By Red Dead Redemption is commemorating its 15-year anniversary today, May 18, 2025. Below, we reflect on the western genre within the lens of its cinematic influences.
Narratives about the American frontier, akin to tales of knights or ninjas, are diverse and multifaceted. They encompass stories that are whimsical and grounded, humorous and solemn, conventional and avant-garde. Red Dead Redemption fits snugly within the realm of spaghetti Westerns, paralleling many of Sergio Leone’s films such as A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Even among other open-world titles and within its own series, Red Dead Redemption offers a distinctive journey. It brings forth the fantasy of stepping into the shoes of an iconic gunslinger in a gritty American landscape. No other game can replicate its essence.
Reflecting on the Red Dead Trilogy
The Red Dead series constitutes a trilogy, although we seldom consider the inaugural title, Red Dead Revolver. Each installment presents unique interpretations of the Western genre; despite the latter two featuring recurring characters and a shared timeline, they differ vastly in execution, atmosphere, and aesthetics.
Red Dead Revolver, crafted by Rockstar San Diego (formerly known as Angel Studios) with partial funding from Capcom, is a linear action game revolving around a straightforward quest for vengeance. In its presentation, it shares more likeness with comic books or anime than with traditional Western films or the remaining Red Dead entries. With limbs flying in every direction, it features exaggerated bosses, including a gigantic man with dynamite affixed to his head and metal plates for protection.
In contrast, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a grand Western saga more akin to True Grit or Open Range than to something like Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars. Its commitment to accurately depicting characters and settings is remarkable (with significant exceptions regarding the portrayal of Appalachian communities). The game is so invested in realism that historian and professor Tore Olsson penned an entire book evaluating where RDR2 excels and falters in reflecting reality, concluding that, despite some inaccuracies and areas needing depth, the game largely succeeds.
Red Dead Redemption
This brings us to the middle installment, Red Dead Redemption from 2010, a title heavily influenced by Spaghetti Western films. The term Spaghetti Western describes a film genre primarily produced between 1960 and 1978, mostly in Europe—particularly Italy and Spain.
Prior Westerns often focused on idealizing the American frontier. Cowboys were distinctly heroic or villainous, with the distinctions between good and evil being clear-cut. Spaghetti Westerns reversed this trend, creating charming antagonists and unsympathetic protagonists.
They also prioritized style. The iconic opening of A Fistful of Dollars presents silhouetted gunslingers in combat, complemented by whistling and chanting music previously unheard in cinematic depictions of the Old West.
We see these elements reflected in Red Dead Redemption. The visuals and soundtrack draw direct inspiration from Sergio Leone’s films, particularly the music. Composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, the score incorporates traditional instruments such as the jaw harp while also embracing a diverse blend, like the haunting sound of a harmonica intertwined with gritty electric guitar.
The narrative aligns closely with Spaghetti Western characteristics, both positively and negatively. Certain elements have not stood the test of time. The character known as Irish serves as a particularly poor example, based on terrible stereotypes, negatively affecting the game’s replayability. However, even this aspect mirrors Spaghetti Westerns, where characters were often broad and built on simplistic themes or archetypes.
Nonetheless, several fundamental aspects resonate well. John Marston is a protagonist, but he isn’t a clear-cut hero. He finds himself blackmailed into an impossible set of circumstances rather than arising to a challenge. His abrasive demeanor can be off-putting; even ardent fans may agree that Marston’s voice takes time to appreciate. In contrast, Dutch van der Linde presents an immediately appealing figure with grand visions and a captivating voice. Supporting characters like the unreliable snake-oil salesman Nigel West Dickens add humor and unpredictability, while figures like Bonnie MacFarlane entice John toward a more “honest” existence fraught with significant compromises he can barely aspire to. Landon Ricketts, an aging gunslinger John meets in Mexico, embodies characters portrayed by actors like Lee van Cleef in films like For a Few Dollars More—wise killers shaped by their past losses. His confrontations with former allies reflect survival rather than triumph, pressured by the threat looming over his wife and child. His old companions have grown corrupt, providing a semblance of rationale for his actions, yet they aren’t depicted as purely evil.
Though not a Spaghetti Western in itself, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid aligns with the genre’s time frame and shares enough of its broad, comedic tone and grimy element to fit this discussion. John Marston’s concluding moments echo the iconic finale of that film, with characters ending on a freeze frame underscored by a barrage of gunfire. Facing more lawmen than he could possibly defeat, John empties his revolver into the crowd, knowing he was never destined for a tranquil life. His efforts amount to little more than a fleeting respite for a lifelong gunslinger.
Thinking of replaying Red Dead 2 feels exhausting—all these unkind characters making poor choices and harming one another amid a stunning environment filled with malevolence. It’s undeniably a beautifully crafted and exquisitely written game. Yet, at times, one craves A Fistful of Dollars over 3:10 to Yuma. Red Dead Redemption serves as that answer. Despite its brutal themes, it’s an adventure featuring a reluctant hero equipped with the skills and toughness to navigate various dire scenarios, infused with the grandiosity of the films that inspired it.
For additional information on Red Dead Redemption’s 15th anniversary, discover why its narrative works best when it remains silent.
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