Summary
After waiting eight long years for a sequel, fans were finally rewarded with one of the best-selling games of all time,Red Dead Redemption 2, and many people are still loving the story-based cowboy simulator. A lot of that is due to the multiplayerRed Dead Onlineand its ongoing updates, but it’s largely just because the main game has a lot of places to explore.Rockstar Games is known for its large open-world mapsseen in franchises likeGrand Theft AutoandRDR2featured several towns that players could visit throughout the story, with some towns leaving more of a mark than others. These settlements all have their positives and negatives, but there are bound to be a few well-constructed areas inRed Dead Redemption 2to see which town comes out on top.
That being said, players should check out all these areas regardless of their apparent quality. Rockstar’s open-world design is in a class of its own, and this can be seen inthe detail-rich world of the gameand how everything gels together to make for an extraordinary experience in every way. From the most populatedRDR2townsto the desolate woods — each location inRed Dead Redemption 2is bursting to the seams with personality, and the environmental storytelling in every one of theseRDR2townsis a great example that shows why Rockstar is a master of its craft.
Updated June 12, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest open-world games ever made. Not only did Rockstar treat players to amazing visuals and marvelous gameplay, but this game also came equipped with one of the greatest video game stories of all time that fans can’t get enough of.
Arthur Morgan’s epic journey will lead to him visiting severalRDR2 townsand settlements that are beautiful in their own way. Eachtown in RDR2boasts some detailed structures and tantalizing stories that players can uncover if they pay attention to what’s going on behind the scenes.
Abandoned settlement
Notable Inhabitants
None
It’s genuinely sad to see the sheer number of tragedies that stuck Pleasance, to the point where this town is abandoned by the time Arthur visits this location. There was a ton of promise in thisRDR2townthat was slowly snuffed out, with the two biggest tragedies coming in the form of an unsolved series of murders and the onset of the plague.
Along with this, there’s a ton of evidence that the school in Pleasance was burnt to the ground. The lack of a cross in the church can be interpreted as a way to show that the residents worshipped Satan, which may have indirectly caused Pleasance to become a source of such misfortune.
Sugar plantation settlement
Alberto Fussar, Levi Simon
The section where players head to Guarma has elicited a ton of mixed reception fromfans ofRed Dead Redemption 2. Some people like this palate cleanser before they get to explore the game world once again, while others find this section to be too slow and hamfisted for their liking.
Regardless of what players feel, there’s no denying that the land of Guarma is rife with unique visuals and engaging settlements that one would expect from Rockstar Games. Aguasdulces is one the best and most underratedRDR2towns, boasting a unique vibe courtesy of its thriving sugar plantation that is hard to miss.
Gunsmith, general store, fence, tailor
Members of the Del Lobo gang
Players who want to make a stop at a settlement in Hennigan’s Stead will find Thieves' Landing to be more than what they bargained for. As the name would suggest, the town is full of thieves, outlaws, and other unscrupulous individuals who will turn hostile on players if they loiter around for too long.
Players should go about their business and leave thisRDR2townas soon as possible if they don’t want to antagonize the members of the Del Lobo gang. It’s a brief and tantalizing look into the seedy underbelly ofRed Dead Redemption 2and becomes quite memorable as a result.
None (The Van der Linde gang during the game’s first chapter)
The prologue ofRed Dead Redemption 2may be a bit too long for most people’s tastes, but there’s no denying that the game does a great job ofintroducing the characters, exploring their dynamics, and setting the tone for a story that starts from the very start of the van der Linde gang’s downfall. After a string of unfortunate events in Blackwater, the gang is forced to escape the Pinkertons and take shelter in an abandoned mining town during a major snowstorm.
Until the weather clears up, players are forced to scrounge for supplies and take on a rival gang that has taken shelter nearby. It’s a simple way to limit the scope of the world and not overwhelm players from the get-go. It helps thatColtermakes for a decent base in its own right, even if players will move away from this town soon after and not have a reason to come back since this place is devoid of any life and meaningful interactions.
General Store, Saloon, and Stagecoach
Clay, Dewey, Rose, Woody, and Sheriff Palmer
The small town ofArmadillois the first settlement that players visit inRed Dead Redemption.When John Marston arrives in the town duringRDR2, it is afiery apocalyptic mess. Players soon learn that the town has been hit with a series of plagues, with the latest Cholera outbreak either killing or driving away most of the town’s residents. It’s a surprising sight to witness in thisRDR2town, especially for players of the first game who enjoyed the lively nature of this settlement.
While there are some intriguing mysteries regarding Armadillo, Herbert Moon (proprietor of Armadillo’s General Store), and the Strange Man that begs for a proper explanation, there just isn’t that much to do in Armadillo to get answers. The town is best avoided during the player’s travels through New Austin. Thankfully, by the timeRed Dead Redemption’s events start, fans will be glad to know that this settlement bounced back to become a lively place once again.
Fence, Hotel, Post Office, Saloon, Stable, and Stagecoach
Samuel, Joseph, Silas, and Josie
TheVan Horn Trading Postsits in Roanoke Ridge on the Lannahechee River and looks like it was at one time a healthy, growing community. Unfortunately, when Arthur and the rest of the gang reach Van Horn, it’s a grungy dying town with very little to offer players. It’s a shame since it’s clear that there’s a lot of life still present in this area, but the fact that the trading post has fallen into disrepair means that the majority of the player’s attention will be drawn towards the abandoned homes, broken-down structures, and everything else along the same lines.
The Post Office is Van Horn’s largest draw, though its saloon does offer Blackjack. Aside from a Fence and a few story missions, there’s not much for players to do in Van Horn, though it is one of only two towns where players can get in duels. There are also no Lawmen in Van Horn, though the citizens won’t hesitate to shoot if a crime is committed. If nothing else, it’s a fun place to mess about if players want to go on a classic Rockstar rampage that these games are notorious for. However, even after racking up a bounty, the experience of roaming this world feels shallow after a point.
Bait and Tackle Shop
Thomas and Jules
The small settlement ofLagrasisn’t much of a town, but the small group of buildings located in the bayou does have a very important Bait & Tackle Shop for players looking to catch a few Legendary Fish and does feature exciting missions that introduce players to the Legendary Bullgator that can be hunted down post-mission. The cozy nature of this settlement means that there’s a tight-knit community here, with life seeming pretty peaceful.
The main reason that Lagras sits higher than other towns with more stores is that the surrounding area is the only place where players can encounter the Night Folk. The Night Folk are cannibalistic humans/monsters who live in the swamp and brutalize their victims, and it’s an easy mission to miss if players don’t wander around the bayou at night. While the settlement itself may not be the most interesting part of the Bayou area, it’s still a great place to feel safe after braving the dangers of the swamp. For a place that seems rather tranquil, it’s ironic that it’s situated near a gang that features some of the most vicious individuals in the open world ofRed Dead Redemption 2.
Gunsmith, Newsstand, Post Office, and Stagecoach
Andreas, Didsbury, Schultz, Etta, and Sheriff Jones
While players do spend a lot of time inAnnesburgnear the end of the main story, there is a sense of dread that falls over the town. This is likely because of the issues between Arthur, Dutch, and Micah that have been steadily building for the last few chapters, and any beauty or fun found in Annesburg is drowned out by the gang’s troubles. It’s a shame since this large town is pretty fun to explore if players try not to focus on the main narrative and how tensions are boiling over at this point.
Regardless of the feeling of the town, it does allow players a sense of closure with Arthur’s dealings with the Downes family, and the mine can offer a fun distraction for players. However, most players just didn’t find themselves visiting Annesburg much if the story didn’t call for it, unlike some of the other towns on this list. That being said, it’s still a fun settlement to explore for players who love Rockstar’s design ethos when it comes to the many habitable areas in the game.
Butcher, General Store, Gunsmith, Saloon, Stable, and Stagecoach
Brenner, Mavis, Henrietta, and Sheriff Freeman
Much like the town of Armadillo,Tumbleweedis in New Austin and also appears in the firstRed Dead Redemption. However, in the first game, Tumbleweed isn’t much more than a ghost town/gang hideout, which shows just what a few bad years can do to a town. InRDR2,the town was already in a state of decline, and it’s a shame that no one found a way to reinvigorate this settlement before its eventual abandonment.
Interestingly, Armadillo and Tumbleweed seemed to trade places for each game. Tumbleweed flourishes in the second title, while Armadillo prospered in the first. Tumbleweed offers several amenities as well as a few bounties for players to check out post-game, extending the game just a bit further for those players looking for more. Players who found this area to be rather haunting in the first game can refresh their image of this place by exploring a livelier version of this settlement inRed Dead Redemption 2.
Bayou Nwa
Amenities
Barber, Bank, Butcher, Doctor, Fence, General Store, Photography Studio, Police Department, Post Office, Saloon, Stables, Stagecoach, Tailor, Tavern, Theater, and Trapper
Mayor Lemieux, Guido, Angelo, Cleet, and Chief Lambert
The industrial city ofSaint Denisis awe-inspiring to witness firsthand and also shows how the world is slowly evolving, leaving behind the people of the past who aren’t used to such technological innovations. The polluted city looks beautiful at night, with the busy streets, cramped marketplace, and overabundance of lawmen making it feel like the player simply isn’t welcome to engage in their murderous sprees.Red Dead Redemption 2takes place at a time when the age of outlaws is at an end, and this town is a great example of how the past is being left behind.
It doesn’t help that there are way too many bounties for “Disturbing The Peace” or “Assault,” to the point where even running too fast in a crowd can lead to an unintentional crime. The player has to either pay money to diffuse the situation or avoid any enthusiastic lawman as the bounty on their head is slowly forgotten. Still, that’s a small issue in what is otherwise the best settlement inRed Dead Redemption 2by a country mile. Saint Denis is the beating heart of both games and reflects the developments that America is undergoing with the rise of the Industrial Revolution.
This feeling of claustrophobia and close spaces and tight crowds is, of course, intentional, as this is the showcase of the civilization that Arthur and theDutch van der Lindegang have been running from. Arthur and the player feel not just out of place but trapped, and the city will punish players very quickly for any"uncivilized" misstep.
