Red Dead Redemption 2 enhances some of my favorite parts of The Witcher 3

When The witcher 3 released in 2015, it completely redefined what I expected from an open world video game. CD Projekt Red's fantastic epic was not only huge, it was also rich in details that made her world astonishingly real. Its structure gave the impression of living the life of the hero Geralt instead of being guided by a typical video game story. It's become the game I've compared all the other successful games, my point of reference against which all other huge open worlds have been judged.

With the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 Today, I think that will change. The latest version of Rockstar is very different from The witcher in many ways. He shares a violent fantasy against a greasy Far West and his world is anchored in reality. You use light weapons instead of magic incantations or old swords. Even then, the games have a lot in common, especially the focus on seemingly minimal details that help create a dense, vibrant and character-rich world.

Three years later, Red DeadThe following has improved many things that have made me so much enchanted by The witcher. Here are some examples.

Horses

Oh, Roach. Geralt's faithful horse was one of the most charming and exasperating aspects of The witcher 3. What made Roach so wonderful was that he was always there. Even if you could not see it, all you had to do was whistle and he would rush. It was a comforting feeling that your most reliable ally was always at hand.

In practice, however, this has not always worked out as planned. I did not have a lot of technical problems in my time with The witcher 3, but just about all the insects I encountered were related to my horse. Roach would rush into a tree when I call him and could not find a way to get around it. Sometimes things were more extreme: Roach mysteriously began to levitate or was stuck in a wall. I liked the horse despite this, but it could be difficult.

As a game on the old west, Red Dead Redemption 2 Naturally includes horses as the main feature. There is not a single courier, however; instead, you can buy, steal, or find a large enough number of animals to attend. Surprisingly, it does not make you less connected to your horse. They are not just nameless animals used for transportation.

On the one hand, you can name your horse. I spent most of the game with a little creature called Peanut. One of the main reasons I stayed so long with her – aside from her adorable name – is that you make a connection with a horse the more you spend time with him, which presents Real and tangible gaming benefits. This relationship develops when you ride, but also when you feed, brush or just tapping.

A horse that likes to run faster, be less easily scared, have more stamina and be able to hear your whistle further. These horses can also die, which has made me pay even greater attention to Peanut so that I do not lose it. The most important thing about Red DeadThe horses, however, is that they actually listen. Unlike Roach, they will always come when you call.

Beards

One of my favorite parts of The witcher 3 – I even wrote a whole article about it – that Geralt's beard would develop over time. It sounds silly, and it's sort of, but it also adds a real sense of permanence to the world. Part of the attraction of this type of games lies in its enormous scope, the idea that you are in a huge quest that takes a lot of time to complete. Of course, the hero will look a bit tired after all this.

Beards in The witcher 3 had some limitations. Geralt could not grow a big bushy beard, and even if you could visit a barber to clean it, there were not many options. RDR2 take things a lot, a lot further.

For starters, Arthur Morgan – the approximate leader of RDR2 – can grow his hair and beard a little. There are few points in the game where the story lasts a few weeks, and when we see Arthur then, his hair touches his shoulders and a thin beard hides any appearance of his square jaw. You can also grow your beard even longer if you buy hair tonic, although I have not tried it yet.

His beard and hair also grow very fast, leaving you plenty of room to play with Arthur's style. When you go to the hairdresser, there is a range of cuts that depend largely on the length of his hair. If there are no locks, he can not have the look.

Because the hair grows very fast, I tried a lot with the styles, trying to stay in the character with the grooming. When I was in the plains, I did not worry about stubble too much. But when it came time to go to town or rob a bank, I cleaned myself up to play the role. The way the game was played did not really change, but it added a new layer of role playing to the experience.

The baths

In a certain way, the most enduring image of The witcher 3 is from Geralt taking a bath. (You can even buy a number.) Red Dead Redemption 2you can once again see a hard guy cleaning up – but this time it's an interactive and not passive cinematic.

In most hotels, you can spend $ 0.25 to take a bath and the game actually asks you to press buttons to wash different parts of the body. It's strange, silly and it takes a surprisingly long time. Now is the time to wait for Arthur's soapy figurine.