RDR2 map vs GTA 5 map: 3 differences and 2 similarities between them

GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) are two of Rockstar Games' most acclaimed titles of all time. They came out in 2013 and 2018, respectively, and revolutionized the gaming industry upon release. The two games have many differences but also share some similarities. In fact, players can spot several of them while comparing their maps alone.

This article compares the maps of Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, listing three differences and two similarities between them.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer

---

RDR2 vs GTA 5: 3 differences and 2 similarities between their maps

Differences:

1) RDR2's map has many towns

Grand Theft Auto 5's map comprises of Los Santos and Blaine County. The former is a bustling city on one end of the map, while the latter is a countryside that mainly features Paleto Bay and Sandy Shores as small residential areas.

On the other hand, RDR2's map features several towns and settlements such as Valentine, Rhodes, Blackwater, and Lagras just to name a few. This makes its map feel a lot more alive in comparison to Blaine County's vast yet barren landscape.

If Grand Theft Auto 6 also features a sizeable map, Rockstar Games should adopt a similar approach to make the GTA 6 map feel more lively.

---

2) RDR2's map has more biomes than GTA 5

One of the biggest differences between the Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 maps is their biomes.

The former mostly features a desert-like biome, thanks to Blaine County, and some forest as one moves further north. Needless to say, that does not offer much variation.

However, the latter features various biomes, such as vast open grasslands, dense forests, snow-capped mountains, as well as a Bayou area. Each biome is crafted with great attention to detail, and players are free to explore them all.

---

3) RDR2's map offers a lot more content

There are a lot of things to do in RDR2's map besides story missions. Players can run into a variety of random events while exploring it, track legendary animals, or go on a treasure hunt. This provides a reason to traverse across RDR2's world.

The GTA 5 map also offers some side content, but it is very limited in comparison to Rockstar Games' 2018 release. Although some random events can pop up while exploring Los Santos and Blaine County, most of them are quite similar in narrative and become repetitive after some time.

---

Similarities:

1) Both have a similar design

GTA 5 and RDR2 feature two of the biggest maps ever crafted by Rockstar Games. They are not only sizeable but also share a somewhat similar design. For instance, most of Grand Theft Auto 5's map consists of Blaine County with Los Santos lying at its southern end.

Similarly, RDR2's map features Saint Denis in one corner. Although there are many towns and settlements across its open world, Saint Denis is a major city, buzzing with life-like NPCs, making it a lot more comparable to Los Santos.

---

2) Wildlife

Wildlife is abundant in RDR2's map with different types of animals populating its varied biomes. In fact, the game features a realistic ecosystem where predators hunt prey and carcasses decay quite naturally over time.

Grand Theft Auto 5 also features a variety of animals in its open world, such as coyotes, deers, mountain lions, and more. Although they are not as detailed as the ones in RDR2, this is still a similarity that both games share.

Interestingly, Rockstar Games has added animals in GTA Online, GTA 5's multiplayer, with the recent Chop Shop update. However, this has only been done on the game's PS5 and Xbox Series X/S version.