Red Dead Redemption 2's release is here, and it's sure to be one of the biggest games of the year. As such, it makes sense that you'll want to try your hand at it, even if you didn't get around to playing the previous one. In our experience, Rockstar has done a pretty good job of making sure everybody will have a good time with this one whether you're already a rootin-tootin-cowboy or asking, "Marston who?"

First and foremost it's important to note that this is a prequel and the protagonist Arthur Morgan is a brand new character to the series. Don't let that worry you if you're an old school fan though as the game revolves around a gang led by returning character Dutch van der Linde. This is the very same gang that John Marston ran with before the events of Red Dead Redemption 1 and also includes some other familiar faces like Javier, Bill Williamson, Uncle, and Abigail. For a full rundown on the events of the first game, you can check out our story so far feature.

For more on how John fits in, the game map, and what connections exist between Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2, check out the video above. Let us know if you've played the first one and who you're excited to see return in the long-awaited follow-up.