Redfall, the latest IP by Arkane Austin, was officially given a launch window by the studio’s parent company, Bethesda. During the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase 2022, the company announced that the game will be launching sometime in the first half of 2023.
The announcement of Redfall’s new launch window comes a month after Bethesda announced a delay in its development, along with the delay of another title, Starfield. Despite the new launch period, neither Bethesda or its company, Microsoft had given a specific launch date for the game.
The good news is, Bethesda did release some official in-game play footage of Redfall, meaning that we are able to break down some details about the game. To start off, players will be able to play as one of four unique characters in the game. There’s Layla Ellison, a biomedical engineering student who is capable of using her “intense” telekinetic abilities; Jacob Boyer, a former military sharpshooter turned private contractor with a mysterious “Undead” eye and a spectral raven, and the ability to go invisible; Devinder Crousley, a cryptozoologist (a term he prefers over “cryptid hunter”) and aspiring inventor, and Remi de la Rosa, a combat engineer whose other companion happens to be a dog-like robot named Bribón.
Redfall’s gameplay, to put it simply, clearly draws inspiration from several other popular titles, such as the Left 4 Dead series, as well as Gearbox Software’s critically acclaimed Borderlands IP. The game’s premise is equally as simple too: the titular town has, for reasons yet unknown, become a haven for Vampires and along with them, cultists that are aspiring to be them. Even worse, said vampires have also blocked all access, in and out, of Redfall, and taken over several major sites, either as their base of operations or just as nests.
The art style of the vampires also look familiar with their long, gangly limbs and features; this style of character design is clearly borrowed from the other two Arkane IPs, Dishonored and Prey. Moreover, Arkane Austin says that the Redfall won’t focus too heavily on stealth as it did with its other two games.
For another matter, Redfall is clear set to be the studio’s first proper FPS shooter, and one that supports both single and co-op team play.
As previously stated, Redfall will be arriving to PC and Xbox consoles within the first half of 2023, while Xbox Game Pass holders will be able to play the game on Day One.
