What Xbox was lacking most in 2022 should be made up for many times over in 2023…the release of big first party titles. One of those AAA titles we can expect from Xbox in the first half of the year is Redfall from well-renowned Arkane Studios. From Dishonored to Prey to their most recent Game of the Year contender Deathloop, Arkane is known for creating some of the most rich, environmental storytelling throughout the video game industry. With their next entry, Arkane has decided to switch things up and try to tackle an open world cooperative experience set in a small, coastal town in Massachusetts.
When it was first revealed to close out Xbox’s E3 2021 showcase, many gamers were expecting it to shape out to be a Left 4 Dead-like game with Fortnite-style graphics, but as time has gone on it’s become more and more clear that Redfall has the potential to leave its own unique mark on the industry. Like Left 4 Dead there are four playable characters to choose from and you’re going up against an undead enemy (vampires instead of zombies this time), but the comparison ends there. In the way the game plays, the developers would describe it “more like loading into Far Cry.” Redfall’s world is divided into two major districts – an urban area and a rural area. Within these areas the player(s) will find neighborhoods held hostage by vampires, survivors with favors to ask, storms that signal the arrival of powerful vampires known as “Rooks”, Bellwether Security patrols, cultists who worship the vampires, and so much more.
Cooperative play is optional, allowing for a seamless blending of single-player and multiplayer options for players to choose from at their leisure. Additionally, while there are four unique characters, a co-op lobby will be allowed to select any combination of the characters including duplicates to quadruples of the same one(s). While it started at the bottom of many lists when it was first unveiled, Redfall has definitely sat up in its coffin as of late, drawing in more and more attention as its launch in the first half of 2023 draws near. Redfall will be available on Xbox Series consoles, PC, and Xbox Game Pass when it launches in the coming months…Spring May be a good time to expect it.
Read the full interview between GamesRadar and Arkane’s Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare here.
Image from: Arkane Studios
