Red Dead Redemption 2: Small Details That Enhance The Open-World Game’s Realism

Highlights

• Red Dead Redemption 2’s attention to detail is unparalleled in the open-world genre.
• The realistic weapon designs in the game go beyond just shooting, with proportional reload animations, realistic bullet physics, and weapon degradation that requires cleaning and repairs.
• The dynamic world of Red Dead Redemption 2 reacts to the player’s actions, with environmental effects like sinking boats, spreading fires, and decomposing bodies creating a realistic and immersive experience. NPCs also have unique reactions and interactions, adding depth to the game’s Wild West simulation.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is arguably Rockstar Games’ magnum opus when it comes to putting on display the most detailed, immersive, and organic open-world experience that the gaming world has ever seen. A lot of small-scale local world details and mechanics go on to add realism and make the whole experience close to an actual old Wild West simulation.

Whether these are purely cosmetic details on character models or physics-based interactions in the environments, Red Dead Redemption 2 still makes fans’ jaws drop four years after its release. These are the most impressive minute details that add a layer of realism in Red Dead Redemption 2 that are rarely seen in most other open-world games.

1 Horse Mechanics

A Living, Breathing, And Fighting Horse

Horse riding can easily become a frustrating riding mode if not done well. However, in Rockstar’s hands, it shines and then some more. Not only do horses exhibit realistic behavior when facing predatory animals, loud noises, or different terrains, but they also pant when low on stamina, defecate when it’s time, and even adjust the size of their testicles according to weather conditions.

Moreover, depending on how muddy the hooves of the horses are, it may impact their agility negatively. This plays into the gameplay mechanic, where the player must regularly brush off any dirt or debris from the horse’s coat. There is also a difference between horses captured in the wild naturally versus domestic ones available for purchase in the sense that the former kind does not come with a horseshoe. Lastly, it’s advisable not to punch the horse. Otherwise, the player can expect a violent (and understandable) response.

2 Detailed Weapon Designs

More Than Just Shooting

Realistic recoil patterns, weapon sway, and handling are not new to Red Dead Redemption 2, as these have been the staple of many military shooters like Arma and Battlefield. However, there are certain characteristics of weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2 which mark a new age of realistic firearms in video games. For a start, the reload animations are realistic and always proportional to the amount of ammunition left in the gun magazine. Instead of a default reload animation regardless of the ammo state of the weapon, Arthur will manually insert individual bullets until he cocks the gun.

Bullet rounds and arrows interact realistically with the environment. Standard arrows in the game may bounce off sturdy surfaces, including wood, while sharpened ones may penetrate trees and thin walls. Lastly, weapon degradation arises from repeated use, and so they must be cleaned and repaired to prevent jamming and misfiring.

3 Persistent Environmental Effects

Experiment And Observe The Dynamic World

Now this section, which involves environmental details and physics, is what contributes to the majority of the Red Dead Redemption 2 content on TikTok and Instagram. The designers at Rockstar have meticulously crafted an ever-changing dynamic world that reacts to the player’s actions and this is evident when the natural order is disturbed. Shoot a bullet in a stationary boat out at sea, and it starts to sink gradually. Set fire to grass, and it will spread and persist for a while, leaving ashen traces behind. Generate an explosion in the hillside and the rocks will continue to tumble.

Similarly, traces of blood left on Arthur’s clothes, dirt under his fingernails, and exit wounds of a skinned animal further show the realistic interactions. Experimentation with the environment in the sprawling world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is thus only limited by the player’s imagination.

Perhaps the most impressive technical achievement is the gradual decomposition of dead bodies and carcasses in the game. Over time, the gradual transformation sees the flesh of the dead becoming discolored, rotting, and eventually leaving the skeletal remains of the body behind. The scent of rotting flesh may also attract nearby animals, including pigs and flying bugs, to feast on it. The level of detail is so rich that for different weather conditions, for instance in snow, the decomposition rate is slower for the body.

4 NPC Interactions

Breathing Life Into The Wild West

The environment, animals, and tools of Red Dead Redemption 2 mimic their real-life counterparts to a great degree. Although the same standard cannot be set for the more complex human-to-human interactions of the game, engaging with Red Dead Redemption 2’s NPCs will still surprise many gamers. There are multiple instances of never-before-seen reactions of NPCs to a player’s action in a video game that Rockstar employs here, including fights erupting among men if one’s missus is insulted, or being kicked out or even assaulted for being mean and intrusive at Arthur’s camp. Of course, if players are nice to their colleagues, occasionally, gang members may come out to bail the player out of jail.

NPCs also have better recollection of player-driven events. For instance, injuring a shopkeeper may force them to get all bandaged the next day and be more petrified to trade with the player. Others will notice and may get suspicious of Arthur if the player follows them for too long. NPCs will also react realistically when, in challenging situations, like a tied-up person in shallow water, will try arching their back to keep their face above water. Some NPCs may report a crime, others might take it into their own hands and chase the player. Every interaction is an organic one, and it makes Red Dead Redemption 2 a very elaborate, detailed, and realistic simulation-like experience of the Wild West.