Red Dead Redemption

The following guide covers the 57 story missions of the game, as well as the final Stranger mission unlocked by completing them all.

Introduction: Exodus in America

After the lengthy opening scene, you’ll be tasked with going to the Saloon. Tutorial controls appear as you move to the yellow dot on your map. Upon arrival, more scenes will play.

Follow Jake to the horses, and use the button as shown on-screen to mount them. Start riding, and follow Jake on this lengthy ride, practising the horse controls that appear. When you go on rides like this, your colleague will usually have a lot to say, and it pays to listen to them. If you’re having trouble, go into the options on the pause screen and switch on the subtitles from the display menu.

Following some more scenes, approach Fort Mercer where you’ll dismount. A few more scenes will bring this opening mission to an end. You’ll be rewarded with the That Government Boy achievement / trophy.

ACT 1

Bonnie McFarlane: New Friends, Old Problems

Following more scenes, follow the blue marker to reach Bonnie - she’s off to the north east at her house. Follow her to your horse and get on board (déjà vu already). Follow Bonnie on the horse, looking at the various locations when prompted. Once you’re done looking around the ranch, hitch your horse, and then head into Bonnie’s house for more scenes.

Afterwards, go get back on the horse again and follow Bonnie to the pesky rabbits. Get off the horse and follow the prompts to target and shoot them. Next, follow Bonnie again and do the same with the Coyotes. When you’re done, you can hitch up your horse once more, following which you’ll be given a spot of information on saving, fame and honour as this mission comes to an end.

As this point, you’re finally put into free-roam mode. There’s a B on your map that will start your next mission with Bonnie, or you can visit various areas around the ranch, or explore the map.

Bonnie McFarlane: Obstacles in our Path

This is a quick race mission, with no actual reward or punishment based upon victory. Follow Bonnie to the start of the race, and then get going. Follow the smoke piles, taking care not to overwork the horse to the point where it throws you off. Once you’ve reached the end of the race, win or lose, you’ll get a few more cut-scenes

At this point, you should have another Bonnie Mission available, and now you’ll also be able to undertake Marshal Johnson missions too, marked by the big M on your map. However, it’s probably better to do the next Bonnie mission first, as this will take you to the Marshal’s location.

Bonnie McFarlane: This Is Armadillo, USA

Get on the wagon, and ride it to Armadillo. Controls are the same as a horse, albeit with some slightly heavier handling. The line on the map shows you the quickest, safest route to your destination, so it’s always best to follow it. In this case it’ll take you Armadillo.

Go into the Doctor’s office here and buy the free medicine sample, which will remain stored in your satchel for use when you need it, Keep reading the useful info on screen, and then approach Bonnie by the general store for a scene and the end of this mission.

At some point you’ll want to buy a room in the saloon here, which will cost you $50. This will give you an extra save point.

Marshal Johnson: Political Realities in Armadillo

After you’ve met the Marshal and his deputies, follow him to the saloon. When prompted, whistle for your horse, and then go riding with Johnson on the tail of Walton, whose location is marked on your map by a red marker. Keep going until some scenes kick in and you dismount.

Move to cover as shown, then pop up to target and headshot your first victim. You’ll be given some prompts as to where the enemies are. Take the time to switch targeting to Expert mode and use dead eye to score a headshot for the Gunslinger achievement / trophy.

When you’ve worked your way to the far end of this area, killing all the enemies, Walton pops out of the building, and you can either kill him or take him alive by shooting him in the legs (use Dead Eye). You’ll get a better rewards for taking targets like Walton alive, though in those instances you’ll generally need to use the lasso (which you won’t have yet) to get them.

Post mission, you’ll get a brief tutorial about using the basic campfire for quick saving and fast travelling.

Bonnie McFarlane: Women and Cattle

A few more scenes will give you a bit more info about Marston, following which you’ll need to get on your horse and follow Bonnie. Who didn’t see that one coming? When you arrive at your destination, get into position where the yellow X marks the spot, and herd the cattle out of the pen. Much like it tells you on screen, going to the right of them steers them left, and going to the left makes them go right.

Eventually, you’ll come to another herd and the two will merge. A few more controls are explained as you push them on to the next yellow mark, at which point you’ll get a few more scenes, and then the mission will be complete.

Marshal Johnson: Justice in Pike’s Basin

After the opening scenes, you’ll go riding with the Marshal and his deputies to Pike’s Basin. Upon arrival at your destination, you’ll dismount from your steed and must run into the canyon. As you move forwards, a few red targets will appear on your radar, so gun them down from cover, being especially careful of the ones up on a higher hill.

Further on from here, you’ll be given the choice of following the Marshal or going with the deputies. For the sake of this guide, we’re going with the deputies. Move up the path with them, using the rocks as cover. As you take down enemies here, don’t forget to loot the bodies for any extra money and items you can find.

As the path heads up to the left, continue up here to find more enemies to kill, and then proceed to the yellow dot that appears, and then continue over the bridge. More red dots appear beyond here, continue on up the path, using cover and dead-eye to pick off the enemies you encounter. The deputies will lead you down the path to the next area, and beyond the next batch of enemies, you should see the Marshal across the way from you.

Keep clearing the area of bad guys, and the Marshal will be able to join with you from across a bridge on your right side. When all is clear, go across the other bridge directly ahead of you. On the other side, wait for all members of your posse to regroup. Start sneaking onwards with the others, until everyone eventually stops behind cover, with enemies up ahead.

Open fire on the enemies to get the battle started, and then inch your way down the path, picking the bad guys off. The deputies and the Marshal will help you. In the camp area, there are some explosive crates you can shoot for quick kills. When all are clear, the mission is complete.

Your first mission involving Nigel West Dickens will now be available, shown by the W on your map. There are a few other missions that are worth taking care of first though.

Bonnie McFarlane: Wild Horses, Tamed Passions

This mission can only be attempted after 5pm on the in-game clock. Either keep a check on your watch from the pause screen, or wait until the B marker is at its normal size (it’s smaller when the mission cannot be attempted).

Following the cut-scenes, you’ll finally be given your lasso. Get on your horse (but don’t drink your milk) and then ride after Mr. McFarlane, following the prompt to look at the herd when shown. With the lasso equipped, use the targeting button to take aim at a wild horse, and then fire when you’re close enough. You then need to quickly dismount your horse, then get over to and mount the wild horse.

When you’re onboard, you need to break the horse by tilting the left stick to keep yourself in the middle. Repeatedly use the stick to stay on centre until eventually the horse rears up and accepts you. Get off the horse now, and then get back on your own horse. Repeat the process to break in a second horse, and then follow Bonnie back to the ranch for a few more cut-scenes.

Post scenes, continue to follow Bonnie towards the meeting place. Along the way, more allies will join with you. Eventually, you’ll come across a group of horses, which you’ll need to get behind and guide until you reach a yellow marker. After a scene, the Stallion gets away, so chase after it and use the techniques you’ve learned to lasso and break it. Once this has been done, ride the Stallion back to Bonnie to finish the mission.

Bonnie McFarlane: A Tempest Looms

As per usual, get on your horse and start riding with Bonnie to the first herd of cows. Bonnie tells you that this bad weather will make it harder for you to hear her, and it also makes the cows more ornery. If any of the cows break off from the rest of the group, they’ll appear as dark blue blips on the radar. You’ll have to approach these cows to coax them back to the others.

When you reach the yellow marker, the two herds will merge. However, something will spook them and send them running towards the edge of a cliff. You have to boost your speed and ride in front of them to spot them leaping to their doom. If the majority of cows fall, you’ll fail the mission, so try to save as many as you can.

Once you’ve stopped the stampede, go back to Bonnie and then round up any stragglers left over. Now simply follow behind the cows as you lead them back towards the...