Although many might think Left 4 Dead is what inspired Redfall, Arkane says that it's more like a combination of Far Cry 2, Stalker, and its own creative values.

Ever since Redfall was first revealed, comparisons to Left 4 Dead haven't been far behind it. This is mostly due to the fact that both games feature a group of four characters working together and going up against a mythical enemy type, with vampires taking the lead here instead of zombies. It seems that wasn't on Arkane's mind when developing Redfall, however.

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In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Arkane studio director Harvey Smith and creative director Ricardo Bane are asked about some of the games that inspired Redfall, with Left 4 Dead instantly being mentioned as the game that it keeps being compared to. When asked about this, Bane responds by recognising the similarities but noting that Redfall is actually more like Far Cry than it is Valve's series.

redfall
via Arkane

Bane said, "It's totally understandable for somebody to come to that conclusion. There are four playable characters, you can play together cooperatively, and you're going against the undead. But, in terms of the way that you play and experience Redfall, it's not like those games at all. Redfall is more like loading into Far Cry."

Bane isn't the only one to mention that Far Cry has been an inspiration to Redfall, as Arkane studio director Harvey Smith mentioned it as such during the same interview. Smith said, "Redfall sometimes feels like what you'd get if you blended the Arkane creative values with Far Cry 2 or S.T.A.L.K.E.R. That's the kind of thing that we have wanted to do for a long time".

In the same interview, Arkane also confirmed some other games that inspired Redfall, specifically multiplayer ones like Diablo 2 and Borderlands. One surprising inspiration is Dungeons & Dragons, which Smith called "the best co-op game of all time", and noted that "people would be shocked if they knew how much we have all played D&D together as a group".

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