WARNING:Spoilers for Redfall AheadWhile vampiric foes present the most immediate threat in Arkane Studios’ supernatural shooter,Redfall, it’s the hubris of the game’s rich elites that represents the true danger looming over the previously sleepy seaside town. As players make their way throughRedfallthey’ll slowly uncover the truth of how the town came to be overrun and learn how the grisly events that enveloped its residents can be traced back to the actions and egos of four wealthy bad actors. Although the moment-to-moment gameplay in the Arkane shooter has largely failed to win over players,Redfall’s social-commentary-laced story is a surprisingly timely one in a genre typically dominated by military and sci-fi-focused narratives.
Redfall’s looter-shooter mechanics combined with a surprising number of technical problems on both PCs and consoles left a sour taste in many gamers’ mouths, leading to a wave of criticism from both players and reviewers. But for those willing to push past the game’s many shortcomings, the narrative at the heart of the spooky shooter isone thingRedfalldoes extremely well. Players who stick withRedfalldespite the shooter’s sometimes frustrating gameplay will be rewarded with a more thought-provoking tale than would initially be expected given the game’s blood-soaked setting.
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Vampires Are Just a Symptom of Redfall’s Real Sickness
From the moment players first regain consciousness on a wrecked ferry in the game’s opening act, they’ll have to contend withRedfall’s many different types of vampires. But as players progress through the story’s many twists and turns, they’ll soon learn that the cultists, vampires, and mercenaries that have set up camp in Redfall are part of a bigger problem at the heart of the town. It quickly becomes clear that the wealthy individuals running the Aevum biotech company are the ones behind the madness that has descended upon the world ofRedfall.
Much like 2K’sBioShockfranchisehas done throughout its history,Redfall’s story serves as a chilling example of the consequences of unchecked power and greed. The unfortunate undersea inhabitants ofBioShock’s Rapture eventually fell victim to the sheer excesses of founder Andrew Ryan’s unsustainable Objectivist outlook. In a similar vein, the citizens of Redfall came under supernatural attack as a result of Aevum’s founders putting their pursuit of power and wealth above all other concerns.
Redfall Shows How Unchecked Arrogance Leads to Unexpected Outcomes
The tragic tale ofRedfall’s Young Womanserves as the narrative force at the center of the game’s story of corporate carelessness. Able to heal others with her blood, the Young Woman’s miraculous powers are co-opted by the founders of Aevum for their own ends. Draining more and more of her blood to power Aevum’s miracle treatments, Aevum’s founders slowly abandon their humanity as their ghoulish behavior presages the Vampire Gods they will eventually become.
A chilling example of just how far Aevum’s founders would go in pursuit of power can be found duringRedfall’s The House of Echoes mission, in which players learn the truth about the mysterious Hollow Man. Exploring the house of Aevum VIP Dr. Peter Addison, players learn that Addison was draining the blood ofhis daughter Ameliato cure the degenerative mental condition that was killing him. After draining Amelia dry, ultimately taking her life, and consuming the Young Woman’s powerful blood along with the other Aevum founders, Dr. Addison turns into the terrifying Hollow Man.
After eliminatingRedfall’s four Vampire Gods, players finally free Redfall from the grips of its undead overlords. With the twisted creatures out of the way, it appears that all is once again right with the world. But,Redfall’s closing moments hint that, now that the secret of the Young Woman’s blood is known, it is only a matter of time before the greed and hubris of the elite will once again unleash unspeakable horrors on any who would stand in the way of their pursuit of power.
Redfallis available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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