For a long time, Arkane Studios has been known for the Dishonored series, consisting of first-person games that offer players a moral choice, allowing them to decide whether to covertly destroy their enemies or engage in direct combat. Part of Dishonored’s DNA can be found in Deathloop, the studio’s new intellectual property, which was launched in 2021. Although the premise is far from simple, the game with a turn in time managed to interest gamers and was a success with critics, managing to receive several awards, including the Critics Choice Award at the Golden Joystick Award ceremony 2021, as well as awards for best game direction and best art production at The Game Awards 2021.
Naturally, the question arises why such a successful game as Deathloop has not received significant expansion through DLC, which is often used by studios to increase the lifespan of single-player games. Admittedly, the nature of the Deathloop plot and the mechanics of the time loop make the game quite difficult to create DLC. However, with a little imagination, Arkane will be able to give gamers more pleasure from looping time.
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The complexity of Deathloop DLC development
Deathloop focuses on Colt Van, a military man who wakes up on the strange shores of Black Reef Island. Although he initially does not know how he got there, while piecing together the evidence, he gradually discovers that he is stuck in a time loop from which even suicide cannot save him. Fortunately, he receives hints from past versions of himself, who inform him that in order to escape, he must kill all eight seers. Including Julianne Blake, who turns out to be the most formidable opponent. To eliminate the Seers, players must explore the Black Reef, collecting clues and studying the island’s strange changes depending on the time of day.
The plot of Deathloop can seem like a psychedelic fever dream at times, although by the end it manages to connect things pretty well. However, the way the game’s plot and time loop mechanics are delicately worked out also makes it difficult to add an expansion to what seems to be an already completed and autonomous story. It’s a bit like adding an extra piece of a puzzle to a mosaic. Fortunately, thanks to a rich set of characters, Arkane has a way to make a Deathloop DLC that doesn’t compromise the plot of the main game.
Seers of the Death Loop
The most interesting characters in Deathloop are visionaries. Players learn a lot about Julianne Blake, but some other visionaries, while charming, don’t get as much screen time as they deserve. This includes figures such as Egor Serling, the founder of AEON and a former friend of Colt, Alexis, who wears a wolf mask, and Vangi, the chief scientist of the AEON program. Just because they’re bad guys doesn’t mean players can’t fall in love with them.
The Deathloop DLC can focus on one of the Visionaries, allowing players to go through a cycle in which they defeat Colt. The foundation for such a gameplay has already been laid, since players can play for Julianna and defeat other players playing for Colt. In addition to the fact that such DLC does not interfere with the plot of the main game, it will also correspond to the typical Arkane theme of changing the player’s point of view in the DLC of the game. This can be seen, for example, in Dishonored, since in the plot additions he switches points of view from Corvo to Daoud.
After the success of Deathloop, it would be a pity if Arkane left the IP inactive. Whether it’s a Deathloop DLC or a full-fledged Deathloop sequel, there are many more mysteries in the game’s universe, including Julianna’s past, the history of the Motherland and the Anomaly. While Colt is a memorable character, one of the visionaries could also do well with the next Deathloop experience.
Deathloop is already available on PC and PS5.
