#2. RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2
How do you follow up one of the most beloved game of all time? Rockstar could have simply given us more of the same, and pretty much everyone would have been satisfied with that. Instead, they decided to take some bold risks, devoting themselves wholeheartedly to a cohesive creative vision for just what kind of an experience Red Dead Redemption 2 would be, and then doing everything in the game in service to that vision. The result might be the best story ever told in games, with incredible characters – including what is probably the greatest video game protagonist of all time – a narrative that unfolds like a tragedy in slow motion, and some stunning direction, writing, and dialog. This is without considering the great graphics or the incredible soundtrack, or just the power fantasy of being an outlaw in the old west, or the excellent and diverse open world teeming with astoundingly deep systems to interact with, and so much more. Red Dead Redemption 2 may have several flaws that we can discuss till next winter if we want, but what it does well, it does so well that they barely matter. It’s a stunning accomplishment that pushes this medium forward in many, many ways, and a crowning achievement for the legendary Rockstar.
