Red Dead Redemption 2's Controversial Wanted System: A Fl...

Red Dead Redemption 3 Needs To Make One Major Change, Fans Insist

Red Dead Redemption 2 Photographer Albert Mason talking to Arthur.

By Chris Carter Published 36 minutes ago Chris is A Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream. You may know him as the former Managing/Reviews Editor of Destructoid, where he published hundreds of game reviews across every genre, including MMOs, sports games, and Metroidvanias. Find Chris on Twitter @_SRChris. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

There's no doubt in my mind that Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most beloved games of all time. It was not only released to critical and commercial acclaim, but fans are still playing it and talking about it years later.

That said, it wasn't perfect. Several issues needed to be addressed through patches, but one thing in particular that remains contentious stands out, especially in the eyes of fans, in a recent Reddit thread.

Red Dead Redemption 2's Wanted System Is Controversial

It Doesn't Always Work Organically

As user No_Issue_9916 points out, the wanted system in particular is still controversial in Red Dead Redemption 2. The wanted system, borrowed from Rockstar's own Grand Theft Auto series, essentially shows if you're actively being hunted by law enforcement. While the law isn't quite as heavily armored as in a GTA game, they'll still relentlessly pursue you, often to the detriment of the core game loop.

The big issue with this instance in particular is that No_Issue_9916 committed a crime with no witnesses, with a mask, and the store owner and officer were able to physically link with the entire town and share the player's identity. While stealth detection has always been a contentious mechanic in games (somewhat addressed in titles like Metal Gear Solid, where enemies gained access to walkie-talkies), it could be considerably refined and more complex in Red Dead Redemption 2.

When townsfolk identify you right away, even with a mask, it really breaks the immersion that the game is trying to sell. Typically, only lawmen are able to do this, but it doesn't always work the way it should.

Red Dead Redemption 3 Could Change It Up

With Time, Comes More Tech Advancements

Forcing players to tediously deal with the wanted system in Red Dead Redemption 2 has really put a damper on some play sessions. Sometimes it's outright glitched for me, forcing me to run around a bit and hide for copious amounts of time just so I could get back to the story.

With better tech, Red Dead Redemption 3 could make many improvements, including the wanted system, and how information is spread across individual towns.For now, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains a flawed masterpiece in the eyes of fans.

10/10

9/10

Red Dead Redemption 2

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Action Adventure Systems PC-1

OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 95/100 Critics Rec: 94% Released October 26, 2018 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine RAGE Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Cross-Platform Play N/A Cross Save N/A Franchise Red Dead Redemption

Genre(s) Action, Adventure Powered by Expand Collapse

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Red Dead Redemption 2

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