Redfall reviews are in - and the Xbox exclusive is getting savaged

Xbox fans (myself amongst them) have been waiting a while for a big exclusive drop - and Redfall - a big-budget title by famed Prey and Dishonored developer Arkane - has arrived.

And to a very poor reception indeed.

Redfall is set on an isolated island - also called Redfall - located off the coast of America's spookiest state - Massachusetts - where players must team up to battle against a legion of vampires that have taken over the island. The game stretches the sandbox template defined in prior Arkane games to include the popular 'looter shooter' subgenre, and it may have reached a little too far, according to critics.

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Available exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC, it was expected to be another home run release from Arkane. Especially so after their critically acclaimed Dishonored series, Prey & Deathloop dropped to great reviews.

Redfall hasn't quite enjoyed that honour, and while reviews are still creeping in for the game, it's not looking good.

Based on a Metacritic average of 28 critic reviews, Redfall currently sits at a rating of 64/100. To put that into perspective, the critically-panned Blood Bowl III achieved 51/100, while Arkane's other releases sit past the 80/100 mark. While you may think 64/100 isn't too bad - consider their last release; Deathloop.

It gained 89/100. On OpenCritic, only 27 percent of critics have recommended the game.

Here's the roundup of reviews:

Gamespot - 4/10

'Redfall is Arkane making compromises to its own design philosophies to serve a genre it may have been better off avoiding'.

GameRant - 3.5/5

'Redfall is ultimately a fun experience thanks to the world, the enemies, and the gunplay itself, but as a whole, it's an incredibly shallow one too.'

Metro - 3/5

'Unfortunately, the whole thing can feel like less than the sum of its parts.'

Engadget

[Engadget did not score the review]

'This isn't early access, but it sure feels like it.'

NME - 2/5

'The finished product feels compromised, not quite delivering on either the co-op shooter they’re trying to make or the solo Arkane adventure that fans of the studio might be hoping to dig into.'

IGN

[IGN's review is still in progress as of writing]

'I must admit I’m thoroughly underwhelmed by Redfall’s vanilla missions and lifeless world, and very disappointed at its lengthy list of display issues and bugs.'

PureXbox - 6/10

'The mixing of FPS action and story beats with open world exploration and a relatively relaxed pace leads to a balancing act that may leave hardcore shooter aficionados and Arkane super fans alike wanting more.'

Eurogamer

[Eurogamer do not score reviews, and are currently playing through more of the game to offer a fairer review]

'Redfall is characterful and fun and currently a little bit janky.'

As for the public reaction, we'll leave it to you to sift through:

Our take

Redfall has a huge boon - in that the majority of players who play it will surely play it on Xbox's Game Pass subscription - of which it is a part of. Having the opportunity to play it as part of that package is huge - it's a big new game, and costs nothing additional for subscribers. Shelling out over $60 or £50 for the game is another story, so for mainstream consumers there will be split opinion.

Redfall does seem fun, and I'll certainly be playing it - and probably having a blast - but Arkane would've hoped for so much more than just offering a bit of fun. Their games can be gamechangers. This is not, and while it's not a stake to the heart of the developer, it's still going to sting.

With time Redfall might change, but day 1 seems to be a disappointment.

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