Days Gone & Red Dead Redemption 2

In a world full of fast-paced games and cinematic universes, few titles hit us on a soul level the way Days Gone and Red Dead Redemption 2 do. They aren't just games — they're emotional journeys. They explore what it means to survive when everything is lost, and what redemption truly looks like in a collapsing world.

Deacon St. John & Arthur Morgan — Two Broken Men

Both protagonists are haunted by grief, loyalty, and the ghosts of who they once were. Deacon’s life is defined by the loss of Sarah — a grief he carries across wastelands and biker roads. Arthur, slowly dying, wrestles with the mistakes of a past life while trying to do right in the end. In both stories, the greatest enemy isn't zombies or Pinkertons — it's time. And regret.

The Collapse of Civilization as a Mirror

What makes these games special is not just the action, but the collapse itself. Civilization is fading in both. In Days Gone, it's a literal collapse — a pandemic world, gone mad. In RDR2, it’s a metaphorical one — the dying breath of the Wild West. These settings reflect something inside us. The part that wonders: “What would I become if everything I loved was gone?”

Loyalty and the Pain of Brotherhood

Deacon’s brotherhood with Boozer mirrors Arthur’s complicated loyalty to Dutch and the gang. In both cases, brotherhood becomes a prison — a weight that slows redemption. It’s not until they let go of the toxic ties that they start to become who they were meant to be.

The Emotional Grit of Gameplay

Days Gone’s silence and isolation amplify the pain of memory. The long bike rides are meditative. RDR2, with its slow rhythm and personal choices, demands reflection. These aren’t games for people who want to win. They’re for people who want to feel.

Made2Master Insight

When I played both games, I saw myself. My trauma. My rebirth. That’s what these games do — they pull your spirit through their world and return it with a scar. But also with strength. In Deacon and Arthur, we are reminded: survival is not about killing enemies. It’s about finding purpose again.

And that’s what makes Days Gone and Red Dead Redemption 2 timeless.