Does RDR2 need to stick to “Redemption” theme?

[TheBaconator]

The general theme of RDR had to do with John trying to redeem himself from his past actions during his time in Dutch’s gang. While I was searching desperately for any RDR2 news, I came across an article. It discussed RDR2’s main protagonist, Arthur Morgan, who appears to be quite the opposite of a John Marston like character. They continued to say that he might have to stick to the Redemption theme of the previous game, suggesting that he might have a change of heart at some point during single player. I sincerely hope this is not the case, playing as the bad (tough guy, not necessarily bad) is Rockstar’s specialty. Of course they will develop Arthur’s character as the story progresses, but do you think he will have a tipping point and try to earn his Redemption? For me this seems stale, and I sally want to play as the character I saw in the trailer, but what is your opinion? 

FYI: coming back to this before I posted it I kind of realized this is not the most intriguing topic, I am rather tired so am not thinking as clearly as usual but already finished beforehand  so will post.

[Benjo]

I hope the storyline is completely different to RDR. The redemption part is in there purely to tie it in with RDR and I think that's enough. 

[Hazed0NE]

Part of me thinks the story line may lead to Arthur progressing to a "good guy" persona near the end of the game and then John Marston will end up killing him as a way to show his loyalty to Dutch. A sort of initiation into the gang. 

Edited January 10, 2018 by Hazed0NE

[Suck3rPunch3d]

8 hours ago, Benjo said:

I hope the storyline is completely different to RDR.

Same here and I agree with your other statement as well. It is meant to lead into John's story I believe so it will tie in with the use of the title just fine. I don't want another bad guy turning good. 

[Looney Dan]

We know it is a prequel to the last game so that is why. Nothing more nothing less. I am not sure why people want to over analyze every aspect of the game, specially when we really don't know all that much about it yet.

[ChrisCr0ss]

I think it is a good idea that they do but it isn't necessary. As mentioned, everything is meant to be a prequel to the "redeption" aspect and doesn't have the need to do anything with it.

[Archbell]

I personally wouldn't mind if they made the story about Arthur Morgan's redemption although I don't want redemption to be something Arthur is actively searching for at the start of the game, in Red Dead Redemption John Marston was on a path of redemption from the start of the game so it limited how much character development we got to see.

John Marston was in my opinion one of the greatest video game characters of all time and although him and others would talk of how he was when he rode with Dutch's Gang we as the player never got to see that switch/transition to how he acts and behaves in Red Dead Redemption so I'd much prefer for Red Dead Redemption II to start with Arthur being the worst of the worst, the quintessential no nonsense outlaw and murderer.

I think it would even be interesting if throughout the game he never sought redemption and instead the opportunity for redemption presented itself to him at the very end of the game.

[YodaMan 3D]

I would like for him to be searching for his own place in his own world.  Kind of like Michael in GTA, trying to make a better life for himself, but the world just wouldn't let him go.  So he found redemption in his own way.  He went all out bad guy to get his family back,.

 

Rockstar hasn't failed me yet.  They have always provided a good story for it's campaign.

[DevilDoc8404E2/4]

Morgan will be a great charter and seems like a true outlaw. I would like for him to stay that way. 

If there is some type of redemption, I think it will have to do with an event that happens to the blond lady we keep seeing. Something will happen to her and change morgan. Btw I fully believe she is Heidi McCourt. 

[LinXX]

The only way I can see his redemption coming is in death. Just based on his personality in the trailer and the way he looks in the pictures we have been provided. He seems a lot more like Dutch than John. 

[X S]

I felt like Redemption borrowed a lot of themes from famous Westerns, and arguably one of the best, Unforgiven.  For those who haven't seen it, it's a redemption story based upon an old outlaw who left his former criminal life.  Later, fate intervenes and calls him back to his old ways, wherein the ideas of law, justice and morality become indistinguishable from each other.  This obviously manifests itself in RDR.

RDR2 doesn't have to continue with this arc, but I also wouldn't mind it.  I tend to think that this message is what makes Western stories great, the ambiguity of civilization.  Tombstone is another great example of this.  Hell, even the Good, the Bat and the Ugly attempts to archetype this notion within the title of the film, yet there's still a lot of obscurity about it within the characters; Blondie is not exactly "good".