Once you acquire the ability to absorb residuum - a kind of currency you use to infuse weapons, trinkets (similar to weapon power-ups) and slabs (weird, alien thingies that grant you superpowers) with, the going is good. The first few loops spent figuring out the basics, dying ignominiously, stumbling across secrets, listening in on enemies and discovering new information clues you in to the game’s potential. The '60s setting is cool, and the banter between Juliana and Cole is well written and fun. she retains her memories through each cycle. The exception to this rule is nemesis Juliana, who possesses the same powers you do, i.e. For whatever reason, you’re intent on breaking free of this loop, and your only strength lies in the fact that you retain the knowledge of the previous loops. You lose all un-infused equipment - more on that later - and start the day over from scratch. As with rogue-likes, your day resets every time you die - or when 24 hours are up. What is unique, and most certainly interesting, is the plot, and at least initially, the dynamic between Cole and Juliana.ĭeathloop has you, Cole, trying to “break the loop” on an island that is somehow trapped in time. With that established, I believe I can make the argument that Deathloop’s core conceit isn’t at all unique. Games like Dark Souls and Hades are similar as well, resetting the world you know every time you die, resulting in an endless, repetitive cycle that only painfully acquired knowledge can break.

The trope is the same: You play a while, die, and repeat the cycle armed with knowledge of what the future holds. Extending the idea further, rogue-likes are another form of time-loop.

Download deathloop residuum