Why RDR2 Makes You Take Guns Off The Horse EVERY Time

Most modern video games tend to prioritize quality of life for the player, meaning that they will sacrifice “realism” so that gameplay is cleaner and more efficient. While Red Dead Redemption 2 is far from an “annoying” game, it does include inconveniences that slow down the pace of gameplay. From long horse rides across the map to repetitive animations for simple tasks, Red Dead Redemption 2 takes advantage of inconveniences to better immerse players into the world.

One of the more common animations a player needs to sit through is to retrieve their guns in Red Dead Redemption 2. After dismounting from their horse, Arthur (or John) has to remove a large gun from their saddle if the player has one equipped. While this can be avoided on occasions where the character already has the gun on their back, it is still likely to occur multiple times in a single play session. The animation can understandably become annoying for players, but there is still a legitimate reason for Rockstar to include it in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Red Dead Redemption 2‘s story mode is meant to fully immerse the player into the late 19th century United States, and to make them understand how it feels to walk in Arthur’s shoes. This is more obviously accomplished through both missions and dialogue, but smaller details can still have a significant impact. From watching Arthur slowly skin animals that he has hunted to walking slowly through the Van der Linde camp, these details slow down the pace of the story and make it feel more realistic. Taking Arthur’s guns off of a horse might seem like an unnecessary inconvenience, but it has the similar effect of making players feel more like they are inhabiting Red Dead Redemption‘s world.

Arthur’s Revolver in Red Dead Redemption 2

Unlike his bigger guns, Arthur’s revolver (or other sidearm) does not usually need to be retrieved when he dismounts from his horse. This is another detail that helps to immerse players in Red Dead Redemption 2, since someone keeping a revolver on their belt was not an uncommon practice. Equipping a rifle or shotgun is something only necessary for Arthur when he expects to hunt or fight, which is why only larger guns require the repeated animation.

Red Dead Redemption2 is still willing to include quality of life additions, even if they are unrealistic. A player’s horse in RDR2 can follow them around indefinitely, and Arthur can literally slow down time during a fight with the use of Dead Eye. With that said, the game’s more inconvenient choices make for a more complete experience, and help to make the player feel like they are a real member of the Van Der Linde Gang.

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