What Does the Red Dead Redemption 2 Special Edition Come With? Everything You Need to Know
As an avid Red Dead fan who has poured endless hours into exploring its expansive open world, I couldn‘t wait to get my hands on the Special Edition. For $79.99, it packs in a worthwhile amount of exclusive content that notably enhances the experience – both the epic solo campaign and the ever-popular Red Dead Online.
In short, the Special Edition comes with:
- Additional story mode side content
- Special cosmetics and items
- Gameplay boosts and bonuses
- Free access to Red Dead Online
I‘ll cover each piece of content in detail below. But first, let‘s briefly summarize everything included in an easy-to-scan format:
| Content Type | Details | Estimated Playtime Added |
|---|---|---|
| Story Mode | Bank Robbery Mission & Gang Hideout | ~2 hours |
| Items | Dappled Black Thoroughbred, Gunslinger Outfit, Talisman & Medallion | N/A |
| Gameplay Boosts | 50% more cash, rank bonuses | First 5 hours boosted |
| Multiplayer | Free Access to Red Dead Online | 100+ hours |
As you can see, there‘s a meaningful amount of content that notably enhances the experience, especially during the first critical hours. Let‘s dive deeper into each item:
Exclusive Story Content: Enjoy 2 More Hours of High Stakes Robberies
Easily the most exciting addition is the exclusive Bank Robbery mission and accompanying Gang Hideout. These tense, action-packed sequences provide more insight into the ruthless outlaws you run with while giving you a shot at big scores early on in the campaign.
The town of Rhodes finally gets a bank – and Dutch has his eyes set on cleaning it out for the gang‘s funds. This shows his growing desperation and desire for one last big haul before escaping out west. I‘d estimate this lengthy multi-part mission adds at least 1 hour of fresh story content.
After you crack the vault and escape the lawmen, you‘ll need to hole up and fight off incoming bounty hunters looking to claim your head at the gang‘s hideout. Fending off waves of enemies with your crew builds the camaraderie you expect. And scoring headshots from behind barricades or pursuing riders on horseback is as intense as ever.
- This mission sheds more light on the gang‘s downward spiral – I‘m guessing an hour more of story content
- The bank heist escape on horseback feels like a classic western – guns blazing while riding into the sunset with money bags in tow
- Holding off waves of bounty hunters at the hideout further builds relationships and continuity
This content feels essential rather than tacked on, integrating seamlessly into the story experience.
Stand Out with Exclusive Items: Saddle Up Your Dappled Thoroughbred
Alongside fresh story content, I love when special editions include bonus cosmetic items and weapons – and RDR2 delivers here as well.
Right from the early chapters, you can summon your exclusive Dappled Black Thoroughbred – a handsome steed with enhanced stats focused on speed and acceleration. I prefer riding with style while traversing the world, so unlocking premium horses with their own unique coats early on is a nice perk.
And what better way to look the part of a vicious gunslinger than the exclusive Nuevo Paraiso outfit? This killer combo comes with a wide brimmed sombrero, black poncho embroidered with Mexican skulls, and spurred boots. Combined with the deadly Talisman and Medallion boosting your Deadeye skills, you‘ll stand out online as a force to be reckoned with.
- The Dappled Thoroughbred‘s dappling creates a unique black and grey coat – and it holds its own in tough terrain
- The Nuevo Paraiso outfit brings backs memories of Nuevo Paraiso from the first game – letting us roleplay an aging gunslinger
- The Talisman & Medallion deliver permanent Deadeye and stat boosts from the start – helpful during challenging shootouts
These bonuses are worthwhile extras that make you look and feel distinct when playing – rather than just being about dollars and cents. Let‘s check out some other impactful perks.
Gameplay Boosts to Kickstart Your Journey
While exclusive story missions and cosmetics are nice bonuses, every outlaw‘s top priority is stacking cash and becoming more lethal. The Special Edition delivers here as well.
For starters, you‘ll earn 50% more cash from all activities during the first few hours. As any veteran knows, money is harder to come by at the start – so this gives your wallet a welcome boost when buying weapons, provisions and equipment.
And by unlocking Rank Bonuses that help you progress online faster, you‘ll access more weapons, horse breeds and weapon mods earlier than others when venturing into competitive modes. Given Red Dead Online‘s recent surging popularity with over 27 million players reported, these upgrades make a difference.
Finally, personalizing your own campsite to show off your style is a beloved activity online. The Special Edition comes with access to an exclusive Survivor Camp Theme featuring wilderness garb, bedrolls and makeshift tents.
- 50% more cash early on alleviates grinding and lets you focus on exploration
- Online rank bonuses give you a headstart when accessing new gear – helpful given the uptick in competition
- The unique Survivor Camp theme helps your wilderness hideout stand out
Free Access to Red Dead Online – A $20 Value
And similar to how GTA V bundled GTA Online access years ago, purchasing RDR2 via the special edition also conveniently unlocks free access to Red Dead Online – which typically retails for $19.99 as a standalone game.
As someone who has sunk countless hours into its objective-based modes and free roam escapades with friends, this inclusion brings the total value up substantially. With over 27 million others playing as well, having new Story Mode content carry over and gaining rank quicker is great motivation to dive into online once the lengthy singleplayer campaign is complete.
- Online play with 27+ million players amplifies RDR2‘s value – the story content interconnects with online progress
- Saving $20 on standalone Online access means more dollars toward custom weapons, cosmetics and provisions
And looking ahead, Rockstar will almost certainly follow their GTA Online model and support RDR Online with years of meaningful updates. So snagging free access today lays the foundation for even more content down the road.
When tallying up everything included along with potential online playtime, the Special Edition is arguably a steal stacked up against purchasing story mode and online individually.
Verdict: A Must-Buy for Fans Hungry for More Content
After revisiting all the perks and bonuses included in the Red Dead Redemption 2 Special Edition, it‘s clear Rockstar crammed in a compelling package:
- Additional story content expanding on the gang‘s exploits
- Signature items helping you stand out with premium style
- Impactful boosts to kickstart your progression online
- Free access to the ever-expanding Red Dead Online
As someone with triple digit hours invested into exploring, socializing, and testing my gunslinger skills against rivals online, I‘d pay full price again in a heartbeat for early access to exclusive weapons and cosmetics alone.
But when you factor in the extra story content enhancing Dutch‘s gang experience plus free entry into online play, the Special Edition at $79.99 is practically a steal in terms of total gameplay value. This is essential picking for diehard fans hungry for more from Rockstar‘s gorgeous cowboy prequel.
For new players jumping into the massive world of Red Dead for the first time, I‘d highly recommend the extra content and bonuses bundled here to get up to speed quicker. And you‘ll look damn good saddled up on your Dappled Thoroughbred while leveraging extra cash early on as well.
As an avid RDR enthusiast who has remained impressed by Rockstar‘s continual long-tail support years later, I‘m confident the Special Edition will pay its dues – and then some. Saddle up and secure your copy today!
