It's at this point that the game turns into a traditional Grand Theft Auto-style adventure game. It's clear from the get-go that in order to beat Dutch van der Linde and the gang he used to lead, John is going to need to lasso up some help. Of course, all that is easier said than done. This old-time gunslinger is stuck between a rock and a hard spot, because the government has captured his family and the only way to set them free is to track down and kill the members of an old gang he used to ride with. In this story we're introduced to a mysterious cowboy named John Marston. But don't get too caught up in the continuity, because outside of the western themes, these two games are not connected in any way. Red Dead Redemption is the spiritual successor to Red Dead Revolver, the 2004 action game for the original Xbox and PlayStation 2.

The result is Red Dead Redemption, an enthralling new adventure game that is a high water mark for both the western genre and Rockstar Games. But not so fast, because the makers of Grand Theft Auto IV are ready to show you how it's supposed to be done.

From GUN to Sunset Riders to Mad Dog McCree, one might want to throw up their hands and give up on cowboys and Indians for good. It feels like every few years a company will give it another shot, but none of them are able to rise above mediocrity. Despite its alluring backdrop and history ripe with potential, there aren't a lot of great western-themed video games.

Rdr online review