3 things holding down Redfall (and 3 reasons I might like it anyway)
The biggest console and PC release of this week appears to be something of a mess. Redfall is a co-op-centric looter-shooter that just launched for PC and Xbox Series S and X. It’s the latest game from Microsoft- and Bethesda-owned Arkane Studios, a developer that has created some truly great games such as Prey and the Dishonored series, so it’s understandable why some gamers were hyped for this one.
Unfortunately, early reports are that Arkane has failed to deliver with Redfall. Reviews from outlets like GameSpot and IGN are filled to the brim with harsh criticism and low scores. The response from gamers who aren’t professional critics is no better; the game’s Steam page is marked as “Mostly Negative” with over a thousand user reviews, and the user score on Metacritic is resting at an abysmal 2.5 out of 10. My favorite YouTube game reviewer went so far as to call it “one of the worst games I played so far in 2023.” People do not like this game.
So what do I think? Well, TapTap was not provided with a prerelease code for reviewing Redfall, so I’m still quite early in my vampire-hunting adventure. But after a couple nights and around six or seven hours of game time, I have some thoughts about both why the game is getting such a strong negative reaction and why it still might be worth checking out for some. Check it out below and stay tuned for a full review in the days ahead.
WHAT’S HOLDING IT DOWN: Technical performance
Redfall already picked up some anger from eager gamers a month before launch when Arkane revealed that the Xbox Series S and X version of the game would launch with a frame rate capped at 30 frames per second. A 60 FPS performance mode is supposed to be coming via an update at some point in the future, but more performance-minded gamers were annoyed at the lack of options at launch forcing them into a less ideal way to experience the game.
Those players weren’t just being picky; the frame rate news foreshadowed much deeper technical issues that Arkane was clearly trying to figure out. I’ll caveat here that I’ve been playing the game on the Xbox Series S, which is, of course, already less powerful hardware than the Series X. Nevertheless, Redfall’s opening moments ran at a smooth (if unimpressive) 30 FPS, but the game quickly devolved from there.
I’ve run into constant stuttering and frame rate slowdown as I play, especially when I get into firefights in the game’s open world. And, well...getting into firefights in the game’s open world is...most of the game! Similar issues have been reported by players checking out the game on both the Xbox Series X and PC, and supposedly they worsen significantly in the later parts of the game, so I might have some real pain in front of me.
WHY I MIGHT LIKE IT ANYWAY: The setting
Redfall is set in a fictional, once-idyllic Massachusetts town named (you guessed it) Redfall. The game’s New England setting channels major Stephen King vibes, and since it’s all about vampires, the obvious point of comparison is ’Salem’s Lot, arguably one of King’s best books (or at least a personal favorite).
Arkane’s vision of this town isn’t quite as fleshed out as I’d like it to be, at least in the early portions of the game, but I’ve still been greatly enjoying exploring it. The town has warm, autumn vibes, and there are bits and pieces of the excellent environmental storytelling that Arkane does so well, such as the local movie theater’s marquee announcing that it is “closed for renovations” followed by a message of love and support to the people of Redfall.
It’s possible that by the time I hit the end of the game, I’ll join others in feeling that this intriguing setting is mostly wasted potential. For now, though, I’m still excited to get to know the place better.
WHAT’S HOLDING IT DOWN: Bugs everywhere
Beyond the simple performance issues I mentioned earlier, Redfall is straight-up a buggy mess. Even in my limited play time, I’ve run into numerous instances of nearly getting stuck in weird locations, times when I loaded into the world before the textures did, and most immersion-breaking of all, scenarios where enemies completely ignored my presence, as if I was invisible despite standing right in front of them, shining a flashlight into their eyes.
The best example I’ve had so far of an absolutely experience-ruining bug: I was scavenging through an abandoned restaurant that I’d already cleared of undead creeps and cultists. I came across a locked door and decided to use my last remaining lockpick to open it up in hopes of finding something good. When I pushed open the door, I got a textbook jump scare: A vampire was right in front of me, floating in the room, seemingly just waiting for some dope like me to open the door so he could ambush me! Just one problem: The game bugged out in such a way that the vampire just floated there, not reacting. I tried shooting him, and nothing. Then I realized I could also walk right through him. It was like everything had been set up for a great scare and then an exhilarating and unexpected fight, but the whole system broke down and it was just...disappointing.
WHY I MIGHT LIKE IT ANYWAY: Strong shooting
If there’s one place where I seem to be at odds with a lot of other critics and gamers in general, it’s in regards to Redfall’s shooting. Most players seem pretty down on how shooting feels in this game, and with a catalog of games focused more on stealth, melee combat, and non-combat approaches to scenarios, gunplay obviously isn’t Arkane’s strong suit. To my surprise, though, I’ve really been enjoying taking down vampires with the game’s wide range of weapons!
The biggest key to combat in Redfall is that you can have three different weapons equipped at any one time, but you have to make sure one of those weapons has a stake mounted to it. Early in the game, I decided to experiment with some new guns I’d found—a revolver, a flare gun, and a sniper rifle. This meant unequipping my trusty shotgun and assault rifle, both of which had stakes mounted to them, and that meant I quickly found myself in a scenario where I kept whittling down a vampire’s health but couldn’t actually finish him off. Oops!
Outside of my loadout management issues, though, I’ve been impressed with how the guns feel. Assault rifles provide great long- to mid-range power, especially when my aim is on point and I’m able to score headshots. The shotgun is a necessity for when vampires zoom into close range, and blasting at them when they’re in the middle of trying to bite down on my jugular feels great.
And contrary to what I may have expected based on other horror games, Redfall truly is a shooter. Yes, the story has me searching every location I come across for supplies for the town’s remaining survivors, but the game actually throws ammo at the player nonstop, and certain level-up perks have allowed my character to carry even more. It’s fast, frantic, and genuinely really fun when it all works.
WHAT’S HOLDING IT DOWN: A bizarre, half-baked approach to co-op
I haven’t actually tested out Redfall’s co-op for myself yet, but I admit that I’m more than a little mystified as to how Arkane has set it all up. The game opens with the player being able to choose between four different characters, each with a slightly different focus and unique abilities and personalities. In keeping with that opening, up to four players can team up online. It’s classic Borderlands-style looter-shooter rules.
That’s where the Borderlands comparisons end, though. In a completely baffling move, Redfall has no matchmaking for its co-op. Players can only team up by inviting or being invited by friends; no jumping into a random player’s world. That’s already a bizarre choice, but even stranger is the fact that, despite this limitation, campaign progress is also only saved for the player hosting the game. Even if you jump in and start playing with a buddy right from the start, only the one of you hosting the game will have their missions progression saved.
Sure, co-op players maintain their levels, weapon drops, and so on, but I cannot fathom why the game would be so restrictive both when it comes to matchmaking and when it comes to progress. One or the other might be annoying but workable, but with both it just doesn’t feel worth the trouble.
Sadly, there’s no ignoring the existence of multiplayer in the game. Despite co-op being so strangely implemented, it’s a core piece of the game’s design to the point that Redfall has an always-online requirement. Yep, even if you’re playing single-player, you need to be online and connected to Microsoft’s servers at all times. Everything about the multiplayer design in this game feels like it was only half thought out.
WHY I MIGHT LIKE IT ANYWAY: A perfectly sized open world
Like many gamers, I’m suffering from a bit of open-world fatigue. I was pleasantly surprised to discover last month that Dead Island 2 had traded an open world for a series of smaller but more densely packed zones. Redfall isn’t quite that big of a shift, but as Arkane’s first open-world game, it covers a much smaller virtual space than most game’s in the genre, and I’m appreciative of that.
Obviously it would be strange if this small New England town was massive. But even including the outskirts of the city, Redfall can be navigated from one end to the other in a reasonable fifteen or twenty minutes. Skyrim it ain’t, and thank the vampire gods for that. I’ve avoided spoilers, but I’ve heard rumblings that there’s a second area later in the game. If that’s true, I hope that zone is similarly small and full of interesting locations rather than overly large and stuffed with boring samey activities. Fingers crossed.
💬 Have you been checking out Redfall? What are your early thoughts if so? Share your feedback in a comment below!
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