Red Dead Redemption 2 vs Grand Theft Auto V
The short answer
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the better single-player game by some distance; GTA V is the better game to play with friends. RDR2 is slow on purpose and its story is the studio's best. GTA V has a mediocre campaign and an online mode people have played for a decade.
What they have in common
Same studio, same open-world grammar, and the same extraordinary attention to a world that carries on without you.
Pick Red Dead Redemption 2 for the story and the world.
The pacing is deliberate — animations take as long as they take, and travel is not skippable in spirit. If you meet it on its terms it is the most affecting thing Rockstar has written. If you want to be moving fast, it will frustrate you constantly.
Pick GTA V if you want chaos, or friends.
Los Santos is a better playground than Rockstar's west, the heists are the campaign's high point, and GTA Online is still where the players are.
Games like Grand Theft Auto V →Frequently asked questions
Should I play Red Dead Redemption 2 or Grand Theft Auto V?
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the better single-player game by some distance; GTA V is the better game to play with friends. RDR2 is slow on purpose and its story is the studio's best. GTA V has a mediocre campaign and an online mode people have played for a decade.
What do Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V have in common?
Same studio, same open-world grammar, and the same extraordinary attention to a world that carries on without you.
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More head-to-heads are on the comparisons page.
