Could Redfall Be the Hidden Game of the Year Contender?

The latest upcoming Bethesda and Arkane Studios title is headed our way and it is coming in relentlessly fast! As the Redfall release date is nearing more and more, we decided to actually have a better look at this incredibly promising first-person adventure horror shooter that is going to land to market on 02.05.23. You could expect it on Xbox series X and S as well as Microsoft Windows.

Developer Arkane Austin, who has previously worked on Prey and Dishonored, is yet again venturing into some unexplored terrain. When we compare it to the other games from the studio, Redfall seems much more traditional at a first glance - a freely explorable open world map that includes numerous safehouses, enemy camps, additional side quests, and loot with a variety of tier ratings! But as we dived deeper into the gameplay and storyline, we realized that this is a very interesting title that just might be the hidden gem of the year! In this review we are going to focus on some of the more exciting aspects of the game and see if it has what it takes to contend for the beating hearts of players!

Redfall's vampire-killing seems incredibly satisfying!

First impressions are always important and It's crucial that killing your blood-sucking enemies really feels like a standout event in a game where the entire point is to vanquish vampires. That is precisely what Arkane Austin accomplished with Redfall; similar to how the assassination-sim Dishonored had many magnificently gory backstab animations! There is lots of action, thrills and chills to explore in this dark world where blood is essential for the vitality of your enemies!

In the Redfall gameplay you would surely get great pleasure from driving a wooden stake all the way into a vampire's monstrous heart. Pushing a boot into a set of jaws that instantly disintegrates into flaming dust seems as another quick-time event to not miss out on, as you knock your adversary backwards and crush them to the ground; it all feels very much like it has a serious weight to it.

Redfall, an island town, has a cleverly created setting that will enhance your abilities. You can play with the enemy AI to trick them about falling into traps, attack the directly or from the high ground, you are free to chose your style. We really had the impression that every place we went to was set up to tell a mystical tale and the aesthetics did not disappoint, with creatively crafted locations and vibe that would make your blood boil as you play.

The gripping story and interesting setting!

The sun has been mysteriously darkened and Redfall has fallen under the rule of godlike vampires that seek to convert anyone on their way. Within this world there are many gruesome creatures that have mutated into vampires through blood experiments and they transformed from immortality thirsty scientists into terrible beings with mighty powers and an insatiable thirst for more and more blood. They all belong to an organization called Aevum Therapeutics and something went very, very wrong with them! Now they are as powerful as gods and seek to wreak havoc on to Redfall!

The story starts quite eerie with a look into Dr. Addison, a doctor-turned-vampire god known as The Hollow Man, was underway when the demo started. I was tasked with searching his mansion, a ransacked property that looked as though it were frozen in mid-explosion, in the hopes of finding something that could make him more vulnerable. Of course, the mansion was swarming with foes, both bloodthirsty creatures and the people that serve them. It included many elements that you would anticipate from Arkane's work in this area and was a classic infiltration set-up.

There were numerous entry points to pick from vampires that were scattered onto the building's roof, and cultists patrolling the premises. The path to your goals and objectives are only hinted, necessitating exploration and careful reading of the environment in order to progress.

Bit by bit the city got covered in bloody scenes of great brutality and restless death. Nowhere is safe and you should always be on the lookout for danger. Experience all this on the Redfall Steam release and perhaps even join the giveaway they still have running.

The diverse heroes cast and their nightmarish foes!

You would have to go through hordes of vampire creatures and are able to select and play as one of the four playable heroes Layla Ellison, Remi De La Rosa, Jacob Boyer and Devinder Crousley. Each of them has a unique story and skillset as well as different weapons proficiency. So let us first have a look at their backgrounds!

Referred as the Telekinetic threat, Layla has studied biomedical engineering at the Redfall Technical University, after an unpleasant incident at a dark valley one evening, she and her friend Jason got ambushed not only by a gang of criminals, but also bloodthirsty vampires that were seeking to have them for dinner. She managed to survive the encounter, but Jason was not that lucky and is now on the deader side of life. She uses psychic telekinetic powers to her advantage and is able to summon protection and attacks from her umbrella. Another skill is the lift mechanic that is able to provide her with the ability to reach more hard-to-get-to places. And finally call upon her vampire ex-boyfriend, who would deliver slashes and strikes to enemies with some mighty swift moves!

Jacob is a former military sharpshooter that had been sent to Redfall as a part of a private security force. He got separated by death from his squad and is now trying to remain alive solo, but as a bonus he got an eye replacement that allows him to perform some extra sharp shots. He takes the long-distance approach to eradicating enemies and his strategy seems to work well in his favour, after all a vampire that is far away from your neck is preferable, especially dead! Jacob navigates the map with a raven under his command to scan the perimeter and be better aware of the surroundings. Another useful piece of equipment is his cloak that allows for some infiltration without any detection so that he repositions himself safely, and finally the heartstopper is the ghostly rifle that lets him do unspeakable damage to nightcrawlers!

Next on our list is Devinder Crousley who is an inventor and zoologist. While he was on a book tour, he ended up in Redfall. Good thing is that he has packed a few useful gadgets to help him on his way to staying alive in the nightmarish realm of the city. These inventions include a translocator that can teleport him to safety, an Arc Javelin to evoke lightning and fry the beasts around him and Blacklight which is a modified camera rig with UV lights that is able to keep the vampires away from him.

Finally, we get to speak about the combat engineer Remi De La Rosa – A member of the Navy Elite Unit that has managed to and rescue many on her prior missions. She is just at the right place to perform another series of civilian savings this time at Redfall and to crush bloodsuckers with the help of her robot. She is able to mobilize and heal her party with a beacon that ensures you get properly boosted over time, her trusty pet robot Bribón is also by her side and his abilities to shoot, shock or distract foes always come at handy when necessary! Lastly, she is fully able to operate with C4 charges and when tossed they stick to any surface that she deems as best to disrupt the battlefield the way she pleases!

These characters compile a worthy team of skilled mercs and specialists that would surely intrigue any fan of the co-op scene. Do not think twice and immerse yourself in the creative Redfall gameplay experience as any of them. That’s far from everything though, if you join the “Bite Back Digital Edition” you would also enjoy exclusive heroes, skins and weapon packs to give you that very needed advantage.

Let’s get a glimpse for the cruel creatures you would have to face up against too; The hollow man is a monster with multiple arms ready to tear you apart as long as your blood is fresh enough. Bloody Tom looks similar but instead of hands, he got sharp blades that would devour your flesh and dry it up. Miss Whisper is a dark female figure that would not have second thoughts when it comes to slicing you into pieces. The Black Sun is perhaps the most powerful out of all of them as being able to cover the sun in order to feast is a feat that few could pull! These gods created by science act as the main antagonists and you shall try to oppose their terrifying rule over Redfall! They are supported by their loyal cultists that would die again in their name without any hesitation, so be really careful on how you approach the fight.

So, get your adrenaline to the maximum with the various strategies to go with on the Redfall Steam offer at our e-shop and enjoy a vampiric killing spree the way you want to! Pre-Order now Redfall by Bethesda now or play with a game pass to receive the Vampire Hunter Pack which includes even more goodies and weapon exclusives.

What do you think, does this title give you the chills and does it hold enough potential to be one of your favorites for the game awards? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below and share your two drops of blood with us!