For a long time, Arkane Studios was known for theDishonoredseries, which consists of first-person games that present gamers which moral choices while allowing them to decide whether to do a stealthy takedown of their enemies or engage in direct combat. Some ofDishonored’s DNAcan be found inDeathloop, the studio’s new IP which launched in 2021. Though the premise is far from simple, the time-twisting game managed to click with gamers and was a critical success, managing to snag several awards including the Critics Choice Award at the 2021 Golden Joystick Award along with the Best Game Direction and Best Art Direction awards at The Game Awards 2021.
Naturally, one has to wonder why a game as successful asDeathloophas not received any significant expansion by way of DLC, which is often the way studios extend the longevity of single-player games. Admittedly, the nature ofDeathloop’s plot and time-loop mechanic makes it a rather difficult game to build DLC around. However, with a little imagination, it would be possible for Arkane to give gamers more time-looping fun.
RELATED:Deathloop Could Come with a Surprise When It Launches on Xbox Game Pass
The Difficulty of Designing Deathloop DLC
Deathloopcenters on Colt Vahn, a military man who wakes up on the strange shores ofBlackreef Island. Though he initially does not know how he arrived there, by piecing together clues, he slowly discovers that he is stuck in a time loop that not even suicide can rescue him from. Fortunately, he receives clues from past versions of himself who inform him that to escape, he must kill all eight Visionaries. This includes Julianna Blake, who proves to be the most formidable foe. To eliminate the Visionaries, players have to explore Blackreef, collecting clues and learning the weird ways the island changes depending on the time of day.
Deathloop’s plot can feel like a bit of a psychedelic fever dream at times, though it manages to tie things up quite nicely by the end. However, the way the game’s plot and time-loop mechanic are delicately crafted also makes it quite difficult to tack on an extension to what seems like an already complete and self-contained story. It is a bit like throwing an extra puzzle piece into a jigsaw puzzle. Fortunately, thanks to its rich cast of characters, there is a way for Arkane to make aDeathloopDLCthat does not compromise the base game’s plot.
The Visionaries of Deathloop
The most interesting characters inDeathloopare the Visionaries. Players get to learn a lot aboutJulianna Blake, but some other Visionaries, though they are fascinating, do not get as much screen time as they deserve. This includes figures like Egor Serling who is the founder of AEON and an ex-friend of Colt’s, Aleksis who wears a wolf mask, and Wenjie who is the AEON Program’s chief scientist. Just because they are the bad guys, it does not mean that players cannot fall in love with them.
ADeathloopDLC could focus on one of the Visionaries, allowing gamers to play through a loop where they defeat Colt. The groundwork for such gameplay is already laid down, as players can play as Julianna and take down others gamers playing as Colt. In addition to not interfering with the base game’s plot, such a DLC would also keep in line with Arkane’s typical theme of changing the player’s perspective in a game’s DLC. This is seen, for instance, withDishonored, as it switches perspectives from Corvo to Daud in its story expansions.
After the success ofDeathloop, it would be a pity for Arkane to leave the IP dormant. Whether it be throughDeathloopDLC or a fully-fledgedDeathloopsequel, there are plenty more mysteries to explore in the game’s universe, including Julianna’s past, the Motherland’s history, and the Anomaly. While Colt is a memorable character, one of the Visionaries could also do a good job of carrying the nextDeathloopexperience.
Deathloopis available now on PC and PS5.
MORE:15 Games With A “Groundhog Day” Style Time Loop Like Deathloop
