For years, Arthur Morgan could only stand at the water’s edge and look at Mexico. Now he can cross the border.
A fan-made mod called Nuevo Paraíso – The Forgotten Frontier is finished and free to download on PC. It brings back one of the most iconic locations from the original Red Dead Redemption and puts it inside the Red Dead Redemption 2 engine. It isn’t an official expansion. But for a game that Rockstar never gave story DLC, it’s the next best thing.
The border Rockstar never opened
If you played the first game, you remember John Marston riding into Mexico. It was one of the places that defined that game. Red Dead Redemption 2 never let you go there. You could see Mexico across the water, and that was it. Fans have wanted to cross over ever since.
Rockstar never released official story content DLC for Red Dead Redemption 2, so the job fell to a modder named Rixus724. The mod was first revealed back in August, and after a long time in development it’s now complete.
This Mexico is set in 1907
The smartest choice here is that Rixus724 didn’t just copy and paste the original map. The mod redesigns Nuevo Paraíso to imagine what it might have looked like in 1907, the year Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place.
The setting has a story built in. Conflict, government oppression, military control and poverty run through the region. When you arrive, unrest is growing and the state is edging toward civil war.
The mod’s official description reads: “Explore the three regions of Nuevo Paraíso, now powered by the RDR2 Engine. From towns brought back from RDR1 to an expanded landscape featuring new wildlife and vegetation that breathe life and detail into the controversial state of Nuevo Paraíso. A wide variety of activities awaits to keep you busy as you traverse this forgotten frontier.”
Three regions, each with its own feel
The three regions are Diez Coronas, Perdido and Punta Orgullo. Each one has its own points of interest, buildings, wildlife and vegetation, so they don’t all blur together into the same patch of desert.
The mod also restores nearby towns and settlements. Each small population has its own daily routines, activities, services and functions. That kind of detail is what made the base game’s world feel lived in, so it’s good to see it carried over here.
Railroads, animals and things to do
There’s a new railroad system and new Mexican wildlife. The new activities will probably be the main draw for most players, since they’re meant to give you hours of content once you’ve seen the scenery.
The mod is free for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to start yet another playthrough, this is a good one. It’s also a nod to the series’ history.
And this time, Arthur doesn’t have to just look at Mexico from across the river. He can ride across and keep going.
