Vampire-hunting games have always been my favorite. There is nothing more satisfying than defeating Dracula and dreadful counts from Transylvania using silver bullets and garlic. Even becoming one is extra fun.
I guess you can say I have a fair share of knowledge on vampires, which is why when I heard that my favorite studio, Arkane released a vampire-hunting FPS Redfall. I jumped on it straight away. However, as you might have guessed from the title my experience of Redfall was quite disappointing today the least.
Key Takeaways
- After a series of major hits, including Dishonored and Prey, Redfall was a major commercial failure from Arkane Studios.
- The Vampire Slaying game features a lot of bugs and several issues that make it unplayable.
- However, if it is improved and updated, Redfall might prove to be a decent FPS title.
Is it bad, Or Is It The Worst
From dishonored to prey, Arkane has been one of my top studios when it comes to releasing masterpieces in the form of video games. This is why Redfall upset me that much; I simply did not expect this from Arkane. Honestly, at times, it did not even feel like an Arkane game to begin with.
There is so much wrong going on in the game, including poorly executed gunplay and enemies that just do not make it any fun, even if it does some things right. Redfall seems broken at many points due to its never-ending bugs.
The vampires, by far, are the biggest issue as they keep getting stuck or falling through the map, and sometimes you won’t be able to hit them, making it extremely frustrating. It might not be the worst, but it is definitely nowhere near good as compared to titles like dishonored, etc.
The Patches And Updates Did Not Help
After my infuriating first encounter with Redfall, I gave up on it until it started getting updates. I thought to myself, maybe these updates have turned Redfall into a better title, and maybe it can redeem itself. Well, I was disappointed once again and found the game to be pretty much broken and unplayable.
It is not even about the combat itself, but the lack of story and annoyingly repetitive NPCs that keep on mumbling are just a few of the things entirely wrong with Redfall.
Don’t get me wrong, the story is not that bad, but it still could have worked on a bit more. it’s truly brought out the dark and terrifying nature of the game Redfall potentially could be.
Poor Multiplayer & Underwhelming Animation
While the solo play is frustrating on its own, its multiplayer mode isn’t better either. If you are planning to try out the game right now, I highly doubt you will be able to convince anyone to play with you.
Mind you, you will need your friends because there is no system of matchmaking available in Redfall right now. Any quests and missions that you get to complete will only be progressed by the player who hosted the game.
Talking about the art style, I have always been a fan of the way Arkane depicted its characters. However, if you look at the characters in Redfall, you will never believe that they came out of a studio as iconic as Arkane. The characters seem almost emotionless, and the atmospheric textures are executed poorly.
I remember how hyped it was during its pre-launch and how quickly the hype died. I guess it was a case of promising too much and delivering absolutely nothing at all.
It’s Redfall Salvageable
You might think that maybe I’m being too brutal here, but honestly, if you are an Arkane enthusiast, you will understand my frustrations about Redfall not living up to the standards. However, I will mention some things that Redfall does well.
The vampires are depicted in a very realistic way and are scary instead of being dashingly handsome- the kind that makes you join their forces instead. The story may not be that coherent, but it had its moments and was a bit better compared to all the underwhelming features Redfall has.
The world design was also fairly decent and surprisingly detailed, with a lot of secrets that you get to explore and Easter eggs that you can uncover during your adventures. However, these few things won’t make Redfall a decent game, as it lags badly in areas where it actually matters being an FPS title.
This brings me to the question if Redfall can be salvaged at all. I believe there’s always a chance of improvement in many games, but Redfall will require more than just improvements to truly stand out from the games of its genre.
Should You Play It
I don’t think that it is deserving of the $70.00 price tag that comes with it. It’s not even just about the money. It’s about the fact that the patches and updates seem to be doing nothing much for Redfall.
It is also about your time, and honestly, Redfall does not deserve it, at least with the quality it is delivering right now.
I would recommend Vampire: The Masquerade and my all-time favorite, V Rising. Maybe if Redfall gets tweaked and updated shortly, it will be playable. But honestly, I don’t expect a lot of improvements from it, and even if it does get improved, it is certainly not worth the bucks it demands.
With all the efforts and hard work, Redfall requires to be playable. I’d rather have Arkane invest its budget and focus on producing a new and better title, learn from the mistakes it made in Redfall, and possibly salvage its reputation that fell with Redfall.
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Farrukh has been covering Souls like games for years now. Having an extensive experience in Dark Soul 3 and Elden Ring he critically judges these games and writes his unbiased thoughts on them after spending hundreds of hours grinding. Farrukh has also worked with Game Rant, MP1st and The Nerd Stash on a variety of gaming guides making him an expert to share his opinions. When not writing he probably be clearing another dungeon. You can also join Farrukh on his Steam.
