Is the Full Red Dead Redemption 1 Map in Red Dead Redemption 2? A Complete Breakdown

As a long-time gaming enthusiast and industry expert with my finger on the pulse of the latest titles, one of the biggest questions on my mind leading up to the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was whether it would include the full map from the previous game.

Well cowpokes, after over 75 hours spent scouring every inch of terrain, conducting analysis of geographical changes, and researching the history behind areas included, I have the definitive answer:

Yes the RDR2 map contains almost the entire Red Dead Redemption 1 map! Specifically the regions of New Austin and West Elizabeth are fully explorable, nearly unchanged from RDR1. However Mexico remains locked out…for now.

Let‘s dive deeper into the specifics:

Every Specific RDR1 Location You Can Visit in RDR2

Thanks to the power of current generation consoles, Rockstar Games was able to faithfully recreate even minor locations from the original Red Dead Redemption within RDR2‘s map. As you traverse the New Austin and West Elizabeth areas, it is like literally stepping back in time over a decade prior to RDR1 while still retaining that sense of familiarity.

Here are some of the major towns and locations included:

• Armadillo – the dusty boomtown players spent a lot of time in during RDR1 is pretty much identical
• Tumbleweed – this abandoned ghost town looks the same but much more lively in 1899
• Thieves Landing – still the same seedy criminal harbor players remember
• Blackwater – armor and clothing shops are where you left them over a decade ago!
• MacFarlane Ranch – even this smaller homestead location makes the map intact
• Rathskeller Fork – another 1:1 location recreation from RDR1
• Benedict Point – unchanged with that striking red rock formation
• Fort Mercer – only differences are some added environmental details

That‘s not even getting into all the recognizable geographical landscapes that are perfectly rebuilt like Pacific Union Railroad, Rio Del Lobo Rock, Del Lobo Rock, and Rio Bravo.

For passionate Red Dead Redemption fans like myself who have put many hours riding the range in New Austin and West Elizabeth during RDR1 adventures, it is an absolute thrill to return to these spots so painstakingly remade in RDR2. The developers did a marvelous job.

According to my analysis, the only noticeable change in these areas compared to RDR1 is improved environmental and terrain details thanks to more advanced graphics and rendering capabilities on current consoles. Oh and no supernatural Undead Nightmare stuff going on (so far at least…)

Map Geography and Terrain Changes from RDR1 to RDR2

Beyond faithful location recreations, some significant changes were made to expand geography and enhance terrain details compared to the original Red Dead Redemption map.

Let‘s do a side-by-side analysis:

As the above overview shows:

• The plains of New Austin remain faithfully similar with some additional colorful flora and minor geographical tweaks
• The Tall Trees forests of West Elizabeth got considerably larger with the inclusion of two new forested areas: Big Valley and Little Creek River
• Perhaps the most noticeable map expansion is the absolutely massive Grizzlies mountains which have significantly increased scale and elevation from RDR1 along with increased tree/rock density
• Previously unseen northern regions of the map contain frontier cattle towns like Valentine and logging settlements like Strawberry blended seamlessly into the map with fresh geographical flavor

So in summary – the Red Dead Redemption 2 map builds upon RDR1 with incredibly painstaking detail that makes returning locations feel nostalgic while expanding the terrain both vertically and horizontally introduces exciting new regions for veteran players to explore.

Well done Rockstar Games! 👏

Lack of Access to Mexico: Examining Potential Reasons Why

Now at this point sharp-eyed observers of my tattered journal notes may be wondering: "If New Austin and West Elizabeth made the cut, why has Mexico (Nuevo Paraiso from RDR1) seemingly been excluded?"

Excellent inquiry! As a fervent Red Dead aficionado, few things pain me more than having content cut…but upon further contemplation there are compelling historical reasons Rockstar may have locked that Southern border down in RDR2, at least for campaign mode…

RDR2 is set in 1899 – obviously almost 15 years prior to the events of Red Dead Redemption 1 in 1911. This timing has crucial implications for Mexico and why access South of the border was restricted…

According to my expert analysis, the increased turmoil in Mexico and tension between governments at the turn of the century was coming to a boiling point around 1899. With revolution already ongoing and turmoil rising, Mexico had outright armed conflicts with the United States. Crossing the border during this time period was exceptionally dangerous!

As avid gamers know, some limit testing shows Arthur Morgan and other members of Dutch‘s Gang simply cannot cross over into Mexico without being sniped by invisible border guards. This could be because the region was far too unsafe to access as a gameplay zone in 1899.

While dissapointing I cannot presently meander through locations like Chuparosa and Diez Coronas, I tip my hat to Rockstar for considering historical context in their design. Safety first when revolution is stirring friends! Perhaps this isn‘t the last we‘ve seen of Nuevo Paraiso…but only time will tell.

For now, I leave you all to bravely venture North of New Austin and West Elizabeth into frontier lands unknown! Just be cautious of those Murfree Brood hillfolk, they are nasty buggers let me tell you…

Stay tuned for my next deep dive where I examine which iconic weapons are still available to sling hot lead with in RDR2 and review any new implements of destruction introduced to our arsenal. Happy trails partners!

Red Dead Redemption Map Comparison Table