| Deathloop | |
|---|---|
 European cover art featuring the two main characters: Colt (left) and Julianna (right) | |
| Developer(s) | Arkane Lyon |
| Publisher(s) | Bethesda Softworks |
| Director(s) |
|
| 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 that was developed by Arkane Lyon and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is set on an island named Blackreef. The player assumes control of Colt Vahn, an assassin who is stuck in a time loop he must destroy by killing eight targets known as Visionaries before midnight when the time loop resets, while being hunted by the island's residents and a Visionary named Julianna, who wants to protect the loop. Each day is divided into morning, noon, afternoon, and evening, and moving between the island's four districts causes time to advance. Using Colt's diverse arsenal of gears and powers, the player must identify the optimal way to kill all targets in one day to execute the "golden loop", in which Colt breaks free.
Development of Deathloop began in 2018, originally as a smaller-scale project that allowed Arkane to experiment with new gameplay mechanics. The game was built on Arkane's previous works, such as Dishonored, and introduced improvements such as nonlinear gameplay and the removal of a morality system, enabling players to take risks without considering possible narrative repercussions. Arkane implemented asymmetrical multiplayer, an unused gameplay mechanic from its unreleased game The Crossing that enables a second player to control Julianna and hunt Colt. Films and television series inspired the game's story and aesthetics, while the Scottish Highlands and the Faroe Islands inspired the design of Blackreef.
Deathloop was released in September 2021 for Windows PC and PlayStation 5, and a year later for Xbox Series X and Series S. While the game's story takes place in the Dishonored universe, Bethesda did not market it as a spin-off of that franchise because it has a distinct story and characters. Deathloop received generally positive reviews upon release; critics praised its gameplay, structure, art direction, characters and story, but criticized its artificial intelligence (AI). Many critics described Deathloop as an original title and regarded it as one of Arkane Studio's best games. The game attracted more than five 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.