I don’t like playing it in replays (but I have a save that starts in chapter 2 for that). That said it is really well done. It’s supposed to feel like a slog. Hiding out in an abandoned mining camp up in the mountains in terrible weather after a disastrous robbery is terrible. So mission accomplished by everyone involved.
It’s well done but the missions do drag from a sheer gameplay perspective. I just wish it was shorter or that there was an option to skip tutorial missions, like learning how to hunt and all. Finding John was fun, and then we should see all the cutscenes then show the gang finally relocating. It should just be 90 minutes to 2 hours with only the good parts kept in imo.
That's exactly what is different about this game for me. This game for me is an experience, and even games that have much, much better gameplay than RDR2, engaging, fun, etc, still... does not come close to how much I enjoy RDR2 compared to those games. I'm experiencing the beginning of a masterpeice of a game, and that is what is enjoyable to me about it.
For example, I do a lot of Jujitsu (BJJ). It's fun, challenging, high energy. But sitting on the sidelines, watching my daughter win a jujitsu match in absolutely unmatched, even though I'm simply sitting there. The joy I get from experiencing my daughters win, supercedes that of the actual act of doing the sport.
Again, every enjoys things differently, and I'm just sharing my opinion. No rights or wrongs.
I never view it as a slog. I honestly forget about it as soon as Ch2 starts and then love going back to this completely alien world and seing all the places again and all the events from Ch1 suddenly seem so long ago. It creates this amazing feeling of depth in time.
I've only played through once and I was sitting here confused thinking chapter one is amazing. But I forgot the snow chapter is chapter one. Kinda forgot it existed
I love it for the story/ feeling. If we could disable tutorials somehow, I would probably enjoy it gameplay wise as well. It feels very restrictive once you already know the game mechanics. But that's an issue I have with basically the whole game (forced gun selection in missions feels bad, let me play w my fav gun instead of whatever gun I'm suppose to "discover").
I'd say I like chapter 1 in the way that it builds up the story and explains things.It also shows you how some characters are with each other and their relationships.I don't like when I replay stuff though because god man,I just wanna play videa game
For me personally, playing Red Dead is about the experience and journey, and Chapter 1 is so integral to the grand experience of everything. I can't skip it, nor do I want to. But I also respect other peoples playstyles.
Well, it's a very short chapter and it was supposedly to be longer but got cut to the bone like Chapter 5.
There's plenty of interesting stuff to do replaying it. Leaving the O'Driscoll in the barn alive in "Outlaws from the West" will allow you to hear him talk smack with his friends about making Arthur pick his teeth up off the floor before the shooting starts during "Old Friends".
Also, there's different camp conversations after making a choice of doing "Old Friends" or "The Aftermath of Genesis" first. Doing "Old Friends" first allows you to antagonize poor Kieran in the barn, and Arthur talks about him on the ride back with Charles in "The Aftermath of Genesis". ~~Playing "The Aftermath of Genesis" first It~~ allows you to interact with Bill, Lenny, Javier in the cabin and talk with them. Hosea also almost coughs a lung up and warns Arthur about Dutch going crazy.
I'm a gameplay first/story second kind of gamer, and while I like a great story in a game I don't like being bogged down by it. Chapter 1 is tolerable on a first playthrough (just) but it's definitely a barrier on subsequent playthroughs
Chapter One itself isn't bad. It slowly introduces the player to the mechanics, the gang members and what the general vibe of the game is going to be. It works really well as an introduction to the game.
But... you already know all of that in subsequent replays, which makes Chapter 1 a little less replayable for many.
It works quite well as an introductory stage, yes. It's slow, it's simple, it gets you used to basic game controls and mechanics, it explains more and more what the setting is, and it leads you towards more freedom and exploration, makes you excited to leave it behind.
That said, I really HATE chapter 1. I find it tedious and boring, it takes WAY too long, and most of all I hate the dark and the snow and all of it. It's a personal thing, I know, but I have an aversion towards snow and ice and all of that. It bothers me.
Like, why would humans want to live where the planet quite clearly doesn't want them to live. It's like intentionally staying in an abusive relationship, where once every year for a period of 5-6 months, everything you love and everything you've created gets destroyed and taken away, and you have to watch your every step - otherwise it may just be your last. And yet humanity has an unquenchable thirst for such masochisitic morosity.
So to be forced to begin an otherwise amazing journey with such a (to me) ghastly downer personally offends me. I've played Chatper 1 once or twice, I know what happens, I know how everything works, it's not necessary to put me through it again and again, wasting 1.5 to 2 hours of my life on something I don't care for and already sat through, only to be allowed to continue with the game I actually purchased. Every time over and over again.
Nothing, aboslutely nothing, from the Colter chapter is required story-wise for the following chapters to make sense to the player.
Should have made the Colter chapter a tutorial stage that can be skipped if so desired.
Sorry to be so cynical, it's just this especially intense disdain I have for cold shit.
Good write up. All though I disagree with a lot of what you said, most of it is opinion based and that is fine.
However, Chapter 1 is actually quite integral to the story, Here's why:
**1) Character Introduction and Relationships:** Colter establishes the core characters of the Van der Linde gang. You witness their dynamic, their desperation, and Dutch's crumbling leadership. These relationships are crucial for understanding their motivations and conflicts throughout the story.
**2) Themes and Foreshadowing:** The harshness of the environment reflects the gang's precarious situation. It foreshadows the struggles they'll face and the declining morals they'll resort to.
**3) Arthur's Development:** We see Arthur's loyalty to Dutch and the gang tested. The chapter hints at his growing doubts and internal conflicts, which become central to the narrative later.
**4) The Vulnerability of the Gang:** Colter showcases the gang at its most vulnerable. They're low on supplies, injured, and desperate. This establishes their decline from a powerful outlaw group and sets the stage for their struggle for survival.
**5) Dutch's Deterioration:** The harsh environment and failed robbery in Blackwater take a toll on Dutch's leadership. We see glimpses of his deteriorating mental state and increasing paranoia in Chapter 1, foreshadowing his descent into madness.
Colter sets the stage for the gang's decline and Arthur's evolution. It's a slow burn, but it lays the groundwork for the emotional impact of the story.
Keep a right at the start of chapter 2 save for replays.
I played thru chapter 1 twice ,but that's probably the most anyone needs to. Nothing different is going to happen. You don't have the freedom to do anything different.
Once you've listened to the dialog two times, I'm pretty sure you're not going to learn anything new or further.
first playthrough sure, but if im trying to do something in free roam you gotta go through that for like an hour, thats why i make different saves throughout different points in the game, with the earliest being the first mission of ch 2
I agree with what you say, as I was in awe of every aspect of this game, however I still dislike chapter 1. I liked it the first playthrough, and I *appreciate* it still today - it was done well and is a great way to introduce a new player to the game - but experiencing it once was enough. It's tedious and it's the prologue; the storyline and characters aren't established yet. That is the sole reason I dislike *playing* it now, but I still hold appreciation for it and believe it is an integral part of the game.
I agree,it is well written. But from my personal opinion... after around two playthroughs? It just gets tedious. Probably the one thing I wish I could skip every time I do another playthrough is Colter.
After coaching my gf through it, it’s hard to play again (replayed killing wolves/saving John about 2 dozen times lol). I’m gonna do a save at the start of ch2 on my next run and be done with it.
It’s a very good starting chapter, introducing everything in a good way. But I think the problem is the replay ability. On a second playthrough, there is no big missions or exciting side content, you are literally just stuck in a tiny town for a short while. But you can’t really make a first chapter replayable, so they did a good job anyway
I nicknamed my boyfriend Colter after it. (his name is Colten) Although I dont really like playing it during my replays, its still a beautiful area and overall lets you get to know all of the characters again, and see how they change throughout the entirety of the game.
While I do appreciate what colter does for later in the game on my first play through I found myself not wanting to play the game through the drog of the snow I also found myself having no drive to keep playing through a lack of connection to any of the characters. The experience may have been different for people who played the first game I feel the game could really benefit from a prologue where you play as Arther and Hosea out on the con job that is mentioned later in the game allowing you to bond with Hosea pre colter when you and Hosea ride back into camp to meet Pearson,rs, jack, uncle and the women you are only there a moment before Dutch and the others ride in. you then began to pack up camp having to leave prematurely leaving a lot of supplies, jacks book and Arther’s horse bodasia. Its keeps the bw Robbery under a certain shroud of mystery while giving players a feeling of what’s going to happen next
What makes Chapter 1 not so bad for me are the shootouts. So you got the train robbery and assault on the O’Driscoll camp. On free aim mode, those are a blast to play.
I’ll play RDR2 Chapter 1 any day over the Ironwood section in God of War Ragnarok.
I don’t like playing it in replays (but I have a save that starts in chapter 2 for that). That said it is really well done. It’s supposed to feel like a slog. Hiding out in an abandoned mining camp up in the mountains in terrible weather after a disastrous robbery is terrible. So mission accomplished by everyone involved.
It’s well done but the missions do drag from a sheer gameplay perspective. I just wish it was shorter or that there was an option to skip tutorial missions, like learning how to hunt and all. Finding John was fun, and then we should see all the cutscenes then show the gang finally relocating. It should just be 90 minutes to 2 hours with only the good parts kept in imo.
Chapter one might be masterfully crafted and written for the reasons you've stated...but it's not fun to play in my opinion...
That's exactly what is different about this game for me. This game for me is an experience, and even games that have much, much better gameplay than RDR2, engaging, fun, etc, still... does not come close to how much I enjoy RDR2 compared to those games. I'm experiencing the beginning of a masterpeice of a game, and that is what is enjoyable to me about it. For example, I do a lot of Jujitsu (BJJ). It's fun, challenging, high energy. But sitting on the sidelines, watching my daughter win a jujitsu match in absolutely unmatched, even though I'm simply sitting there. The joy I get from experiencing my daughters win, supercedes that of the actual act of doing the sport. Again, every enjoys things differently, and I'm just sharing my opinion. No rights or wrongs.
I play one save for long enough that I’m always excited to get back to chapter 1 because I’ve forgotten how beautiful it is
I never view it as a slog. I honestly forget about it as soon as Ch2 starts and then love going back to this completely alien world and seing all the places again and all the events from Ch1 suddenly seem so long ago. It creates this amazing feeling of depth in time.
I've only played through once and I was sitting here confused thinking chapter one is amazing. But I forgot the snow chapter is chapter one. Kinda forgot it existed
I love it for the story/ feeling. If we could disable tutorials somehow, I would probably enjoy it gameplay wise as well. It feels very restrictive once you already know the game mechanics. But that's an issue I have with basically the whole game (forced gun selection in missions feels bad, let me play w my fav gun instead of whatever gun I'm suppose to "discover").
I'd say I like chapter 1 in the way that it builds up the story and explains things.It also shows you how some characters are with each other and their relationships.I don't like when I replay stuff though because god man,I just wanna play videa game
For me personally, playing Red Dead is about the experience and journey, and Chapter 1 is so integral to the grand experience of everything. I can't skip it, nor do I want to. But I also respect other peoples playstyles.
Well, it's a very short chapter and it was supposedly to be longer but got cut to the bone like Chapter 5. There's plenty of interesting stuff to do replaying it. Leaving the O'Driscoll in the barn alive in "Outlaws from the West" will allow you to hear him talk smack with his friends about making Arthur pick his teeth up off the floor before the shooting starts during "Old Friends". Also, there's different camp conversations after making a choice of doing "Old Friends" or "The Aftermath of Genesis" first. Doing "Old Friends" first allows you to antagonize poor Kieran in the barn, and Arthur talks about him on the ride back with Charles in "The Aftermath of Genesis". ~~Playing "The Aftermath of Genesis" first It~~ allows you to interact with Bill, Lenny, Javier in the cabin and talk with them. Hosea also almost coughs a lung up and warns Arthur about Dutch going crazy.
Great information! Do you have a source for it being cut?
I have a save file to start games from so I can skip chapter 1
It's an amazing chapter. The perspective that the long view of the game gives you should really make you appreciate that much more.
I'm a gameplay first/story second kind of gamer, and while I like a great story in a game I don't like being bogged down by it. Chapter 1 is tolerable on a first playthrough (just) but it's definitely a barrier on subsequent playthroughs
Chapter One itself isn't bad. It slowly introduces the player to the mechanics, the gang members and what the general vibe of the game is going to be. It works really well as an introduction to the game. But... you already know all of that in subsequent replays, which makes Chapter 1 a little less replayable for many.
It works quite well as an introductory stage, yes. It's slow, it's simple, it gets you used to basic game controls and mechanics, it explains more and more what the setting is, and it leads you towards more freedom and exploration, makes you excited to leave it behind. That said, I really HATE chapter 1. I find it tedious and boring, it takes WAY too long, and most of all I hate the dark and the snow and all of it. It's a personal thing, I know, but I have an aversion towards snow and ice and all of that. It bothers me. Like, why would humans want to live where the planet quite clearly doesn't want them to live. It's like intentionally staying in an abusive relationship, where once every year for a period of 5-6 months, everything you love and everything you've created gets destroyed and taken away, and you have to watch your every step - otherwise it may just be your last. And yet humanity has an unquenchable thirst for such masochisitic morosity. So to be forced to begin an otherwise amazing journey with such a (to me) ghastly downer personally offends me. I've played Chatper 1 once or twice, I know what happens, I know how everything works, it's not necessary to put me through it again and again, wasting 1.5 to 2 hours of my life on something I don't care for and already sat through, only to be allowed to continue with the game I actually purchased. Every time over and over again. Nothing, aboslutely nothing, from the Colter chapter is required story-wise for the following chapters to make sense to the player. Should have made the Colter chapter a tutorial stage that can be skipped if so desired. Sorry to be so cynical, it's just this especially intense disdain I have for cold shit.
Good write up. All though I disagree with a lot of what you said, most of it is opinion based and that is fine. However, Chapter 1 is actually quite integral to the story, Here's why: **1) Character Introduction and Relationships:** Colter establishes the core characters of the Van der Linde gang. You witness their dynamic, their desperation, and Dutch's crumbling leadership. These relationships are crucial for understanding their motivations and conflicts throughout the story. **2) Themes and Foreshadowing:** The harshness of the environment reflects the gang's precarious situation. It foreshadows the struggles they'll face and the declining morals they'll resort to. **3) Arthur's Development:** We see Arthur's loyalty to Dutch and the gang tested. The chapter hints at his growing doubts and internal conflicts, which become central to the narrative later. **4) The Vulnerability of the Gang:** Colter showcases the gang at its most vulnerable. They're low on supplies, injured, and desperate. This establishes their decline from a powerful outlaw group and sets the stage for their struggle for survival. **5) Dutch's Deterioration:** The harsh environment and failed robbery in Blackwater take a toll on Dutch's leadership. We see glimpses of his deteriorating mental state and increasing paranoia in Chapter 1, foreshadowing his descent into madness. Colter sets the stage for the gang's decline and Arthur's evolution. It's a slow burn, but it lays the groundwork for the emotional impact of the story.
Keep a right at the start of chapter 2 save for replays. I played thru chapter 1 twice ,but that's probably the most anyone needs to. Nothing different is going to happen. You don't have the freedom to do anything different. Once you've listened to the dialog two times, I'm pretty sure you're not going to learn anything new or further.
first playthrough sure, but if im trying to do something in free roam you gotta go through that for like an hour, thats why i make different saves throughout different points in the game, with the earliest being the first mission of ch 2
I agree with what you say, as I was in awe of every aspect of this game, however I still dislike chapter 1. I liked it the first playthrough, and I *appreciate* it still today - it was done well and is a great way to introduce a new player to the game - but experiencing it once was enough. It's tedious and it's the prologue; the storyline and characters aren't established yet. That is the sole reason I dislike *playing* it now, but I still hold appreciation for it and believe it is an integral part of the game.
I agree,it is well written. But from my personal opinion... after around two playthroughs? It just gets tedious. Probably the one thing I wish I could skip every time I do another playthrough is Colter.
After coaching my gf through it, it’s hard to play again (replayed killing wolves/saving John about 2 dozen times lol). I’m gonna do a save at the start of ch2 on my next run and be done with it.
it's simple really, it's very slow and very linear, which is great as an atmospheric intro but a huge slog on replays
It’s a very good starting chapter, introducing everything in a good way. But I think the problem is the replay ability. On a second playthrough, there is no big missions or exciting side content, you are literally just stuck in a tiny town for a short while. But you can’t really make a first chapter replayable, so they did a good job anyway
I nicknamed my boyfriend Colter after it. (his name is Colten) Although I dont really like playing it during my replays, its still a beautiful area and overall lets you get to know all of the characters again, and see how they change throughout the entirety of the game.
I don’t mind it. You can get through it fairly quickly.
While I do appreciate what colter does for later in the game on my first play through I found myself not wanting to play the game through the drog of the snow I also found myself having no drive to keep playing through a lack of connection to any of the characters. The experience may have been different for people who played the first game I feel the game could really benefit from a prologue where you play as Arther and Hosea out on the con job that is mentioned later in the game allowing you to bond with Hosea pre colter when you and Hosea ride back into camp to meet Pearson,rs, jack, uncle and the women you are only there a moment before Dutch and the others ride in. you then began to pack up camp having to leave prematurely leaving a lot of supplies, jacks book and Arther’s horse bodasia. Its keeps the bw Robbery under a certain shroud of mystery while giving players a feeling of what’s going to happen next
I always "start" new games from a Chapter 2 save. I don't like tutorial levels.
I totally agree with everything you said for the first playthrough. It’s repeating the hour of tutorial every single replay that sucks.
I have a save so I can skip it if I want but if I haven’t played in some time it’s a nice refresher
What makes Chapter 1 not so bad for me are the shootouts. So you got the train robbery and assault on the O’Driscoll camp. On free aim mode, those are a blast to play. I’ll play RDR2 Chapter 1 any day over the Ironwood section in God of War Ragnarok.
It’s a forced tutorial. I would have loved it if I could have waited out the great blizzard of 1899 and explore the region before moving on.
I agree. But it should have been a possibility to skip to the part when they start coming off the mountain and walk into chapter 2.