PlayStation LifeStyle » Red Dead Redemption

PlayStation Store Preview – April 12, 2011

Anthony Severino — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:26:08 +0000

Want to know what is coming to the PlayStation Store this week? Find out in our weekly PlayStation Store Preview, complete with confirmed content, as well as a look into the future in our coming soon section.

Killzone 3: Steel Rain DLC More info>>

Red Dead Redemption DLC More info>>

Might & Magic: Clash of the Heroes [Game and Demo]

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance More info>>

Patapon 3 More info>>

The Fight: Lights Out Demo

minis

3D Twist and Watch

Rock Band DLC

Fleetwood Mac – “Dreams” X
Fleetwood Mac – “Gold Dust Woman”
Fleetwood Mac – “Landslide”
Fleetwood Mac – “Rhiannon”
Stevie Nicks – “Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove)” X
Stevie Nicks – “Stand Back”

Next Page: Coming Soon >>

Red Dead Redemption Pre-Order Bonus Coming As DLC Next Week

Adam Wolfe — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 01:12:34 +0000

Since Red Dead Redemption‘s release last May, it has seen countless DLC packs, from small additions to complete new adventures. With the one year anniversary quickly approaching, Rockstar is prepping one last pack.

Rockstar has announced that the DLC packs that consumers received for pre-ordering Red Dead Redemption, will finally be making their way to PSN for the rest of us. Hitting PSN next week, you’ll be able to download the following packs:

The Deadly Assassin Outfit – This allows you to regenerate your Dead Eye meter twice as fast.
The Golden Guns Weapon Pack – When these weapons are equipped, you will gain fame quicker.
The War Horse – This is the best horse in the game, stronger and faster than any other you can find.

Each pack will run you $.99, so if you’re a veteran or a new comer the price should be just right.

[Source]

Red Dead Redemption Lassos in 8 Million Convicts

Matt Baker — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:22:15 +0000

Red Dead Redemption‘s impressive success was clearly evident ever since the game’s launch last year in May. Rockstar Games’ western title dominated the sales chart for countless months and beat off strong competition even long after its initial release. Back in December, Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two said the game shipped eight million units. Now, in the publisher’s latest financial results, it has been unveiled that Red Dead Redemption has sold eight million copies.

Take-Two has revealed its financial results for the third quarter ending on December 31^st, 2010, with net revenues clocking in at $334.3 million with a profit of $40.9 million. The publisher also revealed that four million copies of NBA 2K11 has been shipped, consequently making it the best selling title in its series.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick commented on the financial results:

Our results year-to-date clearly demonstrate the Company’s ability to translate its world-class creative resources and diverse portfolio of triple-A franchises into meaningful profits. Looking ahead to the balance of the year and fiscal 2012, I have never been more enthusiastic about our diverse line-up of upcoming releases.

Zelnick continued to say what to look forward to in the future from the company:

From unique, groundbreaking new titles such as L.A. Noire, to the long anticipated return of Duke Nukem, the interactive entertainment industry’s most irreverent hero, we will deliver a broad array of entertainment experiences that promise to delight audiences around the world.

The following titles from Take-Two, which are all confirmed for a release during the 2011-2012 release period, are as follows:

L.A. Noire - May 17th, 2011
Top Spin 4 – Fiscal 4Q 2011
Major League Baseball 2K11 – Fiscal 4Q 2011
Duke Nukem Forever – Calendar Year 2011
Spec Ops: The Line – Fiscal Year 2012
BioShock Infinite - Calendar Year 2012

Will you be picking up any of Take-Two’s upcoming titles? Let us know in the comments below.

Home Gets Red Dressed Redemption

Tyler Minarik — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:56:17 +0000

It’s always great to see companies supporting successful titles well after their initial release. Rockstar Games is good at this, and is offering up a present to their fans. Of course, we have to truly earn it first.

The Red Dead Redemption Rockstar XP Challenge is already under way, whether you’ve realized it or not. All you need to do is log in to Red Dead Redemption‘s online multiplayer and play a game to participate. The challenge requires that the PlayStation community reaches a set number of cumulatively earned experience points within the game. Once the set amount is reached, new Red Dead Redemption themed PlayStation Home avatars will be unlocked! There is also an equivalent challenge for Xbox players, with their own separate accumulation of experience.

There are two costumes to unlock, each with a male and female version, making four total avatars available. The first set is the Elegant Suit, which is already unlockable in the game for John Marston to wear. The second set is a crimson Posse t-shirt.

If you want to help contribute to unlocking these outfits, there are a few details left to note. First, all multiplayer modes, except private games count towards the cumulative experience. Second, players who have maxed out their online ranks and experience will still be contributing when they play. Third, Rockstar has not revealed what the actual grand total of experience is that’s required, and have only given a percentage bar to indicate the accumulation. However, the progress can be checked any time on their Social Club page. Finally, Rockstar has given the communities unlimited time to unlock the avatars. That’s quite generous of them, but sooner is always better.

Will you be getting online to help unlock these costumes? Let us know in the comments below.

Rockstar Contemplates a Return to the Gunslingin’ Wild West

Jonathan Leack — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:41:45 +0000

In addition to being a Game of the Year title, Red Dead Redemption has had its fair share of outstanding DLC. Now that four popular content packs have made their way to the PlayStation Store, many have begun awaiting the next title from the award-winning Rockstar studio. However, we might be seeing more content in the future that will pull us back to the dangerous wild west.

In this month’s issue of Official PlayStation Magazine, Jeronimo Barrea of Rockstar hinted at additional future DLC for Red Dead Redemption. In an interview with Barrea he states:

“For all the games we work on, we have a massive number of ideas that [don't] make it in.”

Red Dead Redemption’s Undead Nightmare pack was arguably the best DLC of 2010, and one that included a great deal of quality content. If Rockstar chooses to let us explore the title again with more content, hopefully it’ll be another pack that adds fun missions, more weapons, and additional modes for the online portion.

If more DLC comes to Red Dead Redemption, what would you like to see? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

Game of the Year 2010

Anthony Severino — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:01:24 +0000

Game of the Year: Red Dead Redemption

Normally, games based on the Wild West never properly capture the essence of the era. As Red Dead Redemption has shown, it’s not all about gun-slinging and duels to the death at dawn. No. The Wild West takes on a life of its own: it’s a world filled with wonder, crime, nobility and struggle. It’s a much simpler time, while being much more difficult to survive. Living off the land by hunting and farming is the base of the economy. The measure of a man is through his deeds, good or bad.

John Marston is one of the more complex characters ever presented to us in a video game, and his story is filled with depth, remorse, sacrifice and will. Marston is always both the good guy and the bad guy. The ex-gang member. The family man. The murderer. The savior. Loyal to his wife, family and farm from the beginning to the end, Marston sets out on a mission, and never takes his eyes off his ultimate prize.

Combining this dynamic world, with a character of both integrity and sin is just one of the many reasons Red Dead Redemption is the best game of 2010. You could spend days just hunting, or completing the list of challenges awaiting Marston, all without ever touching the main storyline. Each supporting character offers a different take on morality and helps to flesh out the plot. The gameplay mechanics are flawless, making it one of the few games that just feels great to play. From the second you see the title screen to the moment the credits roll, you’ll be under Red Dead Redemption’s spell. There’s even a variety of enjoyable multiplayer modes and plenty of downloadable content to keep you busy far after you’ve completed the main game.

While there were many worthy contenders for Game of the Year 2010, none offer a total package so filled with value and polish. Red Dead Redemption isn’t just the best game of the year, it will forever be remembered as one of, if not the best game of this entire console generation.

Runners Up:

God of War III
Gran Turismo 5
Heavy Rain
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Red Dead Redemption Ships Impressive Numbers

Adam Wolfe — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:29:02 +0000

In the past few years we’ve seen our share of western games, and most of them were not received well, so when Take Two decided to release Red Dead Redemption earlier this year it seemed like a pretty big risk. Now, just over six months later, and a game of the year nomination from us (look for our awards next week), things couldn’t look much brighter.

Take 2 has announced during their year-end fiscal report, that the companies annual sales jumped 65%, due for the most part because of the impressive numbers of Red Dead Redemption, which shipped an astounding 8 million units. Now, this is only shipped numbers, but even so that is very impressive, and that should easily make it one of the years best selling games.

[Source]

Double Your Fun With Double the Points in Red Dead Multiplayer

Ray Conley — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:55:03 +0000

If you’re running a bit thin on your Red Dead Redemption multiplayer experience points, then Rockstar’s latest bonus run should definitely catch your interest. How does a little double XP sound?

Starting this November 25th, Rockstar will be letting you gain double the points for your multiplayer mayhem in celebration of releasing their Undead Nightmare retail discs. But don’t wait too long to hop in your saddle as this special XP bonus will only last through the weekend till November 28th.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, check out our review of it, then gallop on over to your nearest retailer after you’ve wiped that turkey from your mouth.

[Source]

PSN Review – Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Ray Conley — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:24 +0000

With the Halloween nearly in full swing, what better way for Rockstar to celebrate it by treating their fans with some spooky DLC. Undead Nightmare is here and it is looking to put a spin on one of Rockstar’s most popular titles, Red Dead Redemption. Can the undead treat its wild-western fans to a bone-chilling tale, or does this zombie infestation pack trick them by eating their cash (and brains) for a quick snack?

Undead Nightmare is, without a doubt, Rockstar’s finest DLC for Red Dead Redemption. With this fifth addition to the list of DLC, Undead Nightmare does an exceptional job at taking the serious tone of the original game and flips it into a crazy, fun-filled ride. With an all new story, new weapons, and new modes for multiplayer, you can easily find yourself getting caught up in the seasonal sport of zombie hunting.

In the single player campaign, you’ll be greeted with a brand new storyline that will thrust you back into the saddle as John Marston. All the original characters from Redemption are back, but they’ll be acting out in a much different story that has nothing to do with the original campaign. This tale is quite over-the-top, and purposefully so, and that really helps this tale deliver a unique and thrilling experience in a zombie ridden land.

Our story begins with the hero, Mr. John Marston, who is riding home to his ranch in West Elizabeth on a dark and stormy night. Once home, he is greeted with his warm and loving family of wife and son. However, John just can’t seem to get over this hankering feeling that something “ain’t” right. Their uncle hasn’t come home yet, but the family retires for the night, promising to look for him in the morning – and then the nightmare begins.

Overall, you’ll recognize that the presentation of this dark world is superb. The animations and voice acting are top-notch, thus proving that Rockstar allowed no slack to be had with this production. The landscape in this expansion has been redone to allow a creepy atmosphere. Cloudy skies and fog are very prevalent in the spooky environment, backed by the moan and screams of unseen . The soundtrack also does an outstanding job of setting the tone as it boasts new tunes while borrowing a few tracks from the original depending on the situation.

In Undead Nightmare, a few things have changed from the original game, which help make the game feel somewhat fresh, and challenging given your current dire situation. First of all, mostly everyone is a zombie, and in a zombie infested land nothing is safe. As a result, the whole land is now a dog-eat-dog world, where everyone is only looking out for their own survival. Your good old campsite feature has been removed – way too dangerous to camp in the wild with the hungry undead roaming about. Ammo cannot be purchased, so get ready to dig into the rotting flesh of the killed to loot them for ammo.

In fact, ammo is intentionally sparse in this game, making it main motive for hunting and for survival. There is no Honor system either – you do what you can to survive, even if it means putting down a few friendlies to stockpile on your ammo count. There’s no shame in surviving, you’re going to need all you can get.

The there are a few variants among the horde that you’ll encounter. You’ll see your typical stumbling zombies who will bust into a sprint to catch their next meal. There are some creepy ones that crawl on all fours and scurry much quicker than the first. You’ll also have to deal with some that project green glowing vomit. No matter what form of zombie you trip over, the surest method of ending their hunger is with a single bullet to the noggin – a method that has yet to fail when dealing with the undead. Placing rounds into their appendages is just wasting ammo, so you’re better off just using a torch if they get too close for firearms.

If you are in need of a safe haven, you’ll have to pack some heat to start cleansing the towns. Every city has been overtaken by the undead; the few survivors that are left will need your help to take out the trash. Once you’ve purged the infestation, you’ll get the opportunity to locate a safe house and save your current progress. However if a city is left alone too long, you’ll get notifications if starts to come under attack again. Cleansing the cities will be essential if you’re the type who likes to fast travel, as you’ll only be able to make the quick jumps to the cities that you’ve cleaned up.

However, don’t be so eager to take short-cuts by puddle jumping from city to city. Many excitements lie in wait in the undead wilderness. Just like in Redemption, you’ll encounter random events, albeit with a zombie flare. You’ll rescue a people who are about to become zombie lunch, and even come across unique campsites setup with morbid humor. The lively animals are now undead creatures, but their aggression is still the same as it was from the original. Many new challenges are also available to complete in your Journal, so spending time in the open wild can help you master your rankings. Doing so will help gain you more ammo and stat bonuses to help you cope with the zombie horde.

Mythological creatures have also spawned into the world into the nightmarish Red Dead, and you’ll get to hunt them down. Be sure to keep a keen eye for the four unique apocalyptic horses as well. These awesomely rendered horses can be captured and tamed to become your trusty steed, providing some elemental bonuses when you trample zombies under the hoof, such as putting them to flame or having their heads burst with a quick ride-by.

Granted, some of the thrill was slightly marred by a few uncanny quirks. When trying to retrieve items from the dead, you may dance around the body trying to find that sweet spot for the “Search body” prompt to display. Many times, I would be standing on top of a body marked with that much needed ammo, only to constantly reposition myself while kicking the corpse around before finding the search option. In a world where the dead don’t wait, this can be very frustrating. Hunting for that mythical creature isn’t as hard as it sounds nor is it really that challenging either. Once when you get the quest to look for those unique animals, a quick look at the map will tell you exactly where their general area is, which kind of removes any “hunting” element from the search.

One of my favorite aspects of Undead Nightmare is the multiplayer. You’ll get two new modes in this one: Undead Overrun and Land Grab. In Undead Overrun, you and up to four other players will have to fend off infinite waves of zombies at various cemetery locations, with each wave increasing in size. You’ll randomly encounter moments where you’ll be given bonuses, such as extra ammo, fire-bursting phosphorus rounds, or holy water. Weapons will also spawn at different intervals, but the first player to the crate gets to keep it. Teamwork is essential if you intend to survive more than just a couple of rounds, so make sure to revive your buddy when you see them about to become a zombie snack. If a certain wave of the undead cannot be finished in a certain amount of time, the round turns into a sudden death match, where death will be imminent up to the last man standing. Overall, the chaos that ensues from this mode is downright fun and hectic.

Land Grab is a king-of-the-hill type gameplay which is initiated on the public Free Roam map. In this game mode, no zombies are involved, but it’s still a nice addition to the online feature. Land Grab can only be initiated by anyone with the Undead Nightmare pack, but anyone on the Free Roam server is free to join in the gunfight for territory.

Undead Nightmare is definitely bursting at the seams with the scope of content in its single player production and fun multiplayer additions. In fact, I believe that this is Rockstar’s best DLC to date for Red Dead. This newest addition is easily a must buy for anyone with a copy of Red Dead Redemption. There is tons of fun to be had if you’re just “dying” to purge the world of evil or if you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck.

PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score

+ Top-notch production values.

+ Great restructuring of gameplay and lots of mission variety.

+ Multiplayer additions are fun and engaging.

Red Dead Redemption Getting Double XP Weekend

Matt Baker — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 04:19:55 +0000

To celebrate the release of the Undead Nightmare downloadable content pack for Red Dead Redemption as well as the arrival of Halloween, Rockstar has announced a Double XP Weekend for everyone.

Starting at 6PM this Friday October 29th and lasting until 04:59 AM Monday November 1st, players will have the chance to earn double experience points in Red Dead Redemption‘s online multiplayer mode. You can gain the points in Undead Nightmare‘s Undead Overrun mode as well as all the original competitive modes. If you want to unlock new mounts, titles, characters and challenges all fairly quickly, then you’d better jump on the game’s online component this weekend.

Release Date Comes to Life for Undead Nightmare Retail Disc

Kishen Patel — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:29:47 +0000

Rockstar‘s Red Dead Redemption has received a healthy helping of downloadable content since its original release back in May of 2010. For newcomers and veterans of the open world western alike, those of us who are late to the Red Dead DLC party may not only be overwhelmed by the amount of content released but also the numerical sum of every DLC package. To ease redemption for gamers, Rockstar was set to release the Undead Nightmare DLC disk which was slated to release tonday, October the 26th. However, a concrete date has finally rose from the undead.

At last, the release date for the Red Dead Redemption retail launch has released. Since the Undead Nightmare DLC was released on the PlayStation Store, many retailers, like Amazon.com, were listing the retail version for the same release date. Fortunately, the official release date has been revealed and the retail disk is primed for pre-order.

At the price of $29.99, Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare contains all the downloadable content released for the game since its summer launch. This in total includes:

Legends and Killers Pack
Liars and Cheats Pack
Undead Nightmare Pack

If you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber, all three DLC packs are discounted on the PlayStation Store this week for $7.99 each but, if you prefer your tangible media, then be sure to pre-order the retail version here.

PlayStation Release Horizon – Week of October 25, 2010

Kishen Patel — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:30:59 +0000

The last week of October is upon us which, not only brings us a frightfully fun Halloween, but also the beginning of anticipated releases in preparation for the holiday season. This week, the Force is with the Christmas wish lists, especially for those looking for it to get it unleashed as soon as possible. If music game fans were inundated with the sophistication of last week’s Power Gig: Rise of the Sixth String, then the next Rock Band title should prove to be a perfect fit with its simplicity combined with additional realistic elements.

Check out this week’s releases below:

PS3 -

Cabella’s Dangerous Hunt 2011 (10/26)
- Top Shot Elite Bundle
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition (10/26)
Hasbro Family Game Night 3 (10/27)
Monopoly Streets (10/27)
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (10/26)
Rock Band 3 (10/26)
Shaun White Skateboarding (10/26)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (10/26)
- Collector’s Edition
The Sims 3 (10/26)
Tony Hawk: Shred (10/26)
- Bundle
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 (10/26)

PSP -

WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 (10/26)
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Tag Force 5 (10/26)
Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger Darkdeath Evilman (10/26)

PS2 -

WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 (10/26)

Anything releasing this week that piques your interest? Tell us in the comments section below. Be sure to keep up with our reviews to know what to purchase over the others.

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare TV Ad Arises From The Dead

Matt Baker — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:45:15 +0000

Rockstar Games has released the official TV ad for the Undead Nightmare downloadable content pack scheduled for a release tomorrow for Red Dead Redemption.

The Undead Nightmare DLC pack consists of the following:

Brand new single-player adventure, challenges and quests;
8 new multiplayer zombie characters;
Additional animals in the game;
New dynamic events and more.

It’ll be released tomorrow upon the North American PlayStation Store’s update for $9.99. The EU PlayStation Store will receive Undead Nightmare on Wednesday for £7.99.

Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Gets Multiplayer Trailer

Matt Baker — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:58:53 +0000

Rockstar has released yet another trailer for Red Dead Redemption‘s upcoming Undead Nightmare downloadable content pack. The footage shows off one of the DLC’s multiplayer mode: Undead Overrun.

The Undead Nightmare pack includes:

Brand new single-player adventure, challenges and quests;
8 new multiplayer zombie characters;
Additional animals in the game;
New dynamic events and more.

The zombie-filled DLC pack will be released on October 26th for $9.99 (£7.99).

Purify Zombies in New Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Trailer

Jonathan Leack — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:26:27 +0000

Red Dead Redemption‘s fourth and final DLC titled Undead Nightmare is now only a few short days away. This upcoming DLC pack features tons of new content from missions to characters, and as an addition Rockstar will be including some fun new weapons as well. With a release date of “>October 26th, this horrifying add-on content should be on the top of every Red Dead Redemption fan’s list.

Have a look at the fine Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Weapons trailer below: