![]() We love magic and science-fiction in equal measure, and as much as we love experiencing rich stories and worlds through games, we won’t ignore the real-world context in which those games are made.If a game has a fairly boolean completed/not completed quest structure, it's pretty trivial- when a quest is completed, any player who has unlocked that quest gets credit for completing it. Inverse will never punch down, but we aren’t afraid to punch up. We care deeply about a game’s design, world-building, character arcs, and storytelling come together. INVERSE VIDEO GAME REVIEW ETHOS: Every Inverse video game review answers two questions: Is this game worth your time? Are you getting what you pay for? We have no tolerance for endless fetch quests, clunky mechanics, or bugs that dilute the experience. Inverse reviewed the Xbox Series X version. Redfall is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, and PC. Both games had rocky starts, but over the years steadily cultivated a fanbase thanks to regular updates and support. My hope is that it’ll follow the likes of Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. It’s also set up for a great redemption arc. The longer you stay, the less fun it gets, but curiosity and the low cost of admission (for Game Pass subscribers anyway) is likely enough to keep up a slow trickle of players. It’s a freak show, a roadside attraction, inviting you and your friends to come and gawk at one of god’s failed designs for an evening or an afternoon. Redfall isn’t the game anyone wanted it to be, and what is there is just OK. Just as paper-thin NPCs undermine any narrative immersion, persistent bugs and rough edges pull you out of a world that you’d like to get lost in. A cursory search online turns up dozens more. And that’s just what I encountered in MY game. There are blurry logos and fonts that don’t display properly, characters spontaneously go invisible or duplicate themselves, and there is noticeable chug during some kill animations. I hit a few crashes, including one during a boss fight. I was begging for some bats or spiders or snakes but, alas, it was always just the same dumb dudes with guns and vampires T-posing in the sky.Įerie, foggy streets and creaky old houses with dark attics are a pitch perfect setting. There are no jump scares, no creepy creatures lurking in its caves or on its drained, sea-less beaches. In its place are vapid NPCs and an empty game world mostly filled with two enemy types: humans with guns and vampires that melee. ![]() I wanted to care, wanted to find the trademark Arkane charm I told myself had to be here somewhere.īut it wasn't. Every citizen just said "Hmm." And, spoiler alert, most named characters spew "Hmm" by default after delivering one, maybe two, lines of dialogue. ![]() Surely there would be some colorful dialogue? Instead, I got six "Hmm"s in a row. I was eager to talk to the citizens in the liberated safehouse who were, moments ago, facing a grim death. In another memorable moment, I defeated a Blood Tree (think haunted tree with a vampire inside) that had wrapped itself around a safehouse, trapping everyone inside. Anna's blandness is not the exception, it's the rule. Cutscenes have been replaced by film-grain filtered slide shows, a lazy shortcut that undermines any investment players may make in the plot or characters. I can look past a lot of underwhelming gameplay if it’s offset by a good story. Vampire nests can offer some excitement in between long bouts of boring. And if you’re an Arkane fan like I am, or just love a good looter-shooter, it’s not worth $70 and it’s not a compelling reason to purchase Game Pass, either. Killing your first few vampires feels triumphant and then you’re quickly obliterating them five at a time.Īdd in the co-op, and the accompanying japery you get from goofing with friends online, and Redfall delivers a certain B-movie appeal - if you don’t take it too seriously.īut a “so bad it's good” vibe is likely not what Arkane, Bethesda, or Microsoft wanted after five years of development and a marketing war chest that included paid TV spots. Your early hours are tense and slow, but once you unlock a few basic skills and collect a half-decent arsenal, you gain the confidence to go headfirst into danger. Yes, the combat lacks sophistication and genuine challenge, but I did enjoy the power fantasy as I leveled up. Bethesda Softworksĭeflated expectations aside, there is some fun to be had in Redfall. ![]() Even the monstrous Rook, a baddie sent by vampire gods, is no match for a half-dozen broken pool cues.
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