Although Arkane Studios have shown no gameplay of Redfall so far, it has provided enough information about the game to get a relatively clear picture of its gameplay. Redfall is a team-based FPS that proudly takes inspiration from Left 4 Dead; it leans into Left 4 Dead's team shooter concept by giving players different characters with different skills to choose from. Layla Ellison wields various magical powers, Jacob Boyer is a master sharpshooter, and so on. Redfall also has a different take on enemies. Players will find themselves battling vampires on the streets of Redfall, meaning they may face much more intelligent foes than Left 4 Dead's zombie hordes.
Vampires may behave differently from other undead, but notably, Redfall will still have a system of variants similar to Left 4 Dead's Special Infected. That's important because Redfall's premise allows Arkane to get even more experimental with its special enemies than Left 4 Dead. In Redfall, the vampires partially stem from a science experiment gone wrong. The combination of science fiction and fantasy in Redfall opens the door to a huge variety of vampire concepts that could make its gameplay far more diverse and exciting than any other Left 4 Dead imitator on the market.
Redfall's Potential Vampire Variants
Arkane has already offered fans a glimpse at one vampire type in Redfall. The Redfall announcement trailer may be entirely cinematic, but it does briefly pit the four protagonists against a vampire called an Angler. In the trailer, the Angler briefly snags Layla with a harpoon made of red psychic force before trying to reel her in for the kill. Jacob and Layla manage to knock back the Angler in the trailer, but it's only one of many that Redfall players are bound to face. Anglers will likely fill Redfall's levels, playing the same part as Left 4 Dead's Smoker, grabbing onto players and pulling them into dangerous situations.
Left 4 Dead never had anything quite as supernatural as the Angler, meaning this vampire acts as a great sign of Redfall's potential diverse enemy roster. Odds are good that quite a few other vampires with supernatural powers will appear, whether they try to blast players with magical attacks or protect other vampires with healing powers. The sci-fi elements of Redfall also create opportunities for vampires that use technology similar to that of the Redfall protagonists, whether they carry specialized weapons or feature mechanical implants that enhance their strength and durability. Thanks to Redfall's premise, the sky is the limit.
Setting Redfall Apart
Arkane should go as far as possible with its vampire variants, as well as other departments of Redfall's gameplay. The blend of sci-fi and fantasy enables a lot of creativity, and Redfall needs to be creative in order to compete in its genre. The vampire narrative may be unique, but it still has to compete with similar games like Back 4 Blood and The Anacrusis. Redfall needs to convert its setting into as many unique and surprising mechanics as it can, whether that means psychic vampires manipulating the protagonists' perception of the world or tech-powered vampires that require precision shooting to be defeated.
Vampire variants seem like something that Arkane will show off as quickly as possible, since they're crucial to defining the gameplay, so the next big Redfall reveal is bound to contain some details on the Angler's peers. The wait for Redfall information may nearly be over too. The upcoming Xbox and Bethesda showcase is the perfect opportunity for Redfall to rear its head as an Xbox exclusive. A gameplay reveal for Redfall is long overdue, so hopefully Arkane has a trailer ready to go for the showcase. It'll be interesting to see how Arkane has translated Redfall's creative narrative into meaningful gameplay innovations.
Redfall releases in summer 2022 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.