Adding to the open-world title's incredible attention to detail, a Red Dead Redemption 2 player has discovered that the game's shotguns possess a realistic old-school quality. Rockstar Games' Wild West simulator launched back in 2018, and the title's massive and in-depth world garnered great praise from players and critics. Demonstrating the game's emphasis on immersion, smaller details like pigs eating NPCs in Red Dead Redemption 2 are abundant throughout the game.
Serving as a prequel to 2010's Red Dead Redemption, another open-world adventure, Red Dead Redemption 2 showcases the waning years of the American Wild West. Cast in the role of outlaw Arthur Morgan, a member of the first entry's Van der Lindt gang, players fight to evade the law and make enough money to escape society. The game's massive world is full of wildlife and NPCs, both peaceful and hostile, for players to encounter. A detailed hunting mechanic lets players track, kill and skin animals in a realistic manner, and RDR2's weapons often behave just like their real-life counterparts. Some details, such as bullets ricocheting off Arthur's gun, are hardly noticeable, but they add up to make Red Dead Redemption 2 a beautiful, immersive experience.
Adding to the game's list of immersive qualities, Reddit user ChrisMahoney recently noticed that Red Dead Redemption 2's shotguns can cause black powder burns. During the roadside robbery of a hapless NPC, the player fired a shotgun directly to the left of the victim's face. The shotgun blast never made contact, however, and ChrisMahoney finished their opponent off with a shot to the abdomen. However, a post-mortem examination of the NPC revealed black powder burns along the side of his face from the initial shotgun blast. These black powder burns realistically reflect the technology of the late 1800s, as shotguns would have still used the substance as a propellant, making the burn an impressive cosmetic detail.
New detail I learned, You can give NPCs black powder burns from shotgun blasts without killing them. from RDR2
While Rockstar Games built a large and lifelike open world for the original Red Dead Redemption, the developer improved this formula when crafting the sequel. Reportedly, Red Dead Redemption 2 cost $540 million to develop, and the final product reflects this massive budget. The title's lengthy story campaign spans six chapters, telling the emotional story of Arthur Morgan's downfall and redemption, with two epilogue chapters rounding out the narrative. A huge assortment of side missions and optional activities are also available, allowing Red Dead Redemption 2 players to fully explore many aspects of life in the American Wild West.
Despite launching more than three years ago, players continue to discover amazing new details hidden in Red Dead Redemption 2. While features like bullet ricochet or black powder burns may seem inconsequential, these small touches of realism add up to craft a truly immersive sandbox world. While the black powder burns discovered by ChrisMahoney serve no gameplay purpose, they do make Arthur Morgan's world feel that much more real.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Google Stadia.
Source: ChrisMahoney/Reddit