Deathloop

Deathloop encases fun investigation work and satisfying combat in a unique time loop mechanic to create a tremendously satisfying adventure.

Deathloop offers an engaging blend of shooting and stealth in one endlessly looping day. It leaves a lot of room for players to experiment with their preferred approach to combat and exploration, which makes it stimulating and exciting to play. A multiplayer invasion mode, too, has so much potential if it actually takes off – it could keep you playing for many hours more. Deathloop won't be for everyone, but its mix of ideas comes together so confidently that it's easily a game of the year contender for us.

I've argued in the past that this contradiction is fundamental to the immersive sim genre, but Arkane is unique in making it a question of story and setting. We see this in the opening and closing moments of 2017's Prey, in Dishonored 2's Clockwork Mansion and in the studio's penchant for villains who are domineering game designers in all but name. And we see it in Deathloop, which takes that curious inside/outside thinking and applies it to Time itself.

Taken as a single-player experience, Deathloop feels complete and incredibly well-rounded. The extra injection of optional multiplayer action is a fabulous cherry on top. Basically, Deathloop is everything I wanted it to be. It’s confident both as a successor to many of the ideas of Dishonored while also expressly its own thing, with a tone and sense of style I absolutely adore. It’s one of my favourite games of the year - and one we’ll surely be talking about for months to come.

A real gem of a game; a puzzle to figure out over time - but one that lets you approach its scenarios in myriad ways. It's a treat for PS5 and PC gamers (and eventually Xbox owners in 2022).

Deathloop is the kind of game that will get in your head and stay there even when you’re not playing. Colt is a great protagonist, the intricate environmental design is a dream to explore, and the loop system keeps things fresh and offers so much replayability. Simply put, Deathloop is fantastic.

Deathloop combines a classic Arkane stealthy-shooty foundation with a genuinely interesting and fun premise to aplomb. This is going to be on a lot of Game of the Year lists.

A true tour de force from Arkane that is bound to be one of the year's best and most important games.

Deathloop is a magnificently unstructured FPS filled with loads of weapons and abilities that never stops being fun.

The inspired art style, mind-bending story and groovy soundtrack are all the cherry on top of this sundae of superb open-ended gameplay and a ton of skills to experiment with, the result being one loop worth traveling through again and again.

Deathloop is a bloody, chaotic mess. A mess you will fail at over and over until finally, you succeed. And that success – the result of hours of experimentation, iteration, and knowledge – makes for one of the best games of the year.

Deathloop is one of the most innovative games from a major publisher that I’ve ever played, using the time loop mechanic to fantastic effect. With lots of clever puzzles and engaging combat, as well as a genius multiplayer element, this is one of the best games of 2021 yet.