Unsurprising given that the new generation of gaming hardware is still blimmin’ tricky to get your hands on almost a year after first launching, but Sony’s PlayStation 5 is only slowly building its library of console exclusives. A few months back, Housemarque brought Returnal exclusively to the platform. This is a time-look sci-fi first-person shooter which saw you controlling a character on a harsh planet and forced to relive day after day. Joining them in the time-looping first-person shooter genre is Arkane Studios and Bethesda Softworks, with their take on the concept, DEATHLOOP. Although there may initially be some similarities between the two, they are both gameplay-wise and stylistically very different. I would argue that Arkane has done more to cater to a broader audience and deliver a slightly quirky and addictive experience that combines FPS mechanics with mystery gameplay.
The game jumps straight into things, with you stepping into the shoes of protagonist Colt as the main antagonist, Julianna, is bludgeoning him. Waking up on the shores of a beach as if his murder didn’t happen and with a nasty case of amnesia, he soon discovers (with some guidance from Julianna taunting him in an earpiece) that he is trapped in a time loop on the island of Blackreef. Unlike other time loops, this is not one occurring by accident, having been purposefully used for an unknown period for an unknown purpose. However, for reasons he cannot remember, he is declared a threat by everyone as a ‘traitor’. On the island are eight ‘Visionaries’, individuals who must be taken down to bring the loop to an end. Yet… with all of them in different places at different times… Colt will have a hell of a time accomplishing this goal. In a game of cause and effect, you will have to take on the role of a sleuth, piecing together how your actions impact the progression of events. And if you get gunned down… well, there is always next loop.
Most first-person shooters are all about the violence, providing plentiful opportunities to take down foes in violent or garish ways – and DEATHLOOP is no exception. But let’s be honest, that approach to game design isn’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, and Arkane Studios have effectively balanced it out by making many elements of this 1960s time loop utopia or hell very eccentric. While an organisation of individuals who have conceptualised a time loop might be perceived as cold, cruel and ruthless in many games, in many ways, the cast are eccentric. With Cole and Julianna having radio communication throughout the game, the banter between the pair shines, with the other visionaries also having interesting personalities from an artist with access to a nuclear weapon to a game-obsessed shut-in.
While some may perceive the game’s conclusion to be lacklustre, the journey to that point rewards exploration and comes down to more than taking down threats. From the start, it is made clear that there is no way to kill all eight Visionaries in one day individually, but by taking them down individually and discovering clues about their actions on the day, Colt (and in turn, you) can start plotting a route which will able this to occur. DEATHLOOP is brimming with notes, puzzles and hidden areas containing small bits of titbits towards reaching the end – and it makes the four areas the game confines you to seem all the much more extensive and grander. Out of the game’s I have played this year, I would argue DEATHLOOP has the best narrative journey out of them all.
Rather than taking place in an open-world environment, each loop in DEATHLOOP is split up into four time periods (Morning, Noon, Afternoon and Evening). During each of these four periods, you are given access to one of four locations on BlackReef – Fristad Rock, Karl’s Bay, Updaam and The Complex. Different events occur at different times of day, and jumping between locales and periods shall potentially lead Colt to break the loop. Rather than having your adventure timed down to the minute, there is no set time limit for visiting each area, with any pre-defined events happening through the player reaching a part of the map or interacting with a particular object. Given the game’s focus on uncovering the mystery of the loop and rewarding exploration over going all-in guns blazing, I prefer this much more. I don’t think the game would be anywhere near as enjoyable if forced into a race-against-the-clock – so I am glad they decided to keep the timing simple. It is also so much fun getting a peek at what takes place early in the game – such as a grand party at Updaam with fireworks at night, and being able to progressively work towards getting into that party and getting one step closer to the ending. But ultimately, having that freedom to explore an area, discovering new nooks every time, and sometimes not getting my ass handed to me by AI mobs was ultimately a lot of fun.
While I am not a professed expert in first-person shooter gameplay mechanics, the complete opposite in fact, I would argue that the combat does offer a good challenge but is also not prohibitively challenging to those who may not dabble in the genre much. You are given access to a good variety of weapons across multiple quality tiers as you progress which can be used through accessible and intuitive combat systems. If you screw up, Colt can reverse time for himself only twice per day to get a chance at completing his task. This may not save you if you have crossed a point of no return and death is inevitable (Yeah, there are a few of those) or have used as CLASSPASS to lock you out of reversing time, but being able to resume with a second chance and a little bit wiser is an appropriate safety net which invites exploration and perhaps taking a risk or two.
Initially when you begin the game, anything you gather will only be accessible to you during the loop – before disappearing from your inventory once Colt awakens on that frigid beach once again. Fortunately this is only a momentary thing, as living off the lowest-tier weapons which have a tendency to jam would be a nightmare. Once you pass the early game, you obtain the ability to gather Residuum from defeated bosses and items scattered throughout the level. By collecting enough of this, you can trade them in to “infuse” the weapon, trinket or special ability to be able to retain it between loops. Of course, rarer items means a greater cost, so while it isn’t too difficult to gather a sizable arsenal (Especially if you have the Digital Deluxe Edition’s character trinket which increases Residuum gain), you shouldn’t expect to just jump into a level, grab a rare item, walk out of there and keep it.
On the note of customising Colt and Weapons, Trinkets are one source of improving Colt’s capabilities and making weapons just that little bit more robust. With four equippable to Colt and a further three attachable to each weapon – things like reload speed, health, damage, ammo limits etc can all be impacted by what you collect. Again, while you will likely end up with low-tier trinkets at the start, spending some time grinding or otherwise taking down high-level bosses will net you some great trinkets that can get you through tough times. Of greater note are the game’s ‘slabs’, Colt can obtain and equip up to two ‘Slabs’, granting him supernatural abilities which can define how certain enemies are dealt with. Want to go all-in? Using Nexus will allow you to link enemies up and deal damage to them all simultaneously. Wish to be super sneaky? The Shift slab and its upgrades will allow you to teleport across short distances – granting quicker access to rooftops or perhaps a window you can sneak in through. Most challenges can be tackled without these slabs, but define how you may approach them differently. Both slabs and trinkets are straightforward, and while they have their particular niches, are well-balanced enough that none are more impressive than the other. That said… Swift was virtually never unequipped for me.
DEATHLOOP is first and foremost a single-player game, however there is an online multiplayer element to it should you be so inclined. When loading up the game, players are given the option to Break The Loop which is the main campaign or Protect The Loop. In the latter, this mode will see players fill the shoes of Julianna, where you invade the game of another player and seek to take down Colt. It can be a lot of fun given the extra abilities you are given, but depending on how good you are as a player (and in turn, how competent your invader is), can result in a great run being destroyed. You can choose to shut off your internet connection to prevent this, although an NPC Julianna can still appear albeit much easier to defeat than most online players would be. It is a clever idea, although can easily become a WTF! moment early on.
In terms of audiovisual quality, DEATHLOOP hits all the marks. In terms of audio, the game’s soundtrack is primarily unobtrusive yet is always able to kick in to symbolise when a battle is about to break out or a special event is due to happen. The voice acting is also equally impressive, from both the lead voice actors (Jason E. Kelley and Ozioma Akagha) to the range of unique voices provided by professional voice actors, including Khoi Dao, Erika Ishii and Cherami Leigh.
Visually, the game is also stunning and has clearly been developed with the newest generation of hardware in mind. Players are given the option of going with the usual performance mode or the option to crank the graphical intensity to the max and enjoy the experience with ray-tracing 4K with no frame rate issues. BlackReef is a reasonably non-descript region which is quickly encroached by snow… at least at first. With some creative areas for each of the Visionaries, the island becoming more and more decrepit as the day goes on, and fireworks – there was a lot to appreciate while not going too overboard from a realistic vibe.
As I mentioned earlier in this review, DEATHLOOP is of a genre I typically do not play – partly because I suck when it comes to the multiplayer mechanics associated with the first-person shooter genre as a whole and find it so much more enjoyable being sneaky and calculated in my approach to levels. This is typically not possible when you feel like every player is aiming a gun at your head. DEATHLOOP gives the impression it was built with a wide variety of players in mind – welcoming those willing to show off their skills to take down hordes of enemies but also providing rewarding approaches for those who prefer using the environment and a slow approach to their advantage. Even if FPS’ are not your usual cup of tea, the mystery-oriented narrative and general personality of all characters will do much to have you enjoying the game from the start until its final moments. I am already eager to see what Arkane Studios has to throw gamers along the lines of DEATHLOOP in the future!
A PlayStation 5 review copy of DEATHLOOP was provided for the purpose of this review.
You can purchase DEATHLOOP digitally on the PC (via Bethesda.net or Steam, and both at retail and digitally (DD / SE) on the PlayStation 5.
