Redfall offers a compelling mix of Dishonored, Borderlands and Buffy

When people think of acclaimed developer Arcane Studios, stealth action adventures come to mind Contempt Or Deathloop Maybe remember. “Immersive sims” of this type are known for allowing players to maneuver through a “clockwork world” where characters go about their daily lives and players complete large, open-ended objectives. So it’s a bit surprising to see developers switch to a more straightforward heist and grind action RPG with a horror twist. Red Fall.

After spending time with a single-player preview build Red Fall, I could still detect some hints of Arcane’s signature open style amidst the vampire slaying. But it’s a marked change from the more dark worlds Prey And ContemptWith a group of charismatic vampire hunters who bring the vibe Buffy: The Vampire Slayer to the game boundaries.

Welcome to Redfall

The eponymous city of Redfall has come down with a nasty case of vampires and human worshippers. Together, these forces create a supernatural eclipse that blocks out the sun, allowing the forces of the night to retain control of the city at all times. Armed with tricked-out guns and makeshift vampire-killing weapons, your ragtag crew of paranormal experts is sent to reclaim the city while uncovering its mysterious history.

While Redfall feels stylistically and mechanically different from Arcane’s usual pedigree, it’s interesting to see how much of the company’s familiar design remained in a game. “If you look at our library of games that we’ve created, we definitely have sims traditionally because they’re part of our creative values, but if you look at each game, they’re not exactly right for each other,” co-director Ricardo Pare told Ars.

“Each time we try to do something a little different, this time we’re like, ‘What if we could take our creative values ​​that we love, deep world-building and expressive game mechanics, and let you play with a friend?'” Baer continued. “It was very challenging for us to tackle that part. Plus, vampires are cool. We wanted to do Arcane’s spin on vampires.”

I was very impressed Red FallThe environments were more open and spacious than Arcane’s “clockwork world” design. Contempt, PreyAnd Deathloop All of these are divided into highly fragmented and complex design stages and buildings. Various sandbox zones Red FallOn the other hand, allow more space to move around and explore.

I appreciated that Red Fall Evokes the vibe and aesthetic of Stephen King’s Cities of Fear Lot of Salem Or It is. During my preview event, I spent a lot of time getting the lay of the land, checking out Redfall’s docks and downtown areas to find vampire hives, secure safe zones. That exploration required side quests and story missions (including a memorable mission set in a haunted house guarded by vampires), but wandering around led me to venture into safer parts of the city to find magazines and loot.

investigates Red Fall Blends stealth-action gameplay elements with the pace of a looter-shooter. Use your character’s skills to sneak up on enemies and pick them off, or stick to your arsenal to take out vampires and cultists in thrilling gunfights. There was no pre-set way to go about it, and I was fascinated by the various possibilities.

Red Fall It’s still recognizable as an Arcane game in its approach to story and gameplay tactics, although story beats are often delivered during active gameplay rather than control-breaking cutscenes. But now there’s the added pull of a game boundaries. That comparison extends to a wild array of weapons, including a stake thrower that provides an incredibly fun (if basic) way to tear apart vampires. Hopefully more complex gear and abilities will reveal themselves further through the story.

said to Ars Red Fall Co-op was built from the ground up for gameplay and the developers “didn’t want it to feel like co-op was working.” It means “nothing special [co-op] method or something like that; You can really enjoy the whole story with a friend, which is what we love.

“But if you’re playing single player, you can take more time to invest yourself in the world, read that note, and explore the areas you want,” Pare continued. “If you’re playing co-op, and with four players, you can swarm across the map and everyone will be screaming and having fun. It’ll support a faster pace, and the difficulty will increase.”