Arkane Studios’ supernatural shooter Redfall may not be exactly what fans were hoping for from the studio that delivered critically acclaimed, systems-heavy titles like Dishonored and Prey, but it still stands as a great example of the sorts of titles that are perfect for the Xbox Game Pass service. With its relatively short length, unique setting, and some genuinely enjoyable co-op gameplay despite the title’s numerous technical problems, Redfall is the sort of broadly accessible game Microsoft should focus on for its popular subscription service.

The fact that Redfall was review bombed almost immediately upon release shows that there are still multiple issues with the game that need to be addressed, but there are also elements of the game that make it an ideal title for a subscription service like Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. While some gamers thrill at the thought of sinking hundreds of hours into the latest major release, for others setting aside real-world responsibilities for days’ worth of achievement hunting simply isn’t a viable option. With a campaign that can be completed in roughly a dozen hours without feeling like a mad dash to the finish line, Redfall makes a perfect counterpoint to those sorts of sprawling epics.

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Redfall’s Short Length Makes it a Great Choice for a Weekend Binge

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Much like Arkane’s acclaimed sci-fi shooter Prey and its two Dishonored titles, players can expect to finish Redfall’s solo campaign in around 12-16 hours if they stick solely to the main story missions. This time can be further reduced when playing in co-op mode since the combination of the additional firepower and the still-rough state of enemy AI makes the game a simple, but still surprisingly enjoyable, exercise in quickly dispatching Redfall’s hordes of vampires, cultists, and mercenaries. This compact length makes Redfall a great, short Xbox Game Pass game for those with limited time looking to play through something over a lazy weekend.

Similar to recent Xbox Game Pass releases like the surprise hit Hi-Fi Rush, the short length of Redfall’s campaign never feels like it holds the game back from delivering a complete narrative experience. Whether Redfall’s surprisingly satirical story and its themes of class warfare as filtered through a supernatural lens land with players is another matter altogether, though. Redfall also has plenty to offer players looking for a slightly more substantive experience, with numerous side missions to complete and items to find that can easily extend the game’s runtime by a dozen hours or more.

Redfall is a Great Way to See Some Scares with Friends

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Redfall is also a great example of how an Xbox Game Pass release can introduce a relatively niche genre, co-op horror shooters in this case, to a larger audience than might be possible with a traditional release. While recent releases like Dead Space and Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 remake have helped bring the greatly underappreciated horror genre back to the forefront, horror games with a co-op element still remain few and far between. Although Redfall isn’t the same sort of strictly scare-focused title as EA and Capcom’s recent remakes, it still offers plenty of spine-chilling moments great for experiencing with friends.

Playing through Arkane’s spooky shooter with friends not only means easily-startled gamers will have some moral support with them, but it can also add a new level of challenge to the game. While mowing down vampires, cultists, and contractors with friends on the lower difficulties can make for mindless fun, choosing the highest difficulty mode in Redfall will require co-op players to coordinate their actions more carefully lest they be wiped out by the game’s now much deadlier enemies.

With its numerous technical issues and some occasionally questionable gameplay decisions, Redfall is far from a perfect game. But for Xbox Game Pass subscribers who are willing to put up with the technical hiccups, it could make for a welcome diversion into a game world they might have otherwise overlooked as a standalone release.

Redfall is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

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