Bethesda and Arkane offered a bit more insight into what we can expect from the Redfall map when the co-op vampire hunting game launches in 2023. Arkane studio director Harvey Smith said in a new blog post that the team wanted to start with something familiar and recognizable and build from there, creating a greater sense of unease and disquiet when the things we’re used to seeing are corrupted and twisted by Redfall’s vampires.
“What if you could sift through all that detail, exploring this new place, so much like where you live, and yet so different, and come to feel like the island of Redfall is a real place in Massachusetts?” Smith said. “We like to shake it up, so each game carries most of the same core values, but also changes a few significant elements.”
Arkane wants you to explore Redfall’s map at your own pace, uncovering its secrets and tackling its challenges when you feel ready to. Creative director Ricardo Bare said the team opted for an open world design to give players that flexibility.
“If a particular vampire fight feels too tough, you can always go tackle a nest or do a favor for one of your fellow Redfall survivors to level up or earn some new gear, then come back to that nasty vampire fight,” Bare said.
Based on what Arkane teased about Redfall’s vampires before, it sounds like this might be the case more often than not. The island of Redfall is home to a multitude of horrors, from eldritch vampires who hold back the sun to sneaky bloodsuckers that pull you away from your party.
Whatever the case, the development team promised all the meaningful encounters, immersive world design, and narrative density in Redfall that give Arkane games their unique character.
If you can’t wait until 2023 to take on the undead with your friends, there’s plenty of other vampire games on PC to keep you busy until then.