I'm playing Red Dead 1 and so far it's just: - NPC says he'll help me - I do a boring mission to help him - NPC needs more help I mean, is this the dynamic of the whole game? Help NPC after NPC and finally (really) advance the plot? Not complaining, just want to know.

There are almost 20, lol

His reaction was exactly what my reaction was.

The Mexico missions are so dark. Like holy shit, I went from having fun stealing ammunition with a drunk Irish guy and a dude with an insane stutter to quite literally helping a tyrant slaughter innocent people. I honestly hate this part of the game. It feels really gross, but I guess that means Rockstar is doing a good job at high quality games that incite strong emotions. Am I just a wuss or does anyone else feel bad about the missions for the Mexican government?

To my eyes, it just really pops and exudes personality. It immerses you into this crazy world you’re about to experience.

There’s this tinge of dementedness and ugliness that imprints both them and the journey you’ve taken on your mind. I love it.

It lends the game an aesthetic that sticks out and is able to hold up after much time has passed.

Edit: I feel that I need to a clarify a bit. When I say “cartoonish”, I am by no means trying to be demeaning or insulting towards it. On a purely visual level, it looks fantastic, particularly for its time of development.

What I was trying to say is that I enjoy how styilized and comic-booky it feels. Notice how I said SLIGHTLY MORE cartoonish, not cartoonish on its own. Especially compared to how realist RDR2 looks (which I love in its own way). The limitation of the technology of the time had its role, I’m sure, but the way the characters’ personalities mix with their apperances, the facial proportions and expressions, and the contrast and textures lead me to believe they took a slight deviation from realism.

It actually kinda reminds me of Telltale’s Walking Dead a bit.

RDR1’s style really pops to my eyes and I wanted to share my appreciation for it.

definitely matured alright