Red Dead Redemption 2 is a technical marvel, filled to burst with exciting action, breath-taking vistas and an enthralling narrative. However, as with any triumph like this, it’s the little things that often make a big difference. Here are my favourite 17 little details that I absolutely love.

1) The screams you hear when people are shot are actually real. 
2) The game is set in America, but not quite. 
3) John Marston, the protagonist from the first game, is the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption.
4) If you like the horse penises, that makes you gay. But if you don’t like the male horse penises, only the female ones, then you’re off the hook. 
5) The in game birds can hear you sing (and so can I).
6) When starting the game, you may notice that the game takes place in the snow. This is an homage to the level ‘Cliffhanger’ from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
7) The bandit camp you occupy in game is filled with the same number of people who you are friends with in real life. 
8) Virtual people are not people. 
9) I have used up three spots on this list just to call you friendless.
10) Four spots if you count this one.
11) Shooting people is considered immoral in the world of the game, and npcs will fire at you if you do it. Weird. 
12) I am not a furry, but you probably are. 
13) The game takes up more data than any other PS4 game, and that is a real fact.
14) 17 is a really annoying number to reach and entirely pointless. It’s just a random number really, I am an idiot. 
15) The game is based on a true story that the writing team made up.
16) It’s likely the letter bombs sent to Trump opponents are a liberal plot to sway the midterms and not the result of a right wing terrorist at all. [Thank you for this ethical gaming journalism (?)— Eds.]
17) The clouds in game are not real clouds, but look like them.

Wow, and I’m only a couple of hours into the game as well. Lord knows what other things I could find if I would stop shooting up the first populated settlement I came across, but after all, gamers rise up. A stunning achievement regardless.

— Gregory Waddell