Red Dead Redemption -- Final Opinion.

I have completed Red Dead Redemption with the full one-thousand achievement points. It took roughly forty-five hours to one-hundred percent complete the offline game coupled with the fifty plus hours I put into the online game. Ninety-five hours plus later and I can say I'm definitely burned out on Red Dead Redemption. Looking back I'm not sure it was wise jumping all the way into the online portion of the game first. Well, it probably was, as it insured I completed that half. However I probably should have then taken a break from the game and completed another title before returning to the offline game. That concept seems the most sound, and I'll try to remember it for the future. Red Dead Redemption is a great but flawed game. As an open world western it delivers everything you'd expect and want. The world is large, open, and beautifully rendered. The story is more tightly told than previous Dan Houser titles. I really liked what they did with the pacing and the final ten missions or so. It's an interesting gamble. One that pays off for me. It seems the Internet does not agree however as they are vocalizing hatred for the ending. I do have to say that the story does tend to drag through the later half of Mexico. Musically the game gets the job done but in the end never comes off as memorable in a game where you'll feel it probably should have. The voice acting is superb all the way around. The game is packed full of things to do. You'll always be busy. In fact you might be a bit too busy. The constant world events and animal attacks and the like get in the way when you're just trying to get something done. Very much in the same way as the phone calls from Grand Theft Auto IV. There will be a bunch of design decisions that you'll be questioning as you play through the game. Overall Red Dead Redemption delivers on the greater promise, flaws and all. I wouldn't mind a sequel, or more likely prequel. It would give them the chance to refine things to the point of greatness. I'm giving Red Dead Redemption an 8.5. But now I definately need something a little more simplistic in nature...