![]() Walking the streets of Redfall, I find myself believing that the Overton Theatre was once an active cultural center just as I believe that its Maritime Center and Midnight Whale Brewery were once lively spaces. Not quite meant to be a tourist attraction, but a small town whose inhabitants very much loved and cared for their community. The local spaces in Redfall feel like they were once lovely places to live and visit. The town’s two semi-open world hubs are filled with sites that walk the line between the eerily dreaded atmosphere of Dishonored and the small New England coastal towns from which it draws its inspiration. The trees in Redfall glow bright autumn colors against the blue and gray sky. Arkane’s professed love for Redfall shines when players explore the nooks and crannies of the fictional Massachusetts town. Redfall’s shortcomings do not entirely take away from the experience. In this way, Redfall feels more like a disappointment for Arkane fans than an outright failure. We only need look as far as Marvel’s Avengers, Anthem, or Babylon’s Fall-these games were also developed by studios with excellent single-player pedigrees. ![]() Yet for a live-service game, these flaws hardly seem unredeemable or even particularly remarkable. The gunplay is unremarkable, the tasks are repetitive, and the frame rate is rarely smooth. Let’s get it out of the way now: Redfall is a flawed game. In a way, the conversation has been a bit cruel to the developers and the game. Redfall’s critical reception, and the ongoing conversations, have not been kind. The game is a marked low point in Arkane Studios’ incredible game catalog, which includes the genre-defining Dishonored series, the acclaimed Prey (2017), and the stylish Deathloop. To say Redfall was poorly received would be an understatement. The quote also feels like a bit of a promise for things to come. The quote pulled from Julian’s text within the world of Redfall carries a multitude of “pain”: the pain of disappointment, the pain of development during a global pandemic and climate catastrophe, and the pain that Redfall the town is suffering under a vampire infestation. The emphasis on love-that of the developer and that of the desired players-makes the Julian quote from Eva’s bookstand even more resonant. Arkane Austin ends the statement: “We hope that you love REDFALL as much as we do.” There, the team notes that despite “the Pandemic, global upheaval, and a once in a century ice storm that shut down Austin, TX for a couple of weeks” the studio put its collective heart and soul into Redfall. Arkane even comments on that struggle in the game’s credits. Since its release, we now know that Redfall struggled in its development. The Julian quote feels like a bit of a wink to the player. These words were said full tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me nor to any that shall be saved.” “And for the tender love that our good Lord hath to all that shall be saved, He comforteth readily and sweetly, signifying thus: It is sooth that sin is cause of all this pain but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner thing shall be well. Redfall doesn’t give us the entire text, but rather a telling excerpt on love and pain. The book is a modern English translation of Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love. The first time we visit the Firehouse-our first safehouse-in Arkane Studios’ Redfall, Reverend Eva Crescente (one of the game’s NPCs) has a text open on her bookstand.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |