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Samson: A Tyndalston Story vs Red Dead Redemption 2
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| shopping_cart Where to Buy | |
| info General Information | |
| Release Date | |
| Apr 8, 2026 | Oct 26, 2018 |
| Developer | |
| Liquid Swords AB | Rockstar Studios (Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar North, Rockstar Toronto, Rockstar New England, Rockstar London, Rockstar Lincoln, Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar India) |
| Publisher | |
| Liquid Swords AB | Rockstar Games |
| Genre(s) | |
| Action, Adventure, Racing | Action-Adventure, Open World, Western, Third-Person Shooter, First-Person Shooter |
| Engine | |
| Unreal Engine 5 | RAGE (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine) |
| stars Ratings & Price | |
| Content Rating | |
| Mature | Mature 17+ |
| Avg. User Rating | |
| 4.5 / 5.0 | 4.8 / 5.0 |
| Current Price (USD) | |
| $24.99 | $59.99 |
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| tune Key Specs | |
| Quick Highlights | |
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| sports_esports Gameplay & Mechanics | |
| Companions/Followers | |
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| Key Themes | |
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| colorize Combat & Gear | |
| Weapons Overview | |
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| Outfits/Customization | |
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| trending_up Progression & Upgrades | |
| Skills & Progression | |
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Samson features a robust skill tree with over 25 upgrades divided into four distinct disciplines: Tactics (health regeneration and defense), Aggression (striking power and momentum), Instinct (adrenaline meter and reaction speed), and Cunning (environmental exploitation and improvised weapons). These trees allow players to specialize their combat style, turning Samson from a raw street brawler into a tactical survivor. Experience points (XP) are earned through narrative chapters, repeatable jobs, and spontaneous world events found via the 'Story Deck' system. |
Arthur Morgan's core attributes (Health, Stamina, Dead Eye) level up through gameplay actions (e.g., running increases stamina, headshots increase Dead Eye). Gear upgrades (bandoliers, satchels, holsters) are crafted by Pearson at the gang camp using animal pelts and other materials, increasing carrying capacity. Weapons can be customized extensively (barrels, sights, stocks, wraps, engravings) and cleaned to maintain performance. Tonics and provisions provide temporary buffs. Horse bonding is crucial, unlocking new maneuvers and increasing horse stats. Camp upgrades provide benefits like better provisions and fast travel. |
| public World & Exploration | |
| World & Level Design | |
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Samson eschews the 'hundreds of square miles' trend for a dense, curated urban map. Tyndalston is divided into several distinct districts, with the primary focus on the South End—a rough, industrial neighborhood where Samson grew up. The map design utilizes three pillars: 'Statement' (bold murals/architecture), 'Violence' (dilapidated, war-torn aesthetic), and 'Parasitic' (corruption clinging to old bones). The environment is packed with 'nooks and crannies' that allow for stealth, tactical exploration, and environmental combat despite a smaller overall footprint than AAA sandboxes. |
The game world is exceptionally large, detailed, and diverse. Regions include the snowy mountains of Ambarino, the heartland plains and forests of New Hanover, the swampy bayous and antebellum towns of Lemoyne, the developing plains and forests of West Elizabeth, and the arid deserts and canyons of New Austin (largely based on the map from the first Red Dead Redemption). Each region has unique ecosystems, wildlife, towns, and points of interest. |
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| book Story & Characters | |
| Main Characters | |
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| Example Missions | |
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| people Multiplayer | |
| Multiplayer Details | |
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Samson does not feature any multiplayer modes. The decision was made to focus resources on the single-player narrative and the systemic complexity of the debt and law-response systems. This allows the city to react more precisely to the individual player's actions without the balance issues or network constraints associated with online play. |
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| extension Editions & DLC | |
| Available Editions | |
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The game launched at an accessible $24.99 price point for the Standard Edition, positioning itself as a 'AA' alternative to $70 blockbusters. For $29.99, players can purchase the Supporter Edition, which serves as a way to assist the developers following their 2025 strategic refocusing. This edition includes the official digital soundtrack, a collection of concept art, a detailed map of Tyndalston with historical lore, 3D-printable character models for hobbyists, desktop wallpapers, and expanded character biographies for deeper world-building. |
Available in Standard Edition, Special Edition (included extra story mode content like a bank robbery mission, gang hideout, gameplay boosts, an outfit, and a thoroughbred horse), and Ultimate Edition (included Special Edition content plus bonus Red Dead Online content like outfits, rank bonuses, a black chestnut thoroughbred, and free access to additional weapons). A Collector's Box (no game included) was also sold with physical collectibles. |
| Post-Launch Content / DLC | |
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True to its 'zero-nonsense' philosophy, Liquid Swords has not announced any season passes or microtransactions. The game is intended to be a complete, standalone experience. Any potential post-launch content is expected to focus on technical optimization for console ports and potentially minor quality-of-life updates. The developers have emphasized that the game is built with 'no padding,' suggesting they prefer a finished product over a live-service model. |
The primary post-launch support has been for Red Dead Online, which has received numerous updates adding new roles (Bounty Hunter, Trader, Collector, Moonshiner, Naturalist), missions, cosmetic items, gameplay mechanics, and seasonal events. No single-player story DLC has been released for Red Dead Redemption 2. |
| help_outline FAQ | |
| Frequently Asked Questions | |
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| build Technical Details | |
| Graphics & Visual Fidelity | |
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Built on Unreal Engine 5, the game utilizes Nanite for micro-poly detail and Lumen for global illumination. It features full Ray Tracing support and is one of the first titles to utilize NVIDIA DLSS 4.5. The art style prioritizes a 'photorealistic but gritty' look, further enhanced by an optional CRT filter that adds scan lines and barrel distortion for a nostalgic 1990s feel. Despite early concerns about performance, the studio has focused on graphical optimization for mid-range PCs. |
Powered by an advanced version of the RAGE engine, RDR2 is renowned for its groundbreaking graphics and attention to detail. It features stunningly realistic environments, lifelike character and animal animations, advanced lighting (volumetric lighting, global illumination), dynamic weather systems (rain, snow, fog), and incredible texture quality. The level of environmental detail and interaction is exceptionally high. |
| Audio & Soundtrack | |
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The soundscape of Tyndalston is gritty and atmospheric, featuring industrial clatter and urban noise. The soundtrack is heavily inspired by 1990s noir and urban brawlers, providing a rhythmic, tense backdrop to high-speed chases and brutal fights. Character voice acting, particularly Samson’s world-weary monologues, reinforces the noir tone. The Supporter Edition includes a digital audio version of the score for out-of-game listening. |
Original score composed by Woody Jackson, with contributions from various artists. The music is dynamic, reacting to gameplay and location, featuring sweeping orchestral pieces, folk tunes, and atmospheric tracks that perfectly capture the Western setting and emotional tone. Features over 100 anachronistically appropriate licensed songs. Sound design is incredibly detailed, from weapon sounds and horse hooves to ambient wildlife and environmental effects. |
| User Interface (UI/UX) | |
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The UI is designed to minimize intrusion, emphasizing the 1990s aesthetic. A unique 'Daily Quota' indicator reminds players of their impending debt payments each morning. The 'Story Deck' prompts appear naturally within the world, and the 'Adrenaline Meter' is integrated subtly to keep the focus on the visceral action. Visual damage on Samson’s face and clothes acts as a diegetic indicator of health and struggle during brawls. |
Immersive UI with options for a dynamic HUD. Health/Stamina/Dead Eye cores are displayed, along with a radar/mini-map. Weapon wheel for selection. Interaction prompts are contextual. The game features a detailed journal kept by Arthur, cataloging his thoughts, sketches, and discoveries. First-person mode offers a different UI perspective. |
| Accessibility Options | |
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Samson includes several modern accessibility options: Custom volume controls, Stereo and Surround sound options, and 'Camera Comfort' settings to mitigate motion sickness during high-speed driving. Notably, the game is playable without any Quick Time Events (QTEs), adhering to the developer's focus on tactile gameplay. Full controller support is included, and highly recommended by the team for the best driving experience. |
Includes options for customizable controls (including sensitivity and dead zones), subtitle customization (size, background, speaker names), aim assist levels, options to tap or hold for interactions, colorblind modes, audio balancing, and a cinematic camera mode. First-person mode can also be considered an accessibility option for some. |
| video_library Media Links | |
| Gameplay Video | |
| launchWatch | launchWatch |
| Walkthrough/Guide | |
| launchView | launchView |
| settings_applications System Requirements | |
| 1080p (Full HD) - Minimum (Low-Medium / 30 FPS) CPU: Entry-level 6-core CPUs from recent generations. CPU (Laptop): Equivalent mobile 6-core performance. GPU: Legacy cards with high VRAM are needed for texture streaming. GPU (Laptop): Sufficient for 1080p Low/Medium. RAM: Standard for modern UE5 open-world titles. Storage: Mandatory SSD for loading high-fidelity assets. | |
memoryCPU: Intel Core i5-10505 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 developer_boardGPU: Nvidia GTX 1070 (8 GB) / AMD Radeon RX 5600 (6 GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel i5-11400H / AMD Ryzen 5 5600H laptop_windowsGPU (L): Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti (95W TGP) layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): 15 GB SSD | — |
| 1080p (Full HD) - Recommended (High / 60 FPS) CPU: Mid-range CPUs providing better frametime consistency. CPU (Laptop): Higher clocks help with physics and AI processing. GPU: Modern mid-range hardware for high-fidelity assets. GPU (Laptop): Matches desktop 3060 Ti performance. RAM: Dual-channel memory highly recommended. Storage: Ensures no stuttering during district transitions. | |
memoryCPU: Intel i5-11400 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600 XT developer_boardGPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti (8 GB) / AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT (8 GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel i7-11800H / AMD Ryzen 7 5800H laptop_windowsGPU (L): Nvidia RTX 3070 Mobile (100W+) layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): 15 GB SSD | — |
| 1080p (Full HD) - Recommended (1080p ~60 FPS, High Preset) (High Preset) CPU: Recommended desktop CPU for 1080p at 60 FPS. CPU (Laptop): Estimated mid-range to high-end laptop CPUs. GPU: Recommended desktop GPU for 1080p at 60 FPS on High. GPU (Laptop): Estimated performance-focused laptop GPUs. 6GB+ VRAM is crucial. RAM: 12GB minimum, 16GB strongly recommended for smoother performance. Storage: SSD strongly recommended. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB) or AMD Radeon RX 480 (4GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-7700HQ / AMD Ryzen 7 2700U or better. **Modern Intel Core i7 H-series / AMD Ryzen 7 H-series (e.g., i7-11800H, Ryzen 7 5800H) strongly recommended.** laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile (6GB) / RTX 2060 Mobile (6GB) / RTX 3060 Mobile (6GB, High TGP) or AMD Radeon RX 5600M/5700M. **An RTX 3060 Mobile (High TGP) or RTX 4060 Mobile is a good target for 1080p High 60FPS.** layersRAM: 12 GB saveStorage (Tier): 150 GB SSD |
| 1080p (Full HD) - Minimum (1080p ~30 FPS, Low/Medium Preset) (Low to Medium Preset) CPU: Minimum desktop CPU for 1080p at lower settings. CPU (Laptop): Estimated laptop CPU equivalent. Newer i5/Ryzen 5 H-series or better recommended. GPU: Minimum desktop GPU for 1080p at lower settings. GPU (Laptop): Estimated laptop GPUs. Game is very VRAM intensive. RAM: Minimum RAM requirement. Storage: HDD is absolute minimum, expect long load times. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-6300 developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 (2GB) or AMD Radeon R9 280 (3GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-4700HQ / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (Laptop equivalent) or better laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile (4GB) / GTX 1650 Mobile (4GB) or AMD Radeon RX 560X Mobile. **An RTX 3050 Mobile or RTX 4050 Mobile would be a more comfortable entry point for 1080p Medium settings.** layersRAM: 8 GB saveStorage (Tier): 150 GB HDD |
| 1440p (QHD/2K) - Ultra/QHD (Ultra / DLSS Quality) CPU: High IPC required for Ray Tracing overhead. CPU (Laptop): Top-tier mobile chips for high resolutions. GPU: Enables full Ray Tracing with DLSS/FSR assistance. GPU (Laptop): High VRAM and Frame Gen support. RAM: Recommended for Ultra textures and system overhead. Storage: NVMe Gen 4 recommended for 1440p streaming. | |
memoryCPU: Intel i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 7 7700X developer_boardGPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 / AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT laptop_macCPU (L): Intel i9-12900H / AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX laptop_windowsGPU (L): Nvidia RTX 4080 Laptop layersRAM: 32 GB saveStorage (Tier): 15 GB SSD | — |
| 1440p (QHD/2K) - High (1440p ~60 FPS, High/Ultra Preset with DLSS/Optimized Settings) (High/Ultra Preset (Optimized, DLSS Quality/Balanced potentially needed)) CPU: Desktop CPU for 1440p at 60 FPS. CPU (Laptop): Estimated high-end laptop CPUs. GPU: Desktop GPU for 1440p at 60 FPS. GPU (Laptop): Estimated high-performance laptop GPUs. 8GB+ VRAM essential, 10GB+ preferable. RAM: 16GB RAM required, 32GB recommended for smoother experience. Storage: NVMe SSD strongly recommended. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X/5600X developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super (8GB) / RTX 3070 (8GB) or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8GB) / RX 6700 XT (12GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-10875H / AMD Ryzen 7 5800H or better. **Modern Intel Core i7/i9 HX-series / AMD Ryzen 7/9 HS/HX-series recommended.** laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (8GB, High TGP) / RTX 4070 Mobile (8GB, High TGP) or AMD Radeon RX 6800M. **An RTX 3080 Mobile or RTX 4080 Mobile provides a more consistent 1440p High/Ultra experience.** layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): 150 GB NVMe SSD |
| 2160p (UHD/4K) - 4K Cinematic (Max Settings / DLSS Performance) CPU: Maximum single-core performance for engine overhead. CPU (Laptop): Desktop-class mobile CPU for 4K. GPU: The only cards capable of native 4K with ray tracing features. GPU (Laptop): Peak laptop performance with Frame Gen. RAM: Ensures stability during long play sessions. Storage: NVMe Gen 4/5 required for 4K asset streaming. | |
memoryCPU: Intel i9-14900K / AMD Ryzen 9 7950X developer_boardGPU: Nvidia RTX 4080 Super / RTX 4090 laptop_macCPU (L): Intel i9-13980HX laptop_windowsGPU (L): Nvidia RTX 4090 Laptop (175W) layersRAM: 32 GB saveStorage (Tier): 15 GB SSD | — |
| 2160p (UHD/4K) - Ultra (2160p/4K ~30-60 FPS, Medium/High Preset with DLSS Performance/Balanced) (Medium/High Preset, DLSS Performance/Balanced (Native 4K Ultra 60FPS is extremely demanding)) CPU: Desktop CPU recommendation for 4K. CPU (Laptop): Top-tier laptop CPUs required. GPU: Desktop GPU recommendation for a playable 4K experience, often requiring DLSS. GPU (Laptop): Flagship laptop GPUs essential. 12GB+ VRAM absolutely critical. RAM: 32GB RAM very strongly recommended for 4K. Storage: NVMe SSD required. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i9-9900K or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D / Ryzen 9 5900X developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) / RTX 4070 Ti (12GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (16GB) / RX 7900 XT (20GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i9-11980HK / AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX or better. **Flagship Intel Core i9 HX / AMD Ryzen 9 HX series (e.g., 13980HX, 7945HX) required.** laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile (16GB, Max TGP) / RTX 4080 Mobile (12GB, Max TGP) / RTX 4090 Mobile (16GB, Max TGP). **Even the RTX 4090 Mobile will heavily rely on DLSS (Performance/Ultra Performance) for 4K High/Ultra at 60FPS. A hypothetical next-gen flagship (RTX 50-series) would aim for better native 4K capabilities.** layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): 150 GB NVMe SSD |
| save Overall Storage | |
| Spec: 15 GB SSD Note: Compact install size but high-speed storage is non-negotiable. Type: SSD | Spec: 150 GB available space (SSD Strongly Recommended). Note: An NVMe SSD is highly recommended for the best experience due to the vast world and high-resolution assets. Type: SSD |
| desktop_windows Operating System | |
| Spec: Windows 10/11 (64-bit) Explanation: Modern OS required for DX12 and DLSS features. | Spec: Windows 7 (SP1), Windows 10 (Version 1803 or newer) Explanation: 64-bit Windows 7 or newer. Windows 10/11 64-bit recommended for best compatibility and performance. |
| gamepad DirectX Version | |
| Spec: Version 12 Explanation: Required for Lumen lighting and Nanite geometry. | Spec: DirectX 12 (Vulkan also supported and often preferred for performance on AMD GPUs) Explanation: DirectX 12 or Vulkan API. Players can often choose between them. |
| info_outline Other Game Notes | |
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| build Optimization Details | |
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| laptop Laptop Considerations | |
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info_outline Feature details based on available data. System requirements and performance estimates may vary.
laptop_chromebook Laptop Recommendations
Common Recommendations (Handles All Compared Games)
For Samson: A Tyndalston Story Specifically
For Red Dead Redemption 2 Specifically
info_outline Laptop recommendations are estimates based on available component benchmarks and game requirements. Actual performance may vary depending on settings, drivers, cooling, power limits, etc. Prices and availability subject to change. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.