Deathloop is not a roguelike — different time loops, déjà vu and a few weird islands rules

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(Image credit: Bethesda)

Arkane Studios' upcoming first-person action-adventure game Deathloop isn't a roguelike, despite its fascinating time loop concept being the central theme. In fact, is it really even a time loop if there are some random inconsistencies?

In an interview with game director Dinga Bakaba in PlayStation Official Magazine, the time loop "is a dirty process," thanks to some targets in the game getting déjà vu and a mysterious "thing."

In Deathloop, an assassin named Colt has a mission to eliminate seven highly dangerous targets on a mysterious island. Every time he dies, he's sent back to square one because of the time loop he's stuck in, hence the name of the game. This means there's plenty of planning to do in order to get out alive, but according to Bakaba, not everything will always go as planned.

Every once in a while, a target may experience déjà vu, meaning they'll sense something off about doing a certain action that made them end up dead during the last loop. Colt will have to plan new ways to eliminate targets if they eliminate a target the same way enough times.

"There is a limit to this, so an experienced player will know about all of the computations. These are rare, and most targets have a predictability," said Bakaba.

The game director also mentions the island has a "few weird rules" and that the time loop isn't the only thing affecting the island. Although, this "thing" brings progression so Colt can build an arsenal to deal with differences in time loops, hence Bakaba stating "it's not a roguelike."

Deathloop is set to launch on PS5 and PC on May 21, 2021, and you can find out what you get when you pre-order the limited-time exclusive PS5 title here

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.