

Most importantly, Deathloop’s gunplay is outstanding, and feels even spicier on PlayStation 5’s tech. The maps remain the same, but they're rich sandboxes stuffed with secrets.

Knowledge in Deathloop is paramount, and an otherwise stumbled loop feels suitably rewarded by another kernel of info, checking boxes and moving Colt closer to his quarry. A brisk tutorial loop opens up the four quadrants of Blackreef for exploration, with four different time slots shifting enemies and access. What's safe to describe is Colt’s infectious charisma and humor, foil Julianna’s penetrative ongoing taunts over radio, and the dozens of notes and excellently-performed audio logs that flesh out the cadre of Visionaries. There’s definitely more to the story than that, though spoiler sensitivity stifles any details. Related: The Persistence Enhanced Review: A Unique Roguelike FPS With A Fresh Look Colt disagrees, surmising that the only way to break this bloody Groundhog Day is to kill each of them before sunrise, a task described as “the golden loop.” How this all functions is a sizable part of Deathloop’s unfurling narrative and lore, but suffice to say it’s got something to do with anomalies, science experiment tomfoolery, and a cast of eight quixotic Visionaries, singular thought-leaders who all have a hand in the island’s madcap function and wish it preserved.

Protagonist Colt is trapped in one single 24-hour cycle on the island of Blackreef, and its resident Eternalists party hard and die quick, living out their violent routines over and over.
