This question has been thrown around a few times because of the heavy simulation elements, but it should be clarified that Red Dead Redemption 2 is not a role playing game. Sure, there are stats and upgrades, but those are par for the course in most contemporary games. Just because there is a progression system does not make it kin to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest . After all, just about every game involves players taking on a r

Not in a bad way though. Take the gameplay and strategy of Grand Theft Auto and add the expansive land of the old west and you've got yourself Red Dead Redemption. In this game you play the role of John Marston, a former outlaw hunting down his old gang in order to be granted amnesty. Because it's set an entirely different century from Grand Theft Auto, this game was modified to compensate for the lack of modern technology. Law enforcement has no way of pursuing you unless a crime was witnessed by someone. The scenery and sound are all deemed high quality and a natural fit to the gameplay. There's even a zombie expansion, which of course isn't natural, but still flows with this game. Red Dead Redemption has been given near perfect scores and sold over 13 million copies worldwide. It also won several Game of the Year awards from numerous publications.

MTV's main draw back in the day was music. Today, not so much. The station is now known for its outrageously toxic reality shows and award ceremonies where Twilight wins everything. But, we'll have to forgive them just this once. The Xbox 360 made its public debut on the channel back in 2005. It was showcased in a special presentation called The Next Generation Revealed. The event was hosted by Elijah Wood and covered the design, features and footage from some games. A live musical performance by the Killers and a special project from the guys at West Coast Customs (remember them?) were also featured on the program. The console wasn't available until November 2005 but the coverage by MTV helped boost the hype. Or it may have killed the radio star.

All great acting comes from life experience. Think back to a time when you had a pressing ailment; an intolerable migraine, the seasonal flu, stomach problems from a shameful trip to Arby's. Let these feelings flow through you like a Jedi turning to the dark side, like a stomach full of Arby's Smokehouse Brisket . Relive these feelings, allow them to reenter your psyche. Remember that pain is temporary and the victor's spoils are sweet. Take yourself to a place where you can use this suffering for your advantage. As the wise prophet George Costanza once noted, "It's not a life if you believe it." Believe in yourself and you can do no wrong.

This is where it will be interesting to see if Rockstar has learned from games like The Witcher. RDRII could showcase mature tales that not only make for interesting stories but also allow the player to forget they are doing a side-quest, instead getting lost in the game's world. This doesn’t look to be a problem though, with heavy emphasis on the wide range of a cast seen throughout the trailer even if just the tip of the iceberg. Like GTAV, RDRII is giving its audience a living breathing world, reddeadstation.Com that famous — when this is off the world keeps going — mentality.

You may not recognize the name Katsuya Eguchi, but without him video games wouldn't be as they are today. The man has been helping Nintendo release hit after hit since 1988. Katsuya began working for the company two years earlier as a promotional artist. Afterwards, he was a member of the design team for hits like Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World and Yoshi's Story. He made his directorial debut with Star Fox and has been the director and producer for additional big name titles. Katsuya's recent projects include Nintendo Land and Animal Crossing: New Leaf. He is the senior producer of Software Development Group No. 2 in the Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development division. They are in charge of new Animal Crossing and Wii games featuring Mii characters. Thanks to the guidance of Katsuya Eguchi, Nintendo has enjoyed much success and much more to come.

Welcome to This Week in Gaming, where we take a look back at some of the most newsworthy events in gaming history from last year to even decades ago that happened this very week. Take a gander at some of the highlights and see which spark nostalgia and which may still be news to you.

New York, NY - May 5, 2010 - Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce the ‘Outlaws To The End’ Co-Op multiplayer Mission Pack for Red Dead Redemption. Available FREE this June simultaneously for Xbox LIVE® and PlayStation® Network, this brand new co-op mode adds an entirely new dimension to Red Dead Redemption’s game p

"Multiplayer in Red Dead Redemption offers players a whole new way to encounter the massive open world we’ve created, but we felt the experience would not be complete without co-op game play," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "With these missions, we wanted to create new ways for players to share in the experience of engaging with this amazing landsca