At launch, cemented itself as an utterly perfect Western, and one of the best ever made, even managing to stand up to some of the greats.
Since then, nothing has quite surpassed it, neither in movie nor video game form, and for good reason. Rockstar created a truly phenomenal story elevated by great writing and even better performances that, while at times mechanically restrictive, nevertheless delivered the emotional impact it needed to also manages to be one of the greatest Westerns thanks to being one of the most immersive open-world games.
From both a visual and mechanical standpoint, delivers a jaw-droppingly impressive world for players to explore that few other developers are capable of creating.
However, while all of that certainly contributes to being one of the best Westerns available, there is one specific feature that goes largely unnoticed which makes it such a memorable experience. staggeringly large world can often feel sparse, with sprawling fields, rolling hills, and dense forests covering large stretches of land between the player and their destination.
While there are plenty of emergent moments, many of which help to make Rockstar's gorgeous rendition of 1800s America feel more alive, for the most part.