Red Dead Redemption 2: Beginner's Guide

Getting Started in Red Dead Redemption 2

The game opens in the snow-covered mountains of Ambarino with a slow introduction to movement, combat and survival. Once the gang makes camp, take time to talk to gang members and explore nearby. You control Arthur Morgan for most of the game, and the epilogue (1907) follows John Marston (Wikipedia). Your Honor, horse bond and Dead Eye all develop as you play, so there is no need to rush.

Core Mechanics to Master

Dead Eye slows time so you can mark targets and then fire at them in quick succession. Press R3 while aiming to trigger it (per Fextralife). Fextralife describes three levels: at Level 1 there is no marking, only slowed time; at Level 2 you mark targets by aiming at them; and at Level 3 you mark by hovering the crosshair and can see enemy weak points. Other guides describe the levels slightly differently, so check the in-game description. The meter drains while active and refills over time; tonics and consumables change how fast.

Horses have four bonding levels, and a higher bond gives the horse more stamina and health, makes it easier to call and calmer on difficult terrain, and unlocks maneuvers such as rearing (Level 2), skid stops (Level 3) and the piaffe and drift (Level 4). You raise it by feeding (do not overfeed), grooming, reassuring the horse with L3 and riding well. Check progress under Player, Horse, Bonding in the pause menu (Fextralife).

Best Early Goals

Satchel upgrades are crafted by Pearson once you buy his leatherworking tools ($225 per RDR2.org). RDR2.org lists seven upgrades (Valuables, Materials, Provisions, Kit, Ingredients, Tonics and Legend of the East). Each needs a perfect deer hide plus other perfect-quality pelts or skins, and each has its own unlock requirement, such as donating $50 for the Valuables satchel or upgrading the Provisions wagon twice for the Provisions satchel. The Legend of the East satchel needs all the others and raises capacity to 99 for most item categories. In Story Mode the White Arabian can be found wild near Lake Isabella in Grizzlies West (Ambarino) and tamed; it cannot be bought (GTABase).

Essential Tips

1. Explore and talk to strangers. Many side encounters are optional and start from map markers or chance meetings.
2. Watch your Honor. Helping strangers and sparing opponents raise it, theft and harming innocents lower it (Wikipedia).
3. Keep perfect pelts until you have decided which satchel upgrades to craft.
4. Bond with one horse. Bond progress is per horse.

Early Story Set-piece: Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern

The raid on Braithwaite Manor is the story mission "Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern", given by Dutch. Jack Marston goes missing, the gang suspects the Braithwaites and rides to their manor, near Clemens Point and Scarlett Meadows. Fextralife lists these gold-medal objectives: headshot Gareth and Gerald Braithwaite, get 20 headshots, finish with at least 85% accuracy and without health items. A shotgun helps clear the ground floor, and you help John push the balcony doors open because a cabinet blocks them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is RDR2 too slow?
A: The pacing is deliberate. Players who engage with the world and its characters tend to enjoy it more than those wanting a fast action game.

Q: Do I need to play Red Dead Redemption 1 first?
A: No. RDR2 is a prequel and its story stands on its own; the first game adds context for the epilogue.

Q: Is there DLC?
A: No story DLC. Red Dead Online got free title updates, and Rockstar said in July 2022 it would receive no more major updates (Wikipedia).