It is no secret thatRed Dead Redemption 3would have to be a seriously detailed, comprehensive, and intriguing game to share the name with its predecessors, should it ever release. With its predecessors being lauded for the level of intricacy that was steeped throughout their core gameplay, a possible threequel may have to turn to its motifs and narrative to set itself apart from other games in the franchise.
With this in mind, there may be a perfect opportunity forRed Dead Redemption 3to fully embrace “Weird West” elements in a way that the franchise has never before. From aliens to zombies,Red Dead 3may be able to hone in on the more wacky elements of a western settting in a truly detailed way, while still maintaining the overarching serious tones that have made the franchise so successful. Of course, prior games have included smaller elements like this, but there’s certainly a case to double down on them.
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The widerRed Dead Redemptionfranchise has historically been no stranger to more supernatural elements even within its core narratives, with the"stranger" missions ofRed Dead 1andRDR2often pertaining to wacky and inexplicable happenings. The firstRed Dead Redemptionperhaps represents a franchise peak in the embracing of these particular motifs, primarily via the successful release of its non-canon DLCUndead Nightmare.
Undead Nightmaresees the map and core characters ofRed Dead Redemptionembroiled in a devastating zombie apocalypse, with playersreprising the role of John Marstonwho is in search of a cure for his wife and son. With mythical creatures also appearing around the map as a part of the DLC, Rockstar clearly usedUndead Nightmareas its main creative outlet for Weird West themes, to great critical reception among the franchise’s fan base.
The more recentRed Dead Redemption 2also explored these themes, albeit to a lesser extent. WithUFO Easter eggsand the pseudo-confirmation of time travel via side missions, a clear precedent has been set throughout theRed Deadfranchise of utilizing Weird West elements, which should be employed in its most holistic form forRed Dead Redemption 3.
With the increased scale thatRed Dead Redemption 3will most likely possess, a perfect opportunity would be present within the potential title for the franchise’s Weird West elements to be significantly boosted. It is no secret that many fans have voiced theirdisappointment regarding the lack of outlandish DLC forRed Dead 2akin to the aforementionedUndead Nightmare, with the main Weird West happenings within the newer title being limited to smaller-scale encounters within the main game. This can be seen, for example, in the existence of the giant and the Saint Denis vampire, but these are so limited that they are mere footnotes in the game.
Of course,Red Dead Redemption 3would also be wanting to maintain the seriousness and grounded reality of its own campaign in the same way thatRDR2did. However, this potential sequel should pool significant resources once again into more interesting side content and post-launch DLC to provide over-the-top and outlandish gameplay experiences with Weird West elements. Many fans have been vocal in their desire for a sequel toUndead Nightmare, but aRed Dead Redemption 3could tie more complex side quests and interesting storylines involving aliens, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, mad scientists, human experiments, and much, much more—instead of just teasing fans with them.
With howpopular the likes ofUndead Nightmarewas among fans, it is clear to see where the confusion regarding an absence of similar expansions inRDR2stemmed from. When considering this, it is clear thatRed Dead Redemption 3would be the perfect platform for the franchise to return to its wacky form of truly embracing the weirder connotations and motifs that a Wild West setting can foster.
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