Red Dead Redemption 2 now has its own "gambler grandma": Die 75-year-old Jessica Hoffmann Davis has played through the Western role-playing game and reports on her experiences as a »player of advanced age«.
It is not only the mother of the actor Benjamin Byron Davis, who embodies the figure of Dutch van der Linde in Red Dead Redemption 2, but also has several doctoral degrees and authored numerous works on art and education.
You can tell her background: her conclusion on RDR2 is as detailed and humorous essay drawn. We don't want to withhold the best parts from you, your son posted the entire text on reddit.
How did she get involved in the game?
As already mentioned, her son was part of Rockstar's hit game as an actor. Davis attended FanExpo Boston with him, where RDR2 was presented. She had never participated in such an event before and was "enthusiastic about the creativity and atmosphere" there.
She was touched by how the fans swarmed around her son and decided that she wanted to experience the game for herself. Without further ado, she bought RDR2 and a PlayStation 4 (which she set up by the way).
What problems did she have while playing?
At first, the controller made it difficult for her, and she was also confused by the many options in RDR2. But she didn't let that fool her: She bought the 385-page solution book very old school in physical form and read it – with a magnifying glass, as she emphasizes.
After a lot of practice (up to three hours a day, sometimes more) and mishaps – for example, she hit her horse a few times instead of getting on – she finally mastered the controls and was able to enjoy the game. The only distraction was her dog Luckywho was afraid of the sound of gunfire and animated animals.
What did you like best?
The playful freedom: She particularly liked the open world, the many options and decisions, and the many details in Red Dead Redemption 2.
The history: What she found most beautiful was that she could have a say in how Arthur Morgan's story went. The characters grew dear to her and at the finale she was moved to tears. This is how she describes how she felt about RDR2:
"I call it an" adventure. "No, a" story. "No, a film in which I am a protagonist and director. (…) An artistic work."
The feedback from the gaming community: Her son Benjamin Byron Davis had announced online that his mother wanted to try RDR2. This news was received with great enthusiasm because fans were touched by the effort it took to experience this hobby of younger generations.
more on the subject
Pigs eat people: Red Dead Redemption 2's wildlife is terrifyingly realistic
What are your thoughts on violence in video games?
Thanks to a doctorate in psychology and her own experience with a game that is not necessarily stingy with violence, her conclusion certainly has a certain weight. She emphasizes the positive effects that playing has had on her: It improved their spatial awareness, attention, and knowledge of historical facts. She also often thinks about moral issues that have been raised.
The conclusion with which she summarizes her experience: "What a privilege to play."
More and more seniors are discovering streaming for themselves or uploading videos to YouTube. Some time ago, a player of the older generation also became known worldwide: The Skyrim grandma even becomes an NPC in Skyrim. That gamers can even prevent dementia is a nice side effect.
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