There’s no denying that Red Dead Redemption 2 takes a long time to finish. The sheer scale of the game’s world means that even a casual player can rack up some serious hours. Heck, even when you finish the game’s main story you still have a multi-hour epilogue to look forward to. I enjoyed playing RDR2’s epilogue much as I enjoyed the rest of the game. However, transitioning into the epilogue forced me to leave some things behind, and that’s something I didn’t enjoy so much.
The rest of this post contains heavy spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Epilogue Woes
Before I go any further, I feel I need to make myself clear. It wasn’t the actual epilogue experience I had a problem with. I thought it was neat how Rockstar brought things full circle by having me play as John Marston. I enjoyed building the Beecher’s Hope ranch, reconnecting with Charles and Sadie, and yes even hanging out with Uncle. And naturally I was glad to finally put down that traitorous bastard Micah, even though I didn’t pull the trigger.
However, throughout all that there was a sort of lingering disappointment I couldn’t shake. It wasn’t until after the credits started rolling that I realized my error in wanting to conclude the game’s story. Sure, I was glad to have finally reached the end, but I also knew I couldn’t go back. In my haste, I hadn’t made any sort of backup save file from earlier in the game. I had inadvertently closed myself off to one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed RDR2 so much: Arthur Morgan.
A Good Boah
I liked Arthur right from the start, and I liked him even more as I guided him through the game’s story. When tuberculosis finally struck him down, I was forced to say goodbye to a character I genuinely cared about. A small part of me hoped there would be some way to keep playing as Arthur beyond the epilogue. I knew deep down, though, that I was just fooling myself. Again, I have no qualms with getting to play as John Marston, but he’s not Arthur Morgan.
I know I could simply start a new game if I wanted, but it wouldn’t be the same. My original Arthur Morgan now resides solely in my memory. I’d be all for Rockstar creating a standalone free-roam experience starring Arthur, but I know it likely won’t happen. Rockstar is too busy with Red Dead Online, and sometimes you have to let go of things you cherish.
Here’s to you Arthur Morgan, you will be missed.