So, I just finished RDR2 last night. (Or at least reached the epilogue, but I believe my point stands regardless) It took me dozens of hours, all crammed in the short period between the game's release - and the end of the year, where it will be spoiled mercilessly in GOTY conversations.
As somebody who enjoys talking about games as much as playing them, RDR2 has felt like an albatross around my neck all Fall. New games have debuted, and repeatedly I've put them to the side because I wanted to invest enough time into Rex Dead. I've enjoyed damn near all of it a lot, and it's going to be near the top of my GOTY list.
It's a shame, because RDR2 feels like a game that is designed to be savored. You can spent weeks of in-game time between missions, finding new content in the wilderness. The game begs you to take it slow at every opportunity, because that's when it really shines as an open world.
And yet, I rushed. As did many people. So I have to wonder - would RDR2 have been more enjoyable (and more widely enjoyed) - if the game's chapters had been released episodically? Say, one a month from May to November. The full open world would be available to paruse between chapter drops - and players would have been able to establish a pace of play that better fit the game itself.
It's also not just a matter of needing more time. Fear of spoilers has convinced me to sprint through games that have released way earlier in the year. Establishing a set pace of new content would help to put everything on a more manageable schedule, and keep the game fresh. It would also allow Rockstar the ability to make necessary changes as people give their new impressions.
I know episodic release schedules aren't super popular - but I can't help but shake the feeling that it would have made this game far more engaging.
As somebody who enjoys talking about games as much as playing them, RDR2 has felt like an albatross around my neck all Fall. New games have debuted, and repeatedly I've put them to the side because I wanted to invest enough time into Rex Dead. I've enjoyed damn near all of it a lot, and it's going to be near the top of my GOTY list.
It's a shame, because RDR2 feels like a game that is designed to be savored. You can spent weeks of in-game time between missions, finding new content in the wilderness. The game begs you to take it slow at every opportunity, because that's when it really shines as an open world.
And yet, I rushed. As did many people. So I have to wonder - would RDR2 have been more enjoyable (and more widely enjoyed) - if the game's chapters had been released episodically? Say, one a month from May to November. The full open world would be available to paruse between chapter drops - and players would have been able to establish a pace of play that better fit the game itself.
It's also not just a matter of needing more time. Fear of spoilers has convinced me to sprint through games that have released way earlier in the year. Establishing a set pace of new content would help to put everything on a more manageable schedule, and keep the game fresh. It would also allow Rockstar the ability to make necessary changes as people give their new impressions.
I know episodic release schedules aren't super popular - but I can't help but shake the feeling that it would have made this game far more engaging.
