The vampires of Redfall aren’t your typical Nosferatu-popping-out-of-a-cupboard monsters. Bethesda and Arkane published a deep-dive into Redfall’s vampires, following the initial gameplay reveal during the Xbox Bethesda Showcase, and revealed some new pieces of lore about how the children of the night came to be and what to expect from them. Studio director Harvey Smith and business director Susan Kath said the goal was creating unique, original folklore for Redfall, so while you may see some recognizable vampire tropes show up, Redfall’s bloodsuckers are quite different from what you’re used to.
For one thing, science made them. Experiments attempting to extend human longevity produced unexpected results, an offshoot of immortal, bloodthirsty beings undergoing constant evolution – assuming they get the blood they need.
“Our vampires are not some aspirational fantasy,” Smith says. “They’re predatory monsters who feed on the vulnerable to make themselves more powerful.”
The vampire chain starts with minions, run-of-the-mill weaklings, and branches out to include more evolved variants, such as vampires strong enough to rip people apart and Anglers, who catch stragglers and pull them away from their teams.
Redfall’s elder vampires are strong enough to count “blocking out the sun [and] pushing back the tides” among their more notable abilities. If that sounds like a lot for one player to handle alone, Arkane said, while being in a team is the best way to guarantee safety, Redfall gives you the tools to play the entire game solo.
Vampires aren’t the only thing you need to worry about on the streets of Redfall. Arkane said the immortal overlords manipulated the human citizens of Redfall into blindly following them in a sort of vampiric cult.
“These cultists now patrol the island, hunting down the few remaining survivors and serving their new overlords.”
It means even basic encounters are more complex than they may appear, and Arkane said Redfall rewards strategic thinking and smart planning.
Redfall is slated to release in 2023, but if you need more supernatural goodness to keep you busy until then, our list of the best vampire games on PC should do the trick.