Redfall Review: The Main Problems of the New Game from Arkane Studios / ITech content

Contents:

• 0451 Locked House
• "To Hell with Stairs"
• "Say Yes to the Player"
• The Cardboard World Won
• The Trend Towards Simplification
• Sandbox Without Sand
• Result

Arkane's game had a rocky start: just a few days after its release, its Metacritic score was below 60, and three weeks later, it had dropped even lower—to 53 on PC and 56 on Xbox Series X/S. Player reviews also confirm this trend: 72% of reviews on Steam are negative.

Redfall has been criticized primarily for its technical aspects. Players note visual bugs, disappearing enemies, quest-completion issues, and a low frame rate of just 30 FPS, with occasional drops even lower. Data loss during co-op play is also worth mentioning, which also negatively impacts the overall gaming experience. These technical shortcomings significantly reduce the impression of the game and cause dissatisfaction among users.

In this article, we will look at the design mistakes that, according to journalists, are present in various aspects of the new shooter. These include the level design, story, enemy intelligence, mission design, character leveling system, and loot mechanics. These elements are critical to creating a successful gaming experience and can significantly affect the overall perception of the game.

The mistakes in Redfall become especially noticeable against the background of the game and its creators. This project was the first full release from the Arkane Austin studio in the last six years, which is famous for such cult games as Dishonored (2012) and Prey (2017). The development of Redfall was led by Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare, whose experience includes working on the design of the original Deus Ex (2000). Despite the team's extensive experience, the game did not live up to expectations, which raises questions about the development process and the decisions made.

Redfall announced its ambitious plans as a co-op open-world shooter. The game promises to offer players a unique experience that takes the freedom and interactivity known from Arkane games to a new level. Large-scale locations and the ability to adventure with friends make Redfall an exciting project for fans of action and cooperative gameplay.

Given the developers' ambitions and the game's concept, Redfall was expected to be a significant selling point for Game Pass, one that could compete with projects like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. However, the release of Redfall turned into a real headache for both Arkane and Xbox Game Studios. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer was even forced to comment on the difficulties that arose during the game's launch.

The editorial team of Skillbox Media "Gamedev" could not ignore the recent failure of the game Redfall and carefully analyzed its design. We looked at the specific elements that players were dissatisfied with and why it's important to approach creating a unique style with care. Important design aspects such as visual aesthetics, user interface, and overall concept can significantly impact how a game is perceived. This analysis of Redfall highlights the need for a deep understanding of audience expectations and the risks associated with deviating from traditional solutions.

0451 Locked House

In the first hours of the game, you'll encounter an interesting element of level design: a car garage with a padlocked side door and an open gate. This gate leads to a room with a diesel generator that will provide power to your shelter—a mini-hub in the open world. This aspect of the game highlights the developers' attention to detail and creates an atmosphere of exploration, contributing to immersion.

When you turn on the generator and explore the garage for useful items, you'll likely come across a locked door. Once you open it, you'll see that it opens from the inside. You've now found a new entrance just two meters away from the existing one. However, you won't need this small room anymore, as you've already gained access to the new path.

This episode highlights the key characteristics of Redfall's open world that define the entire game: its incompleteness and superficiality. These aspects raise questions about the depth of gameplay and interaction with the environment, which can affect the overall perception of the project. Players may experience a feeling of insufficient content development, which makes exploration of the world less engaging and interesting.

Expanses of monotonous farms, forests, and suburbs, where among the many houses, only a few are open for exploration. Interiors that are repeated with such frequency that it feels like you are participating in a remake of P.T. Constant encounters with the same groups of enemies, who rarely pose a serious threat.

Amid the general monotony of the game world, several key structures stand out that serve as main dungeons. For example, the town lighthouse, located on a sheer cliff, and the roadside hotel, designed in a modernist style. However, even in these places you are unlikely to spend more than 5-10 minutes, as they are as poor in content as the surrounding world of the game. These locations do not offer deep immersion or interesting quests, which makes them less attractive to players looking for exciting adventures.

When analyzing all of the above, it can be easy to overlook that the open world and cooperative mechanics were initially key aspects that attracted attention to the new shooter before its release.

The eponymous island town in Massachusetts became the arena for a vampire invasion, which again highlighted the skill of Arkane designers in creating vivid and memorable settings. This game offers players a unique atmosphere, combining elements of horror and adventure, making it especially attractive to fans of the genre. The town, filled with mysteries and dangers, serves as the perfect backdrop for exciting gameplay and deep immersion into the world of vampire mythology. Arkane continues its tradition of creating unique game locations that leave lasting memories in players' minds.

Redfall is a captivating and atmospheric open world filled with unique stories that unfold through the environment. Players will be immersed in a world crafted by Arkane Studios, where every detail matters and contributes to a captivating gaming experience. Explore this world, interacting with its elements and discovering new storylines that immerse you in the game's rich mythology.

Redfall is an exciting multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game takes place in the fictional town of Redfall, which has fallen victim to an invasion of vampires and their minions. Players will team up to explore an open world, battle enemies, and uncover the secrets hidden in this dark and atmospheric setting.

In Redfall, players will be able to choose from a variety of unique characters, each with special skills and abilities, adding variety to the gameplay. The game offers both co-op and single-player modes, allowing everyone to adapt their gaming preferences. Use strategy to defeat enemies, explore the city in search of resources, and complete quests to uncover the mysteries surrounding vampires.

Redfall's graphics and design are impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere full of tension and adrenaline. The game combines elements of horror and action, making every battle unique and unforgettable. Advanced shooting mechanics, character customization, and interaction with the environment make Redfall one of the most anticipated games of the year.

Don't miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Redfall, where every battle and every decision can change the course of events. The game promises to be a real hit among genre fans, offering a unique experience and the ability to play with friends. Stay tuned for news and updates to stay up-to-date on the release of this innovative game.

Redfall clearly exudes the studio's unique style. The city is filled with vibrant signs, posters, and plaques that tell its story. The bodies of vampire victims and notes revealing the fates of these unfortunates are everywhere. You can occasionally overhear NPC conversations, each offering their own interpretation of the city's events. These elements create an atmosphere that allows you to dive deeper into the world of Redfall and its dark secrets.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Redfall is significantly different from the studio's other projects. This difference extends beyond its more grounded aesthetic. In the new game, Arkane Austin departed from its traditional game design principles, introducing architectural elements that the studio had avoided for the past ten years. This change raises questions about the direction Arkane is taking and how it will affect player experience.

"Screw Ladders"

Arkane's offices in Austin and Lyon feature signs with a unique message. All of the studio's games since Dishonored have featured no ladders. Instead, players can use the GLOO Gun or the protagonist's teleportation ability. These innovative mechanics highlight Arkane's creative approach to gameplay and make each game unique.

Arkane founder and former president Raphael Colantonio attributed his decision to several factors. One key reason was a desire to embrace new challenges and opportunities in the gaming industry. Colantonio noted that the desire to evolve and create innovative projects was the primary motivation for his departure. He also emphasized the importance of experimentation and creativity in game development, which allows teams to reach new heights and engage audiences.

We don't aim to limit players to specific modes. Our goal is to provide the ability to always have weapons in hand and cast spells. As soon as you start climbing the ladder, you enter a mini-mode where your hands are occupied and you can't perform actions like turning your head. This limits freedom of play and interaction, which is not in line with our principles. We want players to feel free and able to act in any situation.

The developers prefer not to limit player freedom, so instead of strictly defined routes through game locations, they provide the opportunity to independently choose the path to the goal. This allows players to explore the world, make decisions, and enjoy a unique gaming experience. This approach helps create a deeper interaction with the game and increases its replayability.

This rule is a key element of a larger game design principle applied in Arkane games: "Say 'Yes' to the player." If a player discovers a unique way to use game mechanics that was not intended by the developers, they should be given the opportunity to realize this approach. Supporting player creativity and freedom of choice contributes to a fun gaming experience and increases engagement. By allowing players to find their own solutions, developers can significantly improve the overall experience and pacing of the game.

At the beginning of the first Dishonored game, one of the first targets for elimination is a corrupt military man intent on poisoning his political rival. The player can switch the wine glasses or try to strike them after discovering that the quest item is breakable. This action opens a new scene where the villain deals with the enemy with a sword. This approach to completing tasks makes the game more interactive and unpredictable, allowing players to choose different ways to solve problems.

"Screw the ladders" and "Say 'yes' to the player" are part of a set of twenty rules that Arkane game designers follow in every project. Why do developers decide to take on such a responsibility? The answer is simple: Arkane specializes in creating immersive simulations that immerse players in unique game worlds and offer deep interactive experiences. These rules help ensure the high quality and consistency of the gameplay, which is the key to the success of their projects.

This genre, sometimes referred to as a game design philosophy, is distinguished by two main characteristics: a realistic simulation of the laws of the physical world and a high degree of freedom for the player within the established game rules. The focus of these games is on reproducing the feeling of playing tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, but without the restrictions imposed by mechanics, such as stat numbers and dice rolls. These games provide players with the opportunity for complete immersion and self-expression, which makes them unique and attractive to a wide audience.

Warren Spector, one of the founders of the shooter RPG genre and game director of the first Deus Ex, explained the essence of this genre as a combination of deep storylines, complex moral choices, and a variety of ways to interact with the game world. He emphasized the importance of player freedom in making decisions that affect the development of events and the ending of the game. The genre has become iconic thanks to its ability to combine RPG and shooter elements, creating a unique player experience that engages both the emotional and intellectual.

You are immersed in a unique world, not simply controlling a virtual character. Through thoughtful rules, realistic physics, and advanced artificial intelligence, we create an environment in which players experience a sense of true belief in this fictional reality. Our goal is to minimize awareness that you are in a game to ensure maximum immersion and engaging gameplay.

Warren Spector is a renowned game director who became a legend in the gaming industry thanks to his work on the Deus Ex series. His approach to game development combines deep attention to detail and innovative ideas, which has made Deus Ex an iconic franchise. Spector actively develops the concept of interactive storytelling, allowing players to make decisions that affect the course of events and the game world. His contribution to creating a unique gaming experience has inspired many developers and changed the perception of role-playing games. Warren Spector's influence on the industry continues, and his ideas remain relevant to new generations of gamers and creators.

He stated that he prefers a game universe that is a mile deep and an inch wide, rather than the other way around. This statement underscores his belief in the importance of deep immersion in gameplay, which makes the experience richer and more engaging.

Arkane Studios has long embraced the principle of creating deep and complex game worlds. Their classic games are compact yet multi-layered sandboxes filled with rich lore and engaging gameplay. Every enemy, item, and environmental element has its own meaning: they shape the overall perception of the game world and provide players with unique opportunities to solve problems. Often, these elements serve both functions simultaneously, making the gameplay richer and more engaging.

The cities of Dunwall and Karnaca from Dishonored, the Talos I station from Prey, and Blackreef Island from Deathloop are striking examples of unique game locations. The Redfall developers sought to build on the best features of these locations, creating an atmosphere filled with intrigue and opportunities for exploration. Redfall offers players a new level of interaction with the world around them, combining open-world elements and rich scenarios.

Harvey Smith asked himself in an interview: "What if we transferred all our accumulated experience and creative principles to an open world?" However, the game Redfall does not cope with this task, and at times it seems that the developers do not even strive to implement it.

Ladders play an important role in the game and are found in a variety of places. They allow you to reach the attics of houses and the technical floors of buildings, as well as climb onto scaffolding, roofs, and piers. Ladders are the only way to climb the fire station tower, and next to the walls of some houses, you can find stepladders that will help you jump to a broken window. The use of ladders opens up new opportunities for exploring the game world and completing various tasks.

The presence of ladders in games is not a determining factor in their quality. There are many excellent projects in the gaming world that successfully integrate ladders into their design and gameplay. Stairs can serve not only as a decorative element, but also as an important game mechanism that encourages exploration and interaction with the environment. Proper use of ladders in games can significantly enrich the gameplay and create unique situations for players.

The problem is that ladders in Redfall not only reflect Arkane's departure from its previous approaches, but also serve as a compensation for the limited movement of the main characters. This decision highlights the changes in the game design and affects the overall gameplay, forcing players to adapt to the new conditions and use ladders as an important element of interaction with the environment.

Say "Yes" to the player

Redfall is a co-op gaming experience where, at the start of the story campaign, players are asked to choose one of four main characters. Each of the heroes has a unique backstory and special skills, which provides variety in gameplay. Your character choice influences your playstyle and tactics, allowing you to tailor your approach to missions and interactions with the world around you.

• Layla Ellison is a student who decided to become a subject of medical experiments to pay off her student debt. As a result, she gained the ability to stop bullets with a magical umbrella, create an energy lift that launches her into the air, and summon her vampire ex-boyfriend for help.
• Davinder Crowsley is a pseudoscientist, inventor, and supernatural hunter. He can create short-range teleports, throw an electric spear, and deploy an ultraviolet emitter that turns vampires to stone.
• Jacob Boyer is a sniper and former mercenary for the private military company Barracuda. Summons a magical scout raven, becomes temporarily invisible, and fires a homing sniper rifle.
• Remy de la Rosa is a Coast Guard rescuer who has built herself a mechanical dog, Bribon. The robot can distract enemies, while Remy herself can plant C-4 explosives and heal her comrades with a medical beacon.

At first glance, this quartet seems diverse, both in backstory and gameplay. However, fans of the studio's previous projects may notice some commonalities.

Redfall borrows most of its abilities from Dishonored and Deathloop. However, unlike those games, where all abilities are concentrated in one main character, in Redfall they are distributed among four characters. This diversity allows players to choose unique playstyles and combine the skills of different heroes, which adds depth and dynamics to the gameplay.

In Deathloop, the character Colt has the ability to teleport and become invisible. In Redfall, these skills are distributed between two heroes - Davinder and Jacob. Emily in Dishonored 2 has the ability to see enemies through walls, adopt a stealth form, and summon a doppelganger to distract enemies, a feature also implemented by Jacob and Remy in Redfall. This mechanic demonstrates how developers use similar ideas and gameplay elements across different projects to create unique experiences for players.

There's an interesting contradiction: despite the developers' assurances of the ability to play according to their own style, character selection from the outset limits options that don't fit their archetype. This raises questions about freedom of choice in gameplay and the importance of a personalized approach in creating a unique gaming experience. Character limitations can impact the way the game is played and how players can develop their strategies.

Davinder is significantly inferior to others in firefights with mercenaries, as his gadgets are primarily designed to fight vampires. Layla has no built-in stealth features, forcing her to engage in open combat. Remy and Jacob lack additional mobility options, so they must use ladders for movement.

Characters with unique abilities face serious limitations. In Dishonored and Deathloop, players could use teleportation indefinitely as long as they ran out of mana. However, in the new game, the teleportation mechanic has been significantly changed: it now requires a long 40-second cooldown. This innovation makes teleportation less effective in combat situations, limiting players' strategic options.

To make it a more useful tool, you will need to unlock 3-4 upgrades for each ability. This is necessary for them to reach a level of effectiveness comparable to similar skills from previous projects. By this point, the player will already be able to complete almost half of the game.

The game's restrictions are designed to encourage players to interact with each other and combine their skills. However, this leads to players experiencing frequent failure, which makes the game less engaging. Arkane, as a developer, must consider the balance between challenge and freedom to provide a more positive gaming experience.

The Cardboard World Wins

In an interview, Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare drew parallels between their project and games like Far Cry 2 and the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. These games stand out due to the successful integration of systemic mechanics and the variability of immersive simulators into an open world. The designers of Redfall aimed to achieve a similar result, promising players a new degree of freedom in a familiar context. This creates a unique gaming experience that combines elements of exploration, interaction, and a multifaceted gameplay.

You'll definitely want to explore the barn you found, climb the fire tower visible in the distance, or enter the house and examine all the notes scattered inside. These actions will add an element of adventure and mystery to your pastime, allowing you to deeply immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the surrounding world. Exploring abandoned places always arouses interest and can lead to unexpected discoveries.

Ricardo Bare is the Creative Director at Arkane Austin. He is responsible for developing and implementing innovative concepts and ideas that make the studio's games unique. With his experience and creative approach, Bare makes a significant contribution to the creation of high-quality gaming products that attract the attention of users and critics. At Arkane Austin, he continues to develop his ideas and bring ambitious projects to life, strengthening the studio's reputation in the video game market.

As a result, Redfall turned out to be perhaps the least flexible and variable game from Arkane. Despite expectations, the game failed to offer players the variety and freedom of action that are characteristic of this studio's projects.

Numerous locks conceal the contents of houses and car trunks, creating an atmosphere of mystery and adventure. While other studio projects also feature numerous locked doors and safes full of valuable loot, a variety of workarounds are also featured. This adds an element of strategy and exploration, allowing players to find their own solutions to access hidden resources.

In Dishonored, you can find the code to the lock, decipher it, use ventilation shafts to break in, possess the person holding the key, or control a rat to sneak into inaccessible rooms through rat tunnels. Prey offers unique abilities, such as disguising yourself as a coffee cup, allowing you to pass through narrow bars, and the ability to deactivate a lock by simply shooting the terminal's touchscreen through a window. Both projects offer players a variety of ways to solve problems, making the gameplay engaging and multifaceted.

Unlike other games, Redfall does not provide the ability to solve problems Using combinations of locks or trapdoors to access locked rooms. Each lock requires a specific item, specifically designed by the developers. This creates a unique experience, where key gameplay elements rely on specific items rather than traditional puzzles.

Encountered a locked trunk? Have tools like lockpicks or electrician's kits at hand. If you encounter a locked door or portal in a game location, you'll need to search every nook and cranny for a key or other story-related items. This creates an atmosphere reminiscent of classic 1990s shooters like Quake, where exploration and item hunting played a key role in gameplay.

Redfall's main campaign has a linear structure, meaning there are no alternate paths through missions or multiple endings. Players can choose to follow the main storyline or explore additional content, but this is only possible up to a certain point. When it comes time to fight a region's boss, the game requires you to collect three of his minion's skulls, which can only be obtained by completing procedurally generated Vault side quests. This adds an element of obligation to exploring the game world, which can be both a plus and a minus for players who prefer freedom of choice.

Redfall frequently encounters situations where the player's choices are insignificant. Player intentionality—the ability to analyze the environment and strategize, which was important in the studio's previous projects—is underrewarded. This reduces interaction and engagement, leaving the player feeling that their decisions have no impact on the outcome.

In the context of this game, stealth is not justified. Silent kills award slightly more experience than open encounters. Enemy detection poses no significant threat. Therefore, the gameplay should be viewed as analogous to shooters from id Software, where it is preferable to act aggressively, actively shooting all enemies in your path. This approach is not only more effective but also allows for more enjoyment from the dynamic gameplay.

Artificial intelligence in games exhibits significant shortcomings. Enemies may try unsuccessfully to fire a shotgun from a hundred meters away, or they may patiently wait for you to reload. Furthermore, they may forget about you a few seconds after you disappear from their sight. For this reason, don't count on enemies colliding with each other or approaching explosive gas cylinders—if this happens, it will only be by chance. The performance of the artificial intelligence leaves much to be desired and requires serious improvement to create a more engaging gaming experience.

Co-op in Redfall feels unnecessary, as all challenges are easily completed solo. Co-op play can offer new tactics and approaches, but there's not enough incentive to use them in a shooter. Players may enjoy co-op for fun, but without compelling reasons to use it, the game loses some of its appeal.

The game world exhibits limited responsiveness to player actions, as the systems simulating life on the island prove too superficial and primitive. This can be attributed to two main factors. The first is the poor implementation of the game's core ideas. This flaw significantly reduces the level of immersion and player interaction with the game environment, which in turn negatively impacts the overall experience.

The problem lies not only in the bugs, but also in the overall sloppiness, which is not what you would expect from an Arkane project. While exploring the island town, you will encounter non-interactive doors that are illuminated for no reason; street lamps that can withstand a volley from a flare gun; cars that explode from a single pistol shot; and loot vans that are impossible to enter. These flaws create a feeling of incompleteness and break the immersion in the gameplay.

One of the less obvious reasons for the failure of Redfall's open world is the game's inability to adhere to its own rules. This problem significantly affects the overall gameplay and perception of the project.

In a pre-release interview, Harvey Smith emphasized the importance of the day and night cycle in their project. According to him, vampires become more active and aggressive at night. However, in the game itself, a slightly different picture is observed: in both sunlight and moonlight, the player is attacked by the same ghouls, displaying the same aggression. The only difference is that they are harder to spot in the dark, which adds an element of tension and strategy to the gameplay.

In one case, we were able to get inside a house using a teleporter through a window. However, we were unable to return the same way. Perhaps the developers intentionally limited the player's options, forcing them to look for a door to exit, or simply forgot to implement a two-way teleport function.

There are many examples in the game Redfall, which could form the basis for a separate longread. However, they all highlight one common problem: Redfall often ignores the core principles of immersive sims, such as freedom of player choice and a realistic simulation of the virtual world. Instead, the emphasis is on primitive and monotonous gunplay, which reduces the overall level of immersion in the game and limits the possibilities for interaction with the environment.

The Arkane setting presented in Redfall is least perceived as a real space inhabited by living characters. Instead, the game world resembles a cardboard model, created in a hurry. At times, it feels as if this world can collapse from the slightest careless move. And sometimes, this actually happens.

Tendency Toward Simplification

The Arkane Austin team decided to rethink traditional approaches to game design, abandoning outdated concepts that had been used for two decades. They took a bold path to create something new and original, leaving behind only fragments of the familiar vocabulary. This approach allows them to experiment with mechanics and narrative, ultimately resulting in a unique gaming experience. Arkane Austin strives not just to follow trends, but to set them, opening new horizons for players and expanding the boundaries of the genre.

A documentary about the development of Prey, available on the YouTube channel Noclip, can shed light on many aspects of this process. In it, founder and former studio head Raphael Colantonio shares his experience, emphasizing that game publishers often struggle to convey to audiences the complexities of creating such games. While the core elements of the genre may be well known, each new project requires significant time to fine-tune all the systems so that players can enjoy complete freedom of action. This film provides a unique insight into the complexities and nuances of development that are typically overlooked, and helps us better understand how games like Prey are created.

Ricardo Bare notes that the complex structure of the studio's projects can be intimidating to some players. While many appreciate games with deep systems that allow them to immerse themselves in them for hundreds or even thousands of hours, there are those who are not prepared to invest that much time in a single game. As a result, they may put such projects aside and not complete them. This highlights the importance of balancing gameplay depth with accessibility for a wide audience.

We may have overdone it with the number of abilities in the game. As developers, we understand that not every player will be able to experience the full content of the game. However, there is a point beyond which the investment of time and resources is no longer justified. For example, if we designed ninety different abilities, but your playstyle only requires three, that's not the best approach. Perhaps if we limited the ability set, players would better appreciate the variety of content and depth of gameplay.

Ricardo Bare serves as Creative Director at Arkane Austin, a company known for its unique approach to video game development. He is actively involved in the creation of innovative games that capture players' attention with deep stories and original gameplay. Under his leadership, Arkane Austin continues to develop its ideas and offer users unforgettable gaming experiences. Ricardo Bare not only manages a team of talented developers, but also inspires them to create unique game worlds that have become the studio's calling card.

Developers of immersive simulators have repeatedly expressed similar feelings, and we even dedicated a separate article to this. There are indeed reasons for this.

Dishonored 2 and Prey showed sales below expectations. One possible reason for this may be Bethesda's policy of not sending review copies of its games before release. However, this doesn't explain the disappointing results of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, which led to the series' suspension. The cancellation of System Shock 3, co-developed by Warren Spector, is also worth mentioning. These factors highlight the complex trends in the video game market and the importance of critical reception before release.

Arkane's difficulties likely prompted their attempt to shift to cooperative games. This theory is supported by a recent investigation by Jason Schreier.

The journalist discovered that after the failure of Prey, ZeniMax, Arkane's parent company, tasked its game designers with developing a project that would be more accessible to a wider audience. As a result, they created the concept of a shooter in which players cooperatively hunt vampires. This decision is aimed at attracting more players and increasing interest in the genre.

The new project's alignment with the studio's creative DNA has become a secondary concern in the current climate. This is especially true for Bare and Smith, who seem intent on moving away from the genre's roots, which create difficulties in developing multiplayer and potentially alienate a wider audience.

The initially complex levels with multiple entrances and exits have been simplified. The branching narrative with diverse choices has also been reduced. Some interesting abilities, such as Domino, have been removed, and the remaining skills are grouped into sets of three, typical of modern hero shooters and looter shooters. This change is aimed at simplifying gameplay and improving the user experience.

Redfall can be compared to games like Apex Legends and Borderlands 3. The game focuses on collecting loot, which includes powerful weapons, Blood Vials that provide stat bonuses, new outfits, and in-game currency for purchasing them. Gameplay emphasizes exploration, interaction with the environment, and character development through acquiring and upgrading unique gear. This creates a dynamic atmosphere in which players can experiment with different combinations of items and upgrades, increasing interest and encouraging replayability.

In the Redfall game, mechanics Looting and character progression take center stage, unlike Deathloop, which emphasized an immersive simulation experience. In Deathloop, Colt used weapons of various colors and modified them with scopes and suppressors, but the game's primary goal was to create a unique gaming experience. In Redfall, the open world encourages players to explore the environment, collect valuable items, and develop characters, making the gameplay more focused on loot and leveling.

The game features missions in which players must reclaim cargo containers from enemies. The map is dotted with similar-looking houses and cultist camps, creating a variety of strategic opportunities. Vampire nests are also important to consider—these are procedurally generated mini-dungeons that transform parts of the map into long locations inhabited by vampires. These elements make the gameplay more engaging and intense, adding an element of surprise and strategy to combat opponents.

Redfall violates the studio's key principle of dramatically presenting mission introductions and outcomes. Instead, players are faced with tedious exposition provided by NPCs. When players must complete numerous procedurally generated missions, it's difficult to create an atmosphere of drama and effective presentation. This negatively affects the gaming experience, making it less engaging and memorable.

The studio decided to try its hand at a new genre, but failed to achieve success. Moreover, the developers claimed to be working on an immersive simulator. This forced them to essentially create two games in one, which turned out to be their most serious mistake.

The combination of the two games led to the expected result: the studio was unable to allocate sufficient resources to complete even one project. This highlights the importance of focusing on one area of ​​development to ensure high quality and a successful launch of the game.

A Sandbox Without Sand

Harvey Smith expressed his concerns about the upcoming release, noting: "Perhaps we took on too much this time. Perhaps we should have chosen either an open world or cooperative multiplayer." These words highlight the importance of choosing the right mechanics in game development, as combining complex elements can lead to difficulties in the implementation of the project.

In his investigation, Schreier confirms the claims about the lack of manpower during the development of Redfall. This is evident in the empty world of the game, which suffers from a lack of content. The lack of sufficient specialists greatly affected the final result of the project, which makes the gameplay less engaging and rich.

Our previous information barely mentioned the vampires, who became the central theme of the advertising campaign, because there is little to say about them. These bloodsuckers, who appear to be a terrifying force, are actually easily defeated with a simple technique: simply move slightly to the left and shoot. Following this tactic, you can easily defeat any regular vampire, as they have only one attack type.

Among the traditional vampires, there are also more powerful varieties. These include the Leech, which can suck blood from a distance, and the Observer, which warns others of your approach. However, their attacks can be easily countered with simple methods, such as hiding behind obstacles or a precise shot to the head. These strategies can significantly increase your chances of survival in an encounter with such dangerous creatures.

Redfall's bestiary includes three main enemy types. Each has unique characteristics and combat methods, making the game varied and interesting. Enemies range from weak to powerful, and players will need to adapt their strategies to successfully combat them. Understanding the characteristics of each enemy type will help you use tactics effectively and improve your chances of victory.

• Cultists are weak enemies with firearms.
• Bellwater Mercenaries are stronger human opponents with turrets and booby traps.
• Vampires come in several varieties, from simple ghouls to vampire gods.

At first glance, everything seems promising, but Redfall quickly runs out of enemies within the first few hours of play, before the player has time to explore the first part of the open world. It is followed by a second part, which is almost twice as large, but, unfortunately, offers the same content. This creates a feeling of a lack of variety and makes it difficult to maintain interest throughout the campaign.

The game does not strive to create interesting combinations of enemies that would knock the player out of their comfort zone. The most it is capable of is accompanying a more powerful vampire with several ordinary ghouls. Environmental threats also remain the same—merely endless clouds of toxic fog that disappear in just a few seconds.

Redfall is surprising in that, despite its ambitious goals, it rarely adheres to principles that could surprise players with unexpected plot twists or interesting gameplay situations. Such elements are common in other Arkane projects, and their absence in Redfall is noticeable. Considering the potential and possibilities inherent in the new project, this creates a feeling of missed opportunity.

The Red Mist could become the basis for a unique game location, reminiscent of the "Flooded District" from Dishonored. Players will have to carefully explore dangerous areas, finding safe paths in a hostile environment. Returning residents, having reclaimed territories from the vampires, will create the atmosphere of a living world that changes depending on the player's actions. Surreal landscapes caused by the monster invasion will appear not only during story moments but also in regular locations, adding depth and variety to the game. This approach will create a more immersive experience, involving players in a dynamic and changing game reality.

Bringing all these ideas to life is no easy task, but we're working with one of the most reputable RPG studios, rivaling giants like FromSoftware and Obsidian Entertainment. This studio has a high level of expertise and experience, allowing it to create games that capture the attention and interest of players. As fans look forward to new projects, they're hoping for the unique mechanics and deep stories that have become the hallmark of the best RPGs on the market.

Ricardo Bare noted that the ninety conditional abilities that were excluded from Prey could be useful in Redfall. This game is an open-world multiplayer project that requires extensive content to keep players engaged for many hours. Instead, the Arkane team decided to cut content without reducing the game's scope, which negatively impacted the looter-shooter mechanics. This leaves players without variety and interesting options, reducing overall engagement.

Vampire nests, designed to increase replayability, turned out to be surprisingly monotonous in both structure and content. No matter which nest you enter, you'll always face a linear corridor with several groups of vampires, a heart to destroy, and a rapid escape from the nest—a simplified version of the missions from Deep Rock Galactic. This monotonous task execution not only reduces the interest in the game, but also limits the opportunities for a strategic approach and variety in gameplay.

The game does not require mandatory completion to obtain all weapon models. They can be easily found while exploring the map, as there are only about twelve models in the game. Interestingly, rare variants are even more common than common ones. Despite this, they do not provide unique effects, and there is no option to change attachments. Thus, players are left with only periodic replacements of their favorite weapons for higher-tier models to increase their damage.

Results

Redfall evokes associations with the development of the first Deus Ex, as shared by Warren Spector. Initially, the developers had extremely ambitious plans. For example, they intended to include a sequence in which two thousand people escape from a refugee camp, as well as to recreate the entire downtown Austin, Texas, as a game location. Such ambitions underscore the desire to create a large-scale and detailed game world, making Redfall an engaging project for fans of the genre.

Fortunately, frame rate issues and constructive criticism from colleagues convinced the designers to scale back the project's scope. As a result, the game became a shining example of the "mile deep, inch wide" principle. Ironically, 20 years after working on Deus Ex, Smith and Bare released a project that perfectly exemplifies the phrase "mile wide, inch deep."

Redfall has potential for improvement, as the game has key elements upon which a quality project can be built. The developers can create a finished product, whether it's an immersive simulator or a full-fledged looter shooter. It's important to focus on refining the gameplay mechanics and content to attract players and ensure their interest in the game. Proper execution of ideas and an improved user experience could significantly increase Redfall's chances of success.

For Arkane and Bethesda, it's crucial to have the desire and capacity for further development. According to statistics from TrueAchievements, the game hasn't performed well on Game Pass. Furthermore, the studio faced significant challenges during Redfall's development. According to journalist Schreier, Arkane lost approximately 70 percent of the staff working on Prey, significantly impacting the quality and development process of new projects.

However, this is a question for the future. For now, Redfall and vampires share one thing in common: they can drain your time and energy without offering anything in return. This makes the game less attractive to users looking for quality content and engaging gameplay.