Since its launch, Red Dead Online has been a continual rollercoaster of potential-filled highs and infuriating lows, from servers crashing for months on end to the (now) very rewarding player roles. This week's RDO update, though, shines as one of the brightest spots in some time, thanks to the addition of the new Call to Arms survival mode. There is also the added bonus of a rare Triple XP, Cash, and Gold event going on this week only, along with the new Quick Draw Pass and other sales, but the true star of the update is Call to Arms.

Call to Arms stands out as an exciting new way to enjoy Red Dead Online against the otherwise lackluster content of the Blood Money update thus far. This wave-based survival mode brings more fun and replayability than any of the new Capitale missions thus far, and is on par with some of RDO's best activities to date. The update also added a new three-part contract for the Crimes & Opportunities missions, giving players even more to enjoy.

Related: Red Dead Online's Capitale Is A Monotonous Grind

The Naturalist and Moonshiner roles brought some much-needed variety to Red Dead Online by building new gameplay structures outside of things seen in the single-player through their much more diverse mission catalog. Call to Arms continues that trend of adding in new ways to play by taking the simple concept of getting stuck in a wanted showdown with RDO's police and turning it into a well-layered mode that requires a level of strategy and skill most missions lack. Each of the settings gives a unique experience, and each wave will bring new challenges for Red Dead Online players and posses.

Call to Arms Is A Great Addition To Red Dead Online

There are five locations for players to choose from when doing a Call to Arms mission in Red Dead Online; Blackwater, Fort Mercer, Strawberry, Valentine, and MacFarlane's Ranch. Each setting allows players time to set up before the first wave begins, so they can familiarize themselves with the map along with the NPCs within the area the players are there to help. Said NPCs can actually be commanded to move to different positions throughout the zone, so posses can utilize them as additional guns when making their strategy.

Regardless of the location chosen, there will be ten waves of increasing difficulty that players must survive. Between each round RDO posses will have a brief respite to prepare for the next wave during which they can heal wounded NPCs and themselves to ensure maximum efficiency. Players would be wise to keep plenty of tonics and seasoned meat available, as later rounds can get intense amidst dozens of enemies with various weaponry ranging from Gatling guns to canons. It's hard not to imagine how well this format would translate to a Red Dead Online Undead Nightmare revitalization, but even as it stands the new mode brings hours of innovative content.

The new Call to Arms missions are easy to access via a similar system as Red Dead Online's telegram missions, and can be launched solo via matchmaking or with a formed posse; the payout for completion is considerable even after the triple cash event ends. While the missions do have a decent cooldown between playthroughs, Moonshiner and Trader work can be processing during the missions. So, between Call to Arms runs players can easily do some deliveries or other work before jumping back into another mission. There are still plenty of concerns that Rockstar needs to address in Red Dead Online, and while this update may be a far cry from addressing some major issues like all that hard-earned RDO money being relatively useless, it still gives hope for new possibilities in the western frontier with some refreshingly enjoyable gameplay.

Next: Intricate GTA 6 Tease Possibly Found In Red Dead Redemption 2

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About The Author

Rion Duncan

(76 Articles Published)

Rion Duncan is a science-fiction author and avid gamer. After spending his youth in marketing he finally returned to his first love of imaginary worlds and fantastical characters. When not working on his book series Idonia or recording episodes for his Eclectic Podcast, he spends time doing his favorite activity; playing with his two-year old daughter.

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