In Read Dead Redemption 2, the Wanted system felt much more extreme compared to the first game, and this is something that should be fixed in the third game. There were two very different Wanted systems in the first two games, which created different experiences and both were a little too unbalanced. However, the next game has the chance to create a much more realistic system if they dial it back a little.

The honor system in Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Wanted system were fairly well linked together. This is partially because if recognized as doing something dishonorable, Arthur’s honor will go down. This means that the more extreme Wanted system could also make it harder to keep honor high if Arthur gets caught. For a game set in the Wild West, this is a bit of a misdirection.

RDR2’s Wanted System Is Too Aggressive

This System Was A Little Too Extreme For The Wild West

Compared to the first game, the Wanted System in Red Dead Redemption 2 was much more aggressive. Lawmen could see right through the mask, and witnesses were available for nearly every crime, even in the middle of nowhere. Train robberies also felt unfair, as no matter what the lawmen knew exactly where Arthur had struck, whether or not that was true.

There were even cases where players could swear they left no witnesses and there was still a bounty posted. It feels quite unfair, particularly in an idealized version of the Wild West where crime was supposedly rampant and lawmen could care less. The fun part of playing a criminal in the Wild West is to actually commit crimes, but the hard Wanted system makes that difficult.

The First Red Dead Redemption Was Less Severe

No Consequences For Criminal Activities

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the first Red Dead Redemption game had a much less aggressive Wanted System. Instead of being chased relentlessly, players could get away with nearly anything. Players could get into fights with any civilian or kidnap someone and still get away without any Bounty getting posted. This is almost the exact opposite of the second game.

It is far too lenient, and the second game is far too aggressive. There has to be a balance struck somewhere, where the Wanted status isn’t impossible to avoid but will still give players a challenge they have to work around. There are lots of potential possibilities, but finding some sort of balance will be imperative for Red Dead Redemption 3.

How RDR3 Could Rework The Wanted System

Making It Challenging Without Being Unrealistic

There needs to be a good in-between solution for Red Dead Redemption 3. If players plan well and have a quick getaway, they should be able to get away without attracting too much attention. Likewise, if they happen to find someone alone in the wilderness, a witness shouldn’t pop around the corner. Train robberies will also need a rework, as the current system is quite unfair.

For the train robberies, there could be a better way where, if the player leaves witnesses behind, and they see the face of the protagonist, a bounty could be posted at the town the train arrives in a day or so later. This would make the most sense, as lawmen shouldn’t be able to find the site of the train robbery without help from witnesses. This would even add an element of mystery, as players might not necessarily know they had been caught until they reached that town.

It would add a bit more intrigue and mystery, and it would be more likened to real life as the witnesses arrive at the town and inform the lawmen. Other situations could work the same way, where if the player is careful, sneaky, and uses their mask they could slip away without being noticed; But if they remove the mask too quickly or get into an altercation with witnesses, one of them could run for the law and players would have a short amount of time to get away.

It’s realistic but not necessarily unfair as the lawmen would not know where the player went in this situation. There could also potentially be a notoriety scale alongside the honor system that makes the player more recognizable the more they are known for committing certain crimes. The more often the player becomes Wanted, the higher their notoriety, and the more often they evade the law, the more infamous they could become. Players on the opposite end of the scale could become bounty hunters.

While it would still present a challenge, it would also make more sense. It could even scale the difficulty and affect how well the lawmen could recognize the player under the mask. It would encourage players to be more careful and avoid random altercations, or players who want a higher challenge could let witnesses get away on purpose to add to their infamy. And that would change the entire Wanted system in Red Dead Redemption 3.