Crimson Useless Redemption, one among Rockstar’s greatest video games, has all the time been one among its hardest to play, particularly in the event you don’t personal an Xbox console or a PlayStation 3. So it’s nice to see RDR making the long-awaited leap from previous consoles to Swap and PS4 through newly launched ports. I’ve now had time to play the Swap model, and whereas it holds up nicely, even when performed in transportable mode, the dearth of latest options, improved visuals, and a few efficiency hiccups makes its $50 price ticket exhausting to disregard.
Launched in 2010, Rockstar’s Crimson Useless Redemption was a implausible open-world motion sport starring John Marston, a gunslinger who’s tasked to take down former gang members to try to safe his peaceable, household life. RDR would go on to win quite a few Recreation of the Yr awards throughout PS3 and Xbox 360. Then, in October 2010, the single-player paid enlargement Undead Nightmare got here out. This glorious little bit of DLC added a brand new mini-campaign that includes zombies and different spooky creatures. Within the years since, Rockstar put out an even bigger, higher prequel within the type of Crimson Useless Redemption 2, however conspicuously declined to launch up to date variations of the primary. Now the unique RDR and its zombie DLC are lastly accessible on extra platforms. It’s nonetheless a disgrace we didn’t get a PC port, however at the least now Swap and PS4 house owners can simply play RDR. (Because of Xbox 360 backward compatibility the Xbox One and Sequence X/S have lengthy had entry to a stable model of the sport.)
Crimson Useless Redemption is a stable Swap port
Let’s get to the excellent news: Crimson Useless Redemption on the Nintendo Swap runs very nicely. I wasn’t involved about PS4, as that console is greater than able to dealing with RDR. Nevertheless, I used to be nervous that the growing old Swap, compounded by a probably sloppy porting job, wouldn’t be capable to deal with Rockstar’s large open world. Fortunately, that’s not the case. Taking part in RDR on Swap, in transportable or docked mode, is a effective expertise, with no annoying visible artifacts or frequent efficiency issues. Once I switched to docked mode and used the Swap’s Professional controller, I rapidly forgot I used to be enjoying the 13-year-old open-world western on Nintendo’s console.
Nevertheless it’s not good, and right here’s the place we get to the sticky problem of this port. Sure, RDR runs very nicely more often than not on Swap. Galloping across the desert round Armadillo is okay. However when too many enemies present up, TNT is used, otherwise you go to a really busy space, the framerate can begin to dip a bit. To be clear, this was the case again on the Xbox 360 and PS3, too. The truth is, the Swap appears a tad extra secure than these older variations when evaluating footage. In order that’s good.
But, that is additionally a 13-year-old conversion of a online game that’s lacking all of its on-line options and multiplayer modes. Plus, there are nonetheless indicators that that is an Xbox 360-era sport. Not one of the textures are higher, fashions nonetheless look dated, animations stay jerky at a distance, and so on. RDR nonetheless holds up, due to its implausible artwork design and ambiance—using by a snow-covered forest with the sport’s music quietly fading into the background won’t ever age poorly—however make no mistake: That is nonetheless largely the identical previous sport.
And promoting that previous sport for $50, with no 60fps choice or visible enhancements, feels foolish. Certain, it comes with Undead Nightmare—which is nice and nonetheless a spooky pleasure to play in 2023—however the math most likely gained’t make sense for most folk.
Nevertheless, relaxation assured that in contrast to the rickety and ugly GTA Trilogy remasters, this re-release is identical Crimson Useless Redemption you realize and love, for higher and for worse. Now you simply have the prospect to play it on the bathroom.
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