Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
Years after release, Red Dead Redemption 2 players have uncovered a hidden route back to Guarma.
A lesser-known corner of Red Dead Redemption 2 is drawing fresh attention after players uncovered a method that lets them wander through Guarma freely.
The tropical island, visited briefly during the campaign, has long felt like lost potential for fans eager to explore it properly.
Island discovery
Most players only experience Guarma under intense story pressure, with no freedom to roam.
But a player-shared trick has revealed that the island can be revisited in a story mission on any platform, without mods or external tools.
According to posts on the Red Dead Redemption 2 subreddit, user 22ARuncornAvenue detailed how they returned to Guarma while replaying “A Kind and Benevolent Despot,” the chapter in which the gang attempts to rescue Javier.
They explained that stepping outside during a moment when Dutch sends Arthur off for sabotage creates an opening.
From there, Arthur can climb over a stone wall near the building and slip out of the mission’s boundaries without triggering the usual automatic failure.
Unexpected freedom
Once outside the restricted area, players reported being able to traverse the entire island undisturbed.
The invisible sniper that normally prevents free movement never activates, allowing uninterrupted exploration of beaches, jungles, and cliffs that were originally designed as background scenery.
The player’s discovery also highlighted that areas normally bustling with NPCs are completely empty.
Wildlife still appears, but horses are nowhere to be found, and the environment feels eerily quiet compared to the main game.
Strange side effects
Because the game still believes the Javier rescue mission is underway, odd behaviours follow.
Weapons cannot be fired; doing so triggers guards in Guarma to “hear” the gunshot no matter where Arthur is, instantly ending the mission and sealing Javier’s fate.
Players have also noted visual quirks and occasional glitches, a predictable side effect of forcing the game into a state it wasn’t built to support.
Some even managed to swim back to the mainland, though the journey is long and mostly symbolic.
New ways to roam
Despite its limitations, fans say the trick offers the only way to inspect Guarma in detail on consoles without modifying the game.
For players curious about how much work Rockstar put into a location meant to be seen only briefly, this workaround provides a rare chance to take a proper look.
Sources: Screenrant, Reddit
