Welcome to Blackreef. 

Arkane Studios has released “Deathloop”, their latest title, on Sept. 13 to Playstation 5 and PC.

The game allows the perspective of former head of security of the AEON Program Colt Vahn on an island called Blackreef that is in the constant stasis of looping the same day.

Colt plots to stop the loop by killing all of the Visionaries, the runners of the program. Attempting to stop Colt is Julianna Blake, the new head of security and one of the Visionaries.

The game’s biggest mechanic is the loop. The same day is played through everyday, with four different areas and times of day: morning, noon, afternoon, and evening. The loop ends when you either die or the day ends. 

The game has you tackling multiple objectives in a loop, from killing the Visionaries to looking for clues to uncover the mystery of the island.

Another unique feature is playing against Julianna to protect the loop. She occasionally spawns into the area, turns off tunnels and hunts the player down. 

While it is a great idea on paper, the execution is very one sided.

In terms of the weapon variety, it is very basic with only ten weapons and limited variants for effects and buffs. In my opinion, the best gun was the Strelak Verso, dual welded pistols that can be attached to form a burst SMG. 

The writing is one of this game’s big strengths. The game starts off as a total mystery that progresses into learning the secrets of the island by exploring areas and reading messages. Although being somewhat comedic all the way through, I felt that it never overstayed its welcome. 

The tone of the game is less serious than previous works of Arkane Studios, with a more cartoonish feeling to the tone of the story. 

While not being anything groundbreaking or “next gen” when it comes to graphics, the game has its own style that still looks great nonetheless. The cartoonish graphics and animated stencil artwork fit the tone of the game perfectly. 

With two black leads and a primarily black and brown cast, the game represents a positive shift toward diverse characters and actors. While not integral to the plot at all, it is very great to see such a cast in a video game. 

Overall, the game is a very refreshing experience. While it has its flaws, the gameplay still manages to be very enjoyable. It is a great title that had me hooked for the twenty hours it took me to complete. If you are one of the few who have a PS5 or a powerful enough PC, I recommend picking it up.

Rating: 8/10