Red Dead Redemption 2 Beginner Tips: 3 Tips for New Players

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive game with plenty to learn, and not all of that information is clearly explained. Here are three things you'll be happy to know when you get started.

1. Bars vs. Cores

Red Dead Redemption 2's health, stamina and Dead Eye system is explained only in passing, which can lead to a lot of confusion. Here's how it works.

The three icons above the compass indicate your cores for health, stamina and Dead Eye. Along the outside of each icon is a bar indicating your current usable levels of each resource. An empty stamina bar, for instance, means you won't be able to sprint until it refills.

When the icons themselves start to turn black, from top to bottom, that indicates you need to eat or drink something to restore the core. If you don't, you'll experience adverse affects. Low health and stamina cores will slow the regeneration of the corresponding bar, while a low Dead Eye core will restore less Dead Eye per kill and cause more weapon sway in Dead Eye aiming.

Different foodstuffs will restore different amounts of health, stamina, Dead Eye or the corresponding cores. Make sure the food you choose will address the problem you're facing.

2. Loot Everyone You Kill

The most reliable income you'll find outside of quest rewards will generally be from looting the corpses of each and every enemy you kill. From them you'll pick up not just cash, but valuables and ammunition. Diligence in looting will keep your purse full and your weapons loaded.

3. Double Check Equipped Weapons When Leaving Your Horse

Red Dead Redemption 2 lets you choose which weapons you take into each encounter, but you have to make sure you've selected the weapons you want before you step off your horse. Once the horse is out of reach, your equipped weapons will be your only options.

The game also has the pesky habit of forcing you to equip certain weapons during story missions. Be doubly sure you've equipped the weapons you want before you dismount whenever you're in a mission, or you'll be stuck with some new set of guns.