Much careful and precise criticism of RDR2 from @FilmCritHULK here. I often avoid addressing elements like UI and menu design in my writing on games, so it's enlightening to read a piece so focused on the minutiae and their combined effect on the whole: https://www.polygon.com/2019/4/22/18298277/red-dead-redemption-2-review-rdr2-story-design-criticism …
I really think they wanted to keep the same focusing mechanic as consistent and just severely misjudged how long it would take people to get used to the arm / unarm dynamic into muscle memory - let alone moments of tense quick reaction.