Despite taking around 4 hours to figure out how to get this game to launch in 1920x1080p, this is far and beyond one of the best RPG games I have ever played - and the best "Star Wars" branded product I have consumed (recency bias, probably). I found a guide on YouTube with about 400 views regarding how to boot the game on Windows 10 - it sounds like a simple procedure, but I promise you it was equivalent to solving a rubik's cube while skydiving, and trying to shave your back - a challenge only gamers could overcome. The video guide consisted of homeboy blasting Paralyzer by Finger Eleven in the background while communicating through notepad, so I had no choice but to trust him. But to my surprise, his method worked (even if I had to boot my game around 25 times each session before it "worked").

Anyways, I am not one of you greasy basement dwellers that will go into intense detail regarding the *perhaps* dated game-play mechanics along with the dated graphics... and the lack of romance scenes involving Bastila (there are none, go back to Mass Effect). BUT I will say, even with all the issues I ran into; the age of the game (no steam overlay, crashing constantly, dated graphics), Carth swearing to murder my first born child for a good 3/4 of the game because he doesn't "trust" me or whatever, spending my entire inter-galactic Jedi pension fund on medpacs, arguing with Jawas, being able to make dinner, eat it, and clean up before I am done the underwater section on Manaan - this game is phenomenal.

Even if you are not a Star Wars fan, the story of KOTOR is set (I believe) a couple thousand years before the events of Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, so there is a lot of background information before the main line Star Wars productions. And let me tell ya, this game will make you despise the Disney trilogy even more, including that awful "Star Wars: Rise of Everyone Who Has Ever Existed in the Star Wars Universe Ever" movie - Finn had immense potential and instead they just had him yell at Rey throughout the entire series. Anyways, the story in KOTOR is not as cliche as one may anticipate, and anything that may seem goofy in the moment, is explained very well in the future. The depth of dialogue, the choices you are able to make as an autonomous individual in the universe, the strategy involved in combat and player creation are all elements that are far past their time. And that is without mentioning the diversity of planets, characters and challeneges (combat and non-combat related) that the player interacts with, constantly keeping the game feeling fres-...[something is bothering Carth. Maybe you should speak to him and see if you can get him to open up about it.]

My time is up, I have to engage in another round of Carth hurting my feelings because he's insecure.

This games gets a YANKEE WIT NO BRIM RATING.

If you are browsing reviews, screenshots, YouTube content, or any variation of the stated to justify buying/playing this game - stop, it is absolutely worth it to experience this game.

Do not read, watch, or hear about this game further. Just play it, and I promise your standard of narrative-driven games will change for the better.

Red Dead Redemption has long been my favorite video game since I was a young greenhorn, and Red Dead Redemption II pays no disservice to it's predecessor. In fact, RDR2 improves upon everything RDR had originally established for the 'Wild Western' RPG genre, and places itself in an echelon occupied by no other - due in large part to it's incredible story.

I am not a certified Rockstar Bootlicker in that, I do see the quarrels many may have with RDR2. The "Intro" sequence is about as long as your first day at a new job. A 9-5 is a bit different than playing as Arthur Morgan, but these are just formalities. Many like to classify the introductory sequence as simply the first chapter, however, I believe the introduction to stretch from the beginning of the game all the way to the conclusion of the second chapter. There is extensive dialogue between your gang members, understanding the dynamic between gang members (and specifically with the leader, Dutch van der Linde), establishment of threats to you and your gang, and most importantly, the world-building of a United States that is pushing it's laws and regulations westward - essentially abolishing the once well-know reality of a 'Wild West' filled with outlaws and vast landscapes ripe for free civilization entering the new millennia.

The gameplay is very linear. There is virtually no flexibility in achieving a given task. For example, in a mission hijacking documents from an Oil tycoon, you need to sneak to get the documents. But there is only one way to sneak regardless of the seemingly multitude of routes at your disposal. In a game as large as RDR2, that can be disappointing.

The "hand-holding" of in-game prompts and checkpoints might be an issue for some (move to horse, press X to mount horse, press Y to tell him he's a good boy, press X twice to pat him on the head and give him a carrot, press forward on the joystick to move the horse, move to the saloon, get off your horse, press O to tell your horse you will be back, walk to the saloon, ETC), but I think it is important to understand that this concern is probably raised by people who game often and game across many genres. The issue I have with "casual" gameplay mechanics, is when they compromise the experience: Fallout 4 is a game that compromises the experience in favor of catering to a casual audience. If it's any consolation, RDR2 is definitely a departure from Rockstar titles of yesteryear (Vice City's "Demolition Man" is the closest I have been, as a rational human being, to putting a hole through my wall) - but I believe it is a welcome one, and one that should perhaps be suppressed manually somehow for the seasoned gamer boy$ out there.

That being said, those are the only complaints I can see arising from this masterpiece. The long "intro", the "hand-holding" of certain mechanics, they all pave the way for my favorite video game of all time. The reason I hold RDR in such high regard is because there is no other game like it. Before RDR, and after RDR (until the second game came out), there was no video game willing to take on the Wild West. This is because, once the novelty of shootin' bandits and root toot tootin' around on your horse wears off, there really is not much without a story. Without a sophisticated, well-developed story that includes; flushed out characters, an interesting protagonist that has tangible goals and an imperfect structure, an amazing soundtrack, memorable set pieces, and diverse locations - the excitement of a 'Wild West' setting wears off quickly. RDR2 in it's 50+ hour campaign accomplishes all that and a can of beans. It is not simply a video game, it's a multi-season TV series that leaves you wanting more at the conclusion of each chapter. Arthur Morgan is the star of the show, and rightfully so. He's an imperfect character that struggles between doing what is best for him, and doing what is best for his fellow gang members. To avoid any explicit spoilers, Arthur's battle to do what is best for him, always plays second fiddle to what is best for his fellow gang members. The story as a whole fits perfectly in the RDR series and provides substantial background on the trials and the tribulations of the Dutch van der Linde gang, and what led to it's fall, and the actions of John Marston in the first game to exact revenge upon some of his former gang members in exchange for a life with his family.

Arthur's journal is a fantastic tool to add anecdotal input, and summarize the events of the story.

The soundtrack compliments this turbulent story perfectly, and although I am still torn on which soundtrack I prefer between RDR and RDR2, Rockstar is incredible in sound design and installing a score that accompanies every moment - happy or sad - perfectly. The gameplay is great. The shooting, the horseback riding, the participating in activities, dead eye, interacting with strangers, and when you are riding your horse at full speed evading the law while being shadowed by the score of the game, it is just full of the eXaGgeRaTed sWaGgEr of a wise cowboy looking to seize upon the dying opportunities of the Wild West. But for all that is fair, why can't Arthur run in camp? Instead of being able to run in camp, Arthur can only angrily-speed-walk with the posture of someone who needs to desperately reach the washroom, why is this Rockstar? I embark on my constipated jaunt to ask Dutch what he needs, and then Reverend Swanson comes up to me crying in his pyjamas that he does not want to drink anymore, with a drink in his hand, making this journey from my horse to a tent 10 yards away infinitely more painful. These are minor complaints, and for the record, I'd much rather have Reverend Swanson than Roman Bellic.

Also - I don't understand the specific motivations behind including New Austin into the RDR2 map, but I can absolutely say it's welcome one. It's very odd considering there is ?maybe? two story missions that go into New Austin, but it was surreal to roam the landscape of the first game with the technology of the second game. I had a strange gamer moment experience typa-thing roaming the landscape of New Austin, visiting familiar towns and even familiar rock structures from the first game. It's barren, and rather large and lonely with nothing to do, but it was comfortable, nostalgic and beautiful. Don't clown me.

I only write reviews if I truly believe it's worth my time to write them, and worth your time to read them... eh, I guess the latter is still up for discussion. Anyways, I promise you will not be disappointed hitting download on this gigantic 500 million gigabyte video game, you may even have a chance to start a family and become a "casual" consumer before this game is done downloading. Regardless, It's a unique game in that, I don't see myself ever replaying it. Not because it's not a game worthy of replaying, but because it's an emotional experience that is rivaled by no other. It gripped me from start to finish, and has further established an unattainable standard of story-driven games that I will unjustly compare to every game I play in the future. "Great" games may now seem "good" to me in wake of playing RDR2. It is my favorite game I have ever played, and I urge you to find out if the case is the same for you.

Don't play the online, it's not worth your time right now to grind 50 hours for a new braid on your mule, spend that time in single-player, nerd.

Now, I think I'm off to 2077 to see what that holds for me, and for the well-being of my computer. That's just the way it is cowboy, giddy-up boah.

Yee (and I can't stress this enough) Haw / 10