Bethesda subsidiary, Arcane Studios, is a fan favorite. After 2012's Dishonored, the company has catapulted to mainstream recognition. While many companies are content to revel in a critically acclaimed franchise indefinitely, Arkane Studios is different. They aim to test the skills they've accumulated over the past decade.
Arkane Studios' upcoming title aims to meld the mechanics from their previous titles with something innovative. The developers plan on adding new and interesting twists to their traditional narrative structure. Deathloop aims to carve out another niche in supernatural and otherworldly tales. This is a game that the creators of Dishonored have refined for over a decade.
10 A Comedic Tone
Dishonored focuses on a serious narrative. It's a game that follows Corvo Attano's mission for revenge against those who framed him for murder. This assassin will stop at nothing to clear his name.
While Deathloop doesn't abandon the visceral combat of its predecessors, it does add some humorous elements. In this franchise, players will take control of Colt, an assassin tasked with eliminating eight targets on a strange island called Blackreef. To him, this is just a job and one he would like to finish quickly.
9 Branching Paths and Divergent Scenarios
There's more to Blackreef than Colt initially expected. With eight targets to eliminate before midnight, he'll have to move quickly. Some targets can be dealt with simultaneously, but it's up to players to decide how to dispose of Colt's enemies.
The mission shown in the "Two Birds One Stone" trailer sees Colt eliminating two of his eight targets at one party. To do so, he'll have to intervene with their schedules to make sure they're at the same place he expects them to be. This is just one of the options players can choose in their playthrough of Deathloop.
8 An Assassin Storyline
Colt is an assassin aiming to take out the residents of Blackreef. Unlike in Dishonored, he has a rival that aims to take him out as well. The aim for Colt is to eliminate all eight targets on his list before the clock strikes midnight.
Should he fail to do so, a mysterious phenomenon will occur, resetting the day endlessly until he succeeds. The only way for Colt to escape this repetitive hell is to complete his mission. This is made even more difficult as he is both hunter and prey.
7 Supernatural Abilities
The setting isn't the only supernatural component of Deathloop. Colt has several powers that help him tackle Blackreefs hostile residents. These include teleportation, telekinesis, and object manipulation. He has to combine his otherworldly skills with weapons to take out his targets as quickly as possible.
Every action matters and mistakes can be costly. Mastery of these abilities will hasten progress get Colt one step closer to his goal. For a protagonist tired of living the same day repetitively, perfection is the aim to end this loop.
6 Multiplayer Components
Over the course of Deathloop, Colt is hunting while evading execution. Julianna Blake is an assassin on the opposing side. She helps defend Colt's targets from him. He'll have to best her continually throughout the time loop to succeed in his mission.
Similar to how games in Dark Souls can be invaded by other players, Deathloop has a system that allows others to take control of Julianna and hunt Colt down. Multiplayer features are optional in case players don't want to confront other users. In this case, Julianna Blake is an AI component of the game that tracks Colt down regardless. In both situations, Julianna will be an obstacle to overcome.
5 Prominent Black Protagonists
It's hard to believe that even in 2021 games with minorities as protagonists are still a rarity. It's monumental that Deathloop has decided to use not one Black leading character, but two. Both Colt and Julianna are Black leads in a medium sorely in need of more diversity.
This gives representation to a group of people who are rarely able to play as characters that they identify with. Except for RPGs with customizable protagonists, Deathloop is an outlier in mainstream gaming's status quo of the white male protagonists. Hopefully, more games that give a unique perspective will come along thanks to Arkane Studios' lead.
4 Unique Weaponry
One aspect of Deathloop that aims to distinguish it from other First Person Shooters is its unique weapon choices. From guns that shoot nails to akimbo machine pistols, Arkane Studios shows interest in creating a game that is as fresh an experience as possible.
While the entire library of weapons hasn't been shown yet, there is no doubt that Arkane will churn out a set that sets it apart from other games in the genre. They even plan to use the features of the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller to create an even more immersive gun-toting experience.
3 Stylized Visuals
In addition to unique weaponry, Arkane Studios aims to create a game with a memorable art style. Instead of trying to create hyper-realistic models, the team instead focuses on a comic-like creation. With jagged edges and exaggerated shading, Deathloop sets itself apart from its competition.
The choice to continue the trend set by Dishonored to forsake realistic looks for a style that ages far better will ensure this game stands against the test of time better than creations that do their best to create state-of-the-art visuals.
2 Time Loops
The premise of Deathloop sees Colt reliving the same day endlessly in pursuit of several targets. Each time he fails to eliminate them all before midnight, he starts the day over. Because of this, players can take advantage of previous attempts to rewind and create favorable situations for Colt. Is taking two targets out individually taking too much time? Try seeing if there is a way to force them together. As "Two Birds, One Stone" highlights, there are multiple ways to tackle the challenges of Blackreef.
1 Timed PlayStation Exclusivity
Those interested in Deathloop will have to either play on PlayStation 5 or PC. This title is a timed console exclusive to Sony, as the deal was set before Microsoft acquired Bethesda. The title will eventually make its way to the Xbox Series X|S, but that is speculated to happen in 2022.
On the upside, there will likely be more content available to those who wait out this release for a year at a fraction of the price. It's also possible that Microsoft will put this title on Xbox Game Pass as they have multiple Bethesda titles, including Doom Eternal.