Arkane's Deathloop for Xbox Series X: Gameplay, story, and everything you need to know

Deathloop Hero Julianna Colt
Deathloop Hero Julianna Colt (Image credit: Arkane Studios)

Deathloop Hero Julianna Colt

Source: Arkane (Image credit: Source: Arkane)

Arkane Studios is a master at immersive sims, creating the Dishonored series and developing the Prey reboot to much acclaim from fans and press. It has a new IP in the works that immersive sim fans should definitely keep an eye on. Deathloop stars two rival assassins stuck in a time loop, and the only way to break the cycle is to take out eight targets across the island of Blackreef.

Though it's set to launch on PS5 and PC, Deathloop should be coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S at some point, given that Microsoft bought Zenimax, meaning Arkane is now owned by Xbox.

Deathloop Gameplay

Deathloop seems to play much like Dishonored and Prey, featuring a first-person perspective and similar animations. Along with gun-based combat, you'll have access to a set of supernatural abilities and gadgets, only a few of which we've seen so far. Colt appears to have the ability to teleport, similar to Corvo's Blink in Dishonored. Other abilities look to be telekinetic powers that push/pull people and objects.

It appears that the entire island of Blackreef will be playable from the get-go as you can eliminate your targets in any order you choose. Arkane notes that your actions will change the environment around you, providing new ways to approach missions.

If you fail to take out all eight targets within the day, the time loop will reset itself. This is where Arkane hopes players will learn from their past time loops, taking into account any clues and discoveries they've seen to push themselves one step further. You won't succeed the first time, but you will eventually.

Deathloop Story and characters

Deathloop Colt Concept Art

Source: Arkane (Image credit: Source: Arkane)

Taking place on the fictional island of Blackreef, Deathloop follows two rival assassins: Colt and Juliana. Colt, sick of the time loop they're stuck in, attempts to kill eight key targets to stop time from constantly resetting. Juliana, however, likes the time loop and is doing everything in her power to stop Colt. Why does the time loop exist? How does it work? The answers to these questions will probably need to wait until Deathloop releases. It's clear Blackreef holds a lot of mysteries.

Deathloop Is it multiplayer or single-player

Deathloop julianna

Source: Arkane (Image credit: Source: Arkane)

While you can play the game entirely by yourself in a single-player, there is a multiplayer element. Other players can invade your game as Juliana, taking a cue from Arkane's canceled game, The Crossing.

Julianna is also a playable character. While you will experience the main campaign as Colt, you also have the option to infiltrate another player's game as Julianna and do some hunting... If this PvP element is disabled, Julianna will still appear in your game from time to time, hunting you, but she will be AI-controlled.

Deathloop When can I play it?

Deathloop Black Reef

Source: Arkane (Image credit: Source: Arkane)

Deathloop will launch on PS5 and PC on September 14, 2021. There's no release window for Xbox yet because the game was announced as a PlayStation console exclusive before Microsoft bought Zenimax Media. Microsoft has stated that it will honor whatever exclusivity agreements were in place before the acquisition.

In the game's latest trailer, it was confirmed that Deathloop is exclusive to PS5 for only one year, meaning it should hit Xbox some time after September 14, 2021.

Here's hoping that whenever it releases, it ends up being one of the best Xbox games you can play.

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Jennifer Locke

Jennifer Locke has been playing video games nearly her entire life, and is very happy Xbox is growing a stronger first-party portfolio. You can find her obsessing over Star Wars and other geeky things on Twitter @JenLocke95.