Redfall

Redfall fails to compel on nearly every level, not just in its uninteresting story, but also its all-too-familiar gameplay. Not only does Redfall feel like a game stuck in yesteryear, even its performance finds a way to disappoint. [Quick Look]

A narrative that fleshes out Redfall’s excellent sense of place could help overcome its lackluster combat. So far, the story hasn’t provided much impetus to press forward through mission after mission of decent exploration and drab gunplay. The incidental writing — found in places like old notes or flashback scenes captured in spectral dioramas — is evocative enough to color in the broad strokes of the plot with an eeriness and human drama it otherwise lacks. If this tone takes center stage in the back half of the story, combined with plot developments that add some momentum to the proceedings, it may be easier to overlook the game’s weaker aspects and appreciate it as a compelling narrative work. At this point, though, the town of Redfall is sucked too dry of liveliness for players to be invested in whether its vampires triumph or not.

In the end, Redfall feels unpolished, underdone, underwhelming, and uncomfortable. I am glad I do not have to play this anymore. While we will likely know the full story behind Redfall’s development eventually, this feels like the result of suits wanting product and not giving the talented people at Arkane the time and space they needed. I am disappointed because I want Arkane to succeed — not be left with this as a stain on their impeccable reputation. We all deserve better.

Arkane Austin should never be underestimated for putting their own spin on a genre, with Redfall offering enough surprises and memorable moments so far to set it apart from the open-world crowd. [Review in Progress]