As players explore the beautiful world of Red Dead Redemption 2 they will encounter a number of different towns, ranging from muddy towns built around livestock trade to booming industrial city-scapes. Rockstar Games has worked hard to make each settlement unique with different characteristics based on its location and the people who live there. Although each place has its own charms, some are simply better than others.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2.]Red Dead Redemption 2 offers various activities players can do while exploring the towns. For example, instead of camping in the wilderness, Arthur can rent a room in a hotel and take a bath to clean the grime off his body before Miss Grimshaw forces him to do it. The towns also hold various secrets that fans can discover, such as RDR2’s scariest Easter egg, where Arthur confronts a vampire who is feasting on an unfortunate victim.
#9 - Armadillo Is The Worst Town In Red Dead Redemption 2
The small town of Armadillo is one of several places players cannot visit as Arthur in Red Dead Redemption 2, and they must wait until they reach the Epilogue to explore the area as John Marston. Unfortunately, the town is not a good location for a holiday since the settlement has been suffering from plagues that kill most of the residents. Although Red Dead Redemption’s fans might enjoy seeing the iconic location from the first game, there are not many things the town can offer to players.
#8 - Tumbleweed Is A Dying Town In Red Dead Redemption 2
Similar to Armadillo, Tumbleweed is another place that appears in Red Dead Redemption. Besides offering a number of amenities, the town is also the location of a legendary animal in RDR2, the Legendary Cougar, which can be found in the west area of Tumbleweed. After selling the legendary pelt, John could even take a few bounties from the Sheriff's Office and use the money to buy the Arabian horse in Blackwater.
Sadly, although the Tumbleweed’s condition is not as bad as Armadillo, it is clear that the settlement is in its death throes, and it will not be long before the place is abandoned. The area finally becomes a ghost town when John revisits the location in Red Dead Redemption.
#7 - RDR2's Van Horn Trading Post Is A Dreary Place To Visit
The Van Horn Trading Post is a settlement located in Roanoke Ridge. Similar to previously mentioned places, it is a dying town with few things to offer to Red Dead Redemption 2's players. Besides having a Post Office and a Fence, it also provides a room that players can rent, which can be quite useful because Arthur shouldn’t camp in Roanoke Ridge due to the Murfree Brood that stalks the surrounding area.
#6 - Annesburg Is Full Of Pollution In RDR2
Annesburg is a settlement near the Van Horn Trading Post, and it offers a few amenities to players, like a gunsmith, a coach, and a post office. The place is always covered in a dark fog due to the large chimneys that release black smoke into the air and pollute the environment. Although the area is rather unpleasant, it is also the location of several story missions that show Arthur’s character progression in Red Dead Redemption 2.
#5 - RDR2 Towns - Rhodes Is Hiding Many Dark Secrets
Rhodes is located in the Scarlett Meadows and serves as the setting of important plot points in Red Dead Redemption 2. In Chapter 3, Dutch decides to drag players and Arthur into an ancient family feud between the Braithwaites and the Grays. Unfortunately, Dutch's plan falls apart like usual, and the gang has to storm Braithwaite Manor to save a kidnaped Jack.
Rhodes is quite a beautiful place with its lush green grass and bright red clay soil. The town also offers several amenities, like a saloon, a gunsmith, and a general store. Players can even find a chapel where Arthur helps an undertaker's apprentice exhume a grave to pay back his debt in Red Dead Redemption 2.
#4 - Strawberry Experiences A Dark Tragedy In RDR2
Strawberry is a small settlement in West Elizabeth that is attempting to transform into a resort town. Although the place may seem unassuming, it is actually the location of several important events. In Chapter 2, Dutch orders Arthur to break Micah out of Strawberry's jail, and even though the protagonist prefers to leave the man to his fate, he still helps him escape. The town becomes the first place that shows Micah’s villainy in Red Dead Redemption 2. Instead of running away, Micah decides to start a massacre and even kill two residents to retrieve his revolvers.
#3 - Blackwater Returns From Red Dead Redemption In RDR2
Blackwater is a place players can freely access in the Epilogue as John, but if fans decide to visit the area as Arthur, they could quickly get killed due to the bounty on the protagonist's head. Unlike other settlements in Red Dead Redemption 2's western area, the city is thriving and has several buildings under construction, which include a modern bank and a new police station. The town even provides various conveniences players can enjoy, such as a saloon, a tailor, and a barber.
Blackwater is also the place where players first hear of Dutch's descent into evil in RDR2. The gang had planned to rob a ferry carrying $150,000 of bank money, but things went awry when the Pinkertons showed up. During the conflict, Dutch killed an innocent woman for an unknown reason, and the group was forced to escape into the mountains. Although the event is not shown in the game, it is one of the driving forces that starts the gang’s disintegration.
#2 - Saint Denis Is The Biggest City In RDR2
Saint Denis is the biggest city in the game and the setting of several major plot points that turns Red Dead Redemption 2 from an immersive cowboy simulator into a heart-wrenching tale of Arthur Morgan’s life. Dutch somehow thinks it is a good idea to rob the bank in Saint Denis, which ends up causing two unexpected deaths in RDR2. As if the situation is not bad enough, Arthur also finds out that he is dying from tuberculosis after fainting on the street of Saint Denis.
Although numerous unpleasant events occur in Saint Denis, the city is quite beautiful and makes for a unique change of pace compared to Red Dead Redemption 2's other towns. Of course, the town also features the bad side of modernization, which can be seen from the pollution and corruption that plague the area. The site is also filled with people that could get in players' way, and it could become a problem if Arthur accidentally hits someone and gets chased by lawmen for disturbing the peace.
#1 - Valentine Is The Best Town In Red Dead Redemption 2
Valentine is the first town that players can visit in Chapter 2, and it is also the location of one of the most memorable missions in Red Dead Redemption 2 where Arthur and Lenny get extremely drunk in the saloon. Unlike other quests where Arthur is forced to perform morally questionable acts, "A Quiet Time" mission allows the protagonist to goof off and show his silly side. Valentine could also be seen as a reminder of the good times before everything falls apart. Although the place is smaller than Saint Denis, Valentine embodies the spirit of a western frontier town and could be the perfect starting city for many players in Red Dead Redemption 2.
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