This Deathloop PS5 review may contain minor spoilers…
I really wanted to like Deathloop. It was first revealed back at E3 2019 and failed to make much of an impression. Sure, it was covered by all the mainstream outlets. It was developed by Arkane after all – best known for the popular Dishonored series. But there was a notable lack of enthusiasm for it. And its further promotion during June 2020’s PlayStation 5 event did little to build excitement amongst curious spectators. Simply put, it suffered from an identity crisis – few could figure out exactly what kind of game Deathloop would be.
When it was released last month, it took everyone by surprise. Some reviewers awarded it perfect 10s and there were plenty of 8s and 9s across the board. Now I’m not one to take review scores too seriously (he says while writing a review). If you like a game, you like it. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. However, in this case, I did wonder how a game that initially seemed like a definite wait-for-discount had achieved such incredible scores. So, FOMO drove me to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. And I wish I could say I was as impressed as everyone else seemed to be. I’ll say it again – I really wanted to like Deathloop. But, in reality, I was left feeling thoroughly underwhelmed by it from start to finish.
Deathloop PS5 review – What is Deathloop about?
Most people thinking about buying Deathloop are probably wondering what it’s actually about. Let’s face it – its marketing left a lot to be desired. In Deathloop, you play as Colt. Colt is an assassin caught in a timeloop on a mysterious island called Blackreef. Every day, he wakes up on the beach in the same spot. He’s pursued by a mysterious woman (Julianna) who’s trying to kill him. She knows exactly who he is and can remember the events of each loop. After a while, Colt begins to carry memories from one loop to the next. This is where the game begins.
Colt sets out to break the timeloop, but learns he must kill eight of the island’s key figures (called ‘Visionaries’). This needs to be done in a very specific order at certain times in the day – and they all must be dead by midnight otherwise the loop resets. Essentially, you’ll spend most of your time locating the Visionaries, figuring out how and when to kill them, and learning the true nature of the timeloop.
Story
Despite an initial interest early on, I didn’t find Deathloop‘s story engaging. Its characters are mostly irritating and unlikeable, perhaps due to the game’s incessant Borderlands-esque humour. This stuff was funny 10 years ago – now, it’s just grating. Colt has some decent moments and Julianna is OK as the main baddie, but they’re just filling the necessary roles. It seems as if Arkane went out their way to try and make them cool and edgy. They swear a lot. They shout a lot. And they talk about how much they love murdering each other. They’re not particularly deep, although revelations in the game’s latter half did help me feel a bit more invested in their rivalry.
As you progress, you learn more about each Visionary – particularly their reason for being on Blackreef, their connection to the timeloop, and their relationships with each other. Audio and computer logs, diary entries, and secret documents flesh out their backstories and it’s interesting (at least early on) to learn more about them. If you find yourself enjoying the story more than I did, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of reasons to hang around Blackreef uncovering as much information as possible about the island and its inhabitants.
Deathloop does have its twists and turns (which are somewhat predictable), and they’re likely to be the main reason you’ll stick with the story. Having said that, it does take a while to figure out exactly what’s going on. And by the time it all becomes clearer, I suspect some players will have given up.
Gameplay
If you’ve played Dishonored, you’ve played Deathloop. In my opinion, it does little to improve on the Dishonored formula. This may be surprising to some considering the first Dishonored was released in 2012. But Deathloop could easily be mistaken for a PS3 game if it weren’t for its visuals (more on graphics in a moment). For most of the game’s duration your main focus will be acquiring and using shooty guns (no surprises there). Some guns are big, others are small. Weapons have different rarity levels, too – Grey, Blue, Purple, and Gold. The rarer, the better. Unfortunately, most of the guns feel similar and variety is limited. I found that I acquired some decent ones and stuck with them for the majority of my playthrough with minimal incentive to upgrade.
Stealth is an option and Colt is equipped with a machete for subtle takedowns. You can also use Colt’s Hackamajig gadget to hack into security cameras and turrets or trigger distractions – this helps you slip by unnoticed. But you’ll find most enemy encounters are best dealt with head-on, which can be really fun at times. However, Deathloop‘s AI is just laughable. The enemies (called ‘Eternalists) in this game are so dumb. You can kill one right next to another and they won’t notice. They often fail to react to nearby gunfire and explosions, too, and hiding from them for a brief period will end an alert. Because of this, I found Deathloop to be one of the easiest games I’ve played in years. You don’t have to worry too much about strategy, stealth or loadouts – just approach a level however you want and you’ll probably be just fine.
Deathloop PS5 review – Districts and time periods
There are four main areas of Blackreef to explore: Updaam, Karl’s Bay, Fristad Rock, and The Complex. Each are playable across the loop’s four time periods: Morning, Noon, Afternoon, and Evening. The districts change depending on the time of day and this means assassinations and missions can’t be completed whenever you feel like it. You’ll have to wait for the right time. Often, this simply requires you to use the game’s wait option to skip to the next period. Periods aren’t timed, which means you can visit an area in the morning and it will never change to noon. Time will only advance if you die (and the loop restarts) or if you leave the area.
Loadouts and Slabs
Loadouts are Deathloop‘s attempt at making it seem like the game requires more thought than it actually does. When you find a weapon, if you want to keep it across loops you need to ‘infuse’ it with Residuum. Residuum is a sort-of in-game currency that can be collected from shiny objects scattered around Blackreef and from killing the Visionaries. You can upgrade weapons and yourself using Trinkets, which provide buffs such as improved accuracy, less recoil, increased damage, faster health regeneration etc, etc. Obviously, they’re useful. But I didn’t find myself needing to think too much about them. Deathloop is so easy that any buffs you equip just make it even easier. And that’s why loadouts don’t really matter – just get yourself some semi-decent guns and you should be good to go.
Slabs grant Colt special abilities and are collected (and upgraded) by killing Visionaries. They allow you to rapidly jump forward, link enemies together so you can kill them all at once, go invisible, and more. They help mix up the action and are invaluable when completing missions. If you’re going to focus on acquiring and upgrading anything in Deathloop, make sure it’s the Slabs.
Deathloop PS5 review – Graphics and sound
Deathloop‘s graphics won’t have you staring in awe at your screen. But they’re nice. They have a comic book charm to them and occasionally resemble Borderlands‘ art style. Gun fire, explosions, bodies, and blood are usually flying all over the place, and the game’s visuals help immerse you in the mayhem. The same can be said of Deathloop‘s sound design, which brings the carnage and craziness of Blackreef and its assorted weaponry to life.
Verdict
If you’re asking “should I buy Deathloop“, I’d say wait until it’s on sale. I’m sure plenty of people out there will enjoy its chaotic gameplay and wacky humour. But this isn’t the perfect game some are saying it is. And it certainly didn’t blow me away. I had fun at times and occasionally felt invested in its story. It was a reasonably enjoyable way to spend a handful of afternoons. However, it did little keep me hooked throughout. At the end of my time with it, I was ready for it to be over and I didn’t feel compelled to stick around in Blackreef any longer than I needed to. In short, Deathloop is overrated. And I won’t be repeating this loop any time soon.
Final Score: 6/10
Version played: PS5
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