Red Dead Redemption 2: Ways To Make A Playthrough Harder

Red Dead Redemption 2 has no difficulty settings available for players to change, meaning every player approaches the missions in this action-adventure title the same way. While some players may enjoy how accessible these story missions feel, others who have completed Red Dead Redemption 2 once already may be looking for ways to turn the Western game into more of a challenge.

Without different difficulties, players have gotten creative in the ways they can challenge themselves within the game, from turning off auto-aim to limiting access to certain features.

8

Only Use Regular Ammo

A Simple But Effective Challenge

Although this may not be that difficult for some players who may have completed the game once already without using the various types of special ammo in Red Dead Redemption 2, this is one of the simplest ways a player can make this action-adventure title harder.

The explosive bullets a player can load into their gun usually do quick work on various enemies, as well as allow for some epic moments. However, those who are looking to get creative while limiting the type of ammo they use may instead opt never to use this special ammo and instead focus on killing enemies with old-fashioned bullets.

7

Turn Off Auto-Aim

Players Will Need To Learn How To Aim

As soon as players start Red Dead Redemption 2, the game naturally has auto-aim to make aiming at various enemies from cover much easier. Players who want to make Red Dead as hard as possible can go into the settings and turn off the auto-aim to force them to manually aim at enemies both in and out of cover.

This can make some already intense battles far harder as a player must now also make sure they are actually hitting their targets instead of relying on the game to do it for them.

6

Only Use One Weapon All Game

Kill With A Bow Or Only Melee Weapons

With an abundance of weapons for players to choose from, Arthur is spoiled for choice on how to dispatch the various other outlaws and enemies he is likely to encounter while attempting to get rich.

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While the weapon wheel has plenty of space for multiple guns, and even melee weapons, a player looking for a challenge should forget about filling the wheel and instead focus on only one weapon. Those who wish to then take this a step further could decide to use a harder weapon, such as only killing through melee with their knife, or forcing themselves to only ever use the bow when in combat, even if they aren’t hunting animals.

5

Remove The HUD

Players Have No Access To Their Health Or Ammo

The HUD is arguably one of the most important elements for players to pay attention to. It contains info on the amount of ammo they have left, what their health currently is, and plenty of other vital information that helps the player keep Arthur alive.

Those looking to test themselves may turn off the entire HUD of Red Dead Redemption 2 and instead rely on being not only careful but also using other prompts in the game to figure out if Arthur is injured or not. Players will also be without a cross-hair, meaning those who aren’t using auto-aim may make the game even harder.

4

Never Use Any Restorative Items

It’s Best To Try And Not Get Shot

When the going gets tough, players can thankfully rely on their various health tonics, camp stews, and snake oil to keep them up and running. Naturally, those looking to turn Red Dead Redemption 2 into as hard a challenge as possible can decide never to use any of these tonics again.

This, therefore, creates a new challenge for the player, as without a way to regain health, players are not only not using restorative items, but also attempting to next get hit, as there’s no way to regain that health unless they die.

3

Play The Game Without Dead Eye

No Time To Line Up Shots

Dead Eye is one of the unique features of the Red Dead Redemption games that players have come to love. Being able to slow time and hit a target multiple times can make a player feel incredibly powerful. That’s why it might be a shock to some players that the way to make the game harder is by completely ignoring this feature of the game.

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Without Dead Eye, a player must instead work on quickly killing enemies the regular way. Although a player could combine this challenge with being unable to use auto-aim, some may wish to choose one challenge or the other, though having both could be near impossible.

2

Explore Without Maps

Challenge How Much The Player Remembers

Combat isn’t the only thing that can be made harder in Red Dead Redemption 2 by limiting a few things, as exploration can be just as exciting for a player to test themselves with. By removing the mini-map, the player will have to use signs, as well as their memory, to remember where certain locations are in Red Dead Redemption.

After starting this challenge, a player may suddenly realize how often they need to check their map to figure out where they are. Though, this can also encourage players to explore new places that they may have never seen when simply going from point A to B. It is down to the player if they wish to make this harder by also not using the main map, as without it a player may never see a mission again.

1

Remain A Wanted Outlaw

Expect A Fight Everywhere With The Law

While being part of a nefarious gang, it’s a surprise how easily a player can pay off their bounty to never get chased by the authorities ever again. To make this action-adventure harder, a player may choose never to pay off this bounty and watch it gradually – or quickly, depending on the player’s moral alignment – increase as players find themselves more often being pursued by bounty hunters.

Not only can this make the game harder, but it can also add some much-needed excitement for players as they ride their horses from one side of the map to the other, as well as make the player more careful when approaching various towns within the game.

Released

October 26, 2018

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OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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