Deathloop Is Very Good

Deathloop is out today, and it’s one of the most exciting and mind-bending games I’ve played in a long time.

As a matter of fact, I’ve been playing the game for the better part of a week now, but I’m just getting the opportunity to tell you how much I’ve been enjoying it.

In Deathloop (created by Arkane Lyon, the folks behind Dishonored), you play as Colt. He washes up on a beach while morbidly hungover, and has this sinking feeling that he’s been on this beach before. The thing is, he has. Yesterday. And the day before that, and the day before that, and so-on. Shortly after getting his bearings, he encounters Julianna, who he can’t remember for the life of him – but finds out really quickly is out to kill him.

On the island of Blackreef, Cole discovers, time loops infinitely, dooming anybody on the island to repeat the same day over and over. The only way to “break the loop” (we think) is to assassinate eight of the island’s “Visionaries” before the day ends. This means the player needs to relive the same day over and over, gathering new weapons, intelligence, codes, abilities, and more each time.

Deathloop is officially classified as a first-person shooter, but it’s incredibly tough to pin it down as just one genre. It’s an adventure game, a puzzle game, a shooter, a platformer, a rogue-lite, and it’s all tied together with Metroid-esque re-treading. It’s got so many familiar elements that are used in new and unique ways – I just don’t feel right pigeonholing it into one category.

Deathloop is exciting, frustrating, thought-provoking, hilarious, sad, and so many more things – and I’m only like 10 hours in. Our full review is on the way, but do yourselves a favor and go check it out now.