As you slowly begin to learn about Blackreef, you'll also see how the Visionaries are each deeply involved in their own pursuits - pursuits they're in the middle of as you hunt them down. Much of the story is progressed through Colt finding written documents, audio tapes and computer-archived conversations produced by the Visionaries. Sometimes you'll hear them grapple with the same confusing questions Colt has. Observe the Eternalists and you'll hear them banter and gossip, and even goad one another into hazardous stunts, since dying in Blackreef just means starting your day again. Not just its beautiful (and haunting) scenery, but the alluring personality it flaunts every second of every loop.Īs Colt, you feel like you're invading a world that happily exists without you. But Deathloop's greatest asset is Blackreef itself. Arkane Studios has taken all of the elements of a next-generation blockbuster - excellent voice acting and spectacular visuals - and used those resources to create a world that's cohesive, consistent and really, really cool.Ĭolt and Julianna are compelling main characters, and the timeloop in which you're ensnared is fascinating to behold. It's slick and stylish, but also quirky and funny. This will come as no surprise to anyone who's watched a trailer for Deathloop, but one of the game's biggest strengths is its personality. The relationship between Colt and Julianna is one of Deathloop's many unfolding mysteries. Picking the latter lets you play as Julianna, where you're dropped into another player's game and encouraged to wreck shop - similar to Dark Souls invasions. Picking the former puts you in Colt's boots, the story mode option. When you boot up Deathloop, you'll see a screen with two options: 'Break the loop' or 'Protect the loop'. You'll be rewarded with weapons and Slab upgrades if you down her.

You can either hack a radio transmitter to reopen them and then escape - said transmitter is usually close to Julianna, making you vulnerable - or you can try and get her before she gets you. When this happens, all the exits to the level are shut.

It's one of Blackreef's many tantalizing mysteries.Īs you play through a level, you'll often see a message on screen saying that Julianna is on the hunt. Julianna hates Colt and Colt doesn't know why. Colt is disoriented and confused, while Julianna seems to know everything about him. The interplay between Colt and Julianna is immediately striking.

While you go about eliminating the Visionaries, Julianna is going about eliminating you. She's your arch nemesis in Deathloop, taunting you as she foils your designs on breaking the loop. It's not just the level design that keeps things spicy from day to day, but also Julianna. (You can also experiment with combining the effects of these Slabs the launch day trailer showed Colt killing Eternalists in ways I never even thought of.)ĭeathloop is inspired by '60s culture, as well as James Bond. Colt is a badass, but he's not a superhero - you can clear waves and waves of enemies, but it takes skill and strategy.

Lingering for a few seconds too long can alert Eternalists (the bad guys) to your presence, and the game is designed so that mindless shooting reliably ends up getting you killed. Whether your style is passive or aggressive, you'll need timing, precision and coordination. Some are handy if you like to play as if you're Rambo himself, while other Slabs are for the more discreet among us. There are five Slabs, but Colt can only equip two at a time, which means you'll have to be judicious. Slabs are magic slates that give you wicked powers, including temporary invisibility, while trinkets grant you enhanced attributes, like extra health, more ammo or the ability to double jump. In addition to an array of guns, you'll also get access to Slabs and trinkets.

Deathloop multiplayer