Redfall: An Xbox exclusive will be “closer to Far Cry” than Left 4 Dead, according to its creators.

Game News Redfall: An Xbox exclusive will be “closer to Far Cry” than Left 4 Dead, according to its creators.

Arkane’s new project

Microsoft will finally introduce real exclusives, logically starting with its release this year red autumn. Arkane’s new program, which owes something to Dishonored, Prey or even Deathloop, should act as a small revolution for the studio. More ambitious than its predecessors, Redfall should deliver an open-world co-op shooter experience, with studio director Harvey Smith finding it difficult to compromise between the two genres.

We probably had to choose between open world and co-op multiplayer. But if Redfall achieves the level of quality we envision, it will be a completely different animal. It’s really great, the game really offers a lot of cool stuff. – Harvey Smith, director of Arkane Studios Austin

Shortly after the game was revealed, many members of the gaming community compared it to the software 4 were left deada co-op shooter reference. A “completely understandable” comparison, according to the game’s creative director Ricardo Bare, is nevertheless misleading. For him, Redfall is closer to titles like Far Cry.

It is completely understandable that someone would come to this conclusion. There are four playable characters, you can play co-op and fight the undead. But in terms of how to play and experience Redfall, it’s nothing like those games. Redfall is closer to Far Cry. – Ricardo Bare, creative director

A rich open world…

If Redfall was closer to Far Cry than Left 4 Dead, it would probably be for its open world. But while Far Cry offered mostly exotic settings, Redfall would offer more familiar territory anchored in Massachusetts, USA. Innovation for Arkane, which usually aims to create a more original environment – the city of Dunwall for Dishonored, the Talos I space station for Prey or even the sixties-inspired island of Blackreef for Deathloop.

When we started Redfall, we wanted to hit a familiar spot for the first time. We wanted to take a familiar setting and explore it in depth. Redfall Island is a place you feel as familiar as Talos or Dunwall after hours of exploring. When I said we wanted to “stretch,” I meant it: What if we took all our experiences – and creative values ​​- and combined them in an open world? – Harvey Smith

Redfall would bet on its open world above all else – ambitious, rich, immersive and addictive. A co-op shooter that goes off the beaten path of the genre to offer an unprecedented experience defined by its permissiveness. Follow a series of main or side quests, browse the map, fight freely… the choice will be up to the players.

We have a main base where you can talk to NPCs and do side quests. You can also go up to the mission table and select story missions. Or you can just totally curse and walk out; choose a direction, shoot everything that moves and navigate the living world we created. – Ricardo Bare.

…and wide

Not only action-packed, but the open world built by Arkane should also be vast, without reaching the size of current open worlds. The studio prefers to work on the density of its world rather than its breadth to offer different situations and buildings. In addition to the day/night cycle, the Redfall map is divided into two parts: the first urban, inspired by “small” Eastern American cities, and the second more rural with farmland, farms and vegetation.

I think eventually we’ll go back to more compartmentalized immersive worlds. But we wanted to know what it would be like to explore the open world according to Arkane and see where each little path would lead you. You’ll want to see if you can fit into the warehouse you see or climb the watchtower you can see on the horizon. Or enter a house to read all the notes inside. (…) Some of Redfall’s highlights come from exploring, soaking up the world around you, and sometimes getting caught in the thick of the action. This is the atmosphere we wanted to convey from the beginning – Harvey Smith

Compared to the open worlds of the Far Cry license, Redfall’s open world would be smaller. For example, it does not include any cars. A conscious creative choice that allows Arkane to create an immersive horror atmosphere.

In terms of freedom, it has everything you’d expect from an open world, but Redfall is a game played on foot. In this sense, the scale and rhythm are slightly reduced. We want you to sneak through a cornfield in the dark in the fog while you hear vampires whispering in the dark. Maybe you’ll see a farmhouse in the distance and go inside, only to encounter fanatics and survivors who need rescuing. Redfall has such an atmosphere. – Ricardo Bare

Redfall is expected on PC and Xbox Series in the first half of 2023.