Stepping into John Marston's worn boots during Red Dead Redemption 2's epilogue should feel like coming home, but dang – something just felt off since day one. That denim-jacketed gunslinger we loved from the original game somehow lost his mojo in the transition, looking more like Arthur Morgan's awkward cousin than the hardened outlaw we remember. But guess what? The modding cavalry rode in faster than a Del Lobo ambush, serving up fixes that finally let John strut his stuff properly across the frontier. It's like watching your favorite cowboy finally get the spa day he deserved after years of sleeping rough!

The Ultimate Vanity Overhaul

That John Marston Restoration Project (by GuiCORLEONEx794) ain't messing around – it drags John's original beta model outta Rockstar's vault and stitches him back together properly. We're talking:

• ✨ Actual neck proportions instead of that weird Arthur-clone vibe

• 💇‍♂️ Fixed hairline that doesn't make him look balding at 26

• 👔 NPC-exclusive outfits finally wearable by players

Seriously, this mod slaps harder than a drunken bar brawl. Meanwhile, John Marston – 1911 (DickHertz) goes full plastic surgeon on his mug, sharpening those iconic scars and scowls until they'd make a grizzly bear think twice. That tired, perpetually sad expression? Gone faster than a gold bar in Valentine's saloon.

Motion Sickness Be Gone!

Ever notice John moved like a rusty tin man? John Marston Animations Overhaul (Dooge) injects butter-smooth movements salvaged from RDR1's glory days:

Feature	Vanilla	Modded
Walking	Stiff plank	Swaggering gunslinger
Combat	Generic flinches	Original RDR1 reactions
Idle motions	Arthur clones	Unique Marston mannerisms

iAbokai's expanded animation pack takes it further, fixing everyone from shopkeepers to camp cooks – suddenly the whole world moves with purpose instead of looking like puppets on strings.

Body Shop Bonanza

John's arms used to look like uncooked chicken legs – pale, hairy, and weirdly scrawny. Enter the RDR1 Body 'N' Arms mod (Lino) which:

• 🦾 Darkens forearm tones to match his sun-baked face

• 💪 Adds muscle definition under that denim jacket

• 👀 Fixes the "floating glove" illusion during cutscenes

Then there's d00ge's Body Restoration mod rolling back those disastrous post-launch patches that made John shrink two sizes. Clothes finally hang right on his frame instead of swimming on him like a sad hand-me-down.

The Little Things That Count

Who knew facial hair could cause such drama? HD Classic Stubble (BOAH1907) rescues John from caveman-mode beards with perfectly textured 2K shadowing that highlights his battle-worn mug. And let's pour one out for the Classic Cowboy outfit mod (GuiCORLEONEx794) – finally replicating that beautifully grimy RDR1 aesthetic without looking like he raided a circus costume trunk.

But the real showstopper? John Can Swim (srgamerio). Watching my boy panic-flail in knee-deep water was more embarrassing than getting hogtied by O'Driscolls. This mod doesn't just teach him doggy paddle – it turns him into Michael Phelps with spurs. Absolute game-changer for river crossings!

Where Do We Ride Next?

Honestly? I'm itching for modders to go full wild west – imagine brand new John-centric storylines set after 1911, maybe rebuilding Beecher's Hope or tracking down old gang hideouts. The frontier feels alive again thanks to these fixes, but man... wouldn't it be sweet to see John finally get his own proper DLC through community magic? Here's hoping 2026 brings more love for gaming's most iconic cowboy who's finally, truly come home. Yeehaw indeed! 🤠