Red Dead Redemptionis a franchise that many see asGrand Theft Autoset in the wild west, but it’s much more at heart. The stories presented in each installment are instant classics, with John Marston andArthur Morgan cementing themselves as some of the best video game characters ever. The Van der Linde gang is layered with compelling personalities who roam awe-inspiring locations, but the series' multiplayer components also offer hours of enjoyment.
Rockstar has nurtured the IP to the extent that each new release and update is cause for excitement, and multiplayer can offer something new to the experience, be it couch co-op or online competition. WhileRed Dead Redemption’s multiplayer is fun, it could incorporate the basic rules of a childhood game to offer something different. Cops and robbers is a simple game, one that makes for a good introduction to strategic teamwork. Dutch and the gang have spent their while lives avoiding the police, so Rockstar could use this formula to add more flavor to the series' multiplayer.
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The ‘Cops and Robbers’ Trope Has Worked Before
Need For SpeedandGrand Theft Autosucceed in-part because of the likelihood that dangerous driving and general mischief can catch the eye of the law. Having that adversity means there’s always a level of maintained tension, and using this format in a multiplayer context could bring friendly competition into the experience, provoking bragging rights when one person either escapes or gets captured. It’s a system that the likes ofPayDay 2and evenEvolvehave used (albeit in different ways), andRockstar Gamesis in a perfect position to refine the format for its western epic.
Police chases in games are often exciting, andRed Dead Redemptionis no different despite its time period.Getting a bounty on John or Arthur’s headmakes it feel like their reputation is growing, and that the world they exist in is more hostile. BothRed Dead Redemptiongames put players in the shoes of outlaws and criminals, allowing them to engage in unlawful deeds that don’t conflict with the story being told. Giving players a glimpse into what it’s like for law enforcement in that instance could be a lot of fun, bringing a focused multiplayer twist to a game that has the perfect setting, characters, and presentation.
Red Dead Redemptionalready hasthe famed Van der Linde Gangin its wheelhouse, which could allow players to assume the role of lower-ranking members like Javier, Charles, Sean, or Kieran to give more context to their characters in the wider narrative. Conversely, the Pinkerton Detective Agency has big personalities like Edgar Ross and Andrew Milton, but it is also a big enough outfit to potentially introduce new playable characters for tracking down and apprehending their friends.
Red Dead Redemptionis in the perfect position to integrate a cops and robbers mode into a multiplayer game, which would let Rockstar Games greatly expand the license. Guerrilla’sHorizonseries is veering into the VR and multiplayer space, as isThe Last of Us, Half Life,andFallout. Should these side projects prove successful, they help bring a franchise to entirely new audiences.Red Dead Redemptionundoubtedly shines brightest when story is at the forefront, but it has more than enough worldbuilding potential to justify doing something different. Cops and robbers is a childhood game that is fundamentally about outsmarting and escaping an adverse situation. In a franchise all about outlaws, Rockstar Games not using the format would be a missed opportunity.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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