A lot of players are wondering do you need to play Red Dead Redemption before 2? This is a question that we aim to answer in this quick guide. It’s no surprise that players are confused about this given the marketing for the game. Though it is numbered as if it is a full-fledged sequel, it is actually a prequel to its predecessor.
Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place around 12 years before the events that John Marston goes through. That certainly makes it seem like it should be totally fine to play this one but it’s more confusing than that. You see, this game follows the same gang referenced in the original game and features protagonist John Marston. So, do you need to play Red Dead Redemption before 2?
Do You Need to Play Red Dead Redemption Before 2?
The short answer is no, you don’t. Being that this is a prequel, you can totally go in without any prior knowledge. However, you would greatly benefit from having played the original for sure. I am, personally, in a unique place as I only played around five or six hours of the first game before jumping into this one.
As such, I vaguely know John Marston but that’s about it. I don’t really know anything about his gang. As such, playing this sequel without having played the original will have you missing out at first on noteworthy events. One of the first parts of this sequel is an event that players of the first game already knew about.
In addition, you are missing out on immediately having a personal connection with Marston despite not playing as him. Thankfully, the fresh protagonist of Arthur Morgan does help with this. In the end, this game is a vastly better title and shouldn’t be missed just because you didn’t play the first.