Arkane Studios’ Redfall arrived with a storm of hype, promising an open-world vampire shooter full of eerie atmosphere, clever design, and the studio’s trademark storytelling. What players got instead feels like a half-finished experiment, a game torn between ambition and execution.
The town of Redfall looks the part, with moody streets, boarded-up homes, and flashes of stylish art direction that hint at Arkane’s pedigree. But once you start exploring, the illusion breaks. The world feels hollow, more like a theme park backdrop than a living place haunted by bloodthirsty creatures. Story beats are scattered and shallow, never gripping you the way an Arkane narrative usually does.
Combat is functional but flat. Guns feel generic, and while abilities add some flavor, they don’t mesh into anything truly exciting. Vampires, meant to be terrifying predators, often come across as clumsy targets with broken AI. Missions recycle the same formula again and again, from clearing out safe houses to chasing down lifeless objectives.
Co-op should have been the game’s biggest strength, but instead it feels undercooked. There’s little incentive to coordinate with teammates, and the experience rarely escalates beyond “everyone shoots at the same target.” Playing solo only amplifies the weaknesses, leaving you with repetitive tasks and no compelling companion systems to fill the void.
Still, Redfall isn’t a total disaster. Its art style and occasional atmospheric set pieces show glimpses of what could have been. There are moments where the game’s identity shines through, where you feel the tension of stalking through vampire-controlled territory with limited resources. But those sparks fade quickly under the weight of repetition, bugs, and missed opportunities.
In the end, Redfall is less a grand vampire hunt and more a ghost of the game it was meant to be.
Review Score: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5 out of 10 stars)