RDR 2 is a fantastic tragedy of characters so stuck in their ways that they refuse to accept that things have and are changing, being so rigid in their ideals that they can’t see past the harm they’re doing to themselves and others. Which is super weird because Red Dead Redemption 2 is also a game that is so super dated and stuck in the past that it hurts the overall experience and leaves me with a strong sense of dramatic irony.

You’ve obviously read our own review, where we rather liked Red Dead Redemption 2. Arguably the most anticipated game of the year, the prequel/sequel to last generation’s best cowboy simulator is a phenomenal achievement. Not just in its living, breathing environments, but also in storytelling. Yes, we loved it – but here’s what other critics think of Rockstar’s latest.

Sometimes the anticipation for something is better than the actual thing. This happens most often when I order cheesecake at a restaurant, hoping for something that’s slightly sweet and a little tarts – only to inevitably end up with a mouth full of horribly textured guff that tastes like solidified condensed milk on a mound of crushed Tennis biscuits. While the anticipation is exceedingly high, I don’t expect that to be the case with Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2.

Along with a certain game featuring a teenager bitten by a radioactive spider, Red Dead Redemption 2 is probably the most anticipated game of the year. The sequel to Rockstar’s wild-west action game is coming at the end of October – and it’s such a threat to everything else that the release slates around then are practically clear.