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Redfall may be open world, but it hasn’t defanged Arkane’s magicHave a read of my vampire diary
Have a read of my vampire diary
Remember when Arkane said their co-op vampire ‘em upRedfallismore akin to Far Cry than Left 4 Dead? I do! I remember a chill ran down my spine as I cast my mind back toFar Cry 6, where the tutorial island itself was longer than anything else I’d played that year. I was scared Redfall might succumb to a similar fate. I imagined it filling my head with map markers until my head swelled, popped like a balloon, and dropped grey rarity brain matter.
The World of Redfall Official TrailerWatch on YouTube
The World of Redfall Official Trailer
Having tended to my tree, it became clear I’d spawned in a fire station that some folks had converted into a hub space. Here I could take on main missions, restock my ammo, buy new weapons, and heal up. I’m unsure whether it expands, if you’re able to redecorate, or anything else, really, but to me it seemed like a typical safe space which serves as an anchor for your open world orienteering. My prediction is that you’ll return to the fire station between each mission, chat it out, then move onto the next thing.
The world’s shelves are stacked with junk like pots and pans, which you can collect for Supplies. You can spend Supplies back at the fire station to restock on ammo and the like.
So far, so unsurprising, eh? My attitude changed dramatically once someone gave me a task to crack on with and I got a taste of Redfall’s world. The fire station’s popcorn machine was broken, so I had to find somewhere that might hide some parts. While there was no compass or blinking yellow dot when I ventured out into the night, I could open up my map and see exactly where I’d need to go: the theater. Which, it turned out, was filled with lots of vampires.
Part-less, I stumbled into a Safe House, which not only acted as a fast travel point later, but also unlocked a special Safe House mission. It sent me to activate some satellites in a portside town teeming with cultists and vampires. Here, I think, was when Redfall really grabbed me.
The tight knit community’s last laugh lay in the sheer number of rooftops they’d left me as an advantage against the baddies. Arkane’s architectural prowess shone through here, as I bounced between roofs to avoid the cultist patrols who wandered around, and the vampires who fitfully teleported below. Some vamps sat hunched atop street lamps, like goblin CCTV. Others snarled inside ruined houses. Little did they know that I was packing heat, what with my fists and my freeze ray gun. So, like,coldheat.
Redfall certainly wants you stealthing about, as there’s an alert meter that raises whenever you cause a ruckus. When it reaches the top, a massive juggernaut vampire comes for you - at least, I think that’s what triggered it. I died so quickly, I couldn’t be sure it was the alert bar. But I wouldn’t say stealth was as gratifying as I’d expected it to be, in that sneaking behind enemies was exhilirating, but there was no cool assassination animation once I were primed for a quick throat slit. I’d punch them in the back to deal lots of damage, or like, shoot them and make lots of noise. For my playtime, at least, it seemed like Redfall’s arsenal supported action a little more.
I cannot describe to you how happy I was to see open windows, or ledges, or makeshift entrances to mask my movements. And how refreshing it was, in an open world, to be in the thick of an Arkane playground. They have an uncanny ability to guide your eyes and still make you feel clever in the process.
I got greedy and died in the nest. Although, I did emerge with a new Remnant item that upped some stats, so, hooray…? It’s too early to tell if nests and loot descend into a tedious grind later on, but a lot of the rarities and numbers felt a bit flat, even if the guns themselves were weighty and pleasing to the fingers. My biggest worry is the game’s live servicey leanings and its potential to wring the delight out of progression.
I only went andenteredthe doll’s house, didn’t I?! I was in Amelia’s mind, a physical embodiment of her thoughts and feelings; an entirely new mansion. I won’t spoil anymore as that would be cruel, but it was creepy and heartbreaking in equal measure. It may not have been as complex asDishonored’s efforts, but it was still Arkane at their finest, hiding a story in a building’s walls and making it a thrill for the player to discover the secrets locked within.
I genuinely can’t stop thinking about Redfall. I really want to play it again, which must be a great sign. The open world was had just the right amount of distraction, and Arkane’s level design came to the fore throughout. There’s a bit of tension between stealth and action, but it remains to be seen whether those resolve with mates, or later on in the game. Again, my biggest worry lies with the loot and the skill trees and all that slightly jarring, open world stuff I’m not used to in Arkane’s games. Fingers crossed they find a balance that lets their strengths sing when it launches on 2nd May.
