10 Red Dead Redemption 2 Details that Prove Rockstar Loves Tiny Interactions

When games like Red Dead Redemption 2 appear, they draw immense attention because of the small details they carry. Of course, the storyline will carry the burden for the majority of the game, but what makes the players feel alive in a virtual world are small interactions that can be found throughout the whole game.

Often, we don't even think too much about the tiny details in our surroundings when riding through New Hanover or Lemoyne, but nevertheless, they will influence how we feel about the whole game. I believe that these tiny interactions show just how much dedication the developers have given to their work. And the more dedication they show, the bigger the reward for us, the players!

10 Realistic Injury Reactions

No Health Bars

Wildlife and people don't just collapse when wounded, like in most other games. Here, their reaction depends on where they were shot, so they can limp, stumble, and even try to escape.

Special devotion was shown to animal interactions, as they can run away pretty far when hit and then fall wounded, waiting for you to finish them off or bleed to death. On top of that, even when you skin a wounded animal, the bullet wound is still visible on their body. This level of realism in hunting really shows that the developers put their all into it.

9 Arthur and John Adjust to the Weather

Too Hot or Too Cold?

Arthur and John will have visible animations for when they are too hot or too cold. For example, when idling in the sun, they might wipe sweat from their faces, and when in the snowy mountains, they will shiver if not dressed properly. Now I know this is as fun as a horse's testicles shrinking in cold weather, which was even discussed by a Rockstar co-founder, Dan Hauser, on Lex Friedman's podcast, but it still is a pretty impressive detail.

However, the reactions aren't the only thing you're getting when your character is too hot or too cold. Pay close attention to your health core icon, as dressing improperly for the weather can also make you lose your health core fast. So it turns out that the weather reaction animation isn't there just for fun. It's a warning!

People Judging Wherever You Go

You will get a ton of different reactions from various NPCs as soon as your looks stand out from the rest of the crowd. These comments can come from the camp friends as well as from random townsfolk throughout the world and can be triggered by almost anything. In reference to the previous point in our list, if you are dressed too heavily or too light for the weather, the NPCs will start asking you questions about it.

Some other things that will turn NPC heads are being muddy, bloody, wearing trapper-made clothes, and even your horse if it's a fancy one. Also, getting drunk will get you unwanted attention. I have to admit this is an authentic interaction detail, since people are judgmental, and will speak their minds when they see something out of the ordinary. I just hope that this is one of the game's systems that makes it to GTA 6.

7 Unpredictable World

You Never Know What You're Gonna Get

Just roaming the open plains of RDR2 will put you in front of some really impressive little details that make the game feel more alive. For example, you can run into different gang ambushes when you're on their territory (the ambushes can even interrupt your resting in the wild), gang members robbing or killing random NPCs, an arrow-ridden body sitting on horseback calmly walking on the road, people camping, fishing, hunting, etc.

Some of these random events can even turn into a little side-adventure. So, if you encounter law officers escorting a criminal in a cage, the criminal will sometimes yell that they will give you something in return if you save them. Once you do, you can get a piece of a treasure map or a robbery hint. Seeing all this as you're on your way from one mission to another really makes the world an amusing space. Further, the unpredictable nature of the RDR2 world has brought plenty of mysteries to light, which people are still speculating about.

6 Weapon Handling is Out of This World

When Was the Last Time You Really Took a Close Look At Your Guns?

When I talk about weapon handling and details, I don't mean just that the guns get dirty after a while and need cleaning. RDR2 has gone far beyond that, and I can honestly call the weapon details in this game a rabbit hole that many players haven't explored thoroughly. For instance, since I like to keep my guns in perfect condition, I only recently discovered that guns sound and look a lot different when in really bad shape. They will dish out thick black smoke and firing echoes, compared to the sharp, quick noise of a clean gun.

Throwing knives and arrows have a little coat of green color on them when they are coated in poison. Also, improved knives, arrows, and tomahawks will give them a different look. These small design choices will be too small to be noticed by many, but that's why they are so fascinating.

5 Wildlife Interacts With Other Wildlife

Take a Close Look At the Nature

The main character not being the center of the world is one of the facts that always blows my mind in this game. Things are always happening in the world regardless of your actions, such as animals hunting each other, eating carcasses, etc., and once you start paying close attention to these details, you realize how much time and effort went into building RDR2.

Foxes will chase rabbits. Vultures, crows, and eagles will eat dead bodies with realistic marks on them on the spots that they picked, and sometimes bigger birds will pick up fish and snakes and carry them in their claws. This is just one of the facts that add up to many players' belief that there will never be a replacement for RDR2.

4 Journal is Updated Based on Your Actions

The More You Explore, the Richer the Journal

Naturally, some journal entries will be bound to chapters as Arthur will draw different hideouts for the gang, for example. But the majority of other writings and drawings will depend on your exploration of the world, so Arthur/John will write in and draw things like interesting trees, animals, and objects that they encounter in the world.

After dozens or hundreds of hours of playtime, these sketches then offer a detailed glimpse into your adventure, reminding you of certain moments that you may have forgotten.

3 NPCs React to Threats Differently

Be Careful Who You Threaten

NPCs in RDR2 are a colorful cast of characters ranging from very friendly to extremely hostile ones. Some NPCs will simply run away if you threaten them, some will even report you to the sheriff, while others will throw insults back and forth with you. Another group, however, can try to kill you after the first insult or even start shooting at you when you get close to them. For example, NPCs camping in the wild will almost always pull a gun on you if you get too close to them.

To make things more interesting, Arthur and John don't have the same set of insults when antagonizing people, so it's quite a thing to go through them all and see how creative the Rockstar studio got.

2 Arthur's and John's Looks Are Affected By Their Actions

Clothes Make the Man

When Arthur or John is in the rain, a blizzard, or running through mud, the consequences will be seen on their clothes and faces. Also, after taking some punches to the face during fistfights, their face will realistically get bruised, and getting shot will leave bullet holes on their bodies. Similarly, fighting with predators like grizzly bears will leave claw marks on Arthur/John.

The changes to your character will regenerate slowly over time, whether it was a wound on the character's body or a hole in a hat. Still, it is kinda cool walking around while carrying marks of battle on you.

1 Dead Bodies Get Picked Up By Law

Someone's Gotta Do It

After shootouts, if you stick around long enough, you'll see law officers actually picking up the bodies and carrying them away on their horses. You will have to stick around for a while, though, as the law first investigates the crime scene, walks around looking for the suspect, before taking the body.

This little interaction is easily missable, and I first saw it after 200+ hours of playing RDR2. It makes the world feel far less static than most open-world games, where bodies usually disappear the second you leave the area. No wonder the game is often considered to be one of the best open-world games. Even cleanup after violence feels like part of a living system rather than a scripted reset.