Sci-Fi Games That Would Be Better Than Red Dead 2 If They Were Westerns

In 2010, Red Dead Redemption became a huge success, bringing the style of classic 1960s Western films to video games with its expansive open world. Then, in 2018, Rockstar Games raised the bar even higher with Red Dead Redemption 2, a truly exceptional game widely considered one of the best of the last ten years – a perfect experience from start to finish.

It’s surprising that no major Western game has matched the impact of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild since its release. Many games have tried to copy its style since 2017. So, let’s consider how some science fiction games – both older and newer – could have achieved the same level of success as Red Dead Redemption 2 if they had incorporated more elements of the Western genre.

Fallout: New Vegas

Halfway There

Fallout: New Vegas is set in a post-apocalyptic Nevada desert, which feels like the Wild West. The game’s story follows a classic Western theme: the player is betrayed, shot, and left to die, and must then track down the person responsible for their misfortune.

Throughout the game, players will encounter different groups to join, like Elvis impersonators and people trying to restore the Roman Empire. While the game is set in a Western-style world, it doesn’t fully embrace the theme. Obsidian Entertainment had the potential to create something truly special – a post-apocalyptic Western where players could ride horses, use traditional weapons, and face off against bandits and mutated creatures.

Horizon Forbidden West

Should Have Been The Wild West

In Horizon Forbidden West, players once again follow Aloy as she explores a post-apocalyptic America. Years after a robotic apocalypse, nature has reclaimed the land, creating a lush environment amongst the ruins. While the first game was set in Colorado, this new adventure takes Aloy westward, through the landscapes of Utah, Nevada, and California.

Focusing the story on Aloy was a solid choice, but Guerrilla Games missed an opportunity to fully embrace a Western theme, considering the game’s name. It might have been more interesting to explore a tribe that had already adopted firearms. Instead of another personal quest for Aloy, who still relies on bows and arrows, players could have worked as protectors of a colony, patrolling the states. A robotic horse would have been a fun addition, though the existing mounts are somewhat similar.

Death Stranding

The Future Pony Express

Death Stranding is a post-apocalyptic game set in a vast version of the United States. Players take on the role of Sam Bridges, a courier who must travel across the country, from the East to the West Coast, delivering packages. This isn’t just about getting from point A to point B; each delivery helps connect isolated underground bunkers to a new network, ultimately reconnecting people after a cataclysmic event.

Despite being set after a global disaster, the game world feels surprisingly vibrant, with more plants and color than you’d find in Horizon Forbidden West. The developers considered making the U.S. a barren desert to fit a traditional Western theme, but ultimately chose a different path. They also explored the idea of having players rebuild the Pony Express – a historic mail delivery service – which would have naturally lent itself to a gameplay system centered around delivering packages. In fact, the game could have even been entirely focused on the Pony Express in the 1860s, with a touch of science fiction to set it apart from typical Westerns.

Cyberpunk 2077

The Nomad’s Life

In Cyberpunk 2077, you can create a character to your liking, choosing their appearance and background. You can begin the game as a corporate employee (‘Corpo’), a street-smart local (‘Street Kid’), which both tie into the main story well, or as a ‘Nomad’ starting life in the outskirts of the city.

What if the game started with everyone stranded in a harsh desert, in a world reminiscent of the Old West where rules are flexible and self-made? Players would initially explore this wasteland, earning enough money to reach Night City and adapt their survival skills to a high-tech, cyberpunk environment. Combining the Western and cyberpunk genres could be really interesting, but it would require players to be willing to take their time.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Borrow From Trigun

Xenoblade Chronicles X is the second installment in the series, and it takes a different approach to storytelling. Unlike the first game, you create your own custom character who remains silent throughout the adventure. The story begins when a group of humans crash-lands on a new planet and establishes a colony called New L.A. Fortunately, the planet is perfectly habitable, offering water, plants, and breathable air – the only challenge is the local wildlife!

The game’s setting didn’t have to be a lush, green planet; a desert world would have been a good alternative. The anime Trigun features humans crash-landing on a desert planet and building a new, frontier-style society, and a similar approach could have worked well for Xenoblade Chronicles X. Instead of focusing solely on combat, players could have been tasked with building settlements or farming, adding more variety to the gameplay.

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

From Jedi To Smuggler

The game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic begins with a character who has lost their memory. After being rescued, they’re brought before the Jedi Council. Players can customize their character in many ways, but the game strongly encourages following the paths of the Jedi or the Sith. The later game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, offers even more character options, allowing players to be anything from a Jedi to a smuggler.

Imagine if the game had begun with you playing as a Jedi tasked with galactic peacekeeping – like a space-age sheriff. You wouldn’t need a blaster, but the game could have had a Western feel if the planets you explored were less technologically advanced.

Mass Effect

The Lone Shepard

BioWare, the team behind Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, also created Mass Effect. While Mass Effect focuses on a galactic rescue from an impending threat – a common storyline – the game could have been more unique by portraying space exploration with the same sense of wonder and detail seen in the Star Trek series.

In the original Mass Effect, players, as Commander Shepard, could explore planets and resolve smaller conflicts, similar to the idea of a space sheriff seen in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Mass Effect distinguished itself with more action and gunplay. Mass Effect: Andromeda attempted something similar, but didn’t achieve the same success as the first three Mass Effect games.

Borderlands 2

Shifting From Vault Hunter To Sheriff

Similar to the first game, Borderlands 2 takes place on the harsh desert planet of Pandora. The setting feels like a classic Western, with simple towns and shops contrasting the advanced technology of the weapons and vehicles, like the drivable buggy. Players once again take on the role of Vault Hunters, seeking fortune and treasure on Pandora.

Although the original game’s approach worked well, it would have been a risk for Gearbox to drastically change things for the sequel. Instead of playing as a Vault Hunter, players could have been a resident of Pandora working as a law enforcer – a deputy tasked with maintaining order among the corporations, raiders, and visiting Vault Hunters. The game could have also included a faction system similar to Fallout: New Vegas, allowing players to choose which group to support.

2026-01-02 06:05