User Score
8.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1516 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Nov 11, 2011
    8
    A brilliant throwback from the Rockstar franchise. It can be said a lot of the game devices such as the the map in the corner which have been drawn from GTA but the open space environment gives a fresh feel to the game. At times the storyline does drag on with limited side quests for contrast in comparison to its other sandbox rivals. The on-line lacks something, there are times when you find yourself riding across the plains and realise that you'd rather be playing the single player story. Expand
  2. Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Fantastic story, gameplay, graphics, sound, voice acting, mechanics, and polish. There is literally nothing I don't like about the single player aspect of this game. I can even forgive a particular side quest that I've never been able to complete. This review is strictly in terms of the single player. I gave multiplayer a shot online, but it's truly not worth playing, especially with titles like Halo, Call of Duty, Gears of War, and Battlefield out there. If you want this game for the multiplayer, save your money. If you want, what is in my mind, the best single player game available on the 360, buy it. Expand
  3. Oct 28, 2012
    8
    un juegazo aunque a veces en numerosos tramos del juego le falta ritmo
    (las misiones de vaquero son un coñazo)
    GRAFICOS: 10 SONIDO: 8 JUGABILIDAD/DIVERSION:8 DURACION:9
  4. Dec 15, 2011
    10
    Nothing short of Rockstar's finest work, and an example to all other games out there. This masterpiece took a brave step introducing the west back to a different generation of people, and it succeeded. A gripping storyline, gorgeous graphics, lots of side missions, a vibrant and gritty atmosphere, solid multiplayer, a beautiful score, Red Dead Redemption is gaming at its finest.
  5. Nov 21, 2011
    10
    An absolute Masterpiece. With a Capital M! Truly an open world where you can get lost in. The attention to detail is outstanding! Plus once you finish the excellent story the multiplayer is a lot of fun. At least its a lot of fun for an old fart like myself that can't keep up with the Call of Duties of the world.
  6. Nov 21, 2011
    9
    I loved it ! It was a fun and amazing story. The game play was average and the graphics were soso. What keep me playing was the story. Shocked and AWE when a game makes you drop your jaw you know it was worth the money. A good story can bring a game back from the dead and RED DEAD REDEMPTION is that game. Oh if you don't like westerns then I suggest spending your money elsewhere after all its about the west. Expand
  7. Mar 15, 2013
    10
    This is one of the first games I played and it left some very big shoes to fill for all other games afterwards. As a brand new gamer it challenged me but didn't overwhelm me. The story and the acting are superlative and John Marston is one of the best characters I have ever experienced in any medium, movies, books, and gaming. I have played almost all of Rockstar's games and this if by far the best. It owes a lot I must say to an old game called Gun which I played after Red Dead and I highly recommend it but it is still a very special and unique gaming experience. I am just one voice in the Red Dead army but as a burgeoning gamer this game got me hooked on gaming for life. Expand
  8. Sep 1, 2012
    10
    Its epic its unique and all the stuff we learned to expect from Rockstar games. It does the exact things GTA IV missed: open noncity areas, animals etc. For the prize of GOTY edition its totally worth it.
  9. Nov 29, 2011
    8
    It was actually pretty good. The gameplay was fun and I enjoyed playing it. The mission objectives are a bit too repetitive, There are quite a few bugs and glitches (some of that freeze the game and force you to shut it down and restart it), and the gameplay doesnt feature much for originality (far too similar to GTA, yes I know its made by the same company). Other then that it was good and well worth playing. Expand
  10. Dec 16, 2011
    10
    Upon borrowing this game from a friend, I did not wish to return it. Though I hate western films (spaghetti western), I instantly fell in love with this game. The concept, the gameplay, storyline, characters, jobs, all of it. I was even so tempted to play Undead Redemption, but my fear of screaming my lungs out whilst in the middle of gaming was too large a risk.
  11. Aug 31, 2012
    9
    I really liked this game. I bought it on a whim, not expecting that much, and really liked it. Good story, plus its a nice open world, even if the story line is thrown at you rather forcibly if you stray near the story 'trigger points'. Only two things I didn't like - and both were probably down to my limited button pushing skills, One was, when I was out hunting wildlife like vultures and wolves I often found myself shooting passing cowboys by accident (honest, judge!). Second was the fast draw challenges which I could never get the hang of, so ended up just avoiding. An easier save game option would have solved both these for me. Overall, a great game. One warning though. There are a couple of really nasty bits in the game which justify the 18 rating. If you just skim the start of the game you may be tempted to let your kids play it. Don't, the nasty bits are really nasty. Expand
  12. Dec 18, 2011
    10
    the game was just great, how many things i could do to keep myself entertained was amazing, i dont know if it was the perks for costumes or the cool missions, although it slightly resembles gta 4, id have to say it was pretty cool, the best part was probably the ability to replay missions if you get bored or just going hunting next to a beautiful scenery of a mountain or a lake, my personal favorite thing is going to the northern part of tall trees and killing bears. the voices were just like a western movie and there is hardly a thing wrong Expand
  13. Jan 18, 2013
    10
    If you hate this game you're not a gamer, simple as that. No, I'm not a Rockstar fanboy but it's really so goddamn obvious that Red Dead Redemption is the best game this gen, by far and that is a fact.
  14. Mar 31, 2013
    10
    I just love this game!
    Well it did take me 10 months from the first time I played it for two hours before I actually got into it, but boy did the time fly then. The story, graphics and everything ells is absolutely top notch and the DLC's for once is also good
  15. Mar 16, 2012
    10
    Rockstar has done it again with this fantastic game! This game is like any other rockstar game. A amazing story, and free roam with online activities. What was done in RDR was they added new online features like, having your own posse, and being able to do forts for XP. Red dead Redemption is one of the best games that I have ever played. Get a few friends to play with you or meet people online. This game is great online with friends. THE VERDICT: Red dead is a successful game that comes from a successful company (rockstar). With a great story and better online you cant go wrong with buying this game! Expand
  16. Mar 20, 2012
    10
    I am of the mindset that this ranks among the greatest games ever made. It's games like this that make me sad that there is no 'Academy Award' for video games. This game surely deserves an oscar simply based on it's writing alone. One of the most gripping experiences I have ever had.
  17. Mar 19, 2012
    10
    I really loved this game. I won't say so much, because lot of people already did it. But the only thing I want to say is that I've created a Metacritic account only for reviewing and giving a 10/10 for this game (and look, I use this website since 2008). One of the best game I've played in the last years!
  18. Mar 22, 2012
    9
    Damn this game is fun as hell. The story is suprinsingly interesting and the mission are varied and really fun. There is no excuse to not buy this game. Theres alot of guns in the game but i usually stick to my pistols. Its not as long as the GTA games but so what, this game is amazing.
  19. Mar 27, 2012
    10
    I was wondering if to buy this or not for a full year, then as soon as a school mate said "it is GTA but in the wild west - whats not to like!" So I went and bought it and he was defintely right, brilliant game with all the same controls as GTA. couldn't stop playing it, this game has the story line of that of a movie with a very tense ending.
  20. Mar 13, 2013
    6
    The game freezes alot of the time, plus the horse riding from A to B is a total bore chore. The characters and the story are involving however the gameplay is not due to its repetitive nature.
  21. May 18, 2012
    10
    The best Xbox 360 single player in my opinion. A lot better than GTA IV, mainly because of the improved story. Played it for 90 hours till I got 100% completion. And I've never felt emotional about a video game before, wow, you really get attached to John Marston
  22. May 23, 2012
    10
    Well, Red Dead Redemption is one of my favorite games. The story is absorbing, the gameplay almost perfect and the graphics are really good. The atmosphere and the sound is also very well. I was so addicted at the singleplayer and later on the multiplayer. ROCKSTAR you know it, you ROCK!
  23. Jan 19, 2013
    10
    This game is the best game to come out this gen besides starcraft 2 and im pissed they didnt release this for the pc im really hoping red dead 2 gets a pc release.
    Pls rockstar do a game like this justice and release both red dead 1 and 2 for pc.
    Game is insanly good.
  24. Jul 30, 2012
    9
    I was impressed when I finally completed the game. I was even MORE impressed with the Undead Nightmare campaign. This game itself is already a masterpiece. The world is magnificent and the details are delightful. Overall beautiful game.
  25. Jul 7, 2012
    10
    A lot of attention to detail plus extra was put into this game, the great story and action makes you come back wanting more. The game has great likeable characters with excellent voice acting and the immersion is just unbelievable. If you're a fan of Rockstar's other games, this title needs to be in your collection.
  26. Jul 6, 2012
    10
    This isn't GTA in Wild West, this is EPIC, it is like watching awesome movie, map is huge, whole bunch of small details that gives you real sense of that time. Horses are spectacular, just as story. Story is one of best in games history.
  27. Jan 29, 2013
    5
    Typical Rockstar Sandbox game. Some person tells you to go do something halfway across the world. You get there only to be told you need to go to the other side of the world. Riding horses is fun for the first 30 minutes of a pretty long game. It feels like multiplayer was an afterthought in this game. So, definitely don't get it for that. If you like playing the exact same Rockstar game over and over with a different protagonist than this is a good game. Very few racy moments. Story is okay. Overall:
    Pros:
    Good controls
    Story Beautiful graphics

    Cons:
    Very repetitive
    Not inventive
    Side-quests are pointless
    Rewards are so few and far between and not worth the hassle.
    Expand
  28. Jul 11, 2012
    10
    Yet another jaw-dropping game by Rockstar, who is, in my opinion, the best developer. Basically copying Grand Theft Auto in to the Wild West, this game has it all. Great voiceovers and a comfortable combat system.
  29. Jan 3, 2013
    9
    RED DEAD REDEMPTION is one of the best open world games ever made and defenetly the best Western game, i RDR has Top voice acting especially the Protagonist John Marston and the graphics are amazing, the story too! RDR has emotional moments that are just so powerful between each character, 9/10.
  30. Aug 6, 2012
    9
    The game is amazing, because it is not the same like gta.
    Here you can play Minigames,make missions or someone speak to you on a way to a mission.
    The World is amazing too , because all is different.
    You can hunt bears in the Forrest or wanted persons.
    The Game is a must buy.
  31. Feb 5, 2013
    9
    Rockstar has produced another classic, but this time in an era rarely explored. Games that take place on the american frontier are rare, you have games like Call of Juarez, but, Red Dead Redemption is truly the first epic 'wild west' game. The protagonist, John Marston, is similar to other Rockstar protagonists, but I think he's a good character. The storyline is pretty good, but it moves slowly like GTA IV. Technically, the game is good looking but textures on rocks and such are kind of blurry, there are some glitches, the controls are well done. Overall a great game. Expand
  32. Aug 13, 2012
    10
    In my opinion this is the best game of all time. It is gorgeous, tons of fun. I have played through it several times. Online also has some fun features. I never even used fast travel because this world is so spectacular. 10/10 by far.
  33. Feb 22, 2013
    10
    In 2010 this was the best game you could play Today RDR still stands as the best western gamer ever. The guns are REALLY life like and amazingly historically accurate.
  34. Aug 25, 2012
    7
    First thing is first: the story. It is great. My problem with it is that it is really slow and is not helped out by repetitive missions. I had this on PS3 and never beat it because I got bored at the half way point. The Multi-player is very original. I've never played anything like it, but it gets boring fast. I did finish every last percentage point of the story and I have to say I enjoyed the random side quests and hunting more then the central story missions. Expand
  35. Aug 27, 2012
    8
    I love Red Dead Revolver, I love the GTA series, and this is most definitely a mediocre game by comparison. Why rate this so highly? Is everything that has Rockstar's name on it untouchable? Does a sad ending automatically make a master piece? We're talking about the lamest Rockstar cast I've ever seen, combined with a story struggling to keep a point, and somehow worse gunplay than either GTA or the original Red Dead had to offer. The only thing impressive about this game is the damn lasso and it's a gimmick! I'm just speechless that a game that is merely good is being considered the best game of this generation. Makes we wonder what the hell we're doing as gamers. Expand
  36. Aug 30, 2012
    10
    I know giving things a 10 is a little ridiculous. No game can be perfect, right? Well the only negative I can conceive of with Red Dead Redemption is that there isn't more of it, and that's hardly a fair complaint. Considering that this is Rockstar's most driven, focused, epic storyline coupled with an immensely entertaining multiplayer component, one can conceivably play this game for years without feeling bored (unless you're one of the morons below that finds it boring... inexplicably...). Every production value piece is spotless, from the glare on the sunrises to the tone in every voice. People who complain that the voice acting is stereotypical and contrived... its supposed to be... RDR is a take on the classic spaghetti western ethos... characters named Frenchy, Irish, jaded snake oil salesmen, stoic natives... all this stuff is canon to the genre. There will be moments in the game where unexpected musical compositions fade out the background noise and the result is truly amazing and feels unique in this category of games. Like I said before, the only negative I can think of is that there aren't more stores for me to rob, more people for me to scam and rob, a native economy in the multiplayer.... but all these ideas are superfluous and only resultant of my own imaginative love of this game. Expand
  37. Sep 9, 2012
    9
    Wow. Very in depth story, loved all the characters, and allows an amazing amount of freedom. I get the GTA comparisons, but unlike GTA this game doesn't leave you bored after a few hours.
  38. Sep 2, 2012
    10
    campaign is the best story i have ever played for any game, gripping, thrilling and full of plot twists 10/10 must play games.
    multiplayer is very unique and very impressive only down side is online players killing on sight whilst riding around
  39. Oct 18, 2012
    10
    If you are a GTA fan or an open world game fan in general this is a must buy. Red Dead Redemption is one of the best games i have ever played. Not many games can nail the wild west setting but this game ticks all the boxes, you feel like a bad ass cowboy when you are riding your horse, killing bandits and tieing people up with your lasso. The story is excellent, you play as John Marston an ex outlaw but after federal agents threaten his family he is forced to return to his old ways. The visuals are stunningly beautiful and the gameplay is tight....... in short BUY THIS GAME !!! Expand
  40. Nov 16, 2012
    10
    The Great Game, The great gameplay, good graphics, great story. I like this game. I play 5 times. The best console game and one of the best games i ever played.
  41. Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I just bought and played this game for the first time. Yes, even two years after its release, the game is a masterpiece, for all the reasons reviewers before me have cited. I'm just writing this to add my review score. Unbelievable world, truly fun missions, good voice acting, good storyline, smooth gameplay.
  42. Nov 30, 2012
    10
    An atmospheric and engaging masterpiece, set in a beautifully realised image of the old west with an ensemble of unforgettable characters. I love this game, with Mass Effect 2 and just a few others it ranks as an all time great in my eyes, possibly my all time number 1. Just making John Marston walk causally along the main street of Armadillo and watching as the heat shimmers and dust kicks up from his boots as he steps is a sight to behold. Intuitive controls, satisfying combat and 'dead eye' along with the brilliant inertia reactions to being shot; there's so much to set this game apart as a joy to play. Its like having the leading role in an ultimately heart wrenching yet epic tale of life and loss in the dying days of the old west. Masterpiece. Collapse
  43. Feb 12, 2013
    8
    Graphics:9.5 Gameplay:6/ Story:4/ soundtracks:6
    -----good,but needs improvements------
    the only good thing in this is its amazing landscapes and big maps from mid usa ages,even my mother said:wow ,is this a game or real?...very beautiful deserts and nature animals .....sadly this is the only thing good in this game.other things like the gameplay and story plot is boring...just ridi
    ng your horse for long distances
    technical negatives: bad tutorials,it comes out suddenly while killing enemies and disappear quickly.boring weapones.long horse traveling.hard to understand minigames. riding horse and shooting at the same time only for ppl with tow brains i think O_o.
    looking up for a better RDR2.
    Expand
  44. Mar 19, 2013
    8
    Clearly this is a game that was meant to be the wet dream of every gamer that is a huge fan of westerns and the GTA series. Judging from public opinion, that's exactly what it is. As to myself. I HATE westerns! To be honest, the only westerns that I remotely like are usually comedies. As to the GTA part: I'm not a huge fan of that franchise but I do like the series and I've enjoyed everyone so far to some extent. So, even with my hatred towards westerns *pauses* I actually liked this game. It's by far one of the best games Rockstar has released to date. Great characters, Great story, great gameplay, and such a huge variety of things to do and places to explore. The only reasons I don't score this any higher are primarily because of mty detestment towards westerns, and also because as great as this game is, it also doesn't do too much that we haven't seen before somewhere else, this includes the story (I may hate westerns, but that doesn't mean I haven't seen any.) Overall: My personal grievances aside, this is a great game and deserves to be in everyone's collection. If I can like it, anyone can. Expand
  45. Jan 7, 2013
    3
    I was so excited for this game after having read the universal praise it received as well as being in the process of watching the western Deadwood on HBO, which is amazing. Unfortunately, this game is an epic bore. It is (mostly) well done technically, just totally uninteresting in its story and gameplay and offers no continuous fun or genuine excitement. I really was hoping for a video game version of Deadwood - lawlessness vs the establishment, debauchery, violence, drunkenness, whoring, double crossing, etc - but this ended up being what I imagine the PBS version of the Wild West must be like: very tame and dull. I got about 4-5 hours into the campaign before I decided it was just never going to get any better and sold it. In the 5 hours I played it I picked flowers, herded cattle, lassoed horses, and had some shootouts that were less interesting and challenging than Whack-A-Mole. The protagonist is wooden and dull (although he is supposed to be some bad-ass ex-gang mofo). The story did have some thematic promise but was ultimately just very unengaging, and the characters that aren't dead weight are overwrought caricatures that just added a silly cartoon-like quality to an otherwise serious endeavor. The actual in-game graphics are beautiful and the terrain is incredibly well done. However, the cutscenes are pretty terrible with awful renderings of the faces (but honestly, that's the case for most games) and go on way too long. After 5 hours the story and gameplay never developed to the point to get me genuinely engaged about any of the characters or their circumstances, and the actual playing of the game was too slow and dull to bother continuing. I am genuinely confused why this received nearly universal acclaim - although beautiful, it is incredibly tedious and one-dimensional. Expand
  46. Jan 12, 2013
    9
    This game is a trip back in time, when horses and stagecoaches were the most popular means of transport and when wild buffalo roamed the prairies of Th Wild West. This game looks simply stunning and the storyline is well-balanced. This game takes you from the Mexican Desert to the the slops of the Rocky Mountains and constantly throws new environments and side quest at you. You will never get bored here. With the familiar grand theft auto controls and fluent movement Rock Star keeps up with it's impressive list of productions over the years. A world full of nasty characters and here and there someone to help you, but it's clear that in The Wild West.. The only one you can trust, is yourself.. Expand
  47. Jan 25, 2013
    10
    A well writed game, incredible voice acting, beautiful graphics and a lot of stuff to do. Nothing more to say.
  48. Mar 18, 2013
    9
    The best game that Rockstar games has produced by far! Possibly one of the best Xbox 360 games of all time! I thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience playing this game. The narrative was truly engrossing until the end. The end tends to drag on just a tad too long. It is hard to go into detail about that without dropping spoilers so that is as much as I will say. All in all, this was one of the best games I have played on my Xbox 360 and will certainly hold on to it for a long time to come. Expand
  49. Mar 26, 2013
    10
    This game is so good that I bought the zombie version knowing very well that I would be disapointed. I was even pleasantly surprised by how good the zombie game was. Anyway, imagine Grand Theft Auto in the wild wild west. There are even hookers, lol.
  50. Mar 27, 2013
    8
    This game is amazing. The world is very believable and looks great. The frontier is very large and is split up into three distinct areas. The characters are not very believable, but this is the style that Rockstar Games wanted to make them.

    The storyline is probably the best one you will ever encounter in video games. You may find John Marston a little unlikeable at first, but if you g
    ive him a little time you will fall in love with him. The game is about John Marston trying to get his family back from the government by hunting down people from his old gang. The story is about 20 hours long if you just do the main missions, to 40 hours if you are going for the 100%.

    The world is truly stunning, and there are a lot of great places to visit. It surprises me when people say there is nothing to do, because the game does hold quite a lot of things to do. You can play poker or blackjack against computers, do some jobs for the local towns, go bounty hunting for a bit of change, and much more. Besides, if you can imagine something to do within the world, you probably can do it.

    The multiplayer is very innovating. When you enter multiplayer you will be dropped into free roam. This is where you can ride through the world identical to the single player environment. However, you come across other people. If you don't feel up to the free roam, there is a suite of game modes for you to play.

    The unfortunate part of the game is that it still has bugs and glitches. Fortunately most of these bugs don't limit the game, but are very strange. I have come across a particularly nasty bug that rendered my game unplayable. This was terrible because I had to go out and buy another new copy of the game to be able to play it again.

    I give this game an 8. Everything about it is amazing and you can tell Rockstar Games put lots of care into making this game, but the bugs prove to be annoying and can even break the game. If you have any interest in playing a new game, pick this up and you won't regret it.
    Expand
  51. Apr 8, 2013
    10
    It is no question one of the greatest games I have ever played. There is so much to do. The story is the greatest ever in a game. The premise may be overused, but the characters you meet and the way the story is set up is great. Also, the gameplay and graphics are incredible. This is a must play for any gamer.
  52. May 21, 2013
    10
    This game reserves a spot on my all time top 10. I was extremely hesitant in playing this game, I'm not much of a Rockstar game fan, I dislike the entire GTA series and I'm also not a western-theme fan. So I approached the game negatively and was extremely surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The story, though excellent, was overly drawn out on purpose to give more of an engaging and enveloping presence in the game's environment. However in doing so it made the game even more tedious at times than most other sandbox games. One thing that I must point out is that there are moments in this game that will stick with you for the rest of your life. It's incredibly rare to find that in a video game. The entire experience surrounding "far away" is truly unforgettable. Expand
  53. May 5, 2013
    10
    One of greatest game ever made. Really rockstar games never fail in your games, this game really is between the best of this generation. The graphics, the soundrack, the ambientation and mainly the plot, a deep story that holds the attention of the player. The multiplayer mode is somewhat simple, but verry funny, probably you will spend some hours in this mode. My criticisms for this game are the best. But as every game, Red Dead Redemption has its bugs and glitches, but are few of them. Finnaly, Red Dead Redemption is a game that every owner of an Xbox 360 or a PS3 must have. A deserved 10/10. Expand
  54. May 14, 2013
    10
    Red Dead Redemption is one of my favorite games of all time. The gameplay are fine tuned to perfection. The graphics are just gorgeous. and its sheer amount of content will make your jaw drop. I would go with the game of the year edition if I were you. Please don't miss out on one of the best video games ever created.
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 96 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 96 out of 96
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 96
  3. Negative: 0 out of 96
  1. 'Red Dead Redemption' is a must buy. Every Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 owner should play this game (as long as they're over 18 and not a member of PETA). The only reasons I can't give this game a full 10 are the annoying glitches, connection issues and the lack of difficulty.
  2. At times breathtaking, often awe-inspiring and never, ever dull, Red Dead Redemption is already one of 2010's biggest hitters, and is likely to become one of this generation's greatest achievements. A staggering work of art.
  3. 100
    RDR is a phenomenal game that stands out as one of the year's best. The utmost attention to detail is apparent in every aspect, and is something that no gamer should miss.