Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 440 sampled Steam reviews (384 positive / 56 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing32% mention it
- Visuals & art11% mention it
- World & exploration7% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Bugs & crashes20% mention it
- Story & writing14% mention it
- Visuals & art11% mention it
- Multiplayer & servers11% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
67%
67 reviews
5-15h
91%
93 reviews
15-40h
89%
81 reviews
40-100h
94%
103 reviews
100h+
89%
96 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 95 | 53 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 96 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 87 | 1960 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 94 | 199 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 88 | 1050 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 300 reviews sampled · 8962 total reviews in window · weighted 230.5 up / 20.2 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (219)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“Much like Grand Theft Auto 4 before it, Red Dead Redemption 2 is likely to be one of those games that's looked back on with a more critical eye in years to come. The story and visual design of the game is near perfection and those things cannot be overlooked. How much you get out of Red Dead Redemption 2 depends on your tolerance with the controls and how much weight you put on gameplay as a defining feature of a title. For a game that achieves perfection in so many areas, the linear structure of missions and frustrating controls make Red Dead a title that feels as stubborn and set in its ways as the gang you ride with into the sunset. If that isn't a bittersweet sense of irony, I don't know what is.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Despite some issues that are likely to be fixed with upcoming updates, the port of Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC turned out good. Incredibly beautiful game has become even better. It is the same last year's hit, which will by a diamond of the collection of any gamer.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Not revolutionary, not groundbreaking, but still an amazing experience which you should definitely try out. Clunky controls, sometimes annoying mission design and some mechanics that seem out of place won't ruin your atmospheric journey through the last days of Wild West.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Red Dead Redemption 2's evocative, often beautiful sense of place exists insofar as it is still convenient to the player, which harms some of the desperation and hardship the game means to convey.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Brutal, bewildering and brilliant, Red Dead Redemption 2 is undoubtedly Rockstar's finest release to date, flaws and all.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Victory of gaming as an art and the pinnacle of creativity in the gaming industry. A true, impeccably-polished masterpiece that will set standards for a decade to come.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“If only I could give Red Dead Redemption 2 a higher score that 10, I would. This is by far the best open-world game that has ever graced the face of Earth. No other sandbox can even dream of holding a candle to Rockstar's newest gun-blazing, incredibly detailed Western epic. I envy all of you, who are yet to embark upon this fantastic journey and discover all the secrets this game holds. Truly, I could wipe my memory clean just to be able to experience that world once again. A true gem of the most noble kind.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Red Dead Redemption II boasts a superb narrative, with an extensive and immersive open world full of content. Rockstar Games tells its best story to date, even though, unfortunately, the game suffers from its old controls and formulaic mission design. Red Dead Redemption's gameplay is not on par with its remaining aspects, but nonetheless, it's one of the best games of this generation.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Overall Red Dead Redemption 2 gets a 9/10, it is a blast to play with great attention to detail. Picking up your hat after a bar brawl, changing your equipment or shaving your beard all feel natural with some amazing flow between actions. Some missions are kind of boring, with some events forcing you down a certain path or telling you to take dishonourable acts when you could be wanting a more honourable playthrough.”
read full review ↗ - 90
- 100
“Rockstar has done it again. Red Dead Redemption 2 has surpassed all the reference titles of its genre, becoming a masterpiece of video games. A title that marks a before and after in how the effort and dedication of a studio are able to take a generation of consoles to a new exponent, demonstrating that excellence is only reserved for a select few. If you like to get lost in an unforgettable world, this title is a must on your bookshelf. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like Rockstar has turned a corner, but it might not be the corner fans were hoping they would turn.”
read full review ↗
TheReviewGeek
GameMAG
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Jump Dash Roll
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
Fun Factor
Invision Community
The Angry Joe Show
Kinglink Reviews…and 207 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.