Redfall: How The Day & Night Cycle Affects Gameplay

Arkane Studio's "Redfall" is nothing short of a mess, slammed by critics and audiences. Bugs, lack of polish, and questionable design choices made for a disappointing experience for many fans. However, there is still some fun to be had in "Redfall." After all, what could be more fun than getting a group of friends together and blasting some vampires?

One of the draws of "Redfall" is its clever systems, which are a bit different than past Arkane games. For example, there's an open world map, and it's co-op! Similarly, the day and night cycle changes certain aspects of the game based on the time of day. So, players will have different experiences during the day compared to night — and vice versa. Although other games have done this before, such as "Dying Light 2," "Redfall" takes a different approach. Unfortunately, however, not everyone likes this approach. And like many of the aspects of "Redfall," this system leaves some players wanting.

So how exactly does the day and night cycle work in "Redfall," and should players even worry about it?

In an interview with IGN, Arkane Austin Art Director Karen Segars said that the day and night cycle was one of the two most important mechanics, the other being level streaming, needed for "Redfall" to work. He explained that the team's previous game, "Prey," had a time-of-day system, but it was built for an isolated space station. Redfall, on the other hand, is a large town with multiple distinct areas. 

Segars explained that the day and night cycle in "Redfall" is more than a setting and actually impacts gameplay. "During the day, the vampire god The Black Sun looms over the town and speaks to any player who stares too long at the eclipse." The Black Sun, of course, is the main antagonist of "Redfall," a vampire god holding the town of Redfall hostage. But at night, vampires behave differently.

"At night, vampires are more active," Segars said. So essentially, nighttime is just a ramped-up version of the day with the same monsters from daytime roaming the streets and buildings of Redfall. Of course, not everyone is satisfied with just more vampires out at night. Some have compared it to other games, such as "Dying Light 2," where special enemies and encounters only spawn at night. But at this point, many gamers are used to being disappointed by "Redfall," so a lackluster day and night cycle comes as no surprise.