They said Arthur changed them – made them more empathetic, made them think about the footprint they’ll leave when they’re gone, made them think about what their actions mean to their legacy and the world around them – and I wanted to understand how Rockstar did this. Seasoned gamers said they’d never felt so deeply for a protagonist in their lives. I found myself completely engrossed with Arthur’s worldview, and when I looked online, I saw that others who played the game felt the same way. ![]() The gang matters to you as a player because they matter to Arthur. His fears are your fears, his anger your anger, his joy your joy. Arthur had personality, but the way he’s written encourages the player to sink into his mind. On the other hand, I loved John Marston because he was a character with a ton of personality built in – often, it felt like I was watching a movie, just maneuvering John from scene to scene.īut Arthur was different. It’s my story and the protagonists are a vehicle for me to explore the world. I love Bioware games because the characters can be whoever I want them to be. When I play video games, I generally enjoy my protagonists. It’s about what Arthur taught me about protagonist writing, empathy, and the tough nuance of redemption. It’s about the characters, and especially Arthur Morgan himself. Redemption is something John hoped he could earn it’s something Arthur hopes to give to someone else.īut this post isn’t about the plot of Red Dead (even though I could talk about the brilliance of the plot all day). Arthur’s found family is falling apart as they run from the law and from their fate, and Arthur’s only got a few months to do something good that will outlast him. Due to some unforeseen circumstances (contracting tuberculosis, a terminal illness that gives him a time-limit) he wonders if he can redeem himself. But unlike John, Arthur wonders if there’s a place for him in the new world at all. And Arthur, like John, is approaching a world that doesn’t want outlaws anymore. ![]() Instead of seeing the world through John’s eyes, we follow the gang’s enforcer and sole-provider, Arthur Morgan.Īrthur, like John, has a lot to atone for. This John isn’t on his redemption track yet. John Marston, RDR1’s protagonist, is in the gang but he’s a younger, wilder John. We follow them through what feels like a thousand jobs gone wrong. Since it’s a prequel, we start in 1899 following the Van der Linde gang as they retreat from Pinkertons after a failed ferry heist. Red Dead Redemption 2, the game I’ve been talking about obsessively, has a similar theme. Along the way, John is redeeming himself for the things he’s done in the past and trying to make a world his son can grow up in. Marston has been forced by government agents to hunt down the old members of his outlaw gang – the Van der Linde gang - in order to gain his family’s freedom. I’ve never played Red Dead Revolver, so I’m going to skip right to Red Dead Redemption 1, which takes place in 1911 following a man named John Marston. The thesis of all three games is that the Wild West era is coming to an end, and the time of outlaws is almost over. The Red Dead franchise is a series of games that takes place in a re-imagined American West between 1890-1915. For those of you haven’t played and don’t plan to, here’s a quick recap: WARNING – this post is going to include copious spoilers for RDR2. It offers almost-total immersion (and can be played as a farm simulator, a hunting simulator, a fashion simulator, you name it), a six-part plot with a lengthy epilogue, characters in major roles from diverse backgrounds, graphics to die for, killer voice acting, etc. Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 is incredible for a number of reasons. In April 2019, I played a video game that changed the entire way I thought about writing characters. The one I think a whole two people will care about. I'm just a nerd hoarding knowledge hoping to share what I've learned and be heard.Here it is: the blog post I’ve been wanting to write for months. I use writing as an avenue-an excuse to explore aspects of life and the world that I wouldn't normally be able to. Doom far more than the Fantastic 4 or something on what it's like to be a millennial who's aged out of the foster care system. My writing is likely to reflect my curiosity at any given point, which can mean anything from an article on why the MCU needs Dr. I follow my interests and let my passions guide my voice. On the freelance side of things, I tend to focus on entertainment, geek culture, vegan living, and Los Angeles culture. ![]() Stories are what interest me and writing has always been how I express that. Stories and Storytelling have been my passions for as long as I can remember, whether it's the stories written about superheroes, villains, or just people living in this world doing incredible and meaningful things. I am a freelance writer and an amateur human being.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |