Redfall is more like Far Cry 2/STALKER or Diablo/Borderlands than Left 4 Dead.

What exactly is the upcoming Xbox-only title Redfall from developer Arkane, and what type of game is it? The vast majority of people, when seeing the game for the first time, immediately labelled it as a copy of Left 4 Dead.

Given that Redfall is a four-player co-op action game about re-killing dead people, that is a reasonable assumption to make, yet, Arkane has been clear that the game is about much more than that. Arkane further illustrates their argument in a recent interview with GamesRadar, in which they compare the game to popular titles like Far Cry and STALKER.

The Far Cry brand has lost some of its lustrs in recent years, and STALKER has an exceptional appeal, but Arkane’s point is that Redfall is an open-world game. Those analogies are sure to spark some discussion.

This is not a session-based shooter with some Arkane world-building thrown in here and there; instead, it is a genuine open-world adventure. The misunderstanding that Redfall is merely an L4D-like is addressed here by the director of creative development at Arkane, Ricardo Bare.

“It’s 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, regarding how you play and experience Redfall, it’s not like those games. Redfall is more like loading into Far Cry.”

The thoughts expressed by Bare were mirrored by Studio Director Harvey Smith, who stated that this is something Arkane has wanted to undertake for a very long time…

“Redfall sometimes feels like what you’d get if you blended the Arkane creative values with Far Cry 2 or STALKER. That’s the kind of thing that we have wanted to do for a long time.”

Even though Arkane may be tossing around titles like Far Cry and STALKER, you shouldn’t anticipate the environment to be incredibly large. Since there are no automobiles or other modes of transportation in this game, the playing area is much more condensed.

The map is broken up into urban towns and rural areas, and it has a great deal of information that is packed closely together and the option to explore. Players have the option of participating in predetermined tasks. Still, they are also free to explore the world at their own pace, eliminating vampiric nests and constructing safe havens, among other activities.

There is still a day-night cycle and storms will gradually build up, which will eventually lead to the advent of powerful vampire rulers called Rooks. This is true even if the vampires have obscured some of the sun’s rays.

Instead of Left 4 Dead, consider the game’s cooperative components similar to Borderlands or Diablo. The suitable mode allows for drop-in and drop-out play. Each game’s four playable characters have more than a distinct appearance; they also represent different classes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Within the first half of 2023, Redfall will be available on Windows PC and Xbox Series X/S. (with a May release rumoured). What are your thoughts? Are you looking forward to playing the game even more now that you understand what it’s all about?