Redfall | Review

Initial Release Date: May 2, 2023

Developer: Arkane Studios

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft Windows

Engine: Unreal Engine 4

Mode: Multiplayer Coop and Single Player

Genres: First-Person shooter, Open World, Adventure, Nonlinear

Introduction

This game is trash. Redfall was so fundamentally broken on so many levels on my Xbox Series X during my playtime. Thank god for Gamepass or else I would be even more angry typing than I am now. I am that gamer who wants the best and is naturally optimistic about video games.

I want every game to release in a stable fashion (which rarely happens these days). It’s my damn money. I am not asking for much. I accept the industry for what it is and it’s not good. I love Arkane Studios. Prey, Deathloop and Dishonored are some of my favorite immersive sim first person action-adventure games. So what the fuck happened to Redfall?

Presentation

I have not played such a broken game since maybe Cyberpunk 2077 on launch. Redfall’s enemy AI is extremely broken. I played as Remi De La Rosa who has a cyber robot dog-like companion. About half way through the campaign Bribónto disappeared out of nowhere.

Keep in mind Remi’s special abilities are tied to her companion. Thirty frames per second on lunch day for a first person shooter? Doesn’t the Xbox Series X have 12 Teraflops lol?

I experienced so many bugs and glitches in Redfall that I thought they were part of the game’s design. It was that bad. I was like “is this the game or a bug?’. For reference I did play this via Gamepass on my Xbox Series X.

I HATE the word generic when used in gaming but I have to use it for Redfall. This game has no charm, doesn’t work, is ugly, sounds like hammered shit, wasn’t fun to the point I quit and deleted the game when I was about to fight Bloody Tom. I tried my ass off but got sick of playing this shit. Video games are suppose to be fun!

Story

You play as one of four heroes who arrive in Redfall that’s been taken over by ex-corporate Bellwether CFOs turned Vampire Gods. All cutscenes were slide show styled. It’s funny how the marketing had all these amazing fmv cutscenes but the actual video game didn’t.

The story and every character in it was straight up shit. No character resonated with me in Redfall. I didn’t give a shit if the Black Sun killed them all. Just an unbearable boring story filled with lifeless mannequins. I still cannot believe Arkane Studios made this game.

Gameplay

Redfall is a open world first person hero shooter. The actual map of Redfall isn’t big or anything. It’s basically a seaport Maine town in appearance. You have a choice of single player or coop online. Heroes have special abilities and your basic leveling up mechanic like extra health and what not.

In my opinion none of the gameplay mechanics really mattered because the AI is so broken. Also, the feel of aiming and shooting with the Xbox Series X controller felt like utter doodoo. Rarely I fickle with settings to play any video game on console but I had to for Redfall just to aim and shoot.

Redfall felt terrible to play and it’s at 30 frames per second on the Xbox Series X. I’m not going to say I had fun playing this wreck. It was a damn struggle to get up to Bloody Tom before I tapped out.

Gameplay was so bad In Redfall that Arkane Studios should have paid me hourly to play this steaming pile of shit. Anyways, you have main missions, side missions and securing safe houses which all sucked. Checkpoint system is pretty much non existent.

Oh yes let me tell you about finding keys in Redfall. You don’t! Well, you do find keys to unlock Safe Zones but it’s so garbo how I had no idea where to look or find them. How about some fucking hints to where the key MIGHT be? Damn, Redfall sucks. Bluestinger on the Dreamcast blows this game away gameplay-wise!

Visuals/Graphics

It looks like shit and ran at a choppy shuddery 30 frames per second. Redfall is as ugly as it’s vampire designs. You can look at my gameplay videos on this site for proof.

Sound/Music

Overlapping audio issues between cutscenes and NPCs. I hated the sound design. There are so many stupid dialogue sequences with disembodied vampires, cultists and your playable hero. Music was okay when it worked.

Tips and Tricks

Do not buy this game or waste your time playing it during launch time.

Final Verdict

Redfall deserves no positivity on the Xbox Series X. Arkane Studios I still love you but this was all on you. Redfall is the worst video game I played in 2023 so far.