| Deathloop | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Arkane Lyon |
| Publisher(s) | Bethesda Softworks |
| Director(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Yoann Guilloud |
| Designer(s) | Gauthier Roussel |
| Programmer(s) | Hugues Tardif |
| Artist(s) | Sébastien Mitton |
| Writer(s) |
|
| Composer(s) | Tom Salta |
| Series | Dishonored |
| Engine | Void Engine |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | PlayStation 5, Windows 14 September 2021 Xbox Series X/S 20 September 2022 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Deathloop is a 2021 first-person shooter immersive sim video game developed by Arkane Lyon and published by Bethesda Softworks. The player assumes control of Colt Vahn, an assassin who is stuck in a time loop. He must destroy the time loop by killing eight targets known as the Visionaries before midnight before the time loop resets anew, while being hunted by the island's inhabitants and Julianna, a Visionary who seeks to protect the loop. Each day is divided into four periods (morning, noon, afternoon, and evening), and moving between the island's four districts causes time to advance. Through using Colt's diverse arsenal of gears and powers, the player must identify the optimal way to assassinate all targets in one day, executing the "golden loop" where Colt manages to break free.
Development began in 2018, originally as a smaller-scale project for Arkane to experiment with new gameplay mechanics. The game built on Arkane's previous works such as Dishonored and introduced various improvements such as nonlinear gameplay and the removal of a morality system, enabling players to take more risks without considering possible narrative repercussions. Arkane used the opportunity to implement an unused gameplay mechanic from their unreleased game, The Crossing, namely the asymmetrical multiplayer component which enables a second player to control Julianna and hunt Colt. A large number of films and TV series inspired the game's story and aesthetics, while the Scottish Highlands and the Faroe Islands inspired the design of Blackreef, the game's setting.
Deathloop was released for Windows PC and PlayStation 5 in September 2021, and Xbox Series X and Series S a year later. While the story of the game takes place in the Dishonored universe, Bethesda did not market it as a spin-off of the franchise as it has its own distinct story and characters. The game received generally positive reviews upon release, with critics praising its gameplay, structure, art direction, characters and story, while criticizing its artificial intelligence. Many critics described Deathloop as a very original title, and regarded it as one of Arkane Studio's best games. The game attracted more than 5 million players upon launch, and it was nominated for several end-of-year accolades, including Game of the Year at the annual The Game Awards, D.I.C.E. Awards, and British Academy Games Awards.