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‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ gameplay shows off 6 minutes of Rockstar’s Western

Red Dead Redemption 2: Official Gameplay Video

Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated prequel Red Dead Redemption 2 will launch in just a few months, but up to this point we haven’t seen any actual gameplay from the Western epic. That changed today with the newest official Red Dead Redemption 2 video, which gave us a breathtaking look at the game in action.

Our first look at Red Dead Redemption 2 shows protagonist Arthur Morgan riding on a horse at the peak of a mountain, showing a gorgeous view of snow-covered hills in the distance and trees on the ground below.

“With Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games aims to create a living world that is not simply open, but deeper — more interactive and detailed than ever,” the video’s narrator says.

The video then cuts to our first look at hand-to-hand combat, showing two characters throwing punches as well as each other, and then shows off the third-person shooting you’re sure to be doing plenty of in Red Dead Redemption 2. The “Dead Eye Targeting” system makes a return, so you’ll be able to slow down time and pick off targets in high-stakes situations.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will contain a number of different environments, including swamps and deserts, and when traveling to a new area, the Van der Linde gang sets up a new home camp. This is where you’ll be able to interact with fellow gang members and even play table games, and you can keep morale high by keeping the camp stocked with supplies. If you talk to the other gang members, you can even learn some secrets.

In fact, Arthur is rather chatty. You can call out to random passersby, intimidate those who witness your crimes, and even talk your way out of getting arrested if you don’t want to resort to violence.

Horses won’t be one-size-fits-all tools. Different breeds will be more useful for different activities, and you’ll have to treat your horse right in order to keep it performing well. If you hunt an animal, you can store its carcass on your horse’s back, and extra weapons can be stored in bags on the side.

To learn even more about Red Dead Redemption 2, watch the full video above. A second gameplay video will focus on missions, combat, and enemy gangs.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26.

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Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
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