Game review 11 October 2023, 02:03

author: Zbigniew Woznicki

Red Dead Redemption Switch Review - The Classic is Back, Now on Hand-held

Red Dead Redemption unexpectedly arrived on the Nintendo Switch. The title proves that games can run smoothly on the console and also look good. The only problem is the price.

The review is based on the Switch version.

Red Redemption is a game that needs no introduction. Even to people who haven't played it yet. John Marston's adventure, set amidst the end of the Old West and the lifestyle associated with it, remains a remarkable experience. Especially since the game works surprisingly well on Nintendo Switch. Surprisingly, because most of the recent releases for that console have left much to be desired.

Red Dead Redemption on Nintendo Switch works as it should

The history of various game ports is quite diverse, and you often have to prepare for the worst. An example of this is the recent release of The Last of Us on PC. That's why I approached Red Dead Redemption on Nintendo Switch with caution. I was sure that the game would start and run, but what would happen next remained a mystery. After a few hours of gameplay, it became clear that the port had turned out to be really successful, enjoyable and stable.

The interface has been fully adapted to Nintendo Switch. As a result, the buttons during gameplay correspond to the button layout of the mentioned console. Additionally, in the settings, where you can see the controls, a Nintendo Switch controller is displayed depending on what you are using, so when I was playing with the console in my hands, I saw the assignment of buttons to Joy-Cons, and when I was stationary using the Pro controller, I saw the control layout on it.

It may seem like a minor detail, but it makes a significant difference and demonstrates that careful consideration has been given to the adaptation of Red Dead Redemption for the Nintendo Switch. There are no shortcuts, and real effort has been made to make the game as comfortable as possible. An interesting difference is the ability to choose one of several available language versions, which, for instance, was impossible in the case of the digital version of the game on Xbox. It's worth mentioning that once you have selected the language version, it isn't easy to change it. You practically have to give up all of your progress and, in a way, reset the game to its factory settings, so some players might want to keep that in mind.

It's not just the controls adjustments in Red Dead Redemption that deserve praise. The gameplay also leaves a very positive impression. The 30 frames per second are very stable, and I haven't noticed any drops that would cause discomfort. Moving between locations, engaging in intense fights with explosions, or entering more populated areas – none of these activities resulted in faltering game performance.

Visually, Red Dead Redemption isn't lesser than the original release. Of course, it's a game that's several years old now, so you can't expect breathtaking effects. Despite this, the title has aged gracefully and is still pleasant to watch. This applies to both stationary and portable gameplay. However, in the case of the former, I noticed slightly lower-quality anti-aliasing, which may be due to the display of Red Dead Redemption in Full HD.

It's good to be back home again

The Nintendo Switch version of the game reminded me why Red Dead Redemption is one of Rockstar's best games. The story is filled with unique characters, each of whom has their own story to tell. It's also a demonstration of what an open, living world can look like, with various random events waiting to be discovered during exploration.

Not even for a moment did I get the impression that I was playing an outdated game, which time had significantly taken its toll on. Red Dead Redemption is still an incredibly enjoyable title, and it's great that while you can play it on the PlayStation 5 without any issues, Nintendo Switch owners also have their own port now. It’s very easy to succumb to the "one more mission" syndrome, which can lead to sleep disturbances and going to bed at late hours.

There's no denying that you can tell when the game was made. The world, in general, gives the impression of being quite empty and less lively than what we’ve experienced in Red Dead Redemption 2, but that’s only natural. Monotonous desert landscapes also don't help with this. For some, this may be a significant flaw and it simply cannot be overcome. I would recommend giving the game a chance because if it captures your interest, it will provide hours of great fun.

Red Dead Redemption for Nintendo Switch has one serious drawback that can easily discourage you: the price. The game costs about $50, which definitely works against it. The price is high and hard to justify by any means. After all, it’s not a new installment nor a remake. The game doesn't even have a multiplayer mode, which so some of you can get the impression that we’re getting an incomplete at a high price.

The cost is prohibitive, especially since we're dealing with a regular port. Yes, it's successful, runs fine, and it's hard to find fault with it, but it's still just a port of a game that has already been around for years. At the same time, however, Rockstar is trying to make money on it, ignoring fans who want to invest more hours in the online mode of Red Dead Redemption 2 – forgotten by the developer.

Fortunately, the price is about the only problem for Red Dead Redemption on Nintendo Switch. The technical aspects are very good and the same can be said about the gameplay, which remains captivating to this day. Regarding bug issues, only a few times I noticed that there was no recognizable X mark in the air at the mission starting location. Perhaps it was always the case with those few missions, and I've already forgotten about them. Besides, the port achieves a really high level of polish.

Despite all these pros, it's hard for me to recommend buying the game. On the one hand, it guarantees long hours in one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. Buying the game at such a price may encourage sellers to resell the same game at almost its full price in the future. Because, on the aforementioned Xbox, we could already buy Red Dead Redemption for almost ten times less. If someone doesn't mind spending extra cash, I recommend it. It's definitely worth playing.