EXP Podcast #88: Red Dead Redemption Roundup, part 1

Saddle up, amigos.  It’s time to ride into one of the year’s most high-profile games: Red Dead Redemption.  Published by Rockstar, Red Dead Redemption attempts to convey the feel of the Mythic West by dropping the player into an expansive, beautiful, and dangerous world.  It is a highly ambitious game whose plot and game systems both deserve in-depth analysis.  Because of this, we have split up our conversation. This week, we mainly discuss the game’s structure and mechanics while avoiding specific plot details.  We cover topics like morality, emergent gameplay, and the viability of the Rockstar formula.  As always, we’re interested to hear what you all thought, so feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

 

Some discussion starters:

 

- How much time did you spend on the side quests?  Were they just a distraction from the main plot or did they offer you something    

- Do you have any good emergent stories from your travels in New Austin?  With all the angry wildlife, surly townsfolk, and wide-open spaces, strange things are bound to happen...

- Do you think the Rockstar, open world formula is a viable platform to explore other genres?

 

To listen to the podcast:

 

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.  

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking the title. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.  

 

Show notes:

 

- Run time: 39 min 36 sec  

- Music provided by Brad Sucks