Red Dead Redemption may just set a world record for Biggest Multiplayer Lobby Ever. Rather than sit in a menu with a text list of 16 Gamertags, you have the entire Sonoran desert to hang out in while you set up matches with your friends. Bide your time in the Wild West, where you can shoot wild animals, wrangle bandits, and even meet up with your posse to tackle missions together, earning experience points as you level your character all the way up to rank 50.

Red Dead feels a lot like Grand Theft Auto IV. With no cars in sight, however, a big part of getting around the massive multiplayer maps is on horseback. Fortunately, the mighty steeds are up to the challenge, handling easily.

Spur them on by pounding the A button (but not too much, lest they buck you off!), and ease them down by tapping RB. Conveniently, they’ll automatically leap over small hurdles like boulders and fences. And the higher your rank, the stronger and faster your horse. Whistle for him anytime by pressing up on the D-pad, but if you’re a low-level newbie, a literal jackass will mosey on over to schlep you across Arizona.

We tried several game modes once we were done fooling around in the “lobby.” All of them start with everyone in a circle or each team facing each other in a duel stance. You’ll be prompted to “Draw!” and then aim to be the last man standing. Only then does the proper round begin.

Shootout and Gang Shootout are simply Red Dead’s terms for solo and team deathmatch, making great use of the big towns and their buildings. You can snipe from hotel balconies, inside saloons, or while on your horse. Gold Rush and Hold Your Own are solo and team-based capture-the-flag variants, and they proved to be our early favorites. With gold-bearing towns on opposite ends of the region, you’ll need to ride over to get the goods, avoiding stationary turrets and authentic lead ball–firing cannons(!) as you dash across the desert. Boom!

Not surprisingly, Rockstar is keeping a few cards close to their chest. We’d have to imagine (and hope!) that one of the unrevealed multiplayer features is an entire mode built around the duels that start each match. Featuring equal parts tension and trash-talk, they’re practically begging to be showcased in a more formal capacity. We’ll find out at high noon on May 18.