GTA: San Andreas is even better as a Red Dead game

GTA: San Andreas is even better as a Red Dead game
Images via Rockstar Games | YouTube Grizzly Bear

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

28th Mar 2024 16:42

How can you improve on perfection? Well, when it comes to Rockstar Games' acclaimed back catalogue of titles, you could merge them together in epic style. We've previously seen modders turn Red Dead Redemption into Grand Theft Auto by adding cars, and now, it's time to return the favour. 

While Rockstar's impressive CV boasts everything from Max Payne to Bully, Manhunt to Midnight Club, none have come close to Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. GTA V is the most profitable entertainment product of all time, and while Red Dead is effectively a cowboy revamp of the GTA formula, it's even more critically acclaimed. 

Modders turn GTA: San Andreas into Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead was a little late to the party, and when Rockstar delivered Red Dead Redemption in 2010 (a successor to 2004's Red Dead Revolver), it had a fair bit of catching up to do. It's disappointing that we have so few Red Dead games, leaving us to imagine what the franchise would've looked like if it ran in tandem with GTA.

Wonder no more because modders have taken the beloved GTA: San Andreas and painted its wagon as a Red Dead game. We're sure you all know the story of Carl "CJ" Johnson by now, and these days, GTA: San Andreas is just as remembered for CJ being modded into other games as it is for its own game.

Two worlds have collided, as YouTuber GRIZZLY BEAR shows off how they've modded San Andreas with a RDR2 map, character models, and even its own Dead Eye mechanic. It looks like they've used mods from a variety of different places, like Sujet_mission's GTA Red Dead Revolver Wild West Beta 1.

There's a Red Dead weapon wheel, first-person mod, and NPC mods. As noted by Sportskeeda, some of the models are a little janky, especially some rather stiff horses. Still, this is about as close as you'll get to imagining a Red Dead game from the '00s.

We need Red Dead 3

Red Dead Redemption 2 ending
Click to enlarge
Image via Rockstar Games

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For now, we're so starved of Red Dead content we're forced to mod other games to scratch our itch. Although there have been various rumbles of a Red Dead Redemption 3, Rockstar is yet to officially fire the starting pistol. Given that it's all hand on deck for GTA 6, we imagine it would be years away anyway.

The internet is awash with fan fiction about where the story could go next, but with the story of Red Dead Redemption 2 being held as one of the best video game arcs of all time (six years later, we're still weeping), there are worries a third game wouldn't be able to top it.

Even though our first look at GTA 6 looks like it'll blow our minds in terms of gaming capabilities, many think the 'peak' of the franchise is behind it. GTA 6 is still tipped to be the biggest game of all time, but that hardly makes it the best. One day, here's hoping we get a full-blown Red Dead Redemption with Jack Marston riding into town. 

Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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