Redfall Review
Summary: Redfall is a fun experience that doesn't take itself too seriously but still delivers a strong narrative and enjoyable first person shooter experience.
3.8
Silver bullets
Redfall is a highly anticipated PC and Xbox Series X game developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is set in the picturesque yet eerie town of Redfall where players are thrust into a narrative-driven experience where they must battle against a horde of bloodthirsty vampires and other supernatural creatures. With a blend of open-world exploration, cooperative gameplay and challenging combat, Redfall offers a challenging first person shooter adventure.
Welcome to the vampire nests…
Redfall definitely has parallels to Dead Island and Resident Evil as we are introduced to this world gone crazy with a young woman being drained of her blood as it holds special properties. These properties are vampiric in nature and before we know, Redfall is thrown into chaos courtesy of this blood thirsty invasion. You play one of four survivors who gather together (just like Buffy and Scooby Gang) to stop these vile creatures.
Each of the characters have their pros and cons, including special abilities such as Layla with her psychic abilities to create shields or shoot bursts of psychic energies, including summoning her deceased boyfriend who happens to be a vampire (think Angel) to Remi who has tech defenses and attacks available to her which make for some diverse ways to play Redfall. As result, each plays slightly differently that requires you to change your strategies and if you enjoyed the game, offers another play through.
The game offers both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes, allowing players to team up with friends or AI companions to take on the supernatural threats lurking in Redfall. The cooperative aspect adds a layer of excitement, encouraging teamwork and strategic coordination among real players. However the NPC’s are quite soulless which is a little bit of a letdown given the effort made in creating the universe of Redfall, so real players is definitely the key for a more fun experience in this first person shooter.
This diversity of combat allows for multiple approaches to combat and encourages players to experiment with different combinations. The combat itself is fast-paced and satisfying, with a wide array of weapons and powers to unleash upon your enemies. The game does strike a good balance between challenging encounters and rewarding progression, keeping you for the most part, invested and motivated to complete Redfall. You also have a wealth of guns available to your and enemies range from easy (e.g. humans) to vampires that require more force to take them down, including their more powerful masters.
In other words combat is super fun, especially when you’re teaming up with a real player. Ammunition can be scarce at times which is where scavenging comes into play and given some of the more powerful enemies that you encounter, this can become a challenge, especially if you’re playing solo. The other issue is that the missions do become a little stagnant, particularly if you’re playing solo but again, Redfall works better as a multiplayer title. Fortunately the cliched story has a compelling narrative as you explore this city of vampires that kept me invested, especially with the first person shooter mechanics.
Graphics / Audio
Redfall’s visual presentation is impressive and the developers have meticulously crafted a visually striking open-world environment that immerses players in the haunting town of Redfall. From the gloomy streets to the dilapidated buildings and moonlit forests, every inch of the game exudes a sense of eerie beauty. The attention to detail with atmospheric lighting and weather effects enhances the overall experience, including strong character designs. Voice acting goes hand in hand with the gameplay and music has this great horror vibe to it. Additionally all the sound effects are integrated well with the gameplay as does the subtle background sound effects to create that scary ambience.
Final Thoughts?
Redfall is for the most part an enjoyable and unique supernatural first person shooter. With its breathtaking visuals, compelling narrative, engaging gameplay mechanics and cooperative multiplayer experience, Redfall provides players with something fresh in this genre. Prepare to be enchanted and terrified in equal measure in the dark and dangerous world of Redfall.
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