Rockstar has finally brought the classic western game Red Dead Redemption to PC, five years after its release on next-gen consoles. While the port does a good job of improving frame rates and visuals, it leaves some technical decisions wanting.
The game’s controls, particularly with keyboard and mouse, work well, but the graphics menu is barebones, offering only four options for tweaking shadows, geometry, trees, and grass. This lack of customization might be expected given the game’s age, but it’s still a disappointment.
In terms of performance, the game barely pushed my high-end PC to its frame rate cap of 144fps at lower resolutions. However, with DLAA enabled at 4K, I was able to enjoy smooth gameplay above 100fps. The GPU usage remained relatively low, with some exceptions, particularly when enabling frame generation.
One notable issue is the implementation of level detail settings for grass and trees, which can be CPU-intensive and hinder performance. Fortunately, the game remains stable and bug-free, even on lower-end hardware like the Steam Deck OLED.
The PC port also benefits from a growing community of mods that enhance visuals and performance. With features like Nvidia Freestyle image filtering, the game opens up new possibilities for players.
While Red Dead Redemption’s PC port may not meet the expectations of some enthusiasts, it remains an excellent way to experience Rockstar’s cowboy simulator with improved frame rates and visuals. The game is available on PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One, and can also be played on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S through backward compatibility.
Source: https://www.si.com/videogames/reviews/red-dead-redemption-pc-port-review