Not since the release of Rockstar’s 2008 magnum opus Grand Theft Auto IV have I personally lusted after a game as much as Red Dead Redemption. And after a few week's play, I can safely say there was good cause for such enthusiasm and I now feel right at home in the Wild West.

You take the reigns of reformed bad boy John Marston who is coerced by federal agents to help track down his former gang members and their head honcho, Bill Williamson.

Switching from the hustle and bustle of a modern day cityscape in GTA to a more rural setting of the American frontier circa 1911 has been a genius move by the developers. Once again, they’ve come up trumps with an awe-inspiring game worthy of a place in anyone's collection. But that's not to say that things don't start off fairly slowly when you first wonder into the plains…

After a brief tutorial - during which I was mainly gawping at the luscious vistas - you're left to explore the vast game map, sat astride your trusty – and particularly lifelike - steed. Along the way there are the usual missions that we've all grown accustomed to in these kind of sandbox games. These typically consist of assisting Mr X, or going somewhere to speak with/get something from Miss Y. It's all pretty standard fare.

But after you’ve been led by the hand through some of these early tasks, you soon start to realize the freedom afforded to you and the sheer scale of the environments. From the small town of Armadillo to the bandit stronghold of Tumbleweed, or the rather ominous sounding Thieves Landing, the locations are many and varied.

And you certainly get value for money too – the main quest and its 50-odd missions can easily sap around 30 hours of your life, and then there are all the side tasks and multiplayer options to explore.

During the main story you’ll come across some extremely well-scripted characters, ranging from the wily old chancer Nigel West Dickens – peddler of all manner of elixirs and potions, Irish – a cowardly drunk who knows a thing or two about guns but shies away from confrontation, Seth – a mad old soul with a slightly morbid fascination with the recently deceased, and of course, Bonnie Macfarlane – the rancher who rescues you at the start of the game and Redemption’s “eye candy”.

The controls feel reassuringly familiar, and anyone who’s been traipsing the streets of Liberty City will instantly be able to pick this up and play. Besides being put in charge of mules and horses rather than fast cars and bikes, the only real change is the addition of an improved cover system and the dead eye meter that transforms you from gun shy to gunslinger.

The Texas Hold ‘em poker, horseshoe throwing and five finger fillet mini games are also a great distraction, helping you to earn cash to upgrade weaponry, replenish health or invest in a faster, more resilient horse. Treasure hunting is also thrown into the mix, Marston finding maps which lead to gold bullion or other bonuses, and then there’s the hunting – with some 30+ critters to shoot and skin for pleasure or profit.

Morality, fame and honour play a major part in the gameplay too. Each decision has consequences, which helps to draw you deeper into the story. You could opt to help the helpless hogtied woman screaming in the distance as some unscrupulous soul rushes off with her – shooting her assailant in the back and untying the grateful victim… or, like me, you could shoot him in the head, ignore her pleas to free her, hoist her on to your horse and ride to the nearest railway track. Place her down, stand a safe distance away and watch as a train runs over her.

Morally wrong perhaps, but worthy of a 5G achievement score or a bronze trophy. It’s the little touches like this that make Rockstar games such a pleasure to play – and the reason why they court a fair amount of controversy.

Just like GTA IV, the multiplayer will certainly add to the game’s longevity. Starting out in Free Roam mode, you’re provided with the opportunity to find likeminded souls to form a posse. From then on, you and your newly-found compadres can take an enjoyable romp through the usual deathmatch and capture the flag-type co-op modes. There are plenty of maps and game modes on offer, all teeming with weaponry. Good times. Not only that, but Rockstar have already said that some free multiplayer DLC is scheduled for release later this month.

The inevitable comparisons with GTA IV aside, the two Rockstar epics are a complete dichotomy.

The Grand Theft series has always had a place in my heart and its latest incarnation – along with the fantastic DLC – saw it labelled Megabits’ greatest game of all time in our inaugural Head2Head contest. I loved the characterization, atmosphere, variety and freedom in Liberty City… but Redemption seems to boast these very same traits... and then some.

Some of the missions may be a little monotonous or repetitive, riding between tasks can become a little tiresome and Marston’s inability to set foot in water without drowning is an irritant, but ultimately, the game is thoroughly enjoyable.

As mentioned above, after only a few short weeks riding about the Wild West, it already feels like home. It’s like I’ve been transported back in time, finally able to relive the movies I watched as a kid all those years back.

There have been countless attempts to capture the flavour of the American frontier in gameform in the past, but only this incarnation really does it justice. A must have title if ever there was one!