Red Dead Redemption has difficulty levels

By Tom Bramwell Published 19 April, 2010

First time ever in a R* openworld game.

Rockstar has revealed that Red Dead Redemption features three difficulty levels.

According to a Q&A on the official site, the decision was made to vary the level of auto-aiming available.

"Casual mode gives you a full auto-aim system (and faster regenerating health)," the site explains. "Normal mode features snap-to-target with precise aiming using the right stick. Expert mode implements free aim with no lock-on at all.

"First time we have done this in an openworld game, so we will be interested to see what people think having played with each option," the site notes.

Check out our recent Red Dead Redemption multiplayer hands-on to hear how that site of the game is shaping up.

Red Dead Redemption is due out for PS3 and Xbox 360 on 21st May.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (19) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Tomo #1 2 years ago

    What's multiplayer going to use?

  • Emmit_Assassin #2 2 years ago

    Auto aim I should think. Unless they do a Hardcore mode.

    Sounds like a good idea, the auto aims in R* games can be a little bad at times, so having the option to do it yourself could be a welcome one.

  • TRUTH #3 2 years ago

    Good...about time, as I find games becoming a bit to simple these days!

  • Emmit_Assassin #4 2 years ago

    Things are getting a little simple, I think in order to appeal to a wider audience at the expense of more experienced players. Hard modes are all well and good, but its too easy to just put it on normal and plough through a game. Especially these days when there are so many good games to get through. I miss the days when I used to always put everything on the hardest mode and not change it untill I was completely stuck.

  • paul_haine #5 2 years ago

    Excellent, it'll save me using whatever equivalent to GTA's dial-a-cheat system they have.

  • LazyNinjaUk #6 2 years ago

    Really looking forward to this, literally can't wait to get my hands on it. I decided to look through some of the in-game images and noticed one that shows one of the characters playing an Air Guitar:

    [link url=http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/0/3/6/1/7/5/ss_preview_RDR_Multiplayer_105.jpg.jpg?slideshow=true
    ]http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/artic...[/link]

    In-game easter egg perhaps? hehe :)
    Edited by LazyNinjaUk at 19/04/10 @ 08:54

  • muscleblade #7 2 years ago

    Not a fan of difficulty levels in open world games. I will be buying Alan Wake and Lost Planet 2 in May so i dont really care though.

  • spiritsnake #8 2 years ago

    maybe they just thinking off adding longetivity to the game by giving it multiple difficulty levels.i can see the platinum trophy will be impossible for me to get considering ill have to play the game on normal first to actually enjoy the game,then start it again a second time to play on hard just to acquire the trophy.

  • polymorph #9 2 years ago

    to hear how that site of the game is shaping up.

    Typo.

  • seanthejackal #10 2 years ago

    Expert mode here i come...i was getting tired of adult games with childrens difficulty levels.

  • linksdad #11 2 years ago

    My worry is that I only have time for one playthrough - unless its uber fantastic, and hard might be just be that.

    Skillfull play ought to be rewarded in its own right, whether that be down to bonuses or extra l33t items and the game can play out wether you are crap, average or great at it. This always gives the player somethng to strive for too.

    Edit:tutty tut, didnt proof read
    Edited by linksdad at 19/04/10 @ 13:33

  • ParanoidZombie #12 2 years ago

    Good idea, if and only if you can adjust the difficulty level at any time: rockstar games often feature annoying difficulty spikes with questionable gameplay and very long missions - this would solve the problem.

    On the other hand, forcing you to play such a long game on the same difficulty level would be a tragic mistake IMO - imagine that, 30hours into the game, you realize the game is too hard or too easy, that would really hurt the experience.
    Edited by ParanoidZombie at 19/04/10 @ 10:03

  • UncleLou #13 2 years ago

    Snap-on is fun-killing devil's work, so expert mode for me - I just hope it doesn't also makes enemies tougher.

  • kinky_mong #14 2 years ago

    God I hope they don't put in any achievements based on difficullty level, I just don't have the time to give a 30 hour game a second playthrough with added frustration.

  • kangarootoo #15 2 years ago

    Sounds like Normal is the setting for me. Free aim on sticks whilst riding a horse is likely a bit too demanding for my aging eyes/reactions.

    I'm like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. I need a fatter gun these days :)

  • Bulbatron #16 2 years ago

    Difficulty levels are a good thing. They add choice. Less experienced players can be included without alienating the more hardcore players.

    Don't like the easier difficulty levels? Then don't use 'em! Simple as that really. Exercise a bit of willpower.

  • Spekingur #17 2 years ago

    As long as more difficult doesn't equal massive amounts of health on your opponents compared to your own.

  • Ryze #18 2 years ago

    The issue is that despite enjoying challenging games, some people have just never, and will never get on with right-analogue-stick-aiming.

    People such as me.

    It often kills my enjoyment of a game when I'm pissing around trying to move the cursor instead of showing some real aiming skill. This is more related to only using my right thumb for FPS/3PS for a tiny fraction of my gaming life, and only from age 27 onwards.

    I'm an old skool FPS PC gamer, and use inverted look. Absolutely fine and dandy for moving the camera using the right stick, but an absolute joke when trying to aim accurately and quickly.

    /waits for PS Move...

    /expects PS Move would work better with a right-analogue for camera control...
    Edited by Ryze at 19/04/10 @ 22:30

  • neems #19 2 years ago

    Ditto. I can't aim for toffee with an analogue stick (I played through Uncharted 2 with auto-aim), so this is good news for me.