameplay.

I like rockstar games, loved GTAV and RDR2 and i never hear anyone say the combat and aiming are great lol.

The combat (in my opinion) was great in Bully, the fighting felt really good. The combat in GTA games started being good with GTA 5, the gunplay is fine but the physics are a big letdown. Combat in RDR felt fine to me and I love it in RDR2.

Yes the aiming could be better but with some settings changing it can be improved a lot over the default settings.

 

[Montauk]

I've never used this feature, I do recall it being explained right in the beginning. But doesn't it still require you to hold a button? If not, how?

But that's a complaint I don't get. There is actually plenty gameplay here?

It let's you bond with your horse and in turns improves your horse and unlocks features. You can go into the stables and customise the saddle, the look and hair color of the horses. Same goes for Arthur, give him cool new hairdos or beards.

If you don't want him to get super skinny you have to make sure to eat enough, eat too much and you get fat. You can get different kind of issues such as being poisoned by snake bite, requiring you to take a herb or special potion that you can create. Speaking of that, you cook your own food and drinks like coffee.

If you want cool outfits you can either buy them from stores and/or make even more unique ones by hunting and getting perfect pelts and selling them. The hunting is extremely fun and well made too.

You can go to the gun stores, buy a great amount of weapons, customise their looks and also attach parts on them. By doing special challenges (fun ones) you unlock more weapons and equipment. You can go fishing too, which is just relaxing and also fun. I must have spent several hours just fishing, getting the legendary ones was great.

I can go on. The unique strangers you meet during your adventure etc.

How is gameplay lacking? I keep seeing some people say this, I give these examples and it's ALL gameplay.


And yet people have given plenty examples that aren't even about graphics or animations at all. I've also haven't seen anyone mention testicle, nobody cares about that. Yes it shows the extreme detail Rockstar put in, but it's really nothing that affects gameplay.


The combat (in my opinion) was great in Bully, the fighting felt really good. The combat in GTA games started being good with GTA 5, the gunplay is fine but the physics are a big letdown. Combat in RDR felt fine to me and I love it in RDR2.

Yes the aiming could be better but with some settings changing it can be improved a lot over the default settings.

Ah, the deep mechanical complexity of customising different horse saddles, haircuts and guns.

Truly a set of finely balanced mechanics and win-fail states.

 

[oji-san]

I've never used this feature, I do recall it being explained right in the beginning. But doesn't it still require you to hold a button? If not, how?

But that's a complaint I don't get. There is actually plenty gameplay here?

It let's you bond with your horse and in turns improves your horse and unlocks features. You can go into the stables and customise the saddle, the look and hair color of the horses. Same goes for Arthur, give him cool new hairdos or beards.

If you don't want him to get super skinny you have to make sure to eat enough, eat too much and you get fat. You can get different kind of issues such as being poisoned by snake bite, requiring you to take a herb or special potion that you can create. Speaking of that, you cook your own food and drinks like coffee.

If you want cool outfits you can either buy them from stores and/or make even more unique ones by hunting and getting perfect pelts and selling them. The hunting is extremely fun and well made too.

You can go to the gun stores, buy a great amount of weapons, customise their looks and also attach parts on them. By doing special challenges (fun ones) you unlock more weapons and equipment. You can go fishing too, which is just relaxing and also fun. I must have spent several hours just fishing, getting the legendary ones was great.

Legendary animals to hunt, minigames, i can go on. The unique strangers you meet during your adventure etc. You can drive a canoe as well, not just horseback.

How is gameplay lacking? I keep seeing some people say this, I give these examples and it's ALL gameplay. So I just don't get it what people want more when it comes to gameplay. It offers plenty.


And yet people have given plenty examples that aren't even about graphics or animations at all. I've also haven't seen anyone mention testicle, nobody cares about that. Yes it shows the extreme detail Rockstar put in, but it's really nothing that affects gameplay.


The combat (in my opinion) was great in Bully, the fighting felt really good. The combat in GTA games started being good with GTA 5, the gunplay is fine but the physics are a big letdown. Combat in RDR felt fine to me and I love it in RDR2.

Yes the aiming could be better but with some settings changing it can be improved a lot over the default settings.

It doesn't matter what you will add about the gameplay it will end up as another reply that doesn't even refers to the points, it starts with "no gameplay", and then "yes it got gameplay but is simple and bad", to each their own.. glad i had a blast with this fine ass gameplay.

 

[Stafford]

It doesn't matter what you will add about the gameplay it will end up as another reply that doesn't even refers to the points, it starts with "no gameplay", and then "yes it got gameplay but is simple and bad", to each their own.. glad i had a blast with this fine ass gameplay.

You are very right about that, man. Here's an example:

Ah, the deep mechanical complexity of customising different horse saddles, haircuts and guns.

Truly a set of finely balanced mechanics and win-fail states.

 

[amigastar]

I look forward to seeing what they do with GTA6, because now nearly 5 years later the insane detail in the open world has yet to be matched, in fact nobody’s come even remotely close.

Absolutely, graphics are a joy in this game. I can only imagine how awesome GTA 6 will look. I'm glad i gave the game a second chance since i really love it.

 

[Montauk]

You are very right about that, man. Here's an example:

Imagine if you had a counter argument. Imagine the possibilities.

 

[Midnight Bliss]

Press aim button to auto lock on target 500 feet behind you while a fat dude stands around at your camp and you do the slow horse gameplay for the 500th time while cowboys yell in snow about dyinnnnn

This ain't even reductionism there just isn't much game there. It's not even good as a visual movie experience. Who plays this game, hogwarts legacy fans?

 

[Pimpollo818]

mission design

 

[zeldaring]

in every fucking thread about this game there's awlays that tool with the "WhAt aBoUt tHe gAmEpLaY"
bruh, there are more to games than perfect gameplay, just take a look at sony movi.. i mean games lol

God I wish rdr2 had gameplay like Gow, LOU2, and GOT seriously would be the greatest game ever.

 

[Danjin44]

in every fucking thread about this game there's awlays that tool with the "WhAt aBoUt tHe gAmEpLaY"
bruh, there are more to games than perfect gameplay, just take a look at sony movi.. i mean games lol

Because we keep getting threads about how RDR2 is greatest Video Game ever made and yet in those very threads they dont talk about gameplay part of the Video Game.

 

[zeldaring]

Because we keep getting threads about how RDR2 is greatest Video Game ever made and yet in those very threads they dont talk about gameplay part of the Video Game.

The gameplay never really let's you use your skill that you gained from playing the game or even lets you use your Brain for figuring anything out.

 

[Danjin44]

The gameplay never really let's you use your skill that you gained from playing the game or even lets you use your Brain for figuring anything out.

This game graphics whore's wet dream, gameplay is afterthought but as long as it graphics nothing else matters to them.

 

[zeldaring]

This game graphics whore's wet dream, gameplay is afterthought but as long as it graphics nothing else matters to them.

Well i wouldn'tgo that far. The world is amazing and really feels alive. It's also has some really cool places to explore and hunting was fun. Plus the story telling was good, but the combat and mission design are straight garbage which very unfortunate.

 

[Danjin44]

Well i wouldn'tgo that far. The world is amazing and really feels alive. It's also has some really cool places to explore and hunting was fun. Plus the story telling was good, but the combat and mission design are straight garbage which very unfortunate.

There are games I only care about story and those are point & click adventure games like Ace Attorney, 13 Sentinels, Zero Escape series and AI: The Somnium Files, what makes those game's story interesting they have crazy twists and branching paths.

RDR2 story told very much hollywood style western movies and if I want that then I watch this....

 

[zeldaring]

There are games I only care about story and those are point & click adventure games like Ace Attorney, 13 Sentinels, Zero Escape series and AI: The Somnium Files, what makes those game's story interesting they have crazy twists and branching paths.

RDR2 story told very much hollywood style western movies and if I want that then I watch this....

I don't think you can explore the wild west in the movie. The world is the most believable world in video game by miles.

 

[GigaBowser]

RDR is more fun than RDR2 Im sorry my friends

 

[acm2000]

I've never used this feature, I do recall it being explained right in the beginning. But doesn't it still require you to hold a button? If not, how?

Set marker on the map, double tap to get the horse moving at the speed you want then press and hold the camera button to go into cinematic mode

 

[Stafford]

Imagine if you had a counter argument. Imagine the possibilities.

Why though? Why do I have to come with a counter argument after I've just given plenty of gameplay examples? Just say you don't like the gameplay, but there certainly isn't lack of gameplay. There is plenty.

What is there to laugh about? It's not like I was praising this, I had criticism about it.

This game graphics whore's wet dream, gameplay is afterthought but as long as it graphics nothing else matters to them.

But it really isn't. I'm guessing you didn't play past the tutorial/prologue, which yes, admittedly is a bit on the long side. I loved it but I get why others would want it to be more brief. But as you arrive at Horseshoe Overlook and visiting Valentine you get more and more gameplay features unlocking for you.

I gave all those gameplay examples and I just don't understand at all how people can call it lacking or an afterthought.

Set marker on the map, double tap to get the horse moving at the speed you want then press and hold the camera button to go into cinematic mode

Nice one. I have never used this myself, always rode there myself but for a possible second playthrough or maybe even now while playing as John I might do this and then go play with my dog or make dinner in the meantime, haha.

 

[ComputerBlue]

Absolutely, graphics are a joy in this game. I can only imagine how awesome GTA 6 will look. I'm glad i gave the game a second chance since i really love it.

I’m not even talking about graphics, though you’re right, there are incredible even to this day. I’m just talking about the amount of detail in the world they created, there’s a whole series of videos showcasing it all, definitely worth a watch.

 

[Montauk]

The remarkable and deep gameplay of…a deers body decomposing.

I can only imagine the thrill of relating the twists and turns of that amazing bit of gameplay.

You don’t play “amazing details”. This obsession with “amazing details” is a curse on modern AAA games.

 

[Games of Today]

That’s the point of the game he says! Lol. Absolutely tragic.

You all sound like you’re discussing a film or even a documentary in here.

That’s where this obsession with graphics and story in games has gotten us.

Ooh Arthur this, Arthur that, ooh the themes. The finely detailed animations. Horse testicles.

Soooo here's the thing. You could go play Zelda, Horizon, Assassins Creed (RPG Trilogy), all games with limited contextual animations and more focus on snappy gameplay plus an open world.

But I guess if you like Cowboys and want an open world you're shit out of luck. If you don't care about the graphics then why not play the first red dead? That's more of a game than a simulation.

But what I'm referring to as "the point of the game" is neither related to graphics, nor the story. It's the entire point of the game play in this game. Everything has an animation. If Rockstar didn't want it to be that way there just wouldn't be animations for certain things.

And why not discuss story, characters, motivations, plots and themes? What is wrong with that? Seems like you're reading the wrong thread if you're not into that.

 

[Stafford]

The remarkable and deep gameplay of…a deers body decomposing.

I can only imagine the thrill of relating the twists and turns of that amazing bit of gameplay.

You don’t play “amazing details”. This obsession with “amazing details” is a curse on modern AAA games.

I think you've made perfectly clear that you are only here to talk crap. Not really sure why you are wasting your time here. Many people can appreciate the attention to detail Rockstar put in. You clearly don't give a fuck and only want to talk down on it. I don't get what you are even doing here. We give plenty examples of actual gameplay and you either just joke about it like a child or you just don't even bother responding.

How is it a curse on modern gaming at all? It's not like we expect every single AAA game to have this now but we do know we can expect it from Rockstar future games. What exactly is your problem?

 

[Montauk]

Now, detailed animations are gameplay. What’s the win/fail state of an animation?

What interlocking factors do players have to consider when watching an intricate, slow, detailed animation?

What tension between mechanics does the player have to consider when looking at an animation?

What skill is there in watching 2,289 detailed animations?

 

[Montauk]

The gameplay never really let's you use your skill that you gained from playing the game or even lets you use your Brain for figuring anything out.

But what about the YouTube videos showing 1000 INSANE details?

Don’t you enjoy the delightful gameplay of INSANE details? If not, why not?

 

[ComputerBlue]

You don’t play “amazing details”. This obsession with “amazing details” is a curse on modern AAA games.

Yup, that’s the issue with modern gaming.

What skill is there in watching 2,289 detailed animations?

So you never watch cutscenes, follow a story, enjoy a nice vista in a game, change the way your character looks to your liking, stop playing for a moment to take in a great soundtrack, etc. because those take no skill but I bet you partake.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Red dead 2’s issues are its slow beginning, whiny characters and truly that’s all I can take shots at. I should replay it at some point.

 

[Games of Today]

Now, detailed animations are gameplay. What’s the win/fail state of an animation?

What interlocking factors do players have to consider when watching an intricate, slow, detailed animation?

What tension between mechanics does the player have to consider when looking at an animation?

What skill is there in watching 2,289 detailed animations?

Not sure where you've been since like 2007 and GTA 4 but there isn't really anything skillful about Rockstar games.

They are mainly just authentic simulations of the real world with missions designed within them and around them. Put it next to Elden Ring which is gameplay focused surrounded by an open world. That's the most sensical way to put it.

There are no difficulty settings, the game gives you near unlimited ammo in story missions and lock on aim is turn on by default. Now you can make the game harder for yourself by tweaking some settings and limiting ammo and food.

That's what I tend to do and it can can create some funny circumstances in free roam especially but it's not for everyone.

 

[Paasei]

But that's a complaint I don't get. There is actually plenty gameplay here?

It let's you bond with your horse and in turns improves your horse and unlocks features. You can go into the stables and customise the saddle, the look and hair color of the horses. Same goes for Arthur, give him cool new hairdos or beards.

If you don't want him to get super skinny you have to make sure to eat enough, eat too much and you get fat. You can get different kind of issues such as being poisoned by snake bite, requiring you to take a herb or special potion that you can create. Speaking of that, you cook your own food and drinks like coffee.

If you want cool outfits you can either buy them from stores and/or make even more unique ones by hunting and getting perfect pelts and selling them. The hunting is extremely fun and well made too.

You can go to the gun stores, buy a great amount of weapons, customise their looks and also attach parts on them. By doing special challenges (fun ones) you unlock more weapons and equipment. You can go fishing too, which is just relaxing and also fun. I must have spent several hours just fishing, getting the legendary ones was great.

Legendary animals to hunt, minigames, i can go on. The unique strangers you meet during your adventure etc. You can drive a canoe as well, not just horseback.

How is gameplay lacking? I keep seeing some people say this, I give these examples and it's ALL gameplay. So I just don't get it what people want more when it comes to gameplay. It offers plenty.

Gameplay to me is not the content in the game, I agree there's plenty of content to be found. Gameplay to me is well, how does it play? How are the controls? What must I do to achieve X and how do I it?

All that just isn't very interesting. It's repeating the same motions over and over. To summarize I've added a few things that I found tedious and annoying in the long run below.

Assuming you've played the game on PC: Horse bonding is spamming G while riding it, brushing it all day long and feeding it. How is that fun? It is a statistic to grind out to make your horse go faster. And then you can enjoy doing it all over again once you tamed a horse that'll be even better in the long run. Like the Arabian horses, of course you can go out of your way now to get one early on, but I didn't know that when I first played it.

Probably more of an animation thing, if someone with more knowledge about game design as a whole can tell me that is true, this point will fall off.
Anyway, the controls don't feel all that responsive. Going in and out of cover, the game needing to place your character in the right place so your skinning animation starts and the slow as fuck looting when you open nightstands/cabinets/vaults and so on.

Hunting is just add bait and wait it out, or you can run around like a maniac and just as quickly that one rabbit you need will run off cause you get to close and there's your kill. And if you fuck it up once the pelt isn't perfect, or it already wasn't before you killed your game, and you can try again. I didn't find that all too much fun. If you want to get your legendary animal you enter it's territory and follow the track until it appears. No idea if you can find it all on your own just by walking around or using your binoculars from a distance and scout it beforehand. Never tried.

I think after writing all this down, my conclusion to this game can be applied to any game: Too realism turn a game into an annoying mini grind that artificially make a game longer, because it prevents me from going from A to B whenever I want to and how I want to. After brushing my horse 3 times, I'm already over the idea that such a touch of realism is cool.

Hopefully I've explained it well enough to you. Given your detailed reply to me, the least I could do is give you my explanation.

 

[zeldaring]

Not sure where you've been since like 2007 and GTA 4 but there isn't really anything skillful about Rockstar games.

They are mainly just authentic simulations of the real world with missions designed within them and around them. Put it next to Elden Ring which is gameplay focused surrounded by an open world. That's the most sensical way to put it.

There are no difficulty settings, the game gives you near unlimited ammo in story missions and lock on aim is turn on by default. Now you can make the game harder for yourself by tweaking some settings and limiting ammo and food.

That's what I tend to do and it can can create some funny circumstances in free roam especially but it's not for everyone.

Rdr 2 just doesn't have the variety of GTA. GTA let's the player actually fun like murder people, and cause destruction with out the game penalizing for it. RDR 2 you are just horse riding and shooting people in missions, compared to GTAV where you have so many vehicles like, jets, helicopters, off road vehicles, exotic cars, boats and jet skis. they really should have stepped up the combat and controls for RDR2 at the very least where it does require some skill.

 

[Stafford]

Gameplay to me is not the content in the game, I agree there's plenty of content to be found. Gameplay to me is well, how does it play? How are the controls? What must I do to achieve X and how do I it?

All that just isn't very interesting. It's repeating the same motions over and over. To summarize I've added a few things that I found tedious and annoying in the long run below.

Assuming you've played the game on PC: Horse bonding is spamming G while riding it, brushing it all day long and feeding it. How is that fun? It is a statistic to grind out to make your horse go faster. And then you can enjoy doing it all over again once you tamed a horse that'll be even better in the long run. Like the Arabian horses, of course you can go out of your way now to get one early on, but I didn't know that when I first played it.

Probably more of an animation thing, if someone with more knowledge about game design as a whole can tell me that is true, this point will fall off.
Anyway, the controls don't feel all that responsive. Going in and out of cover, the game needing to place your character in the right place so your skinning animation starts and the slow as fuck looting when you open nightstands/cabinets/vaults and so on.

Hunting is just add bait and wait it out, or you can run around like a maniac and just as quickly that one rabbit you need will run off cause you get to close and there's your kill. And if you fuck it up once the pelt isn't perfect, or it already wasn't before you killed your game, and you can try again. I didn't find that all too much fun. If you want to get your legendary animal you enter it's territory and follow the track until it appears. No idea if you can find it all on your own just by walking around or using your binoculars from a distance and scout it beforehand. Never tried.

I think after writing all this down, my conclusion to this game can be applied to any game: Too realism turn a game into an annoying mini grind that artificially make a game longer, because it prevents me from going from A to B whenever I want to and how I want to. After brushing my horse 3 times, I'm already over the idea that such a touch of realism is cool.

Hopefully I've explained it well enough to you. Given your detailed reply to me, the least I could do is give you my explanation.

Thing is, I absolutely get it that this would annoy you. Bonding with horse is indeed constantly whenever you can press a button. Now I have the Elite V2 controller on Series X and I use one of the paddles for the bonding button, so it's fine. I also really do understand that the slow looting and skinning animation that can't be skipped would tick off people. And these could easily have been things that I had hated too, but I just don't. I did all the hunting challenges and also everything for the trapper to get all the outfits. That is a lot of hunting and a lot, a lot of patience. I barely ever used bait, I was always able to just find them. I will admit that when hunting on horseback I enabled auto aim.

The only parts where my patience was slightly started to run thin was when I had like 100 pieces of raw meat and I had to cook them one by one. This is where a option for a certain amount of meat to be cooked would be great. Some fans said that Rockstar went for full realism and being able to cook multiple pieces of meat isn't realistic. Which is not true, if you look at the grill, it can easily hold two or three pieces of meat. That argument can also be countered with that it isn't exactly realistic how much food you can stow away or how many weapons your horse can carry. I'm happy that Rockstar didn't go that far though, damn, lol.

A buddy of mine early on told me to get the Arabian and while I did find multiple more of those horses, I just went with one and fully bonded with it. But again, I can absolutely understand that people would dislike how this game handles that stuff. Yep the character movement is more sluggish than AC or probably even GTA 5, but it never bothered me. The slower movement since GTA 4 has never bothered me anyway.

But some people act like there's barely gameplay, there's plenty but they should just say they really dislike it. And that's fine.

 

[Montauk]

Thing is, I absolutely get it that this would annoy you. Bonding with horse is indeed constantly whenever you can press a button. Now I have the Elite V2 controller on Series X and I use one of the paddles for the bonding button, so it's fine. I also really do understand that the slow looting and skinning animation that can't be skipped would tick off people. And these could easily have been things that I had hated too, but I just don't. I did all the hunting challenges and also everything for the trapper to get all the outfits. That is a lot of hunting and a lot, a lot of patience. I barely ever used bait, I was always able to just find them. I will admit that when hunting on horseback I enabled auto aim.

The only parts where my patience was slightly started to run thin was when I had like 100 pieces of raw meat and I had to cook them one by one. This is where a option for a certain amount of meat to be cooked would be great. Some fans said that Rockstar went for full realism and being able to cook multiple pieces of meat isn't realistic. Which is not true, if you look at the grill, it can easily hold two or three pieces of meat. That argument can also be countered with that it isn't exactly realistic how much food you can stow away or how many weapons your horse can carry. I'm happy that Rockstar didn't go that far though, damn, lol.

A buddy of mine early on told me to get the Arabian and while I did find multiple more of those horses, I just went with one and fully bonded with it. But again, I can absolutely understand that people would dislike how this game handles that stuff. Yep the character movement is more sluggish than AC or probably even GTA 5, but it never bothered me. The slower movement since GTA 4 has never bothered me anyway.

But some people act like there's barely gameplay, there's plenty but they should just say they really dislike it. And that's fine.

Damn bro that all sounds thrilling.

 

[The Stig]

The gameplay requires 0 skill, or critical thinking. It's all just auto aim fest. The mission structure is also very limited that things can only be done in one way.

its true but I still love the game. the setting is just so compelling