Red Dead Redemption: "Outlaws to the End"

The most common complaint I've heard about "Red Dead Redemption," especially in terms of the multiplayer, is that there isn't enough to do. While I don't necessarily share the sentiment (is the whole map in the lobby plus challenges and competitive game modes not enough for you ungrateful slobs?), Rockstar released the first major DLC pack, titled "Outlaws to the End," on Xbox Live Marketplace and (I'm assuming) the Playstation Network. The pack features six new Co-op missions for 2-4 players to tackle. The pack itself is only 11 MB and is free (as in zero dollars).

I only got to play a few of the missions last night but they're actually pretty fun. In one mission, we were tasked with rescuing a female hostage from a heavily guarded Fort Mercer. Once we dispatched all the thugs there, we hopped on a stage coach to take her back to her ranch where another wave of baddies was waiting for us. Another mission saw our gang breaking up an arms deal between Walton's Gang and the U.S. Army, stealing a stage coach full of gold and driving it to Mexico all while fending off a horde of soldiers. Not only are the concepts for each of these missions pretty neat but they're also pretty challenging as well.

Speaking of challenges, there are a set of challenges for the Co-op mode itself as well as challenges that can be unlocked for each individual missions and of course includes achievements. I'm assuming new titles come with these new challenges but I can't say for sure.

The Co-op missions are accessed through the Back-button menu in multiplayer like the regular competitive modes. Each mission starts in a lobby of its own where you can pick one of a few different class types. The only difference in these types are the weapons you'll start the mission with but you can always find new guns to increase your arsenal.

If XP is your concern, these missions offer up plenty and are a great alternative to grinding your way through Gang Hideouts in Free Roam over and over again. All in all, "Outlaws to the End" is a great addition to Red Dead's already solid multiplayer. At such a small price and file size, "Outlaws to the End" is an absolute necessity for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption.