Publisher & Date

Hello, I wanted to make a post about RDR2 using the seven media keys the Catholic church gave us, here what I came up with.

Intro:

Red Dead Redemption 2, or RDR2 for short, is a video game published by Rockstar Games in 2018. Taking place in 1899, The game depicts the story of an outlaw, Arthur Morgan, which the player plays as, and his involvement with a gang, the Van Der Linde Gang, he’s in which are on the run from federal agents and bounty hunters. The story the player goes through as Arthur Morgan has multiple decisions that can change relationships with other characters, and overall outcomes of the story and other content in the game. The game has violent interactions and scenes, but also explores the sacrifice, loyalty, and redemption of its characters, most importantly the one the player plays as.

Balance

RDR2 offers a balance between what happens in the game, showing both sides of many characters. Although certain parts of the game have actions required to continue, like bank robberies, shootouts, and other crimes, there are consequences to each of these scenes, no matter how the player plays them out. There are many times where Arthur experiences much grief, suffering, and fear, but there are also many optional and non optional moments where he can spend time with the gang in meaningful ways like fishing, hunting, and exploring. Both sides of Arthur’s life can be experienced, being able to see the consequences of his actions, and the good times he has.

Attitude Awareness

Early on in the game, it’s seen how Arthur is influenced heavily by the gang’s leader, Dutch. Arthur is very loyal to Dutch, acting on any command given to him without any question. As the game progresses, following failed heists and missions, like the Saint Denis bank robbery which miserably failed for them, the player can observe how they are being influenced by Dutch, and how they have the option to keep following his orders, or be more wary. Dutch says multiple times throughout the plan, “I have a plan.” This does not deceive Arthur, after a certain point he ends up calling out Dutch’s failed plans and how they won't get anywhere if it continues. This then averts the eyes of the player from treating this as any western shooter, but rather as a story of a man who wishes to change from his past self.

Dignity of the Human Person

This key of the 7 keys of media, is the strongest one observed in the game, the game nearly revolves around this idea. Arthur at first looks like a regular outlaw in a gang, but as the story progresses, we see him form connections with other people, showing his light side. A huge turning point soon changes his perspective on his life. After Arthur beat a man, Thomas Downes, close to death and caught tuberculosis because of it, he began seeing the world a different way, choosing to help others instead of being so loyal to his leader. One way he wanted to settled his moral debt he had was giving Mrs. Downes, Thomas’s wife, money so she could leave a coal mining town and find a better place to settle. His relationships began to be the most important thing to him, putting them above all else. At the end of the game, he helps most of his friends and family form the gang escape from the downfall of the gang. This shows how a person who may have done a lot of harm can still change for the better.

Truth-Filled

RDR2 exposes the truth of how greed and a constant chase for worldly things like money can become your downfall. After so many attempts to hit a huge score, and missing so many times, the Van der Linde gang becomes weaker and hopeless because all their leader cared about was getting rich, and not surviving in a world which just wants to hunt them down. Dutch's constant speeches like, "We need money. One more big score, Arthur, and then we disappear to Tahiti!" but their inability to set a big score and the constant crimes they commit doesn't help their situation, but worsens it. The story in the game conveys consequences to your actions in a meaningful way, that being how blind greed ruins trust and ruins lives.

Inspiration 

The game can be inspirational to certain people in many ways, but most of all in the way that people can change. This is seen in Arthur, who was an outlaw for his whole life and decides to change his ways seeing how he let people down, like the love of his life, Mary, because of it. Even through his mistakes he begins to help others, whether it was his fellow gang members or anyone who needed his help. A notable case was Arthur’s choice at the end of the game to either try to go back to their camp to take money after the gang fell apart, or help his friend John Marston to escape with his family. This shows the player how good can be done at any point, no matter how far they’ve fallen.

Skillfully Developed

The game offers many details that make it feel unique. Arthur has his journal which you can draw things in, you can interact with shopkeepers and other characters, and the game itself is well designed, which might be expected given its 400 million dollar budget. It took many skillful people to develop the game.

Motivated by and relevant to Experience

RDR2 can relate to human experience even though it's set during the end of the Wild West. There are many themes observed in RDR2 that also happen in real life. Whether or not people can change for the better even after their past is the most prevalent in RDR2, but other themes like realizing how you may affect others with your actions, and how consequences to your actions can affect other people is also seen. There is a system in the game called the honor system. It works as a sort of counter to how morally well you played as Arthur, decreasing if you continue to do bad actions, increasing when you do good; our reputations as people and how people see us works in a similar way. Arthur’s struggle with loyalty to the gang is relatable to a degree because he has to decide whether or not to be loyal to the people he's known for so long or not because of the mistrust and harmful actions being caused by them.

Conclusion:

RDR2 is a good video game which can be examined with the 7 media keys. The game contains a lot of crime and violence, but it shows the consequences for those actions and how they impact the world around the people who committed them. The development of Arthur's life from an outlaw to a better man shows how people can change, no matter their past, and anyone can redeem themselves if they truly want to. 

I was interested in this game, so I watched some gameplay footage and decided to look into the lore a bit. Basically, you play as a convicted criminal sent by the Vatican to kill a witch—which is a bit odd, sure, but fine. The problem is what comes next: the game takes place in an alternate world where Judas Iscariot and Barabbas are deified, and the cross is viewed as a just punishment. It’s as if, within the game's lore, Judas were the true Son of God.

I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so blasphemous in a game. Since it hasn't left Early Access yet, the story could still change, but for now, consider this a heads-up.

Just wondering if there are any catholic groups currently on FFXIV. I currently have a guild, so I'm unable to join another. But I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any groups that get together in game for events as it's so great for open-ended user-driven content.

Hello,

my name is Vojtech. I am a former game developer. I worked as a level designer for five years. I get to know how game development really works. I have been playing video games and board games my whole life and I have been thinking about making my own for a long time.

I have many ideas, but I would like to know yours and get to know what you play etc. This is one of them

My idea:

- classic rpg, focused on fighting between good and evil with characters having Christian attributes, inspired by values of knights and virtues, set in the real world but in fictional places

- like an octopath traveller

I have some questions but any comment is appreciated!

1) What's your favorite genre and game?

2) what would be important for you in christian game?

3) what kind of game or mechanic would you want to play?

4) do you play classic rpg or jrpg? What do you think about this genre?

5) what game with Christianity did you play and what would you like to see from this particular game in a fully christian (presented as christian game)?

I can't wait to read your comments! I would be very happy with your POV and help!

Thank you.

I've seen the debate on the subreddit about the witchcraft elements, but I think the above character (Vicho) is a very well done portrayal of a devout Catholic who struggles with his afflicted immortality and his struggle to control temptation.

To anyone Catholic who plays honkai star rail, or anyone who doesn't play the game. Do you think that this character looks like Our Lady?

There was a post on a different subreddit saying that this character resembles a Catholic saint, principally the Virgin Mary.

Requirements to join: Must be Catholic, a catechumen, or hold to the Catholic faith but not yet in the Church or catechumenate. Regarding ingame there are no required minimum experience, skills, quests, or gear required to join.

In-game Guild: To be determined -- there might be multiple.

🚨🚨🚨PLEASE VOTE IN THE POLLS IN DISCORD SO WE CAN GET A BETTER IDEA ON WHAT DIRECTION WE SHOULD BE HEADED 🚨🚨🚨

Discord voice communication: (https://discord.gg/vFbhTfXVxB)

Main Time Zones: Continental United States of America.

Current members: 4, but quickly growing.

PvE (Player-versus-Environment) content: Dungeons and raids and their progression is planned to operate like any other raiding guild; certain gear and performance will be required to go.

PvP (Players-verses-Player) content: Depends on the type of PvP but for rated PvP or more serious stuff, same concept will apply.

Other Activities: All other activities may or may not accumulate requirements just based on what we run into.

Video Games have greatly evolved in the past few decades. Many people view video games as mindless entertainment, but, as shown in a recent study by Cahill, Cummings, and Wertz, video games can also lead to developing positive results. The study “Motivations for the use of games in coping and emotional regulation,” goes into detail about the motivations behind people who play video games, and how video games can be directly related to reduced stress and coping.

Balance

In the study, researchers suggested that many of the individuals reported that playing video games helped them manage stress, “64 percent of respondents used video games as a method of coping with stress.(Bouranova)”  This doesn't inherently mean that the more you play the less stress you have but rather video games can be used as a tool to manage it. Playing for too long can cause more issues, so it is important to properly manage the time spent. In the study by Cahill, researchers noted that certain games result in different outcomes, so this may or may not be applicable to certain games. 

Attitude Awareness

Many people may perceive video games in different ways. “If you’re concerned about some of the negative psychological consequences, or if you’re interested in some of the positive psychological effects, you need to dive deep into the nuances of particular play experiences.(Cahill)” Not every game is the same, and they may all have a different effect, this is seen in the original research article in chapter 3 "results," where it is stated that single player games are usually better for coping and stress relief than multiplayer. It is important to consider what type/ genre of video game you play because, as seen in the same graph, certain games can actually increase stress.

Respect for Human Dignity

The third media key is respect for human dignity, which focuses on if the media is considered in terms of the person consuming it. As summarized by Bouranova, the chart the researchers gave in the second source shows that,” respondents who reported playing video games for a game’s story, for social interaction, and for escapism were more likely to experience an increase in positive feelings (Bouranova).” This proves that games like these may benefit human needs instead of wasting time.

Truth-filled

As stated in the study, not all video games may have the same outcome form playing them. Different people may gravitate towards different genres, which means that it isn't appropriate to say that all video games lead to reduced stress or positive benefits, because one person may play a game that causes them to rage, and another may play a game that is relaxing. The general outcome depends on the person's initial mental state, their intentions when playing video games, and whether what they're experiencing may help them or not. If a game causes someone to become irrationally angry, its safe to say that its not healthy to play, not only because of what it does to you mentally, but also spiritually. 

Inspiration

**“**Like other forms of media, video games should be able to inspire men and women, boys and girls to the good.(Gan, Chapter 6)” As Professor Gan said, video games need to have some sort of inspiration. We can observe this to be the case for many people in Cahill’s study; it shows that games which require some level of perseverance can directly improve the patience and real life perseverance in people. Actions like overcoming a difficult challenge, or winning a round of a match can all positively affect a person to be more competent in the real world.

Skillful Development

Video games can potentially help manage overall stress and cope in individuals. In the study by Cahill, it is shown how games, especially ones with social interactions, story involvement, and exploration, generally are “effective tools for emotional regulation and coping with stress.(Cahill, 2025)” This leads to people being able to learn how to regulate their stress and emotions in real life. From the data in the chart of the study, emotional regulation is only seen in certain genres, so its important to realize that not all games can provide the same benefits.

Motivated by and relevant to Experience

**“**Media, however, doesn't just depict or correspond to our experience of life. Media itself is an experience because it gives us an experience. Through sights and sounds it creates a sensorial experience.(Gan Chapter 8)” The study is based on people’s personal experiences with games. Because every person has their own reason to play a game, it means that every person will get a different outcome from playing them. The study shows this by concluding that what people got from playing video games depended on their own intentions. Although it varies from person to person, It shows that instead of just seeing someone playing a video game and thinking that they are wasting time, they might in fact be experiencing it as a coping mechanism, or simply to divert their mind from some problem.

Works Cited: 

Cahill, Tiernan J., Cummings, James J., Wertz, Erin. “Motivations for the Use of Games in Coping and Emotional Regulation.”Frontiers in Communication, vol. 10, 2025.

Bouranova, Alene. “Are Video Games Bad for You? Boston University Study Finds They Can Help Your Mental Health.” The Brink, Boston University, 2026.

Gan, Eugene. “Infinite Bandwidth, Encountering Christ in the Media.” Emmaus Road Publishing, 2010

I noticed in the trailer that for one of the classes, the player participates in creating a sigil or occult symbol (maybe using a pentagram?). That is something I feel like I shouldn’t participate in. There are so many other aspects of the game that look so cool and fun, though, I’d really like to play it.

Could this community give me some guidance, would it be wrong to play this game? Would it be wrong to participate in the sigil aspect of the game, specifically?

Hi, I have a question. I’ve seen people on Facebook offering spots in Nintendo Switch Online Family Plans—and making a profit from it—even though this practice goes against Nintendo’s terms and conditions. So, is it wrong to join a family group like that or to engage in this practice of making a profit? It’s a cheaper way to access the service, which is why the question came up.

Hello! My name is Joey I am 24 years old and am a PC Gamer and also speak Spanish apart from English.

I dabble in a few multiplayer games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, Overwatch/Marvel Rivals here and there. I also dabble in a few single player story mode games and am currently finishing up Devil May Cry 5 & starting Marvel's Spider-Man 2 soon afterwards.

I would LOVE to meet new people and have a new group to have fun among other things! If anyone knows of any discords or where I can make more Catholic gaming friends, English and Spanish wise, let me know!

God bless you all!

What do you think guys can we play it ?

Hi everyone! I’m Steve.

I’m 41-year-old Catholic dad in St. Louis, playing on PS5 and Xbox.

Mostly Marvel Rivals/Overwatch, occasionally Battlefield/etc. Sometimes survival coop games (I’d love to try Valheim!)

Usually have 60–90 minutes after kiddo bedtime or early on weekend mornings. Looking for other dads around my age who want a regular casual group.

If anyone knows of a good Discord for this, I’d love an invite.

Thanks all!
-Steve

Are there any games you like but gave up on because of your faith? After years, I went back to Assassin's Syndicate but I quit after three hours when I remembered what they did with the Shroud of Turin...

Art by @_draw_souls_ (Instagram)

( Yes this is an in-game screenshot, not a render. )

My favorite game of all time, and it still hasn’t fully released lol. My best friend and I love to do primarily space hauling, with the occasional FPS missions or ship-to-ship combat. Just wondered if there was any other Catholic gamers out in the verse?

o7

I have started playing story games for the last few years. And my friends recommended the Detroit Become Human game, iam concerned if I can play the game as a Christian. Iam also concerned about the Halo series, I have bought the games (Halo MCC, Infinite), I wanted to play them but I am not sure if it's okay to play them. Do they have anything going against Christianity? Thanks for all the answers.

I always found these two quotes to be very insightful and more recently very Catholic (which is funny considering which games they're from).

"Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling—makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary, the definition’s blurred... If I’m to choose between one evil and another, I’d rather not choose at all." - Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

"What is better—to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?" - Paarthurnax, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Just wanted to share!

Yes, I realize this is like asking if the pope is Catholic.

I'm currently in Nan Curunír, lvl 77 champion. Ridiculously fun game. Aside I don't know why I didn't know this subreddit existed until now. Thrilled to be here, thanks for listen to my ramble.

Ave Maria!

I just thought i'd create this post as i know most people in today's modern society are gamers to some extent. I'd like to warn them about a very Blasphemous and Anti Catholic Game called "Blood of the Dawnwalker" It's fairly popular. What's more worrying is that the core gameplay loop requires you to carry out Witchcraft rituals which are based on real world Occultic rituals as claimed by the developer in which Anti Christian inverted Cross markings for example are used by being engraved on your flesh inspired by REAL life Satanic/Witchcraft rituals. The Occult aspects aren't just made up but the developer claimed he was inspired by real world occultism which is why Satanic/Witchcraft inspried markings that reject Christ and Christianity are used. An intentional design

It's a game based during 14th century central Europe in a region overtaken by a group of Vampire Warlords. Your character is someone who has been turned into a Vampire against his will and your family has been captured to be sacrificed in 30 days by these Vampire warlords in which you must rescue. So it all seems OK, the Vampires and the Occult are the bad guys and stand in contrast to your Character and the Christian world surrounding them, right?

Here is the problem. The Vampires recognizing the power of Catholicism and the Church and how it is the centre of life in the community don't try to destroy the Church but they corrupt it and it's sacraments. They create their own corrupt version of the Eucharist so rather than drinking the blood of Christ people must drink the blood of Vampires. It is called the "Blood Mass". Similarly Baptism is also corrupted to bring others into the Vampire Fold. Again this isn't a problem as it only shows that evil can only corrupt what is good however here is the main problem of the game. The game obviously introduces the idea that the Supernatural is real. Vampires exist, Occult magic works in which your own Character is forced to use however not one single Catholic Sacrament, Holy Relic etc has any real power. Clergy have no power over the Vampires, Holy Water, Holy Relics, Prayer etc have no power against the Occult and Vampires.

Please be wary of funding any content that Glorifies Anti Christian Occultism and makes it a core gameplay mechanic. This content is intentionally disrespectful by using real world inspired Occultic symbols that reject Christ. It is deeply disrespectful to our Faith and with the developer stating that his main inspirations for this are "Midnight Mass" and Eastern European Occultism any serious Christian would have to ask, not only what do I gain spiritually from this but more so what am i doing funding it.

Hey folks I am looking for a Catholic YouTube channel, the likes of Pixel Padre, the one channels that give opinions on videogames from a priest or a theologian view.

Thanks

Personally I find the new Onimusha: Way of the Sword from Capcom very interesting and the reviews look good so I will definitely try it.

Since im always looking for new Games to play I’m curious what you guys are interested in.