Red Dead Redemption 2 has been out on PC for all of two days and there are already mods cropping up. With that in mind, we thought it we’d get in before the rest with a wishlist of (*ahem*) mighty fine overhaul mods that’d be right nice to have in this here game.
Now, we do appreciate these would take dedicated modders months and months of hard work to make. Some of them, in fact, may not be all that realistic given their complexity and a lack of appropriate tools. But if Red Dead Redemption 2’s community lasts even half as long as GTAV’s then maybe some of them will see the light of day.
So without further ado, saddle up partner and let’s move em’ out!
Celebrity Western
Let’s start off small before we get too crazy; this mod shouldn’t be too hard to make. John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Burt Lancaster, and all the other iconic Spaghetti Western actors of the 20th-century are the definition of cool cowboys and somebody needs to put them in Red Dead Redemption 2 ASAP.
Can you imagine how awesome it would be to get some side-quests that have them pop up along the way? Or what about playing the game with a custom Rowdy Yates or Django skin? Hopefully, there’s a modder out there who’s thinking along the same lines and it won’t take too long for something like this to crop up.
Rebalance Money and Weapons
Money is not easy to come by during Red Dead Redemption 2’s opening ten or so hours. You really have to work for every cent, and the game forces you to go out and engage with various side quests and activities to make enough dough to expand your camp and buy new equipment. And that’s all fine.
The issue is that just a few hours after you’ve started to find your rhythm, there’s a quest that totally breaks the entire economy. You suddenly find yourself plush with cash and there’s never any need to worry about that particular aspect of the experience ever again. It’s a bit of a buzz kill.
The economy in Red Dead Redemption 2 needs a fix. A full rebalance that makes purchasing new weapons and equipment more challenging than simply having it locked behind an arbitrary gateway towards the end of the game would be the hot ticket.
Companions
While there are plenty of missions in Red Dead Redemption 2 that have you gun-toting with fellow desperados, it’s a shame there’s no option to form your own crew of desperados and roam the grasslands in a permanent group.
Sure, Red Dead Redemption 2’s story more or less has you trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible for most of the game, but who cares about all that? We’re talking fantasy mods here and we think having a posse of companions following you about would be pretty darn cool.
It would certainly give a feeling of empowerment having two or three cowboys backing you up the next time Leopold Strauss asks you to collect a debt, and you’d definitely give those pesky bandits the fright of their life next time they try and rob you out on the road.
Hardcore Survival Mode
Red Dead Redemption 2’s focus on realism wasn’t to everybody’s taste, but that’s maybe because it fell somewhere between being a true “hardcore” survival experience and something more accessible. In the end, the mechanics often frustrated rather than added to the experience.
So let’s take it one step further and go full “hardcore “survivalist. A mode that introduced proper consequences for hunger, sleep, and weather effects would really see the game’s excellent hunting, cooking, and clothing systems come alive in a new way.
It wouldn’t be for everyone, granted, but this ultra-realistic take could prove one of the most immersive gaming experiences out there for those with the patience and enthusiasm to see it through.
RPG Mode
And while we’re at it, an RPG mode that introduces level progression through combat and quests would also add a whole new layer to the experience.
A stat system of some sort that allowed players to build-out Arthur according to playstyle across shooting, stealth, intelligence, and other generic classes would definitely give us another reason to play the entire game through.
Combat, in particular, which isn’t Red Dead Redemption 2’s strongest suit, would be a big beneficiary from RPG mechanics that would add depth and strategy to what is otherwise pretty mediocre gunplay.
Access to Nuevo Paraíso
Nuevo Paraíso’s inclusion in Red Dead Redemption 2 is somewhat of an enigma. The area, which is Red Dead’s equivalent of New Mexico, will be familiar to those who have played the game, but why was it rendered for the sequel?
Could it be that Rockstar Games plans to expand the game with single-player or Red Dead Online content that takes place in the region sometime in the future? Ever since players have found they were able to glitch into the area and explore it they’ve been asking that very same question.
A year after its initial release, though, and Rockstar has remained silent on the matter, so maybe it’s time for modders to take things into their own hands? We’d love to see the area opened up and filled with NPCs, new quests, and other activities.
Casinos
We’ve mentioned rebalancing the game’s economy and we’ve mooted the idea of opening up Nuevo Paraíso, so here’s an idea for something to fill the new space with and give players a new way to earn big bucks toward the later game.
In fact, more opportunities to gamble in general would be fantastic. Saving up some coin and then putting all on the line to deck Arthur out with new gear is one of the more entertaining loops in the early game, and if we had more to spend our money on in the later game then adding huge casinos with mega rewards would definitely be a treat.
More than just a place to play games, new casinos are platforms for interesting new locations and story quests, too.
Kinda Period Appropriate Aircraft
Who isn’t keen for a bird’s eye view of Red Dead Redemption 2, and just a faster way of getting about?
Now, we could just go ahead and request F-16s and 747s similar to GTAV, but we’d rather keep it a little more authentic.
Yes, we’re well aware that aircraft did not exist in the late 1880s frontier country, but they weren’t that far removed from the time period. So what better way to have us spread our wings and take flight than to mod a Wright Brother-esque quest into the game that unlocks an old school plane of sorts?
GTAV x Red Dead Redemption 2
Now it’s time to get a little bit silly and request a mod that would totally destroy any semblance of authenticity and immersion.
From tearing down Strawberry’s muddy streets in high-speed cars to ripping apart those poor O’Driscalls with powerful assault rifles and explosives, GTAV x Red Dead Redemption 2 would be crazy, dumb fun — and sometimes you just want that from your mods.
It would also be hilarious to see Trevor, Franklin, and Michael de Santa get their best western on and try to fit in with Dutch’s crew if any modder out there wants to weave in some storyline to this absurd idea.
Undead Nightmare
If players had been hoping for a single-player DLC set in Nuevo Paraíso, they’ve been praying for Rockstar Games to unleash another Undead Nightmare in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Halloween has come and gone, though, and while there’s still every chance that something is in the pipeline for further down the road, we’re already sick of waiting! Modders, take it away…
Surely it’s only a matter of time before Undead Nightmare comes to the game, either in an official or unofficial capacity? We’re not fussed which, but we’re chomping at the bit for another ghoulish alternate timeline that would see Arthur, Dutch, and the rest of the van der Linde gang faced with a zombie outbreak.
About the author
