Red Dead Redemption Coming on April 27

Rockstar has confirmed that its Western-themed shooter, Red Dead Redemption, will be released on April 27 of 2010. The company earlier said that the game would be arriving during spring but refused to name a specific date, saying that the calendar for launches was not finalized and that the dates for games from rivals needed to be taken into account before deciding on a release day. The Wild West shooter is set to be released for the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and on the PlayStation 3 from Sony.

Red Dead Redemption is being marketed as a direct sequel to the 2004 Revolver and will allow the player to take on the role of John Marston, a man with a less than stellar reputation who is now out of jail and is quickly caught up in events that relate to the transformation of the American West as civilization and the industrial age is fast approaching. The game takes place in 1908 and players will be getting weapons specific to the era to play around with.

Red Dead Redemption has been developed by Rockstar San Diego and is built using the RAGE engine, which has also powered last year's Grand Theft Auto IV.

The team has been working hard to update the look of the game and to make sure that the engine can render the vast expanses of the West. Players will be able to engage in man to man gunfights, including high noon duels, but Rockstar is also promising bigger pitched battles between big forces.

The game is open world and will allow players to explore different regions and to align themselves with the various powers in the region. The background to the action will vary wildly, from grasslands dotted with cattle and ranchers to desolate deserts that only feature small, dusty towns.