Deathloop

Deathloop is a perfect demonstration of what can be achieved with a vocal protagonist. While it has a fun premise and solid gameplay, the running commentary by Colt (Jason E. Kelley) is what makes it for me. The game as a whole is severely elevated by its voice actors. I wish more studios would take this approach.

Aside from that, there are other merits to Deathloop, particularly when it comes to Arkane's map design. Throughout my run, I consistently discovered new things in each of the areas, and the open-ended nature of the maps (although not quite as good as the Dishonored games) gave me plenty of room to experiment with faster and faster routes to objectives.

The shooting mechanics also stood out as particularly good, something that is a bit shocking for a single-player narrative game. If the net code were better I think Deathloop would make for a solid multiplayer experience. As is, it makes the transition between playing Deathloop and competitive multiplayer FPSs far less jarring than games like Fallout or Bioshock.

My main criticism is that Deathloop stumbles slightly with its themes. The dichotomy between the two main characters is clear, but Colt's personal motivation for his role in that dichotomy gets fuzzy. As a result, an ending that could otherwise make a powerful philosophical statement ends up being emotionally resonant, but hollow.