10 Rarest Things That Can Happen In Red Dead Redemption 2 (2024)

Rare things are bound to happen in a game as large as Red Dead Redemption 2. These can range from random NPCs left in for the developer's amusem*nt, to peculiar Stranger interactions that only occur at certain times and places, to hidden secrets players have hunted down or figured out. With so much to explore, it's understandable that a lot of these things go unnoticed by most.

But some players are dedicated, and will go to great lengths to find the weirdest parts of RDR2: areas intended to be inaccessible, loot drops that are hard to come by, and unexpectedly tough enemy encounters. Red Dead Redemption 2 really pushes the boundaries of its Wild West setting with some of its Easter eggs, including the likes of UFOs, ghosts, and other mythical creatures. Regardless of the reason they're included in the game, these rare experiences are definitely something to look out for on one's next playthrough of RDR2.

15 Players Can Spot A UFO In RDR2

Location: Near Emerald Ranch And Mount Shann

Aliens exist in Red Dead Redemption 2, even if they are rarely discovered by players. Rockstar has a history of putting UFOs in their games as hidden Easter eggs, going as far back as GTA San Andreas. There are two locations in which to spot these UFOs, the first located in a shack north of Emerald Ranch. The player will encounter several skeletons and a note detailing alien activity. The note reads in part, "At the second hour under the half-moon." Be patient, and wait until 2 AM on a night with a half-moon to hopefully witness a bright green UFO through the roof of the cabin.

The second sighting is similar in nature, but much harder to figure out, and often skipped on by players. After careful examination of the note's last line, which reads, "And worship once again at the peak of Mount Shann," the player should head for that location. Similar to the other sighting, wait until 1 AM to see the UFO beyond the mountain rocks. Other than being an exciting addition for dedicated Rockstar fans, these rare sightings have no lasting impact on the game.

14 A Ghost Train Rarely Appears In RDR2

Location: Near Lemoyne

There's nothing rare about seeing trains in Red Dead Redemption 2, but many players have yet to come across the elusive Ghost Train. This is another Easter egg, referencing a common folklore subject in the American West. It may also be a nod to the Phantom Train boss in Final Fantasy 6. It can take a few tries to catch the Ghost Train, and while there isn't a tangible reward for finding it, the experience is interesting nonetheless.

To find the Ghost Train in RDR2, travel northwest of Lemoyne. Camp out until 3AM. When the Ghost Train is nearby, Arthur or John's horse will snort and stomp its feet. It's also possible to hear the Ghost Train coming, but it may not be distinguishable from a regular train. However, the Ghost Train doesn't necessarily appear every night. If nothing happens, repeat these steps for a few more nights until it does. The Ghost Train is notably smaller than other in-game trains, with a rare blueish-white glimmer. Sadly, the train cannot be interacted with, and will disappear after a short time.

13 The Feral Man At Roanoke Valley

Many Have Heard Him, Few Have Seen Him

Although there are technically three encounters with the Feral Man in Red Dead Redemption 2, most players will never actually get to see the Feral Man for themselves. For one, he howls almost exactly like a wolf, so it would make sense for most to assume he's just another wild creature. Secondly, upon the first encounter with him, he automatically despawns once a group of wolves attacks Arthur.

To find him, people will need to make their way up to Roanoke Ridge in the northeast next to the Old Tomb, then to the center of Annesburg, west of town on the road leading north to Roanoke Valley. Upon the third encounter in Roanoke Valley, it's actually possible to catch up with him and then chase him back to his cave. Inside, players can find the Wild Man's Journal, which details more about how the man became wild in the first place.

Location: Near Mount Shann

The rare sighting of Bigfoot is another long-running Easter egg frequently hidden in Rockstar games, and the RDR series is no different. These lonely giants can be found in the original Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare expansion, during the missions "Predator" and "The Last One" in which the protagonist must hunt the remaining Sasquatch family. And although there's been little success in finding Bigfoot in RDR2, evidence suggests they still exist in the game's world.

Bigfoot may not make an appearance in RDR2, but there's some rare-to-find evidence pointing towards its existence. Giant bones can be found around Mount Shann, so large and humanoid that they cannot be linked back to any other creature in the game. These may also be related to the mysterious man living inside a cave northwest of Grizzlies East who claims to be a giant. Though the self-proclaimed giant is never seen, and thus this theory is not confirmed, the theories about this rare lonely giant definitely suggest Bigfoot still roams the West.

11 RDR2 Includes A Rare Encounter With A Serial Killer

Location: At Lucky's Cabin In The Heartlands

Unraveling the story of how and why Edmund Lowry Jr. committed his gruesome murders is an intriguing mystery that players struggle to solve in RDR2. Discovering the identity of the serial killer is a challenging task that requires piecing together clues left by the killer himself. Once all the pieces of Edmund's puzzle are collected, the player will be led to the basem*nt of the serial killer. Here lie several "trophies" of his crimes, such as missing persons posters and skeletal remains.

After confronting Edmund, he'll admit to his crimes through a long monologue before being killed by the player; however, he continues speaking for a brief period before finally succumbing to his wound. While many players simply loot his body and move on, there are some details about his murders that players often miss out on. A letter from Edmund's mother expresses concern for her son's deteriorating mental health. Meanwhile, there's evidence to suggest anonymous newspaper articles were likely written by Edmund to tip off locals about his crimes.

10 Mr. White & Mr. Black's Happy Ending (Kind Of)

The Ties That Bind Us

Although Sampson Black and Wendell White are two very memorable characters from a notable RDR2 side quest, seeing their stories through till the end isn't something many people will likely see. For one, some will choose to turn them both in during "The Ties That Bind Us" mission, ensuring that subsequent meetings are impossible. Secondly, while more players have probably met up with the duo for the second time at Dewberry Creek, it's likely fewer have met up with them for the third and final time to see the end of their story.

Players can meet up with them for the third time at Stilt Shack in Big Valley, where the two will be hiding out in a tree house. Although the meeting isn't anything overly special, it's nice to know that the duo get to live happily ever after in the swamps, even if they do act like an old married couple.

9 Going Back To Aberdeen Farm Gives More Context In RDR2

Location: In Scarlett Meadows

Aberdeen Farm is arguably the most disturbing location in Red Dead Redemption 2, so it's not uncommon for this quest to go unfinished. Upon visiting the farm for the first time, there's definitely an eerie aura that only gets worse after meeting the Aberdeen siblings. They will invite the player inside for dinner and drinks. However, venturing inside will lead the player into a rare near-death experience.

The intent of the Aberdeen siblings becomes clear when they drug the player's drink and loot their money. The player will be dumped outside with the pigs and several corpses in various states of decomposition. At this point, most casual players will run from the farm without knowing the full history of the Aberdeen family, but if they decide to head back inside and enact revenge on the siblings, the signs of these siblings' dark nature truly reveal themselves. The implied murder of their mother and suspected cannibalism are just part of a long list of gruesome acts. It's easy to see why players rarely come back to this farm in Red Dead Redemption 2.

8 The Nearly Invulnerable Bear At Cairn Lake

Location: Ambaromo

One of the most brutal rare encounters in RDR2 includes a random encounter with a hunter near Cairn Lake, near the very north of the Ambaromo, next to the ice-covered lake near the snowy hillside. Upon reaching the location, some players will find a random NPC claiming that he lost his friend up the trail. Instinctually, most will probably follow the path up, but what they will eventually run into is anything but pleasant.

Upon reaching the location, there will be a ravaged dead body that's been obviously chewed on by some wild creature. After revisiting the friend to confess this disturbing scene, a wild grizzly bear comes out of nowhere and mauls the poor lad. Regardless of the firepower inflicted upon the bear, the end result is the same, and there's no saving the hapless searcher, or at least players figured out it was indeed possible to stop the rampage.

7 Meteor Showers Light Up The Sky

Location: Roanoke Valley

Although dedicated RDR2 onlookers have likely spotted a stray shooting star if they've been riding out the night with the gang enough, a whole meteor shower is an entirely different thing to behold. As shown by an excited Reddit user, the camera pans up to the sky for a few seconds, showing multiple meteors streaking through the air.

Although originally it didn't seem like there was a surefire way to trigger such an event, later it was discovered that looking up at the skies over the Meteor House in the game will show off the spectacle, though it's still likely most people haven't seen it, even after they've spent hundreds of hours playing the game.

6 Strange Man In The Mirror

Location: Lemoyne

In an abandoned shack in Lemoyne, some supernatural occurrences happen when Arthur stares into a mirror. A man, the same man depicted in the painting in the hovel, can be seen, but only after several visits to the shack. There, Arthur will take down sketches as he usually does, and if the person returns to the shack, the painting will become more and more complete. Though the trigger to see him is well-known by now, it's still a highly rare occurrence to happen organically, as most people will likely miss this detail.

Upon the final completion of the full painting, looking into the mirror in the room will reveal the body of the strange man. However, when Arthur looks behind him, he mysteriously vanishes. Theories have swirled online about the strange man and who he is. This includes a small hidden detail with a conversation at Hennigan's Stead in New Austin where someone talks about the strange man in the top hat. Some think him to be a ghost who haunted the town of Armadillo with a cholera outbreak, while others believe he is the actual embodiment of death itself, the Grim Reaper.

5 Players Can Meet The Devil's Impostor Up Close In RDR2

Location: Near Strawberry

Hidden in a cave southwest of Strawberry, The Devil's Impostor is a beloved character within RDR2. The Devil's Impostor is first introduced after a long journey through a rather tricky cave system. Despite introducing himself as the very Devil, he's clearly distressed and tries to deter the player, exclaiming that he left society, and requesting that they, in turn, leave him in peace. He's rare to find and even rarer to meet up close, but with a little bit of in-game parkour, players have found a way to reach his camp.

Once reaching the ledge the Impostor appears on, there are several interesting details that may clue into this self-proclaimed Devil's history. His home is covered in cave paintings that can be hard to view even with binoculars. There are several papers scattered on the floor, but none of them appear to be readable. Despite his lair connecting to another pretty large section of cave systems, the Impostor himself doesn't move or react if Arthur makes it up there. He was probably intended to be part of a bigger quest, but trimmed down in the final version of the game.

4 John Can Find Micah's Gun In RDR2

Location: At The Mount Hagen Cabin

There's a long list of things to do after completing Red Dead Redemption 2, but looting Micah's gun usually isn't on the player's list. This is one of those rare quests a lot of players don't know about, or just don't complete because the reward isn't that great.

After the game's point of view switches to John, players can travel back to where Micah was killed and loot the body to get his gun. Although it's similar to the revolvers used throughout the game, it has a small bonus to both damage and accuracy. While this is a fun task for hardcore RDR2 fans, it's understandable why the casual player may not complete this task.

3 How To See The End Of Marko's Quest In RDR2

Location: In Saint Denis & Colter

"A Bright Bouncing Boy" is a uniquely amusing RDR2 mission, but its length means it's rarely completed by players. The three-part quest begins by a pond in Saint Denis, where Professor Marko Dragic needs help completing the test run of his radio-controlled boat for exacting investors. Once that's done, the player needs to return a few nights later for the second part of the mission when the Professor asks for help with sourcing energy for a larger invention: a robot. Once Arthur secures the necessary power source, the robot takes a couple of steps before collapsing on the floor.

This is the point at which many players leave the quest and consider it completed, but by waiting a few more days and returning to the lab, players can see an extended storyline. This time, upon entering, Marko is found dead in a pool of his own blood, and his robot is missing. With some searching, the player can find a set of footprints leading up a mountain near Colter. Following these will lead directly to Marko's robot sitting alone on the snowy mountain morosely mumbling the word "papa" to itself.

2 RDR2's Vampire Performs A One-Hit Kill

Location: In Saint Denis

The Vampire is one of four RDR2 characters that can kill the player in a single hit, regardless of their HP. In order to find him, the player needs to find five pieces of graffiti that have been left around Saint-Denis. Once these are found and jotted down in the journal, a map will appear in the form of a crude pentagram. When followed, the Vampire will be found around midnight, hiding in an alley with his latest victim. On closer inspection, it's evident that he's just finished drinking their blood.

The Vampire takes on the classic, Nosferatu-inspired look of pale skin, pointed ears, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. If antagonized, he will attack the player with his dagger, causing an instant kill if hit; however, if the player successfully defeats him, the Vampire's body can be looted for one stringy meat and two bat wings. It's unclear whether this man is actually the bloodsucker the newspapers of Saint-Denis report him to be, but encountering him for the first time is unpredictable, and survival is unlikely.

1 The Rarest Event In RDR2 Is Getting Struck By Lightning

Location: Anywhere, As Long As It's Raining

The rarest and most unexpected thing that can happen in Red Dead Redemption 2 is getting struck by lightning. As in real life, it's extremely unlikely to happen in most gameplay runs. However, there's a slim chance that, if free-roaming in the middle of a thunderstorm, the player will be struck down and instantly killed by a lightning bolt. Regardless, this bizarre feature remains the rarest thing to happen in RDR2.

Random rare details can be amusing, even in the most immersive RPGs. Whether on the hunt for rare mythical creatures, investigating mysterious murders, or chasing down the lightning glitch, Red Dead Redemption 2's vast world offers numerous rare experiences for players to enjoy beyond the main storyline.

Source: Zanar Aesthetics/YouTube, cad5150/YouTube,

Red Dead Redemption 2

Franchise

Platform(s)

PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Stadia

Released

October 26, 2018

Developer(s)

Rockstar Games

Publisher(s)

Rockstar Games

Genre(s)

Action , Adventure

Platforms