Summary
Rockstar stands head and shoulders above many of its counterparts with itsRed Dead RedemptionandGrand Theft Autoseries. Both series explore crime in different eras, withRed Dead Redemption 2taking gamers back to the twilight days of the Wild West, whileGrand Theft Autoexplores a more modern timeframe. At first glance, there may not be many points of intersection between the Rockstar products due to their vastly different settings, but there’s more to these games than meets the eye. Mystery is a plot dynamic that ties the titles together, and some plot lines stretch across the 100-odd-year setting gap betweenRed Dead Redemption 2andGrand Theft Auto 5.
RPGs may infuse some thriller elements in their gameplay to immerse players, and theRed Dead Redemptionfranchise is famous for its stumping head-scratchers that require gamers to look beyond the surface for relevant clues. All these years after itsRed Dead Redemption 2prequel took the world by storm with its revolutionary experience, players are still uncovering new explanations for certain happenings in the game, and some have been left unanswered. TheGrand Theft Autofranchise typically doesn’t have that many mysteries due to its action-dominated proceedings, butGTA 5has a few Easter eggsin the course of its gameplay, and even some in common withRed Dead Redemption 2.
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Fans of Rockstar games know the developer has been known to touch on UFOs, and the mystery sightings have been a feature in Rockstar titles since at leastGrand Theft Auto 4. One would expect such elements to feature in more futuristicgames likeCyberpunk 2077, and since theRed Dead Redemptionfranchise was set around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, seeing UFOs while playing as Arthur Morgan is quite a shock for most players. Mount Shann’s mystery inRed Dead Redemption 2draws parallels to that of Mount Chiliad inGrand Theft Auto 5and is one of the many links between the two franchises.
Peeling back the curtains of the riddles inGTA 5is slightly more challenging thanRed Dead Redemption 2, but following a series of cryptic messages leads players to stand atop Mount Chiliad at 3 AM in the rain to witness the transfixing sight of a UFO in flight. The highest point ofGTA 5’s map, Mt. Chiliad has strange scrawlings near its peak showing the mountain and three symbols; a UFO, an alien egg, and a person wearing a jetpack.
InRed Dead Redemption 2, there’s more than one UFO appearance, with Hani’s Bethel andMount Shannbeing areas of interest. Located in The Heartlands of New Hanover, Hani’s Bethel is a cabin that holds the jarring scene of multiple corpses, where a piece of paper detailing a Mysterious Sermon references a savior called Kuhkowaba. If players heed the letter telling them to return at the second hour under the half moon, a UFO will appear and hover over the cabin for a few seconds with a soft green light before disappearing.
Heading to the peak of Mount Shann reveals another UFO, this time in the distance, and there are rumors of a third UFO sighting by some parts ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s playerbase. Not much is known about these alien objects or why they appear in bothRockstar games, but the developer has an uncanny ability to hide its details, and gamers are hopeful for a comprehensive explanation connecting the plot lines of the titles to the UFOs. Another mystery connectingGTA 5andRed Dead Redemption 2is that of the Kraffs, and questions have arisen about the parentage of some characters in both franchises.
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The Epsilon Program Links RDR 2 and GTA 5 Together
Grand Theft Auto’s Epsilon Programhas been a feature of the series sinceSan Andreas, and according to founder Cris Formage, Kraff was the Emperor of the fourth Paradigm. The details of what makes Kraff so revered in society are unclear, but he is a core part of the cult’s beliefs, and it is said that anybody with a birthmark over their right eye is a descendant of Kraff. The deity is believed to be capable of mystical powers, although he never appears physically in the franchise.
The Epsilon Tract collectibles contain multiple allusions to Kraff inGTA 5, with the most significant lore-tying piece telling players the cult worships Kraff when the Earth reaches out to the ninth Paradigm. Curiously, this collectible lies at the top ofMount Chiliad, where the UFO mystery has its roots, hinting at a possible connection. InRed Dead Redemption 2, the Geology for Beginners mission introduces players to Francis Sinclair, a man living in a cabin north of Strawberry. Francis bears a birthmark over his right eye, which could be deemed coincidental but for a few strange connections later in the mission line.
While completing the mission, players will come across rock carvings depicting futuristic images, similar to those at Mount Chiliad inGTA 5. Investigating the members of the Epsilon Program inGTA 5, Carpa Tom is a person of interest in this mystery as he resembles Francis Sinclair. The Geology for Beginners mission inRDR 2brings gamers face-to-face with Francis' mother, who explains his father, Tom, recently died. A prevailing theory in the Rockstar fanbase is that Tom and Francis are time travelers, and players will be hoping for more clarity about such mysteries inGTA 6andRed Dead Redemption 3.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
