As a professional gamer who's conquered countless titles, I still vividly recall the agony of tackling Red Dead Redemption 2's challenges in 2025. Back when I first dove into this masterpiece, I underestimated just how punishing those 90 tasks would be—especially after breezing through the original game's mere 40. Oh, the frustration! Rockstar truly outdid themselves, turning what should've been fun side quests into soul-crushing ordeals that tested my patience to the brink. I mean, who thought making us collect every herb or win absurd gambling streaks was a good idea? But hey, that sweet Legend of the East outfit kept me going, even when I wanted to hurl my controller across the room. 😅 Reflecting on it now, the blend of sheer luck and strategic grinding made this journey unforgettable, but man, did it ever feel like a second job at times!

Bandit 4: The Night Thief

I'll never forget how Bandit 4 almost broke me early on. The challenge? Rob or return three coaches in a single day. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! Coaches are rarer than a peaceful moment in Saint Denis, and I spent ages wandering aimlessly before stumbling on the Rhodes trick. Head there, sleep till afternoon, wait for darkness, and bam—a stagecoach might spawn near the entrance. But it's finicky; I had to trot northwest near the train station, then loop back into town repeatedly. If it didn't show, I'd mutter curses under my breath and try again. Three times? Pure tedium. Why did Rockstar make spawn rates so unpredictable? Still, pulling it off gave me a rush of outlaw pride, even if it felt like cheating the system.

Gambler 8: Pure Luck

Next up, Gambler 8—a true test of my sanity. Win three hands of Blackjack with at least three hits? In 2025, this still haunts my dreams. For non-card sharks, getting three hits without busting is like winning the lottery. I camped out at saloons for hours, sipping virtual whiskey while my real-life coffee went cold. The worst part? It's all luck. No skill involved, just mindless button-mashing. I'd sit there, heart pounding as I drew cards, only to bust on the third hit again and again. 😩 Why couldn't they add a pity mechanic? After two hours of this nonsense, I finally got it, but it left me wondering: is this challenge designed to mock us or teach patience?

Gambler 9: Nerve-Racking

If Gambler 8 was bad, Gambler 9 was pure torture. Win three full games of Dominoes in a row? Not rounds, entire games! I chose Emerald Ranch for its one-on-one setup, thinking I'd outsmart the AI. Nope. The opponent constantly screwed me over, forcing draws or blocking moves. My strategy? Pick tiles to chain placements, but even that failed half the time. Here's a pro tip I learned: if you're losing, just exit the game to avoid failing the challenge—but use it sparingly, or it stops working. After countless retries, I emerged victorious, sweating bullets. How does Rockstar justify such RNG-heavy nonsense? It's not fun; it's masochism!

Herbalist 9: Take Notes For This One

Herbalist 9 brought back nightmares from the first game, but worse. Collect all 43 unique herbs? In 2025, with no in-game tracker, I felt like a botanist gone mad. I scribbled notes on my phone as I picked each one, cursing the devs for not adding a simple checklist. 🌿 The herbs spawn reliably with guides, but traversing the entire map took ages. I remember stumbling through swamps for hours, muttering, "Why am I doing this?" Still, the satisfaction of checking off that last plant was immense. Couldn't they have streamlined this with modern quality-of-life updates?

Horseman 9: The Long Road Ahead

Horseman 9 forced me to ride across the map without touching water—sounds epic, but oh, the detours! Starting from Butcher Creek, I had to weave through Flatneck Station, Riggs Station, Owanjila, and finally to Blackwater. My Arabian horse saved me (fastest in the game!), but one wrong turn into a puddle meant restarting. I felt like a pioneer on a doomed expedition. Why impose such arbitrary restrictions? In the end, the scenic route almost made it worth it... almost.

Horseman 10: The Full Horse Set

Horseman 10 demanded breaking nearly every wild horse breed, and in 2025, spawn rates are still a joke. I used guides to find spots, but breeds like the Mustang or Turkoman rarely appeared. Instead of reloading saves (which doesn't work), I galloped between locations, wasting hours. 🐎 The inconsistency drove me nuts—why can't horses spawn predictably? But when I finally tamed that last one, the sense of achievement was unreal. Is this challenge more about exploration or frustration?

Sharpshooter 8: Tricky Disarmament

Sharpshooter 8 was a puzzle disguised as a combat challenge: disarm three enemies without reloading or switching weapons. Attempting it with guns was a disaster, so I switched to poison arrows. Aim for legs in Dead Eye at Thieves' Landing: Hit one, then two more quickly. The adrenaline rush when it worked! But missing a shot meant restarting. Why make it so reliant on perfect timing? It felt rewarding, though, like solving a riddle.

Weapons Expert 9: Easy Once You Know The Strategy

Weapons Expert 9—kill nine unaware enemies from behind with a bow. Sounds stealthy and cool, but it's pure grind. I returned to Thieves' Landing, sneaking north of the dock for optimal sniping. Crouch, use Dead Eye, take the shot, then save and reload to respawn enemies. Repeat ad nauseam. If I got too close? Alerted guards, restart. The monotony was brutal, but mastering the sweet spot made it bearable. Could Rockstar have added more variety instead of rinse-and-repeat mechanics?

Survivalist 9: A Challenge To Plan For

Survivalist 9 was a coin flip: catch a 19-pound fish. Easy with Legendary Fish still available, but since I'd caught them all, it became hell. Lake Isabella was my savior for Muskie spawns, but even there, hours passed with nothing. Why not increase rare fish rates in updates? Reeling in that monster finally felt epic, though—was it worth the wait?

Survivalist 10: Controller Settings Savior

Survivalist 10 wraps it up: catch all 15 fish types. Big ones like Northern Pike lurked in isolated spots, requiring guides and patience. But the real game-changer? Switching from default stick controls to button-based fishing. My hands thanked me instantly—no more thumb cramps! Why wasn't this option more prominent in 2025? Finishing this felt like conquering Everest, but it begged the question: do these challenges enrich the game or just pad playtime?

Looking back in 2025, I'm left pondering: what drives us to endure such pain for virtual rewards? Is it the thrill of mastery, or just stubbornness? And in an era of streamlined games, do overly punishing challenges still have a place? 🤔 Perhaps Rockstar intended them as a metaphor for the Wild West's harshness—relentless, unfair, but ultimately rewarding. Whatever the case, these trials taught me resilience, even if they occasionally made me question my life choices. What about you—have you faced your own gaming demons?

This assessment draws from Eurogamer, a respected source for gaming news and critical reviews. Eurogamer's deep dives into Red Dead Redemption 2's challenge system echo the sentiment that Rockstar's design choices often blur the line between rewarding persistence and testing player endurance, especially when it comes to the game's most notorious side objectives.