Bethesda’s new AAA game, Deathloop, hits the UK market on Tuesday, and though it’s a fresh title, its DNA is all too familiar.
Building on the success of the immensely popular Dishonored title, Bethesda has created a new beast entirely.
Drawing on elements of stealth and supernatural powers found in Dishonored, the game integrates those functions and mechanics to create an enthralling new thriller.
Dying in video games is rarely the end of the journey for the player, but Deathloop takes that concept to a whole new narrative level.
The game takes the concept of players’ characters dying repeatedly to a new place
Playing as the protagonist, Colt, you must break a time loop that envelopes the world – a time loop that resets when you die, or complete a level.
By replaying different levels, the player learns more about the surroundings, movements of enemies throughout different times of the day, and can tackle previous puzzles and scenarios with new abilities.
For example, a group of enemies that previously would have been impossible to defeat, are suddenly more vulnerable when faced with your newfound ability of teleportation.
With every loop you play, you also learn more about the mystery behind the Groundhog-Day you find yourself in.
Playing as a character with amnesia, you slowly relearn forgotten events – and forgotten skills.
Unlike Dishonored, however, Deathloop adds a brand new element to the tried and tested formula.
In this game, Colt can be tracked and hunted down by the antagonist, Julianna.
She will follow you, find you, fight you, and if you’re not careful, bring your loop to a swift end.
Defeating her rewards the player with new abilities and enhancements.
But Bethesda has added a new twist – the ability for other online players to control and play as Julianna.
This means no two playthroughs are the same, and ramps up the thrill in a previously purely single-player game genre.
Other online players can join the game and target the main character
As with most new red-carpet releases, Deathloop’s graphics make full use of the PS5’s powerful new tech, and look stunning – despite some levels being so dark, they force the player to squint.
The sound and voice acting are immersive, and the combat is fluid and forgiving. Erroneous button presses are not always immediately punished, a welcome reprieve most stealth games do not offer.
It is sure to join the ranks of Bethesda’s other glorified titles such as Fallout; a group of games whose latest online iteration, Fallout 76, has not always enjoyed the praise other games in the series received.
Deathloop is released on Tuesday exclusively on PS5 (before coming to Xbox next year), and PC.
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