Not Necessarily Lying & Cheating Its Way To Success

by exterminat

©2010 Nicholas Laborde

We live in a day and age where DLC is quite a hot topic.

Developers lock content onto game files and expect us to pay for it, we are expected to pay outrageous amounts for old content, and many things of that nature (previously discussed in the Lack of Focus article).

Rockstar is one of the few companies out there that actually understands what the term Downloadable Content means. Grand Theft Auto IV set the bar for what DLC should be, and Rockstar has succeeded yet again with the second add-on to Red Dead Redemption, Liars and Cheats.

• Read Dead Redemption: Liars & Cheats DLC

Unlike the first add-on to Red Dead Redemption, this one is something to take note of. Instead of getting new characters and weapons, good ol’ Rockstar has decided to pump out “real” content: new modes.

That is where Liars and Cheats’ strength lies. Instead of looking at new people for a second longer before you shoot them, we receive several new modes and activities in this refreshing addition to RDR’s multiplayer.

First, we have a mode that was extremely wanted (and surprisingly not in the main multiplayer game): multiplayer Poker and Liar’s Dice. There really isn’t much to say here, as the modes are the same as in the single player portion of the game, and are even more based on luck.

There is an attention to detail in these two gambling excursions, though. Things like being able to see other players slightly lift up their cup in Liar’s Dice adds to the atmosphere of the mode.

Next, we have something that will surely enthrall you yet again into the brilliant atmosphere of the Old West: the Grand Prix. This is horse racing, friends. And it’s intense. It is played out of multiple rounds (usually four). You start off lined up next to each other, and the countdown ticks.

As soon as the announcer shouts “Go!” you viciously tap your sprint button to leap ahead of the other participants. The first thing you might notice is that your weapons are unusable. When I saw this, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Ten seconds later, it was a moving massacre when the announcer said “Weapons free!” Luckily, Rockstar knew better, and limited your ammunition. You typically get around two magazines for your weapons, which consist of a pistol, rifle, and shotgun.

A wise thing to do is leap ahead of the competition at the beginning, weave left and right to dodge the bullets, and save your own ammo until the very end when everyone else is out.

Then, we have Rockstar’s view on the popular Territories mode: Stronghold. This is played like any typical Territories game mode; there is an offensive team and an attacking team.

The offensive team starts off in the plains with their horses and must group together for an offensive toward the enemy, capturing points along the way.

The defensive team, obviously, must stop this from happening, by any means necessary. As the attackers capture more points, (there are usually around 5) they gain access to better weapons and even emplacements like cannons.

Sometimes, this is different in that you have to break into a safe, but the principles of offense and defense remain the same. The ultimate goal is for the attackers to push the defenders all the way back into their base (their Stronghold), and capture it.

All-in-all, I went into it expecting a rehash of a mode that has been iterated in so many games that it truly has lost its shine. However I was utterly impressed by the fun factor of Stronghold, and my faith in Rockstar deepened greatly.

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Last, but certainly not the least, we have a few little things that also come with along bundled in your swagbag of goodies in Liars & Cheats DLC. A new awesome weapon is introduced: the Explosive Rifle.

It does what it says it does: it shoots explosive rounds. Enemies that are killed by it are blown into a gory mess, which is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face who loves the visceral aspects of shooters- you won’t be disappointed with this little trinket.

You can only obtain the rifle and ammo for it by completing the new hideouts. We are presented with seven great hideouts to choose from, all with their own distinctive style based on their specific location within the maps confines.

Among the smaller additions, we also get four great new Hunting Grounds to test our various skills out on with bears, boars, mountain lions and the like, all vying for your trusty bullets to rake up the $$’s when you trade those pelts and meat in at the local stores.

It’s vaguely reminiscent of Horde mode from Gears of War 2. You stay in a general premises, and groups of animals come at you: cougars, boars, and so much more!

And finally, we have Posse Scoring and Leaderboards. Posses can now obtain a score when they stay in a session long enough, although you don’t actually see it in-game, as it is racked up behind the scenes in your online leaderboards, which of course, do exactly what they are designed to do: tell you who’s awesome and who sucks.

Overall, the Liars and Cheats Pack is a great addition to Red Dead Redemption’s already-great multiplayer. So, if you were disappointed by the Legends and Killers Pack, or have been waiting for a proper DLC installment, you can officially be at ease: the West has returned, and with a bang.

©2010 Nicholas Laborde

“9.0/10

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Filed under: 3rd Party Games, Console gaming, New Xbox 360 Games, XBLA News-Reviews, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 3rd Party Games, Xbox 360 Game Previews, Xbox 360 Game Reviews Tagged: | "grand theft Auto IV", Downloadable content, Explosive Rifle, Game, Game mechanics, Horse racing, red Dead Redemption DLC, Red Dead Redemption Liars & Cheats review, Red Dead: Redemption, Single-player video game, video games