h, . Arkane Studios’ attempt at a co-op shooter that ultimately became one of the lowest-rated video games of the year.
Unveiled in June 2021 for Xbox Series X/S and PC, the game is set within the darkened confines of the eponymous metropolis, where vampires have seized control and extinguished the sun’s radiant beams. While Arkane Austin’s focus on immersive sims had waned since their 2014 release of Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall, their 2017 title Prey marked a return to form with its expansive open-world setting, emphasizing gunplay mechanics and offering unique skill sets for each playable character.
Updates were scarce until Microsoft announced in May 2022 that they had been delayed to the first half of 2023. As the launch year approached, concerns began to arise. The marketing campaign’s cooperative progression is closely linked to its online host, ensuring a seamless experience even when playing solo; however, the lack of a 60 frames-per-second option at launch on Xbox Series X/S consoles was likely the final nail in the coffin.
However, this was merely a small part of its many problems. Lastly, the game was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from both critics and the general public. Despite numerous technical issues, the game’s most significant shortcoming was its woefully inadequate user experience, featuring a dull narrative presented through uninspired, underwhelming cutscenes; unresponsive controls that hindered gameplay; and an desolate, featureless environment. The lack of cooperative multiplayer options was particularly puzzling, as the ability to play alongside friends and strangers alike is often a significant draw for many gamers.
Initially, despite concerns that revenue would be deemed “insignificant,” there was no indication that Arkane Austin’s operations would be terminated at that time.
Arkane Austin further refined its capabilities for half of it, with the 1.1 update launching in June 2023. This enhancement boosted the spawn rate of enemies, increased the challenge level while refining their artificial intelligence and addressing performance issues.
The update significantly honed its focus on enhancing overall proficiency, particularly evident in improved visual clarity when using sniper rifle scopes and consistent ammo preservation between gameplay sessions through the utilization of ammo storage skills. With this improvement, players could seamlessly transition into melee combat without being interrupted by enemy attacks. New issues have arisen, including endless loading screens and discrepancies between Nest completions and the Rook’s progress meter, among others.
The awaited 60 FPS Efficiency Mode for Xbox Series X/S finally arrives in October’s update, a welcome addition to the console ecosystem. Pursuing optimal results in both helpful and futile endeavors has undergone significant enhancements. One of the most underappreciated grievances is the woeful aiming mechanism, coupled with an astonishing paucity of options to fine-tune its performance. The performance has been optimized further to seamlessly integrate with a diverse range of system settings.
While the latest update does not overwhelm with novel objectives, plunder, or adversaries, players can now engage in strategic stealth take-downs against Cultists and Bellwether foes. The missions’ encounters exhibited consistent tweaks, leading to an open world where encounters with additional enemies boasted unique interactions to discover. Significant quality-of-life enhancements have been implemented, including interactive surfaces designated for vaulting and mantling, as well as enhanced consistency in compass markers and goal locations that require players to explore their surroundings.
The November update brought with it a game-changing addition: the unparalleled Unmatched Sniper Rifle in Basilisk. The distinct advantage of this full journal lies in its initial bullet, imbued with UV energy that has the peculiar ability to fossilize Vampires upon impact. Far from providing ultimate protection against both friends and foes, this item’s ability to deflect petrification is a welcome addition to the treasure trove.
Enemies’ balance has undergone adjustments in various cases. Until you’ve completed specific missions or reached a predetermined point in the game, you won’t come across Shrouds, Anglers, or Siphons. Despite this, foes become increasingly formidable, with Watchers responding more swiftly to players within their field of view, the Siphon exhibiting enhanced resilience against fire-based attacks, and Soulless enemies delivering devastating blows at close quarters. Human enemies have received a significant boost in difficulty – they can now ascend awnings. Really wondrous.
While Arkane Austin has yet to share details about the two new heroes introduced with the Chunk Again Version’s Hero Go feature, the studio has committed to providing more information on this topic in 2024. Despite a challenging inaugural year, however, there was reason to remain optimistic.
As the first anniversary quietly passed without fanfare, there was no announcement, not even a modest social media post to commemorate the milestone. On July 5th, Microsoft suddenly announced that two renowned game developers, Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin, alongside Alpha Dog Studios, would be ceasing operations. The Bethesda-owned Roundhouse Studios, whose expertise in building immersive worlds could be leveraged to enhance the ZeniMax Online Studios’ projects.
The surprise announcement arrived unexpectedly from Arkane, as the team was still focused on developing its new heroes and a forthcoming update to include offline play. As it appears, abandoned servers remain operational, while buyers of the Chunk Again Version or its upgraded counterpart can claim a refund.
Although initially uncertain, Arkane Austin ultimately confirmed that the replacement would indeed launch and mark the game’s finale before the studio’s closure. The package arrived on August 30th, bringing with it a modest yet significant array of fresh features. A pioneering innovation in popularity dynamics, the Group Standing system has been introduced, with its progression driven by three key factors: unlocking Safehouses, rendering aid to civilians, and eliminating formidable Underbosses.
Filling this gap was no straightforward task, however. The Group Standing system boasted an impressive talent tree, comprising six distinct ranks, each offering 39 unique rewards. Human enemies could drop extra ammunition upon death, while Grave Locks displayed on your map and compass for easier navigation, and unlocked Safehouses featured enjoyable turrets. Available for unlocking were reduced injury from the Rook’s lightning strikes, enhanced rewards from Anglers, Shrouds, and Siphons, increased frequency of Unmatched Objects, and a unique cloak that would activate when health levels dropped to critically low.
Newly introduced Elder Nests pose a significant challenge as players must vanquish powerful vampires to reap the rewards of temporary benefits, including the ability to regenerate ammunition in holstered weapons and receive healing under the purifying effects of ultraviolet light. Gamers can now continue playing offline, maintaining momentum in their marketing efforts even when disconnected from the internet, and pause temporarily while enjoying a solo gaming experience. Despite the absence of patch notes, Arkane Austin highlighted several improvements, including novel enemy encounters in Redfall Commons, enhanced AI performance, addressing Story Mode issues, and introducing an unprecedented Unmatched Weapon; however, this announcement arrived too late to have a significant impact.
Despite the studio’s closure, the game still holds a “Overwhelmingly Negative” rating on Steam, with only 37% of user reviews being positive. Among the minority of constructive reviews (81% of 44 current critiques being positive), filtering yields a tangible payoff from the innovative Group Standing system and the introduction of offline play. While many enthusiasts confess that the true essence of this sport is best experienced at a high level, they also acknowledge that you must be willing to invest significantly to truly appreciate its beauty. Even with the financial burden, it remains utterly captivating. In the end, the character’s redemption arc was disappointingly brief.
Like numerous software service titles, Stay experienced its share of reported improvement issues. While the closure of Arkane Austin may bring mixed emotions, with nostalgia prevailing among those fond of its early work on single-player games, as well as disappointment from staff members striving to revitalize the sport. What could have been had the studio’s innovative pitch for a single-player focused immersive sim come to fruition, sparking wonder and curiosity about the potential of this abandoned concept.
Arkane Lyon’s decision to stay is poetically fitting, as their next challenge becomes another game of vanquishing vampires, a striking parallel. As the extra issues persist, the same problems continue to arise, but perhaps the outcome will ultimately favour the studio’s interests.
