Deathloop is a brand new IP developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks that just went gold. This game is a first-person shooter where players will taking control of an assassin named Colt. The story takes place on a beach called Blackreef to where there’s a massive party popping. Evidently, this beach is the epicenter of an army base in which experiments have been tried out. As a result, this party is endless and the day keeps repeating itself with all the patrons being oblivious to what’s going on. The only person that remembers events of the previous night is Colt. Colt’s mission is to assassinate eight targets during this time period before midnight strikes. If one is still left alive, the entire time sequence restarts.
Using gameplay mechanics that were built from Dishonored and Prey, Arkane Studios is taking things further. Colt will be armed with a variety of gadgets and firearms as he navigates the game world to learn the behaviors and patterns of his targets. He will be able to stealth, parkour, and use powers to eliminate his enemies. This game will be all about trial and error as players will need to discover the best order to take out their targets. Players will need to experiment with Colt’s toolkit to see what’s the best course of action. Should a particular target be killed with a melee weapon or with an environmental boobie trap? It’s up to the player to find out how things should play out.
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Blue Deja Vu
Since we are well on our way into the next generation of games, a popular theme right now seems to be with time loops. Of course, with the specs that are now available for developers to utilize, the sky is pretty much the limit. So, why not toy around with the concept of time? Deathloop takes place on an island that acts as a pit of vipers for the main protagonist, Colt. Everyone on the island wants Colt dead and he has a small window of time to assassinate eight targets known as “The Visionaries.” As mentioned before, if he doesn’t accomplish his mission on time, or if he dies, the entire time loop resets. Just like Arkane Studios’ games of the past, this title will be a first-person shooter. Players will have total freedom to traverse the map and how to pursue their targets. The thing is, Deathloop does come with some mercy with this insane mission. If Colt dies in combat, he’ll be able to rewind time back to the latest checkpoint twice. After that, the day will start over again. Of course, this is a ability that will need to be unlocked early in the game.
The gameplay is reminiscent of Rage 2 or even Bioshock: Infinite in terms of fighting. Colt is armed with supernatural abilities to push enemies away, teleport, etc. Plus, he’ll have a plethora of firearms to use that range from shotguns, pistols, and sniper rifles. The kicker in Deathloop is that whenever the time loop restarts, Colt will lose all of his weapons. The only way to rectify this is by collecting “residuum.” This resource enables players to unlock gear, abilities, and weapons permanently. Therefore, players can customize Colt to suit their own playstyle throughout the game. Akin to the Hitman franchise, going in guns blazing isn’t necessarily the best way to go about things. Being patient and astute to Colt’s surroundings will ultimately win the day. Listening to conversations from henchmen will reveal routines of The Visionaries and even little shortcuts.
Chronos Chaos
Even though Colt will be busy completing his mission on Blackreef, there will be a wildcard out there. A rival assassin named Julianna will periodically invade the player’s session. She will be controlled either by A.I. or by another player. Her mission is to take out Colt to protect the island and keep the time loop going perpetually. Even though this is a nice little multiplayer component to Deathloop, it is entirely optional. Julianna is a vital part of the story and she will need to be dealt with through the course of the campaign. However, her being controlled by other players can be toggled off in the options. Deathloop will be taking a more mature approach to how they will treat the players. Whenever a target is in view, there will be no highlights or notifications. Therefore, this forces players to use their due diligence and learn how the targets look.
Of course, players will be chimed whenever a target is taken down. This will help chug along with the playthrough and keep the game going smoothly. This title will require some use of grey matter in terms of memorizing routines, the world’s layout, and execution. Luckily, the map of Blackreef will be riddled with little cryptic clues about the game’s story. Players will be encouraged to explore the map whenever they have some time to spare. There are all kinds of hidden areas and collectibles that help stitch together the relation between The Visionaries and time manipulation. Even though Colt is fairly nimble with this move set, there will be abilities unlocked that will help him reach certain places. So, after each loop, players can unlock abilities through the use of residuum. This will make every restart feel somewhat fresh with new tools to use and try out different pathways.
Feeling Loopy
Anybody that has seen the movie Boss Level will have a general idea of what Arkane Studios is shooting for. However, Deathloop is taking this basic premise and building it to a much grander scale. There will be plenty of content to dig into and its replayability will be near infinite. Players won’t have to wait much longer before they’ll get their hands on this new adventure. With the next generation kicking off it is refreshing to see new ideas, characters, and stories coming into fruition. This new IP may very well even kick off its own sub-genre in its own right. Deathloop will be releasing on September 14th for the PlayStation 5 and PC.to the Hitman franchise
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