Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. The Witcher 3: Which Is the Better Open World Game?

Twinfinite writes: If you're wondering which would win between The Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2, then we've got all the deets inside. Let's go!

[Jin_Sakai]

RDR2 is better but they won’t release a 60fps patch for current gen consoles so I’ll be playing the Witcher 3.

[Grilla]

On a technical level rdr2 was better but W3 had better writing.

[Zhipp]

They're both outstanding games, but, as much as I love the Witcher 3, RDR2 was better on a technical level, had a more varied, immersive open world, and even had better writing in my opinion.

Yet somehow I still liked the Witcher 3 a little bit more. I guess, despite both being open world, they were still very different games. Even though RDR2 made me feel things I've never felt from a videogame, Witcher 3, mostly thanks to its emphasis on player choice when it came to story and quest design, appealed to me a bit more.

[shinoff2183]

That's just a matter of opinion really.

[thorstein]

Characters, sheer amount of great characters goes to RDR2.

Dialogue goes to W3.

But, there were times when W3 broke narrative rules and forced narrative where it shouldn't have.

Example: I am playing Geralt and there is a boss fight, I go the whole encounter untouched, I slay the boss, but then a cutscene happens where I barely survive the encounter?

Example 2: Ciri vs the witches. She can blink. I blink my way all around the fight, untouched, no problem. I kill them all. Cut scene undoes all I have done and viola witch slowly snatches medallion that I used to blink.

So, I would say RDR2 is better because there is no game breaking narrative.

W3 is a great game. This is like arguing which two games are amongst the top games.

[deleted]

Yea, I played a ton of RDR2 online up until this year, and stopped, waiting for a PS5 patch. It's a real shame they haven't announced any plans for one. At least give us hope! I know it doesn't pull in hardly a fraction of GTA Online's numbers, but I just enjoy the slow paced, more role-playing aspect of the RDR2 world. I can lose hours just hunting and fishing in that game.

[MaximusTKG]

That’s a weird reason to play what you yourself said to be the inferior game.

[dennigo]

to me RDR 2 was a chore, brushing your horse, doing camp tasks, having to ride everywhere with no real fast travel(few trains don't count here) the story was good, but so was the witcher story. But the sidequests of the witcher are a lot better compared to the ones in RDR2.

[SDuck]

brushing your horse and doing camp tasks were not required for anything. There's a map at your camp you can interact to fast travel but I can still side with you on that one.

[RaidenBlack]

Both games' best versions are on PC.
I'd say Witcher III trumps RDR2 marginally ...

[frostypants]

Nobody asked which platform had the best version.

[RaidenBlack]

and ... nobody asked you to reply here, either ...
...
also, as for the reason behind the first statement in my comment : many of the comments were based on the 30 vs 60 fps options availability for both games on consoles
so, I pointed out the platform where there's no hindrance to framerate options and both games can be judged more equally.

[Omegasyde]

You put out a comment that no asked for Raiden. See link below.

https://www.vocabulary.com/...

[Asplundh]

Wow no one here could had guessed that the games run better on PC, I could have lived my entire life not knowing that. Thank you sir for sharing your knowledge, I only wish that one day I'll have 1/10th of the wisdom that you have.

-The Console Peasant

[_Decadent_Descent]

Cry some more.

[Omegasyde]

Wow you are out of touch…

[RaidenBlack]

nobody waits for someone else to "ask" for a comment, in order to add that comment ...
commenting is independent and personal opinion.
look who's out of touch actually, here ...
welcome to modern internet :
https://www.vocabulary.com/...

[GotGame818]

I would play RDR2 if it ran @60fps on Consoles. The game is one of the best looking game worlds ever created. It feels to sluggish at 30fps. Witcher is better, and the 60fps boost helped that. The pro consoles got the 60fps option last gen.

[Gardenia]

Also the lack of fast traveling in RDR2 is hurting the gameplay a lot. If the controls and pace was a bit better in RDR2 it would be a lot better. Maybe we will get a remastered of RDR2 that fixed these problems and with 60fps and fast loading times someday.
And a remake of RDR1 would be great as well.

[Rocosaurus]

Both are fantastic, but my vote goes to Witcher 3

[ClayRules2012]

Yes, both really are fantastic. I RDR2’s better. With that said, The Witcher 3, man, its still after all these years one of the best open world games along with just one of the best games I’ve ever played.

[Snookies12]

Gah, I hate to admit I've only ever gotten about 10-15 hours into both of these games... I think I enjoyed Red Dead Redemption 2 a tiny bit more in that time spent. But I really adored Witcher 3's side quests. They felt real, like I was actually helping people that needed it.

[HansyJ]

Who cares you havent even come close to beating either game lol they only get better and more engaging

[ClayRules2012]

Ugh, you haven’t even scratched the surface of watch either game truly has to offer. I put 200 hours into TW3 (originally) maybe a little more than that on my first go. RDR2 I’ve put in I don’t even know, but far beyond the Witchers 200 hours, no doubt.

You should finish them. You said adored the side quests in the Witcher, well…get to getting with them side quests. NOW! Lol. I don’t think you’ll regret it. And the main quest/story just gets so engrossing too.

If you do continue with one or both, I hope you genuinely enjoy all the more content that they offer! Take your time with them though, don’t rush. These worlds and everything in them NEEDS to be appreciated👍🏼

[Snookies12]

Oh I definitely intend to go back to them. Life has been all over the place for me the last few years though. Makes gaming, especially these longer ones, a lot harder to get around to.

[goldwyncq]

RDR2's world is not only more beautiful, it also feels more alive and real.

[ClayRules2012]

Yeah, RDR2’s world is not only stunningly beautiful, but it’s alive and lived in in a way that no other game really compares to. Really, it should be a blueprint for other devs to take inspiration from so they themselves can try to create something great and unique with the work and details that R* has given for everyone to see and enjoy.

[Omegasyde]

I agree, but if Witcher had a more survival aspect….. it would win hands down.

Lore/story/player engagement 20+ hours in = Witcher. End of Red Dead after the “main character found out he was dying” was Dull AF.

[Broncob]

Red Dead 2 for me, this is prob going to get loads of dislikes but I think Witcher is over rated

[ClayRules2012]

Don’t worry about dislikes, it happens to everyone. Basically people disagreeing with you & your opinion.

I don’t agree with The Witcher 3 being overrated, I absolutely love it. But nonetheless, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed RDR2. What an awesome gaming experience from R*

[shinoff2183]

I completely agree with you broncob. I never really was able to get into it.

[boing1]

Really? RDR2 is unmatched when it comes to open world design.

[PhillyDillyDee]

This hurts me to say but eff RDR2 with their frame capping. Take Two games isnt as openly anti-consumer as some others but imo they are one of the worst publishers. Cant even give us quality of life upgrades…

[shinoff2183]

How's that anticonsumer. They doing other stuff. I'd rather them finish up on what they working on right now. Can I go back and demand upgrades from my snes games or ps1. If it happens cool if not its far from anti consumer.

[PhillyDillyDee]

How is it anti-consumer to cap a frame rate? Golly thats a tough one… They can literally flip a switch and we can play rdr2 on current gen at 60fps. The fact that they even capped it to begin with tells us everything. And before you go making more excuses for them, rdr1 is uncapped. Now why would the older game be uncapped? Is it because that game was from a time before they would resell us the same game with a few QOL improvements every consecutive generation?

[neutralgamer1992]

Witcher 3 is a fun open world game and is better than RDR2 BUT IMO the original RDR is better than Witcher 3 and RDR2

RDR is a masterpiece at technical aspects and realism

Witcher 3 knows it's a video game and is fun to play while RDR2 goes out of its way to make sure you play the way R* wanted. They go out of their way to stop gamers from having fun

RDR2 feels like a chore to play
Won't let you save if you have enabled cheat codes (mind you this was possible on PS2/of xbox) and forget about fast travel, if a gaming version of fast travel from anywhere on the map was available you can deduct about 35% of game length but instead let's force the player until long long horse ride sections to increase game length

[shinoff2183]

Rdr2 wasn't on ps2 neither was red dead redemption 1 The original red dead was but Rockstar bought the game series or something like that.

[anast]

RDR2 but like everyone here 30 fps thing is jarring at this point.

[lellkay]

Both games are masterclasses of the medium.

[SimpleSlave]

Easy.

If you're talking about the world itself and how it acts and reacts to you then Red Dead Redemption 2 by a landslide. No competition.

If we're talking about the structural side of the game, like the missions, side quests, combat, etc. then Witcher 3 by a landslide. No competition.

So if we combine both of these categories, divided by fun factor, multiply by fuck yeah, then rounded up to please give me more. Lastly, add a pinch of fuck where have you been all my life. Then the Better Open World Game is...
...
...
...
Elden Ring

[shinoff2183]

Naw.

[SimpleSlave]

Yup.

[ANIALATOR136]

Both are amazing but I'd have to say RDR2. Some of the NPCs in The Witcher look pretty last gen looking and haven't aged well

[StarkR3ality]

I'd have to say Witcher 3 just because it revolutionised side content in OWG's and the character's were all so deep and loveable (or hateable in some cases). RDR2 is one of the few games that match and sometimes exceed the Witcher 3 in story telling, depth, characters etc. It also is very similar to their previous work, amazing but similar nevertheless.

I'd give the edge to the Witcher for it's groundbreaking feel at the time, bare in mind RDR2 came out 3 years after the Witcher and probably took a lot of inspiration from it.

I also agre that RDR2 not having a 60fps patch is a really shame, it's not a game breaker though as on the latest consoles it's a locked 30fps with perfect frame pacing. It's a good 30fps, if you don't believe there's a good 30fps. Play RDR2, and then go to W3's ray tracing mode on the new update. Big big difference.

[shinoff2183]

I doubt red dead 2 took much inspiration from Witcher 3 at all.

[StarkR3ality]

@shin

I doubt that anything I'd say you'd agree with as you comment on every post I make arguing with me :L

Living in your head rent free pal.

[isalas011981]

WOW i am actually playing these two games right now on my PC and debating on which one continue with lol

[sagapo]

Personally I prefered RDR2. I could just wonder around in that world, exploring. Did the same in W3, but it felt different. Probably because RDR2 has a more realistic setting and W3 is pure fantasy. In the end I loved both games tho.

[Shane Kim]

Read Dead is imo the best game ever created and I've been playing since NES era.

[frostypants]

Why do I need them to tell me when I can judge for myself? Also...this is several years late. Slow news day?

[EazyC]

I only started the Witcher 3 but it's excellent so far. I put it off for years because of not being a huge fantasy fan, and not having much time for massive single player games...but this is going to consume me over my Christmas leave!

[TheKingKratos]

RDR2 without even a second thought

[Binarycode]

RDR2 bored me tbh, very slow. Movement was awful like slow motion. Graphics on the surroundings was very nice, graphics except facial was excellent. It's fallen behind in that area.

For me Witcher 3 is the better game, but each to their own.

I preferred the original RDR.

[TicklefistCP]

Witcher by a fuckin mile. RDR2 doesn't even get good until the final act and it takes AGES to get there. And even then it's still not Witcher caliber.

[EvertonFC]

The correct answer is which gamer prefers one over the other.

[shinoff2183]

Red dead easily.

[jBlakeeper]

RDR2 is the most impressive open world game ever technically and I only think GTA VI or another Rockstar game could surpass it.

[fitofficial]

Witcher 3 by virtue of actually being fun.

[mastershredder]

Hmmm....Medieval cringe lord or Gunslinger?

[Psychotica]

I like both but I like the combat mechanics better in rdr2. I always wished the sword fighting in tw3 had been more like dark souls.

[Abear21]

Comes down to preference, just like every game. Art style, setting, narrative, etc, I liked having to hunt for meals and how the camp changed throughout the story in RDR2. I played more Gwent in W3 than I cared to complete quests.

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Fallout 3