Summary
Red Dead Redemption 2may not be regarded by many fans as a horror game,but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some horror elements. After all, theRed Dead Redemptionseries has always been known by fans to incorporate supernatural and paranormal elements, andRed Dead Redemption 2is no exception. These horror elements sprinkled throughout the game keep players on their toes and add some tension to outlaws' adventures even in the middle of the wilderness or swamps.
In Arthur Morgan’s travels across the Old West, he comes across some pretty unsettling places, unexplainable events, and creepy people. Some are downright threatening, while others are a mix of creepy and sad. From murderers to paranormal creatures, some ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s creepy locationscan be a nightmare to explore. The magic of exploration is present in this game but can rear an ugly head that takes many players by surprise.
Updated Jul 27, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest video games ever made, with its open world wowing many with how beautiful it can be. Players will feel their jaws dropping as they explore a beautiful open world that is jam-packed with detail. Every corner of the world has been given so much love and care that it’s hard not to commend Rockstar for such an amazing technical achievement, especially with the narrative fuelling this game and helping it reach new heights.
However, not all of Red Dead Redemption 2’s locations are fun and games, and players will witness this firsthand when they check out some ofRDR2’s creepy locationsthat can send shivers down their spine.
1A Cave Hermit Who Says He’s The Devil
Lives Away From Society In Solitude
Players who head north of Pronghorn Ranch will find a hidden tunnel that’s not marked on the map. As one would expect, this prompts an exploration of this cavern that starts out pretty normal. However, there’s one particular encounter that takes place further on that cements this cave in the eyes of many as one ofRDR2’s scary locationsand shows how easily Rockstar can take players by surprise despite seeming formulaic at times.
As Arthur makes his way through the cave, he suddenly encounters a cave hermit who tells him to buzz off, proclaiming himself to be the devil. It’s an unnerving moment, even if players can interact with this mysterious person again and see that he has cooled off a bit. Still, the first time he rears his head can be quite a shocker for fans who aren’t prepared to come across this weird man.
2A Chained Boy In The Basement Of Rhodes' Gunsmith
Forced To Pretend He’s Someone Else’s Son
Rhodes seems likean ordinary run-of-the-mill townthat Arthur can explore in his travels. This is mostly the case, with the gunsmith seeming as normal as ever. However, players who go around his building will find a young boy begging for help from this man’s basement. It isn’t a good look, and players who investigate further will uncover a basement that wastes no time in becoming one ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s scariest locations.
It turns out that this gunsmith had lost his child and abducted a teenage boy to pretend to be his son. The fate that befell this gunsmith is tragic, but that doesn’t mean an innocent kid should pay the price for his trauma. After all, if Arthur decides to ignore the boy’s plight, then he dies soon after, showing that the gunsmith is clearly not in his right mind and should have his crime revealed to the public.
3The Eerie Abandoned Town Of Pleasance
Decimated By The Plague
The plague was rampant back in the time when medicine hadn’t progressed to the point where vaccines could be developed for the same. So, it’s normal to see several settlements be overrun by a disease with no cure. Such is the fate that causes Pleasance to crumble, turning into a ghost town after being a bustling settlement for quite some time.
This isn’t the only tragedy to affect this town, with a string of murders occurring before the plague settled in. It’s eerie to roam across this abandoned settlement with notices of the plague plastered all over the place. ThisRDR2scary locationis a sobering sight that shows how life in the era of cowboys was way less glamorous than it’s made out to be.
4The Murfree Brood’s Atrocities
A Violent Gang That Loves Ambushing Arthur
The Murfree Brood is a gang of psychopaths who perform untold heinous atrocities on their victims. Players unfortunate enough to see the way they mutilate the bodies of their victims in the games will do well to steer clear of these horrifying enemies in the game. However, this is easier said than done, especially if Arthur has antagonized the gang before.
This group loves to ambush in creative ways, ranging from explosive wagonsto gatling guns. They always seem to appear when the player is having a rough go of it, making it important for players to refill all their cores before going to town and using the wealth of firepower they have to obliterate any enemies standing in their way.
5The Random Grizzly Attack At Vetter’s Echo
Comes Out Of Nowhere To Surprise Arthur And The Player
The variety of wildlife that players can track and hunt down in the game is pretty engaging, and players will love tracking these enemies and showing them whose boss. However, there are times when some fierce predators can turn the tables on Arthur, forcing him on the back foot as he scrambles to get his bearings together and take out whatever predator has grabbed a whiff of his scent.
One of the scariest encounters with an animal happens at Vetter’s Echo, where players happen upon a cabin that is seemingly abandoned. However, things take a turn for the worse when they hear a roar and turn around to see a rampaging grizzly bear coming their way. It’s easily one of the scariest sights in the game that comes out of nowhere, and players can only hope that all the shots they fire in Dead Eye are enough to take down this monstrous predator.
6The Donkey Lady
If players head to the region of New Austin during the epilogue, they’ll find a wealth of unique secrets in a location that had been locked out for the longest time. It’s easy to see why players would go out of their way to stray from the beaten path and explore to their heart’s content, but most people may not be ready for a gruesome sight that can be found at a mill in Cholla Springs.
Players who stumble upon this area will be horrified to see the body of an old woman with the head of a donkey who’s been tied to the mill. It’s an unnerving sight that is a reference to a very popular glitch from the firstRed Dead Redemptiongame, where the game could erroneously spawn a weird hybrid creature with the body of a woman and the head of a donkey that players could ride.
7The Vampire Of Saint Denis
A Bloodthirsty Creature Of The Night
Rockstar never shies away from adding supernatural instances in their games for fans to enjoy, and this vampire sighting is no exception. Players will find hints of a vampire roaming the streets of Saint Denis, but not a lot of them will encounter this beast unless they happen upon the right place at the right (or wrong, depending on the player’s view) time.
Players need to find and inspect five mysterious writings scattered across the game before being led to the back alley of the Cathedral. If players go to this area at midnight, they’ll stumble upon a vampire drinking the blood of its victim, who attacks the player if they antagonize him. A single hit from this creature’s dagger is enough to kill them, so it’s important to gun down this creature as soon as possible if one values their life.
8Finding The Many UFOs In The Game
Rockstar Loves To Add These Aliens In Their Games
Rockstar has added references to aliens time and time again in their games. So, it’s only a given that such sightings can be found inRed Dead Redemption 2as well, which can either fascinate or horrify the player based on how they interpret these events. Two of these sightings are possible in the game.
The first occurs inside a shack that houses the remnants of a cult that worships these aliens. Ifplayers come here at 2 AM, the cabin will be shrouded in a green light as a UFO appears directly above them. Another such instance can be experienced in Mount Shann around the same time, although this one is seen far off in the distance.
9Eugene Hutton & Ethel Boshared
Brandywine Drop features a very dangerous patch of forest that The Murfree Gang likes to patrol, alongside a bunch of very scary cougars. But the scariest of all encounters in this forest is the voice of a ghost that appears beside the player.
The voice is that of a woman, and she is speaking to a man named Eugene Hutton. It’s revealed that the woman is his wife Ethel, who is calling him a fool for getting the pair of them lost in the woods. The voice is freaky and will give the player goosebumps as they continue to make their way through the forest.
10Message In The Cave
A Cheat Code Written In Blood
On the cliff of Mount Hagen, the player encounters a mineshaft which leads to narrow tunnels that take the player to a cave.
The words ‘‘A Fool On Command’’ are written in red on the walls. The strange message creeps Arthur out and makes him wonder what it means. Some players may be surprised to know that “A Fool on Command” is a cheat code for the game. Entering the code will make Arthur instantly drunk.
