Rockstar Flexes Their Tech Muscle With Impressive Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Trailer

4K, 4K, 4K – That’s the biggest takeaway from the latest official gameplay video for Red Dead Redemption 2 by Rockstar Games.

But we all know that graphics do not make the game, which Rockstar is quick to address.

We now have a closer glimpse at our protagonist, Arthur Morgan, who is locked in a jail cell before an explosion rips the jail a new one. Morgan, an outlaw in the late 1800’s America, is placed at the turn of the Industrial Revolution where change breeds opportunity. The footage, all captured in-game, shows a beautiful, expansive world of the Western Frontier. From bustling towns to snow-peaked mountains, there are many places to explore as we have come to expect from Red Dead Redemption.

Compared to previous titles, all your actions as Morgan will have specific consequences and outcomes based on your decisions. Depending if you’re looking to play it straight or otherwise, players will apparently get access to new story branches. In addition, in-game relationships with NPCs seem to be at the forefront right now as well – definitely something we would be more than acquainted with in this day and age of gaming.

Taking the relationship aspect to the next level, Rockstar wants players to bond with their horse. We kid you not. Back in the day, an outlaw cowboy story wouldn’t be complete without a horse companion. In the trailer, a variety of horse breeds will be available, each with its own characteristics and skills. Thus, players would not be using the same horse for hunting as you would for labour. The more one rides their horse and treats it well, the stronger the bond will be.

Dead Eye is back once again and it’s now combined with “realistic” reload and recoil mechanics specific for each individual weapon. It remains to be seen how much realism Rockstar is able to inject considering the gunplay was fun in the previous games largely because of its arcadey shooting approach. Too much depth and it might become a bummer. We are talking about wild west gunplay after all.

The above highlights are just but a taste of what Red Dead Redemption 2 is packing in. Encompassing it all is stellar graphics which Rockstar is more than happy to flex all over its rivals. With the trailer captured entirely in-game, this is one title you’d definitely want to play on a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X to get the most out of it. And, a 4K TV while you’re at it.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released October 26, 2018, on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There are a variety of editions for Red Dead Redemption 2 which you might want to spare some time considering if all those sweet cosmetics and pre-order bonuses is well worth it.