Redfall
- May 2, 2023
- Arkane Austin
- 6h median play time
Redfall’s a great title with lots to do throughout its world, but the lifelessness of the NPCs and story alongside the amounts of bugs and the steep entering fee, I can’t assume it’ll be for everyone.
"Redfall is an upcoming open-world, single-player and multiplayer co-op FPS game with a good plot, unique atmosphere, and plenty of humor. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game, Redfall Hero Pass, exclusive outfits, and weapon skins. Pre-order for a bonus Vampire Hunter Pack. However, watch out for bugs and grinding."
Reviews
- The gunplay mechanics are fun and satisfying, providing a decent shooting experience.
- The map design is visually appealing, capturing the aesthetic of a small coastal town.
- The game offers a unique premise of vampire hunting, which adds a fresh twist to the looter shooter genre.
- The AI is incredibly dumb, often failing to react appropriately during combat encounters.
- The game feels empty and lacks meaningful interactions, with many buildings being inaccessible.
- The story is shallow and poorly presented, relying on still images instead of animated cutscenes.
- story1,293 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of "Redfall" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be generic and lacking depth. While some appreciate the intriguing premise and environmental storytelling, others criticize the narrative for being shallow, poorly executed, and presented through static slideshows rather than engaging cutscenes. Overall, the game's storytelling is seen as a missed opportunity, overshadowed by technical issues and repetitive gameplay.
“The story was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be, so it pulled at my heartstrings at times.”
“I really liked the story; it starts slow with just a city overrun by vampires, but as you complete the missions and advance through the story, you get more information about what the doctors did and how it came to be vampires.”
“The story is intriguing enough to pay attention to, and the cutscenes are literal slideshows, but what really makes Redfall enjoyable for me is the actual gameplay and the feel of combat.”
“The story is incoherent at best and non-existent at worst.”
“The story and dialogue is just there to be there, most people will end up skipping all of the mediocre exposition and half-assed cutscenes.”
“The story is so weak trying to force the open world concept and not guiding you through or setting up the game well at all.”
- gameplay588 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Redfall" has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players noting its simplistic mechanics, clunky controls, and weak AI, which detract from the overall experience. While some enjoy the gunplay and unique vampire mechanics, others criticize the repetitive missions and lack of depth, leading to a feeling of emptiness in the open world. Technical issues, including bugs and performance problems, further hinder the gameplay, making it a challenging experience for many players.
“The gunplay mechanics are super fun and great to play around with.”
“The moment-to-moment gameplay is simple and entertaining.”
“The gameplay itself is enjoyable, and the variety of enemies is good, with some of the vampires being particularly creative.”
“Redfall has received overwhelmingly negative feedback due to its high price tag, poor performance, lackluster gameplay, and numerous bugs.”
“The gameplay is unresponsive at times (example: after sprinting, trying to shoot or aim/shoot and it doesn't work).”
“The world is vast but empty, the AI is so braindead this might as well be a zombie title, and the looting mechanic is as bare-bones basic as you can possibly get.”
- optimization587 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 34 % negative mentions
The optimization of Redfall has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and bugs, even on high-end hardware. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay after updates, the overall consensus indicates that the game was released in a poorly optimized state, requiring significant improvements to meet player expectations. Despite some players enjoying the game without major issues, the general sentiment leans towards disappointment regarding its performance and optimization.
“The graphics are good and the performance is great for me.”
“+ Optimization was good for me at least, I ran the game at high settings 1440p and my RTX 3060 ran it nicely.”
“Performance-wise I haven't had any issues.”
“Performance: the game suffers from severe performance issues, including low frame rates and poor optimization even on high-end hardware.”
“The game is filled with glitches, it already crashed on me, it's so poorly optimized even though with the cartoon looking graphics one would think it wouldn't be so taxing to run.”
“This game was released way too early with massive graphical bugs, poor optimization, braindead AI, boring open-world areas and at this point I'm just repeating what everyone else said.”
- graphics519 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Redfall" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the art style as beautiful and reminiscent of previous Arkane titles, while others criticize the overall quality as outdated and poorly optimized for modern hardware. Players report a range of experiences, from smooth performance on high-end PCs to significant graphical glitches and frame rate drops, leading to a perception that the game does not meet AAA standards. Overall, while some appreciate the aesthetic and detail in certain areas, many feel the graphics are average at best, marred by technical issues and a lack of polish.
“The map is gorgeous; as someone who once lived in Massachusetts, they captured the spirit and aesthetic of it perfectly.”
“I am enjoying this game and the graphics are stunning.”
“Visually, the game is stunning, with its beautiful graphics and impressive combat mechanics.”
“The graphics make it look like a late 2000s game, which I could live with if not for the fact that it is obscenely demanding even on top tier current gen hardware.”
“This game was released way too early with massive graphical bugs, poor optimization, braindead AI, boring open-world areas and at this point I'm just repeating what everyone else said.”
“The open world exploration is too bland, the fighting feels too floaty, the skills aren't interesting enough, the graphics are disgustingly crude in many areas and the entire experience feels simplistic and uninspired.”
- stability260 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues, including frame rate drops and AI pathfinding problems. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these technical shortcomings, many agree that it feels unfinished and unoptimized, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the consensus is that while the game is playable, it suffers from significant stability issues that detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Runs great on my Steam Deck at 30-40fps without issues.”
“The game runs great on my 2080 Ti, i9-9900k, 32GB DDR4 PC.”
“For the purpose I bought the game for, a single story vamp killing game, it runs great maxed out.”
“Seventy dollars to be given an unfinished, broken, buggy, empty, lifeless game by two of the arguably greatest production and publishing studios in the industry.”
“This game is a buggy mess; underneath its problems is a decent game, but that's overshadowed by just as many bugs, making it hard to enjoy for most.”
“The game is buggy, glitchy, runs poorly... it's unfinished.”
- atmosphere102 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, with many players appreciating the unique aesthetic and the blend of creepy, quirky, and autumnal vibes throughout the town. While some noted the world design and environmental storytelling as highlights, others pointed out issues like dead space and repetitive gameplay that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a strong point, enhancing both the exploration and combat elements.
“This game has a great atmosphere; you really just want to spend time in the world.”
“The atmosphere is creepy, lonely, and full of autumn vibes.”
“The environment and atmosphere are all fantastic, and the game feels creepy.”
“It completely undermines the atmosphere because the enemies are so dense.”
“There are ways to make even a modern setting ooze atmosphere, especially if it's a small coastal town overrun by vampires, and random blood splatters and poisonous red clouds obstructing my path aren't it.”
“[*] atmosphere - tense and foreboding (you never know what might be lurking around yon corner - sadly though, it's too often nothing at all....)”
- humor64 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding amusement in the numerous bugs and glitches, such as characters gliding through the floor and hilariously inept enemy AI. While some enjoy the comedic dialogue and absurd situations, others feel the humor is overshadowed by the game's flaws and lack of depth. Overall, playing with friends can lead to a fun experience, but the humor often feels unintentional and tied to the game's shortcomings.
“There was laughing, cry-laughing, gasps of astonishment, excitement over friendly fire (literally) and 15 hours later, we are still having fun just exploring, shooting, cleansing, and traversing.”
“The bugs are funny to witness, like vampires getting stuck on the environment and still yacking at you about how superior they are.”
“But overall, the game is funny with your friends.”
“Even after half a year, this game is still an unfunny joke.”
“Sorry... funny but not funny.”
- music62 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its uniqueness and ability to enhance the atmosphere, creating a tense and immersive experience. However, some players noted issues with the soundtrack's inconsistency, including glitches and jarring transitions that detracted from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while the music is often highlighted as a strong point, its execution can be hit or miss, leading to a varied reception among players.
“The music and sound design is excellent, love that.”
“The soundtrack is amazing, making it feel very alone and dangerous; I love it.”
“The music is great, there's a good variety of guns and an overall nice atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack is moderately okay when it's not bugging out and just playing the same awful combat theme on a loop even though there are no fights going on.”
“If I had to say anything that I truly disliked about the game, it's actually the music; it jumps up at really random times, and not in an exciting or 'spooky' way.”
“You'll snipe a single guy and intense combat music jumps up for like 5 seconds before cutting away, kind of jarring.”
- monetization54 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized, with many reviewers labeling it a "cash grab" that fails to deliver on its promises. Players express frustration over the lack of essential features, such as adjustable aim-down-sights (ADS) sensitivity, which detracts from the overall experience, leading to disappointment, especially given the game's high price point. Overall, the sentiment is that the game prioritizes profit over quality, leaving many feeling cheated after their purchase.
“It plays well and there's no monetization for any content of any sort. I love the vampire world of horror and other monster games akin to Dying Light's zombies, so this game's concept was very refreshing. I never thought it would take this long to get to play the game. I was so excited to play on day one and pre-ordered. It's playable now, though it might be hard to scrub the bad publicity this game has garnered after that disaster launch.”
“No ads sensitivity.”
“No ads sensitivity.”
“Redfall is less a game than a loose collection of features slapped together in a blatant cash grab devoid of all passion a good game needs, even more so a AAA game.”
“I can't believe I spent $140 on this terrible, lazy cash grab... do not buy this game!”
“These new AAA games pricing at $70 and being garbage nowadays are such a letdown and show developers no longer care about the passion of making a good game and care more about cash grabbing.”
- grinding35 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with players criticizing the lack of meaningful gear drops and tedious farming methods that fail to keep gameplay engaging. Many find the combat repetitive and frustrating, particularly due to the scaling system that makes enemies feel overly spongy, while the overall RPG mechanics are deemed uninspired and lacking depth. Although some players enjoy the grind for collectibles and secrets, the consensus is that the game does not make grinding enjoyable or rewarding.
“The major problems being: after you complete the story, they wipe your save and start you at the beginning. The game runs on a scaling system with no way to keep your gear relevant other than farming new, which brings up the next problem... farming for gear is non-existent. You do not get drops from vampires except for special vampires, which are very few, hard to find, hard to kill, randomly generated, and drop blue gear at best (usually white or green). In my 45 hours, I never once saw a single purple drop from a special vampire.”
“The game gives you an option that is supposed to be a farming method, but this also fails horribly.”
“The random spawning of weapons just creates a boring, tedious system of having to unequip the old version and re-equip the new version of the same weapons.”
- replayability20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the four unique characters and various grinding methods that offer limited replay value. However, many reviewers criticize the lack of content, linear gameplay, and performance issues, leading to a consensus that the game has minimal longevity and replayability. Overall, while there are elements that could enhance replayability, the current state of the game leaves much to be desired.
“I would still wait for a sale on this, but it's a fun bit of vamp slaying and with 4 unique characters it offers some replayability.”
“I think these may give the game a bit more replayability and a better experience if you play the game solo.”
“Replayability: there are several methods of grinding (for XP/loot) like the repeatable 'nests' and the 'rook storm,' just to name a couple.”
“This lack of content ultimately detracts from the game's potential longevity and replay value.”
“The mobs clip through the ground, performance issues like crazy, short gameplay with no replayability, hardly any mob diversity and overall just a mildly interesting experience.”
“0 replay value.”
- character development18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as superficial, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and meaningful progression. While some appreciate the character designs and find the gameplay entertaining, others criticize the writing and narrative structure, particularly in the final quests, which fail to enhance the lore or character arcs. Overall, the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics and level design over intricate character development, leading to mixed feelings among players.
“A solid open world game with excellent level design, beautiful environments, captivating storyline, and decent character development.”
“Idk, I like the gameplay and character designs; it's entertaining and just mindless video game fun.”
“People complaining about the story or character development obviously don't pay attention to the collectibles or commentary; they literally told you before release the story was deep throughout the game, not loaded with cut scenes.”
“The last couple of quests in the main story are not even properly written; we get 3 empty flashbacks for each of the vampire gods that don't add anything to the lore, story, or character development.”
“Skills are generic 'be better at the skills you're given' type, and character development seems like just going through levels and gradually acquiring all of them.”
“Unacceptable garbage AI, empty open world, downgraded graphics, clunky 'on-the-rails'-like gameplay, and out of place character design choices.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with reviewers expressing disappointment over a predictable and boring story that fails to engage players. Many feel let down by the game's attempts to evoke emotion through uninteresting quests and mechanics, leading to a sense of heartbreak for fans of the developer's previous titles. Overall, the emotional impact is seen as lacking, contributing to a frustrating gaming experience.
“As a fan of previous Arkane titles, like Dishonored which I literally grew up with, it's just heartbreaking to see this once praised developing company fall short.”
“Even if you somehow dodge bugs, you'll be faced with a predictable, fairly boring story accompanied by uninteresting fetch quests that clearly try to tug at your heartstrings.”
Critic Reviews
Redfall Review – Bad Blood
Redfall is Arkane's most underwhelming game to date. A fascinating setting and some remnants of the developer's beloved gameplay formula aren't enough to overcome the game's numerous issues, from stiff controls and disappointingly rote design choices to lackluster storytelling and technical deficiencies.
50%Redfall Review
A disappointing take on open-world first-person shooters, Redfall has none of the flavour or mechanical finesse that we’ve come to expect from Arkane Studios.
45%Redfall Review
Redfall’s a great title with lots to do throughout its world, but the lifelessness of the NPCs and story alongside the amounts of bugs and the steep entering fee, I can’t assume it’ll be for everyone.
75%