That's because a lot of open world games become desert world games, but RDR 1&2 have done a great job of adding a bunch of stuff you just accidentally run into.
This is facts but even these I just ended up starting over, and eventually lost the motivation to free roam, because the fukkery just ain’t the same for me without the OG’s, especially in 2
Arthur passed up John for my favorite game character OAT. In 1 I was like fukk that Jack shyt, and in this one, I was like fukk this John shyt once the epilogues are done