Antagonizing the Locals
On the other hand, giving locals a hard time is great. I was entirely unaware of the magnificent insults Arthur bottles up inside. I’ve been slinging degrading one-liners left and right as I stroll through Valentine. There’s nothing better than duking it out in the mud with a grizzled rancher after mocking his manhood. Does that sound like a pre-cursor to Brokeback Mountain? Absolutely, but we’ll save the spur raddlin’ romance for another time.
Needless Sucker Punching
Sometimes, I’ll skip the unpleasantries and just sock the bartender in the face. And believe me, I’ve socked the sheriff, but I wouldn’t dare sock the deputy. Nothing darkens the day of a passerby quite like tipping your hat to him one moment then knocking his lights out the next. As ridiculous as it sounds, I find the idea of an angry cowboy punching the crap out of anyone who acknowledges his presence to be so funny. Just don’t make the mistake of punching a horse in the face.
Saving the Day
Whether it’s a snake-bitten buffoon who requires a good thigh sucking or an abducted lady who needs rescuing, I’ve loved being a hero. I’ve assisted workers with lifting a fallen tree off of a man’s leg and even rushed an injured gentleman to a nearby doctor. If you’re well into the game, you’ve undoubtedly had your fair share of similar experiences. The most impressive aspect of these random encounters is I’ve only witnessed a couple of them more than once throughout my first eighty hours. The best part is when people mention your heroic deeds to their friends hours after you’ve saved them.
Shopping Sprees
Since I’ve confessed to committing a multitude of egregious acts, I figure I should end on a positive one. Following a string of successful robberies, a big heist, or profitable exchange with the local fence, I thoroughly enjoy dropping hundreds on new clothes and weapon upgrades. I primarily rocked variations of the default Arthur look during my first playthrough, but I’m leaning toward more of a sinister look this time around. I’ve managed to look pretty cool in the past, but all that’s gone to hell since Sheriff Woody showed up. I’m gonna toss myself down another cliff for not thinking of that first. The same can be said for weapon customization. Between the many varnishes, engravings, and carvings I have a lot of fun tweaking the look of my firearms; and it’s all thanks to the ten minutes I spent looting the twenty odd bounty hunters I gunned down in the Heartlands.
What are some of your favorite things to do in Red Dead Redemption 2? Let us know in the comments below. For more on Red Dead 2, you can check out our full review here.