Arriving to play 90 minutes of Redfall, I’m surprised to find out I won’t be getting to try it out in co-op. Everything leading up to launch seems to have emphasized this as an experience to be shared, your team of four combining their vampire-hunting abilities and specialties to fight back against the forces of darkness.

Before I start, however, creative director Harvey Smith assures me that it’s designed as much for solo as multiplayer—you can play it however you want. It’s just a different experience, he explains: alone or as a pair, it’s a little slower and more strategic, whereas with three or four it’s fast-paced and chaotic.

But by the end of my session, I’m left worried that that doesn’t ring true. I think the unfortunate reality may be that is caught between two identities—lacking something when played alone,