Is Redfall a fully open-world game?

Redfall, Arkane's latest shooter, will soon arrive on PC and consoles. The much-anticipated title from the Dishonored developer trudges down a different path than its peers. After all, it is a third-person looter shooter with a focus on co-op. As vampire hunters, players will prowl the streets of the titular Massachusetts town in a bid to end the undead menace. With a sizable sandbox to explore, they will have many opportunities to test out their supernatural powers against hostile bloodsuckers.

With the mainstream appeal of open-world games in today's industry, fans wonder if his offering is more than just a linear romp. Arkane is known for sandbox-type experiences, after all, so this is a fair assumption to make.

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Is Redfall a truly open-world experience?

Thankfully, yes. It has been officially described as an open-world game. Based on the gameplay unveiled thus far, it can be described as Far Cry at its core, as far as open-world fundamentals go. While players will start at a home base or safe house, a sizable sandbox is waiting to be explored and can be tackled at the player's discretion. Since the vampires have taken over the town, it is up to the hunters to liberate it from their vicious grasp.

In addition to Vampire Nests, there are cultist outposts around the map. As such, players can fight solo or together with friends to retrieve territory and weaken the vampire influence. Arkane Studios promises that Redfall is its biggest open-world endeavor yet. All areas in the sandbox are hand-crafted, meaning players will have enough incentive to explore and find secrets. There are strongholds to infiltrate, NPCs to save, collectibles to find, and more.

Since Redfall is an urban area, there will be many residential and industrial areas to comb through. These range from a leisurely downtown landscape to a once-busy port area. Verticality is also factored in, as rooftops and other vantage points are key for scouting, sniping, and alternate entry routes. The world is also said to feature instances of environmental storytelling, something the studio excels at. Players will explore abandoned homes with nothing but the illumination of their flashlights to lead them towards potential danger.

Thankfully, hunters can also rest in one of the many safe houses scattered around town to upgrade their gear and decide on how to proceed next. There are different objectives to complete, both toward the main plot and side missions. However, there are certain progression elements that will keep one on their toes. For one, defeating vampire strongholds will summon a powerful beast known as the Rook - an immensely powerful vampire that will pursue players into the dark and damp corners of Redfall.

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When will the game release and on which platforms?

Redfall is set for release on May 2, 2023. Being a Microsoft exclusive, it will only be released on the Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms. While Nintendo and PlayStation fans will miss out, at least co-op play is an option. Those who do not wish to go at it alone can fight the vampire threat with up to three more hunters. This appropriately also raises the danger level with more enemies and better loot.