Rockstar really put a lot of emphasis on their horses in Red Dead Redemption 2, stressing not only their realism compared to other video game horses, but also how important the player’s relationship with their trusty steed is. Indeed, these horses are leagues above any other horse game.
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However, no good game is without a few foibles, either bug-related or occurring entirely naturally. Players with a good sense of humor about them and therefore decided to make quite a few memes about their beloved steeds. Here are ten of the funniest, taken from /r/reddeadredemption.
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Multiple Horse Revivers Later…
It’s inevitable that players will get insanely attached to their horse, and, with all the money they can make during the game, it makes sense that they’d end up spending it all on horse revivers. The world of New Hanover is a dangerous place for ponies, so one must always be prepared.
However, some players may take it a little too far, as illustrated by this meme. At a certain point, they have to ask themselves if putting a horse through such strain is really worth it.
Blue Dead Redemption
One of the reasons the Pokemon franchise sells as well as it does is by luring players into the “gotta catch ’em all” mentality, getting them to buy both partner games in a generation to capture every creature available.
As hilarious as it sounds, doing the same with the horses in Red Dead would be pretty aggravating. As this meme implies, there would be players trading Arabians and Missouri Fox Trotters left and right, it would be complete and utter chaos.
Ungainly Sojourners
Horse A.I. is a bit of a mystery in gaming. Seemingly, horses in games fluctuate between total realism and utter buffoonery, as can be seen in titles like Shadow of the Colossus and Breath of the Wild.
In the case of Red Dead, horses are just as baffling, if not more so. They will jump random objects without needing to be told. Yet, when trying to traverse a forest while hunting, they’ll trip and send their riders flying over the most innocuous of things. Sometimes, they even do this over other animals. This meme may overexaggerate things just a bit, but it highlights the odd inconsistencies when it comes to in-game horseriding.
Horse Hoarding
With so many pretty ponies in the game, it’s very tempting for players to collect the best they can find and keep them for themselves. However, typically, they end up just riding one or two as their main horses, leaving the rest to just sit in the stables for eternity.
Since players are human, they end up anthropomorphizing their steeds, which can lead to feelings of guilt. As this meme illustrates, players might feel like their horse is leering as they come and go, yearning for a chance to get their own blanket, just like the main horse. Ah, well—maybe someday, buddy.
My Eyes!
A game like Red Dead Redemption 2 requires some serious computing power to run properly, resulting in graphics that are so wildly realistic at times that it can feel like players are living in a photograph. Unfortunately, the game is also able to reproduce all of the flaws of the real world, as well, such as blindingly bright snowy landscape.
In particular, the Grizzlies can be a challenge to navigate. Although they are one of the best areas in Red Dead, all that snow continuously reflects light off every bright surface, including the coveted White Arabian that lives there. Pro-tip: go horse hunting at night!
Elitist Equines
When the game first came out, players flocked to the internet so they could min-max their experience by using the best possible horses. Since the White Arabian was available from the very start of the game, many players went out of their way to find it so they could ditch their slow old nag for the horse equivalent of a sports car.
But, where’s the soul in that? With so many horses in the game, each with their own quirks, body types, and talents, players would be remiss to not give them a chance and just go straight towards the sports car.
Spooked
For the most part, the horses of Red Dead are fairly tough, but a few things will make each and every horse lose their cool from time to time. The biggest repeat offender is, of course, the snake, who will appear out of nowhere and make the player’s horse freak out instantly.
Some horses can take it a little better than others, but pretty much every horse will need a good patting after these slithery encounters. A good horse parent might even go the extra mile and hunt down the snake, just for good measure.
Wrong Kind Of Zoom
Veteran webcomic artist Awkward Zombie always manages to get their point across with just a couple of images, and here, the point is clear: the zoom-in mechanics in Red Dead are one of many things about the game that just don’t make sense.
While players can certainly just go into the first-person mode to get a closer look at things, some players get nauseous doing that and have found that simply pointing one’s gun at an object will give them a good look. It certainly works, but they have to make sure their triggers aren’t itchy while they do so.
Secret Saddlebags
Normally, game worlds are tailored to the player’s comfort and naivety, so they won’t surprise them in ways they can’t anticipate. By contrast, Red Dead didn’t pull any punches and let the horses do all the punching—or, rather, kicking.
When a gang hideout is cleared, players might think they are safe to loot with reckless abandon. However, if they approach a horse with saddlebags and neglect to pet them before looting, they’ll be met with a swift hoof to the face. Sometimes, these hooves are enough to knock out a player completely, so they would be wise to acquaint themselves first.
Horsesplaining
In a beautiful stroke of camaraderie, many players walked away from their Red Dead experience having a newfound love for horses and appreciation for them. However, some might have taken it even further and expressed this love by gaining profound knowledge of each and every horse in the game.
This is pretty understandable since there are some really cool breeds in the game for players to meet and adventure with. Just remember, everyone loves the game’s horses in their own special way, so don’t be a villain about it, like Arthur here.