for their beautiful scenery, others for their in-game benefits, and some for the hidden secrets they have squirreled away.
Another reason some of these locations may get lost in the shuffle is that they are largely ignored by the story. Conversely, sometimes the story might be going at such a fast pace in a certain location that players forget to slow down and appreciate their surroundings. Veterans who have already experienced Red Dead Redemption 2’s narrative once will likely want to take their time and fully explore everything they missed last time.
10 Strawberry Is One Of The Nicest-Looking Towns
Strawberry Has A Very Scenic Landscape And Features
The first time Arthur Morgan visits Strawberry in Red Dead Redemption 2’s story, he's sent there to break Micah Bell out of prison. As if dealing with Micah wasn’t unpleasant enough, as soon as he’s loose, Micah goes on a rampage through the small town, even breaking into a man’s house and killing his unarmed wife. All of this death and destruction (and Micah) can leave a bad taste in the mouth, and it is one of the earlier indications that Dutch’s gang isn’t all as respectable as like Charles or Hosea.
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If players are sticking to the story, they won’t spend much time in Strawberry after this mission, which is a shame as the town is one of the most scenic in Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s nestled in the mountains near Big Valley, a region that resembles the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. The town is split by a river, and its unique log-cabin-style buildings make it feel wilder than many locations. While there isn’t a ton to do, it’s the perfect town for photo mode.
9 Saint Denis Has A Lot Of Hidden Treasures
Saint Denis Is The Game's Biggest Urban Area
Saint Denis is the most established city in Red Dead Redemption 2, which makes sense seeing how far East it is. Modeled after New Orleans, Saint Denis has some unique French-inspired architecture and fun amenities like a cable car. As the game’s most populated area, it also houses some secrets that are easy to miss during a first playthrough of the game.
One of the city’s strangest secrets is the hidden vampire that can be discovered after following strange writings on the city’s walls. There are also a variety of entertaining performances that Arthur can watch at the Théâtre Râleur outside of the ones they go to in missions. The local movie theater also has some humorous and entertaining shorts, like the story of Josiah Blackwater and his possum hat. It's worth taking the time to explore all the buildings and alleys in Saint Denis to avoid missing any of the fun.
8 Return To The Grizzlies After The Prologue
The Grizzlies Have More Content Than The Prologue Shows
Red Dead Redemption 2 drops players in the frozen tundra of the western Grizzlies, the game’s fictional stand-in for the Rockies. Although the gang is pretty eager to get out of the Grizzlies early on in the campaign, players shouldn’t say goodbye to the region for good. After fully unlocking the various types of side missions and getting better equipment, it’s worth venturing back into the Grizzlies to see what they have to offer.
There are a few legendary animals to hunt in the region, as well as just some interesting details in the scenery. One striking location is the frozen cattle drive near Spider Gorge which shows just how dangerous ing through areas like this was in the old West. There are also some fun Easter eggs like some movie references and a hidden robot.
7 Annesburg Is Largely Ignored By The Main Story & Worth Checking Out
Annesburg's Best Missions Are Side Missions
While there are several side missions that take place in Annesburg, players who are just rushing through the main story quests will likely miss out on what the town has to offer. This mining town is located in the far northeast of the map in the state of New Hanover in the more dense forested area near Roanoke Ridge. Aside from having a wealth of natural resources for crafting, Annesburg is also home to some of the best side content in the game.
Annesburg is where the shocking conclusion to the gunslinger quest “The Noblest of Men, and a Woman” takes place. If Arthur has high enough honor, they can participate in “Do Not Seek Absolution,” the quests that bring the story of the Downes family to a conclusion. Avoiding these missions misses out on some of the game’s more emotional beats. Likewise, once playing as John, players can return to Annesburg say a heartfelt goodbye to Rains Fall.
6 Explore Near Valentine To Solve A Murder Mystery
Valentine's Surroundings Hold An Interesting Side Quest
Valentine is one of the earliest locations in the game that players will likely spend a lot of time in. However, because there are so many missions that are set within the small town, it's easy to miss one of the game’s creepier side quests which takes place just outside of it. Fans of mysteries or true crime will get a kick out of this mission — “American Dreams” — which has them hunting a serial killer.
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The quest can be started either by talking to Valentine’s sheriff or by finding any of its three murder scenes. Each murder scene features a mutilated corpse and some enigmatic writing, and following the clues left at each one can lead to the identity of the killer. Players who missed it the first time, or maybe saw the bodies but didn’t realize they were connected to a quest, will want to take their second chance to fully explore this Valentine mystery.
5 A Glitch Makes It Possible To Explore Mexico
Players Can't Visit Mexico During The Game Without Using This Glitch
The original Red Dead Redemption brought players across the border into Mexico. Red Dead Redemption 2 is set further northeast than the original game for the most part, and when Arthur does venture out of the country, it's to the fictional Caribbean island of Guarma. Fans of the first game may lament that they weren’t able to return to Mexico and explore it with RDR2’s updated graphics. However, it is possible to do so with the help of a glitch.
There are a few methods that make it possible to glitch into Mexico. The easiest is to go to the San Luis River as far west in New Austin as possiuble. Once over the border, there is a small rock crevice that Arthur can ride his horse to the top of. Hopping off the horse allows him to glitch into Mexico, leaving the horse behind. Players can explore areas similar to ones from the original game but need to be careful, as part of the map to the southeast could cause them to load into Guarma and get them stuck.
4 Take The Time To Appreciate Guarma
The Game Doesn't Let Arthur Go Back To Guarma After The Mission
At the end of Red Dead Redemption 2’s fourth chapter, Arthur and some of his companions attempt to flee Saint Denis aboard a boat after a failed heist. The boat ends up getting hit by a storm, and sinks. Arthur washes up on the shore of the Carribean island Guarma. The Guarma chapter largely plays out as a linear story mission, and players are stuck there during it. This likely encourages most players to speed through the mission to get back to the mainland as quickly as possible.
When players know that the Guarma mission is going to happen, they can be more prepared to take their time with it instead of feeling pressured to go back to the main map. While there isn’t a whole lot to do in Guarma, the area is still fully realized with the same impressive attention to detail as the game’s main areas. It’s worth taking a little extra time to look around when there’s a chance and take in the scenery in Guarma before being unable to go back.
3 Mount Shann Is Worth A Climb For The Views (& The Treasure)
Mount Shann Has Gold Bars & Beautiful Vistas
Mount Shann is located in West Elizabeth as part of the Big Valley region. It’s a tall mountain with some stunning views of one of Red Dead Redemption 2’s most scenic areas. Climbing to the top of Mount Shann makes it possible to appreciate just how well-crafted the world of RDR2 is and how beautiful it can be to look at. However, even those who aren’t motivated purely by the game’s aesthetics may still want to pay a visit to Mount Shann’s peak.
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At the top of Mount Shann is a strange rock formation that is part of the “Landmarks of Riches” quest. This landmark specifically contains six gold bars, a pretty hefty prize for climbing to the top of the mountain. Each gold bar sells for $500, meaning players will get $3000 along with one of the best views in the game.
2 Cotorra Springs Has Unique Natural Phenomena & Is Good For Hunting
Cotorra Springs Is An Area With Natural Hot Pools
Cotorra Springs is one of the areas in Red Dead Redemption 2 that just proves how much detail the developers put into creating the game’s environments. There aren’t any major quests in the area, so it could easily have been left as an unremarkable stretch of land. However, it actually has some of the most unique geographical features of anywhere in the game.
Cotorra Springs is full of natural boiling hot springs. Players should avoid taking a dip in them, as their character will die upon entering them. Still, the steaming holes that are scattered across this area of the map are nothing short of a natural wonder. There is also a legendary wolf in the area and some decent hunting for players looking to collect some pelts or supplies for camp. It’s an area players could easily ride past if they aren’t seeking it out, but it is definitely worth having a look at the hot springs (from a safe distance).
1 Meet Bigfoot Near The Calumet Ravine
There Is A Hidden Giant Some Players Believe Is Bigfoot
In Ambarino, north of Donner Falls and near the Calumet Ravine, a cave can be found next to the river. While they can’t go in and actually meet them, there is an unseen NPC who speaks to Arthur from inside. The NPC mentions being too large, which has made some players believe that this is Bigfoot they are speaking to.
Cut content from the game shows that this character was originally just a very tall person who looked mostly human, or was possibly some type of giant. However, given Rockstar’s history of including Bigfoot in their games, and seeing as he isn’t on screen, some Red Dead Redemption 2 players like to say this is him. Regardless of whether one believes it’s bigfoot or not, it's worth thoroughly exploring this corner of the map and speaking to the giant. After all, he does say that he’s lonely.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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- Top Critic Avg: 95/100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- October 26, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RAGE
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Stadia
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