《荒野大镖客2》enRAGE模组为亚瑟·摩根带来类宿敌系统，死者亲属前来复仇

It's time to cover another impressive mod (and yes, once again, its creation was assisted by AI): enRAGE, which introduces Nemesis-system-like mechanics and an enhanced living world to Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2.

Released in 'early access' (that is to say, a work-in-progress version) two days ago by modder nicklovin99, enRAGE infuses every NPC in RDR2 with a name, a story, a disposition, and the willingness to hit back at Arthur Morgan if the player robs or beats them.

Every greeted stranger in enRAGE gets a name, and from that point on, they're a person in the world with a page of their own in the mod's dedicated menu. Each has one of seven tempers (Hothead, Proud, Cold, Coward, Greedy, Loyal, or Drifter), which determines how they fight, whether they back down, talk, or forgive. On top of that, the mod provides them with traits and quirks, from drunks and gamblers to traitors and family men, plus a trade, a faith, relatives, and a full life story dated in in-game years. That could include fighting in the Civil War, surviving the Panic of ‘93, doing time in Sisika, or working the Annesburg mines and the Saint Denis docks. They even have needs, stress, and goals: some want revenge, some want to climb the ranks of their outfit, and some just want out.

Each NPC keeps a hidden score of how Arthur has treated them. Insults, stick-ups, punches, robbery, hogtying, horse theft, and killing their friends all push it up, while greetings, kindness, and defusing fights bring it down. Push someone past their breaking point, and they become a proper Nemesis, with hatred escalating from Resentful, where they come swinging with their fists, to Vengeful and eventually Murderous.

Smart players can wear a mask: a man who never saw Arthur's face can't hold a grudge against him, after all, unless the player takes it off in front of a witness. Shoot a nemesis, and he may survive, coming back scarred and angrier, while a shot to the spine can cripple him for good. And kill a man, and his relatives and friends will hear about it within hours or days. Some will grieve; others will come for revenge.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. enRAGE also adds a proper faction war between the O’Driscoll Boys, the Lemoyne Raiders, the U.S. Army, the Wapiti, the Bronte Family, the Murfree Brood, the Skinner Brothers, and the Klan. Each has a leader, with the game's own named characters, such as Colm O’Driscoll and Angelo Bronte, at the top, followed by three tiers of officers and men. Every few days, each outfit reshuffles its ranks, filling empty seats and promoting survivors, so killing a captain may just make way for someone worse.

Leaders have their own agendas, and every outfit has real resources, from men and money to supplies and territory. Wars between them aren't scripted, either. They grow out of each outfit’s relations, grudges, and flashpoints like a saloon killing or a stolen herd, and they burn hotter or cooler depending on how many fights break out. The side that holds a town sets up roadblocks on the roads leading in, and leaders eventually sue for peace as the conflict drags on.

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The player can stay out of it entirely, or become a kingmaker. Hogtie or hold a man at gunpoint, and the NPCs can be interrogated about their outfit's plans, the hideout's location, or where the money and supplies are kept, though the more loyal the NPCs are, the less likely they will talk, and they may even lie and send the player into a trap. Officers also maintain weekly routines, such as drinking at a certain saloon on certain nights, so players can learn where to wait for them. Outfits even hold funerals for their fallen officers, which can be watched from afar, attended with hat in hand out of respect, or just shot up.

The NPCs' lives are all recorded in an in-game chronicle, and some of it even ends up in the local papers, which can be bought at any train station for five cents. Each region has its own, from the Saint Denis Times to the New Austin Herald, covering wars, gossip, wanted notices, and funeral announcements. Towns also keep track of the player character's reputation, and it's even possible to send telegrams to make peace with a nemesis, threaten them, or pay them off. There's also an X-ray log recording the path of every bullet fired by the player, including the bones it broke and the organs it hit. Thankfully, enRAGE stays out of the way during story missions, and each save keeps its own separate world.

With GTA 6 launching in exactly one month, enRAGE looks like a damn good reason to pick up Rockstar's latest masterpiece before their new title comes out. It also looks like a great implementation of the Nemesis System, at least in spirit. The original is still under Warner Bros. patent protection until 2036, and the closure of Monolith Productions means we're probably not getting another official implementation, at least until then. Thankfully, free mods do not have to worry about it in the same way.

About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.

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