Redfall has been on the minds of many Arkane Studios fans since it was initially announced. Alongside that, the game is set to come out on Game Pass on day one which has subscribers of the service eager to try it out as soon as possible. However, some fans may be under the impression that the title is set to be similar to a title like Left 4 Dead. According to Arkane Studios’ Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare this is not the case.
When asked by GamesRadar if the game shared any similarity with Valve’s iconic horde shooter Arkane’s creative director Ricardo Bare said:
It’s totally understandable for somebody to come to that conclusion. There are four playable characters, you can play together cooperatively, and you’re going against the undead. But, in terms of the way that you play and experience Redfall, it’s not like those games at all. Redfall is more like loading into Far Cry.
Ricardo Bare – Creative Director at Arkane Studios
Far Cry titles tend to have a colourful, tropical vista which seems a little out of line from what we’ve seen of Redfall so far. Arkane Studio’s Director, Harvey Smith described the landscape of Redfall as a “crappy tourist town” in New England. Smith elaborated on this further by saying:
We wanted to take a familiar setting and go deep on it. Redfall island should be a place where, after hours of exploration, you feel like you know it the way you know Talos or Dunwall. When I say we wanted to stretch, that’s what I mean: What if we took all of our experience – and our creative values – and put it into an open world?
Harvey Smith – Director at Arkane Studios
Ubisoft’s recent ventures with Far Cry titles have been criticized heavily by both fans and critics of the series as feeling lifeless and baron. Bare was quick to note that “We want you creeping through a cornfield at night in the fog, hearing vampires whisper in the dark. Maybe you’ll spot a farmhouse in the distance and sneak over to it, only to find that it’s full of cultists and a few trapped survivors who you can save. That’s the kind of vibe that Redfall has.”
There’s a lot to unpack from GamesRadar’s interview with the two but ultimately Smith noted that:
Redfall sometimes feels like what you’d get if you blended the Arkane creative values with Far Cry 2 or S.T.A.L.K.E.R., you may find instances of combat, story vignettes, or countless chaotic results as Arkane’s systems clash together. One part of this complex puzzle is the day-night cycle, which remains despite a powerful Vampire God – the Black Sun – having established a local Eclipse.
Harvey Smith – Director at Arkane Studios
Redfall is set to release in 2023 for Xbox Series S/X, and PC.
Source: GamesRadar