Arkane Austin and Bethesda Softworks' upcoming FPS Redfall was the cause of much excitement when it was first announced during the Xbox and Bethesda E3 2021 Showcase. The brand-new IP promised to deliver an exciting cooperative experience with fast-paced action, supernatural thrills, and the developer's own take on the toothiest of folkloric figures – vampires. Since its announcement, updates on Redfall weren't quite as frequent as fans might have liked, and players were a little worried after the news that it was being delayed from its initial 2022 release.
But Redfall came back in a big way, kicking off the recent Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase with the first look at gameplay and a deeper dive into the game's premise. As well as a lengthy intro from Layla – one of the four playable characters that players can choose – the latest Redfall trailer showed off some of the game's environments, story elements, and the abilities of the four characters as they took down different enemies. Redfall's release may have been pushed back, but players are finally able to get a better look at what the game is about and how the four playable characters might handle.
The Latest Redfall News
Redfall remained a bit of mystery for a long time after its launch, with gamers eager to learn more about the intriguing cooperative, story-driven FPS from fan-favorite studio Arkane. Rumors of delays long-preceded the actual announcement, and the eventual confirmation that the game had been pushed back into 2023 alongside Bethesda's highly anticipated title Starfield was not much of a surprise. Despite the delays, the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase was an excellent opportunity for the studios to show off these upcoming games, and Redfall fans finally got a better look at the newest Arkane title.
The trailer detailed the descent of the picturesque titular island town of Redfall from a sunny seaside locale to a vampire-infested hellscape. Players will be battling against the vampires that have run rampant across the town after a science experiment gone wrong, as well as the human cultists who have joined them. In addition to showing off actual gameplay, the trailer revealed a few locations around the town, including a creepy fairground and some kind of bizarre psychic space with upside-down structures and supernatural elements. One of the most exciting things, however, was the look at each of the characters in action.
The Deadeye With An Undead Eye
Players can pick one of the four characters and join up to three other gamers as they tackle Redfall's myriad of enemies. Each character has their own unique customizable gear and weaponry, as well as a few choice abilities as well to help them take down the new vampire overlords. The diverse roster of characters each represents a different approach to combat. For example, Jacob is an ex-military sharpshooter who favors the long-range approach and comes equipped with a sniper rifle to pick off enemies from a distance.
But this former military-man-turned-private-contractor doesn't just have an arsenal of weapons to rely on. Some mysterious circumstances have left Jacob with a vampiric eye that grants him special abilities. One is the power to turn temporarily invisible, which Jacob refers to as "ghosting out." This can let him sneak up to – or past – enemies as he finds the best vantage points and encourages a more stealthy approach. Jacob can also use his spectral raven to scout ahead and gain an advantage for enemy encounters.
The Ingenious Ingeniera
Remi didn't feature quite so prominently in the trailer as her counterparts, but players did get a look at her robotic companion Bribon. Remi is a combat specialist with military experience similar to Jacob, but while he has a stealth approach, Remi seems to be more of a going in guns blazing type. She's a combat engineer, and with each hero's upgradeable abilities, this could mean some pretty cool improvements for her robot cohort down the line.
Players will be able to swap and change their loadouts as they go, upgrading weaponry and customizing gear as well as making use of their character's unique abilities. Arkane has been clear that although Redfall presents itself as a co-op shooter, there is also the option for players to go solo. This may call for some more tactical gameplay, and while Remi may not seem like the obvious stealth character, she will have the ability to use recon and take down unsuspecting enemies if players choose.
The Verified Cryptid Hunter
Devinder seems like the classic comic relief character, with his nerdy quips and slightly sarcastic asides during the gameplay reveal trailer establishing him as the humorous heart of the group. Where Remi and Jacob are more military and combat-focused, Devinder has more scientific-orientated abilities. He's the resident cryptozoologist (or, as Layla describes him, the expert on all things creepy), and seems to be the character that theorizes about the vampires' plans.
With the rise of the vampires and the decidedly supernatural nature of the enemies, players may come to rely on Devinder's extensive knowledge as well as his combat skills. He's on a mission to prove himself and be taken seriously for once, after years of being the butt of the joke thanks to his area of study. In addition to his cryptozoologist credentials, Devinder is an inventor with an arsenal of weapons and traps of his own creation, so players can likely expect some weird and wonderful weaponry alongside the more traditional guns available.
The Telekinetic Threat In Student Debt
Even though gamers can choose who they play as, Layla appears to be the de facto main character of Redfall. She fronts a lot of the promotional material for the game and was the prominent voice heard throughout the latest Redfall trailer. Like Jacob, something has happened that has left Layla with supernatural powers, but instead of a vampiric eye, Layla developed telekinetic abilities after there was an accident at the research facility she interned at.
The biomedical engineering student appears to have a number of useful skills, including summoning a large umbrella-shaped telekinetic shield to help deflect oncoming attacks, or a ghostly elevator to give her allies a boost to reach higher places or perform aerial attacks on enemies. Each of the four characters brings something unique to the table and should serve as great avatars to explore the intriguing world of Redfall.
Redfall will release in 2023 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.