Red Dead Redemption 2 will be home to around 200 species of animals including birds ans fish, all of which will respond to their environment.
To give some examples, Deer, bison and pronghorn traverse the plains in large herds, scavengers quickly sniff out carrion, sockeye salmon leap upstream, wolves attack in packs surrounding their prey, geese fly in fixed formations, possums play dead, rodents scamper into tree hollows, grizzly bears bluff charge when threatened, and birds of prey soar on thermals. I’m picturing a recent Far Cry eco-system in RDR2.
Hunting & Fishing
Hunting and fishing are essential skills for survival in the wilderness, providing food, materials and a source of income. A huge variety of fish swim the many rivers, lakes and streams, and selecting the right bait or lure is key to a successful day’s haul.
Tracking an animal takes focus and patience; move carefully and watch the wind direction or you will alert your prey. Choice of weapon and shot placement are also very important and will affect the quality of the meat and pelt, which in turn affects the price that traders will pay for them. Make sure to pick the right gauge of rifle for the size of animal that you’re hunting, or master the use of the bow for a quiet and clean kill.
After a successful hunt, you can either skin and butcher the animal on the spot or take it with you whole. Just try not to leave it too long or the scavengers will come looking. Skins, parts, meat and entire carcasses can all be loaded onto your horse to be sold to the butchers in town, taken back to camp for the stew pot, or crafted into clothing or other items.
Hunting wildlife provides valuable natural resources like meat, hides and other useful materials. You can sell meat and animal parts to Butchers or General Stores, donate them to your Camp, or use them to cook and craft. For more exotic goods, bring your haul to a Trapper.
Game can be found across a range of habitats. If your first shot is not immediately fatal, your prey will try to escape. Follow clues like blood trails to track it down and you may need to use a mercy kill to end the animal’s suffering.
Selecting the proper weapon is important to the quality and yield from your kill. Bow and arrow is often the optimal weapon of choice for clean kills. Approach prey quietly, cover your scent or stay downwind to make it harder for animals to detect your presence, and use a call to draw its attention before making your fatal strike.
Horses
There are 19 breeds of horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 from Appaloosas and Arabians to Shires to Mustangs, each of which handles differently with its own defined characteristics. Horses can be captured and broken out in the wild, purchased from stables or stolen.
Your horse is your constant companion, and you will rely on them just as heavily as on any of your fellow gang members, so it is important to take good care of your animal. By keeping it groomed and well-fed, you will start to see improvements in stamina, performance and handling and it will become less skittish as the bond grows between you. With 59 different styles of coat, and a huge range of customisable tack, including saddles, horns, stirrups, spurs, you can create a horse that is truly your own.
Your bond with your horse represents trust and understanding. As your bond with your horse grows over time and through activities like feeding and grooming, your horse’s attributes like its health and speed will improve. You will also unlock bonding perks and rewards.
Store weapons, outfits, masks and hats in your horse’s saddle. You can also stow fresh kills – birds and small game can be attached to the saddle or you can store larger game across your horse’s rear.
This is just the first segment blog post from Rockstar Games on next month’s Red Dead Redemption 2, so I’m really looking forward to reading more.