#playing rdr2

this puts the setting of the state of lemoyne in direct contrast with their last camp location in roanoke ridge, which showcases how easily this civilisation can decay when people are willing to abandon it to try their luck somewhere else, as seen in the almost abandoned mining town.

the reactions of the law in these two states are also the most drastically different to any of the other states in the game. saint denis have some the strictest law enforcement you can encounter in the game, it’s the only city with uniformed police you can enter before the epilogue. while law enforcement in annesburg on the other hand mainly consists of armed guards hired by the mining company.

as you enter one of the first towns on your way into roanoke ridge, van horn, one of the sights you are greeted with is a dead horse by the side of the road, discarded and not even valued enough to be properly put to rest. which is contrary to how highly valued horses generally are in the world of red dead redemption 2, with characters often commenting on the player's horse. this, along with the decay of the mining operations surrounding annesburg and the generally rough atmosphere of the place, with drunkyards stumbling through the town at any time of the day and poker games turning violent, sets the mood for what will be your entire stay in roanoke ridge.

these directions of going from the west to the east and their symbolic values in the cowboy mythos also play a big role in arthur’s death. while he is buried facing west according to his wishes, eternally watching the old world of the fading west, he dies facing east, watching the sun rise over that civilised world he so much despised. a world that had no place for men like him anymore.

while dutch’s mental state was also gradually getting worse throughout the game, he really only breaks down in saint denis after hosea’s death and the head injury he sustained during the unsuccessful trolley station robbery - in the most advanced city within the game's world. a city that was too advanced for criminals like the van der linde gang, who adhered to their strict codes, and when trying to pull off a robbery in a place like saint denis quickly realised they were out of their depths. for once they were then ones who had been played. they were set up by angelo bronte, an early mafia don, who, unlike dutch, made his home right in the heart of that city and knew how to tread this unfamiliar territory.