Red Dead Redemption (Game of the Year Edition) (Xbox 360, 2011)

I'll admit, I had some reservations about Red Dead Redemption. The studio that released it (Rockstar) hadn't done too much to distinguish it from GTA with horses. Within the first 2 hours, however, I was blown away. The story starts with our hero John Marston attempting to track down his former gang leader Bill Williamson and bring him to justice. After a short cut scene, he's shot and left for dead. The game opens up after some dialogue and tutorials, leaving you to your devices in 1912's Texas and Mexico. The first thing you'll notice is the beautiful visuals. Everything has an incredible amount of detail and draw distance, and the character models animate wonderfully. Watching the sunset on horseback is a truly visceral video game experience, and won't soon be forgotten. Combat works in a very fun, gritty way. You have a large variety of period weapons to deal the bad guys (or good guys). Quests can appear by talking to certain NPCs essential to the story. They can also appear at random, forcing you to act quickly or watch an innocent die. What really surprised me was how well the minigames were made. Poker could be sold as a separate game in of itself, with AI "tells" and bluffing. Five-finger-fillet is pretty funny to watch if you make a blunder. Horseshoes and bar fights provide some enjoyable distractions. You can waltz over to a local movie theater and watch some very funny silent films that convey the mindset of the times. Red Dead Redemption has the most believable open world I've ever played, with every feature one would expect. The atmosphere is simply unmatched in terms of immersion and realism. I haven't even mentioned multiplayer yet. RDR supports up to 16 players over Xbox Live or PSN for full-on gunfights and skirmishes. Game types can range from free-for-alls to CTF-structured team based modes. There is also a separate mode called "Free Roam" that lets you and your friends form a posse and explore the entire single player map. You can slaughter gangs, hunt down wild game, and duke it out with other posses over an enormous map. There's a fully featured ranking system that tracks your progress throughout your online exploits. Multiplayer should keep you hooked for weeks on end as you shoot up the West. Overall, Read Dead Redemption is an incredibly good game that can't be missed. Pretty much everything is perfectly polished and consistent, and you'll find yourself loving the Wild West's final days. Go buy it now.

It's tempting to say that Red Dead Redemption is ahead of its time, but the reality is that this is a game of and for the times. Rockstar shows an uncanny ability to hold a mirror up to society and remind us that present day hot button issues like racism, immigration, federal government power and personal freedoms are not only nothing new, they are deeply ingrained in American society. They are forces that helped to shape America into what it is, and their inclusion in Red Dead Redemption gives it a sense of authenticity that videogames in general lack.

I can not express how AMAZING this game is!!! Buy it! doooo itt! you wont regret. this game is an experience not to be missed. Ive always wished i could live in the wild west and i feal this game is as close to a reality as that dteam will ever realize. if your the slightest bit interested in the grit and glory that was the old west you wont want to miss this one! btw i just started the undead portion and it looks really good so far i wasnt expecting it to add on to the story line so im stoked ... now if i can just find some free time to play, thatd be greeeat! :) I reeeally hope Rockstar makes another wild west game!

I wanted to get this game with the game add-on's to play with my friends. This was cheaper then buying microsoft points and a normal red dead redemption.

This is a very fun game.Being the game of the year edition it includes all the dlc for the game.Many hours of enjoyment.