The upcoming release ofRedfallrepresents a significant departure for developer Arkane Austin. Known for its previous work on critically acclaimed immersive sims such asPreyand theDishonoredseries, the new PC and Xbox-exclusive vampire-themed looter shooter sees the developer step outside its wheelhouse and take a stab (pun intended) at a hybrid single and multiplayer live-service game. The recent hands-on play test of the title garnered a mostly positive reception, but some publications expressed reservations regarding how the studio will ensureRedfallmeets the quality of its previous games.
Perhaps in an effort to both generate excitement for the title and clarify some of the concerns that exist around it, Arkane Austin has been considerably transparent regarding the gameplay and mechanics ofRedfall. With the studio tackling a genre that it’s not known for and live-service games having a somewhat mixed reception among players, the clarification and explanation of the game’s systems serves to both assure fans of previous Arkane titles that thestudio’s DNA is still present inRedfalland show how the developer is taking a unique approach to the live-service looter shooter genre. With everything shown thus far, fans have a good idea of what to expect when the game launches in May.
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Redfall Features a Massive and Immersive Open-World
Set in the titular town of Redfall, Massachusetts, players are granted more freedom and space to explore than past Arkane titles thanks to the incorporation of an open-world. With a New England setting that calls to mind Stephen King horror classics such asSalem’s Lot, Arkane’s talented environmental and art designers are able to flex its creativity in crafting an immersive world chock-full of lore and subtle hints as to how the town became infested by vampires. In addition to being one of the largest spaces featured in an Arkane game, the studio’s knack for blending the real with the surreal ison full display in the world ofRedfall.
Embedded within the sci-fi art deco space station of Talos I inPreyand the dilapidated industrial city of Dunwall in theDishonoredseries are pieces of lore and environmental storytelling that bring these worlds to life and help to immerse the player in each game’s setting. From what has been revealed so far ofRedfall, it would appear that Arkane is aiming for a similar level of player immersion. Despite the live-service monker,Redfallis on track to delivermore of what players have come to expect from Arkane in terms of art direction and immersive sim qualities.
Slaying Vampires in Redfall Can Be a Team or Solo Venture
In a move that clearly differentiates the gamefrom past Arkane titles, players can approachcompletingRedfallsolo or in co-opmultiplayer with up to 3 others. With the studio known for their first-person immersive sim titles, considerable work has been put into balancing the game for anywhere from 1 to 4 players. Each of the 4 playable characters feature their own unique kits and players are encouraged to team up and find the strengths of various loadouts for dealing with the town’s vampire infestation.
In the large and immersive world ofRedfall, players are tasked with more than just slaying vampires. Squads of up to 4 players are encouraged to take back the town, block-by-block. By eliminating vampire nests, destroying cultists strongholds, and re-establishing safehouses and footholds in the town’s various neighborhoods, players are able to work cooperatively with both player and non-player characters to restore the fictional town to its former glory and rid it of vampiric infestation once and for all.
Dispatching Redfall’s Vampires With More Than Just Stakes and Garlic
One of the definingcharacteristics ofRedfall’s 4 playable heroesis that they come equipped to deal with the town’s vampire problem with a lot more than the traditional implements one might expect. Players are granted a wide arsenal of weapons to use in combating both human and non-human enemies, and each character also has a set of abilities that give them distinct advantages and provide synergies when playing as a team. But lest it be forgotten that this is a vampire game, ranged weapons come equipped with a wooden stake bayonet for landing the killing blow on the game’s blood-sucking fiends.
Arkane Austin has experience successfully implementing stealth in their games andRedfallis no exception. Theimplementation of stealth mechanics inRedfallis an evolution of what players might expect having played Arkane’s previous titles. Instead of a set ability that provides players with teleportation or the capability to slow time, several of the playable heroes have skills that make sneaking past vampires as much of a strategic possibility as going in guns blazing. The incorporation of 4 unique playable characters each with their own varied kit provides incentive for players to experiment and find a hero that works with their play style.
Arkane Austin’s Unique Approach to Live-Service Games
WhenRedfallwas originally announced, it was said to contain some of the more concerning aspects of live-service titles, including the implementation of a microtransaction store and the requirement for persistent online connectivity.Arkane Austin has since walked backsome of those features, eliminating microtransactions entirely and actively working on a patch to address the need for the game to be always-online. One of the biggest concerns regarding a game that has an always-online requirement is that the developer will eventually need to shut down the servers for the title, rendering a game that fans have paid for unplayable. To see Arkane address this and aim to make a different type of live-service game is refreshing.
Redfallis a mixture of both what fans have come to expect from Arkane and a fresh take on a live-service game that implements quality-of-life changes hopefully seen in future live-service titles. While the game initially appeared to be a massive departure for the studio, the reality is that it sits somewhere betweenArkane’s previous work onPreyandDishonoredand live-service juggernauts likeDestiny 2. Players will be able to assess Arkane’s balancing act for themselves when the game launches in just a few short weeks, releasing as a day-one GamePass inclusion.
Redfalllaunches June 10, 2025, for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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