Despite being released in 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 is still considered one of the best games of all time. The story mode of the Rockstar Games title was lauded, but the co-op game, Red Dead Online, didn’t quite hit it off in the way the developer had hoped. This is highlighted by the average player count in August 2022, which only stood at 1,556 people at any one time.
Even with player numbers dwindling, Rockstar Games has still put effort into creating an enjoyable gaming experience for those that do take part. Additions such as the recent Halloween Pass serve to bring new players into the fold as well.
Ever since the much-anticipated prequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption was released, the western genre has been back in the mainstream. The title from Rockstar Studios showed the sheer scope of what was possible and managed to cross several genres within its American frontier setting. This inspired developers across the wider gaming industry to create a vast range of Wild West offerings on different platforms.
The influence of RDR2 is most easily seen in the mobile gaming market, where there are countless westerns to choose from. These include titles like West Gunfighter, Westland Survival, and Guns ‘n’Glory. The online casino sector also jumped on the success of the genre quickly, thanks to slot games notoriously enjoying a quick development phase. For instance, slot fans can play Money Train 2 for a taste of the famous heist theme often found in westerns. Along with bandits and outlaws on the reels, the title also features some other common western tropes. These include dynamite and gold symbols.
The Red Dead games have shown that western games don’t need to stick so rigidly to the classic format. This was underlined perfectly with the release of the Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare expansion pack for the 2010 title. In this entertaining offering, players were faced with a zombie plague within the sandbox of the original game. This surely went on to inspire other titles such as Evil West from Flying Wild Hog. The 2022 game is set in the Wild West but features a range of monsters. Players also have access to high-tech weaponry and special abilities that wouldn’t usually be found within offerings in the genre.
Anyone who’s been playing Red Dead Online for the last few years might be slightly disappointed to find that the Halloween Pass doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Indeed, it’s the same mode that was available last year. That doesn’t mean to say that the features that come with the Halloween Pass aren’t good. On the contrary, there are plenty of aspects of this seasonal form of online play that old and new players will both enjoy.
The great thing about the Halloween period in Red Dead Online is that the whole sandbox starts to have an eerie feel about it. Players encounter more spooky goings on, and this is reflected in the items they find and the bounty posters they come across. Other players start to appear more ghostly as well, as there are various masks and special outfits available during this mode.
The best part of the Halloween Pass is arguably the Dead of Night mission, where players have the chance to fight against hordes of zombies. Anyone who enjoyed Undead Nightmare will appreciate the nostalgia of having the chance to do that again. There are also special quests such as the hardcore telegram mission. This gives the player the chance to track down a 7th Generation cult and stop them from performing a sacrilegious rite to call forth the dead.
For Red Dead Online players who like to mix up their gameplay and try different things, the Halloween Pass is a welcome addition with plenty of cool features. It is nice to see the numerous small changes that occur in this seasonal offering to give the game a unique atmosphere. It also means that after the Halloween period ends and the game goes back to normal, it has a fresh feel about it again.