Red Dead Redemption

I haven't played video games in a long, long time. If my fuzzy memory serves me correctly, Madden 05 was the last game I played. As such, you may want to discount what I am about to say regarding Red Dead Redemption aka The Greatest Video Game Ever Made.

So this weekend, after a bit of cajoling from flatmates and being totally smitten with the Red Dead ads I kept seeing while waiting for the underground, I dived right in to Red Dead. Kind of blew my mind. I quickly became fully immersed into the world they created. I love the production design and how it is heavily influenced by Sergio Leone, The Wild Bunch, John Wayne, etc. I am amazed at the level of detail in the landscapes, clothing, buildings, etc. The gameplay itself is very smooth and quite easy to pick up. I especially enjoyed lassoing a couple of wild horses and then breaking them. The voice acting coupled with the movements and the facial expressions of the characters is superb. But my favourite part of the game is the sky. It is absolutely mesmerizing. The clouds. The stars. Sunset. Sunrise. The shadows. Just ridiculously beautiful.

If you are looking for a new game to play and are willing to take the advice of somebody who has been out of the loop for quite some time than this game surely will not disappoint. I can't wait to get home and jump right back in to this amazing fantasy world where I can have the bad ass scar on my face that I have always wanted, draw down on annoying ruffians that bump into me as I walk the dusty streets, conduct shady business transactions, help damsels in distress, and mete out justice as I see fit - Vic Mackey style. So much fun.

PS If you can play with the console hooked up to an HD projector it will maximize your pleasure.