Rockstar finally released a new trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 overnight and it created plenty of new questions. It told us who we were playing as, when Red Ded Redemption 2 is set and just how good the graphics will be, but other details remain unknown or simply theories.
After watching the trailer for the 20th time today I’ve compiled my top five questions about the details of Red Dead Redemption 2.
1. Who is the Mystery Woman?
We know that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel and we know that it focuses on Dutch’s gang. We also know from playing Red Dead Redemption that John Marston and his wife were both members of Dutch’s gang. So, is the woman shown in the trailer actually Abigail Marston?
The woman in the trailer has blonde hair and Abigail’s is brown, but there’s no reason why she couldn’t have changed the colour after she and Jon left. In fact, she may have changed it because they left to try and avoid being tracked down by Dutch and his gang. If we look at the image above, we can see that the woman on the left and Abigail do bear a striking resemblance to one another.
Both women have the same freckled complexion and upturned nose, though it’s difficult to be certain. For now, we’ll have to speculate, but could the woman in the trailer actually be Abigail Marston? If so, when she says “You’re the only one I trust” to a character off-screen, is she talking to John?
2. Is John Marston in Red Dead Redemption 2?
We know that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel and we know it tells the story of Dutch’s gang. Does that mean we’ll get to see a younger, angrier John Marston? In Red Dead Redemption Marston is tasked with eliminating his old gang (Dutch’s gang) in order to secure his and his family’s freedom. It follows, that John was an integral part of the gang during its heydey, which appears to be when Red Dead Redemption 2 is set.
The trailer tells us that Arthur Morgan is going to be our player-character and Marston is conspicuously absent from the trailer. Given that Marston ran with the Van Der Linde gang it seems highly likely that he will play some role in the narrative.
Marston was left to die after a failed robbery by his fellow gang members. It was a critical point in his retirement from the outlaw lifestyle and a big focus for much of Red Dead Redemption. It seems a missed opportunity if Rockstar didn’t show us, or allow us to participate in this robbery. It could be that Arthur Morgan is the one who shoots Marston.
Will John Marston appear in Red Dead Redemption 2? We can’t say for sure, but my money’s on yes.
3. Will We Plan Heists Like GTAV?
The trailer shows us a few examples of the Van Der Linde gang’s criminal activities; train robbery, extortion, arson. During most of the trailer, Arthur Morgan isn’t alone, he’s with the gang. Does this mean that the heist mechanic from GTAV will make an appearance in Red Dead Redemption 2?
It makes sense given that this time around we’ll be playing as part of a group. Marston was a solo act for most of Red Dead Redemption, occasionally getting assistance from a few nut bags. Morgan, Dutch, Bill Williamson and others could potentially work together as a unit and missions could require players to recruit, train and plan heists to pull off big scores.
Imagine being able to plan out a huge train robbery with your in-game gang and execute it flawlessly. That would be something to see.
4. How long before Red Dead Redemption is it set?
Red Dead Redemption is set between 1911 and 1914. John Marston was shot and abandoned in 1906 after a failed robbery, which was also the last time Dutch Van Der Linde was seen until Marston tracked him down.
The Dutch that’s shown in the trailer (above) is well put together and rather dapper, not at all like the vagrant he became in Red Dead Redemption. We know that initially Dutch sought to change the world through his outlaw ways and saw himself as a Robin Hood figure. Gradually this faded as he realised how futile his actions were.
Dutch asks Morgan in the trailer “Do you have my back?” suggesting that there is conflict within the gang. It could be that Dutch’s altruistic tendencies are rubbing some members the wrong way. It could also be that his steady decline into anger and violence has put him at odds with some members, i.e. John Marston.
It’s hard to tell as we lack context, but the period during which Red Dead Redemption 2 is set will be very telling about the story it tells. If it’s set long enough before 1906, we will likely see Dutch and the gang first as noble outlaws and then watch them slowly become evil men. The ‘redemption’ in Red Dead Redemption 2 may be Arthur Morgan abandoning Dutch as he sees the wickedness of his ways.
5. What New Weapons will we be able to use?
If you’ve played Red Dead Redemption, you’ll know that there were no bows for you to use. Despite the game featuring Native Americans and hunting, this guide says that players couldn’t use a bow and had to settle for guns. In the newly released Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer, we see Arthur Morgan hunting a deer with a bow.
This is great news as it means Rockstar has listened to fans. In Red Dead Revolver, the bow was a popular choice, though it was not included in Red Dead Redemption, much to fans’ frustration. Since the bow has been included, we’re wondering what other weapons and tools we might see in Red Dead Redemption 2.
It wasn’t until the “Liars and Killers” DLC for Red Dead Redemption that players could throw a tomahawk, so we’re hoping this is available in Redemption 2. But we’d also like to see a range of firearms and special tools be included to round out the game.
What questions do you have?
Red Dead Redemption 2 is launching in Autumn 2018 (Spring in the Northern Hemisphere) for PS4 and Xbox One.
