RDRII revisited: oatcake addiction and the cult of Dutch

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Started a replay of RED DEAD II the other night: planning to take my time, do my thing, enjoy myself and explore the world more (and take time out to go play other things so I don't feel like my GamePass subscription is a waste though right now it is because there is NOTHING I feel like playing on there; GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY being the last great thing I played) than I did in my first playthrough three-four years ago (can't believe it's been that long – feels like the game came out yesterday). Will probably regularly or regularly probably record impressions here as I make my way through.

Impressions, so far:

  • Been listening to both psychologist, cult deprogrammer, and former cult member Stephen Hassan's podcast, THE INFLUENCE CONTINUUM (after hearing him on Tristan Harris's YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION) and A LITTLE BIT CULTY, hosted by two former members of that cult on THE VOW, the one that got whatshername from SMALLVILLE thrown in jail and damn, is Dutch a believeable cult leader: fascinating to see it through that lens this time.

  • The snowstorm / mountain levels in the prologue are stunning, staggeringly so (so much so that it's got me using adverbs). Also, I've become engrossed by how my footprints appear in the mud and fill with water in the streets of Valentine.

  • I am, as I was in my first play-through, addicted to oatcakes. My horse is too.

  • I lost my hat robbing that Valentine Doctor's side business (I died but completed the robbery before I died and now it's locked behind those steel doors) and now I can't get the thing back. I need a key. Or dynamite.

  • I'm still in YAKUZA mode when it comes to gaming fisticuffs. I want Arthur to move like Kiryu, using the same button combinations. Doesn't work that way here. No dragon spirit for Arthur Morgan – only a facefull of bloody mud in the streets of Valentine.

  • I want Arthur's journaling habits, the drawing, etc.

Will add more impressions as they arise..