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Although it felt like a bit of a time loop in the lead-up to Deathloop’s drawn-out release, after several delays made it feel like an eternity’s wait, the ambitious title stuck the landing and became a critical darling for Arkane Studios. It was a strange win for pretty much everyone with it being a PlayStation 5 timed-exclusive while technically still being a first-party release for Xbox after their acquisition of Zenimax.
It’s one of the year’s most unique games and certainly the most interesting take on the first-person shooter genre we’ve seen in a while, with its murder-puzzle premise standing out as a bold and insane concept. Although the game didn’t achieve the ultimate success at Keighley’s awards show, despite being the odds-on favourite, the game was recognised for its strong art direction which feels like a natural extension of Arkane’s signature style.
In his review, Brodie gave Deathloop a 9/10 and said: “It’s not an easy thing Arkane has done here in serving up a genuinely fresh take on one of the medium’s most enduring genres. Deathloop redefines what a shooter can be, and the developer has used their entire toolkit to get there. Satisfying action, world-building that’s second-to-none, style and substance, and a genuinely enthralling riddle at the centre, Deathloop delivers it all. And it’s through these triumphs that Deathloop earns its place in the first-person shooter pantheon, and puts its hand up during Game of the Year talks.”
As it stands on Metacritic, Deathloop is sitting at 88 based on 109 critic reviews.
#5 – Deathloop
#6 – It Takes Two
#7 – Unpacking
#8 – Psychonauts 2
#9 – Forza Horizon 5
#10 – Halo Infinite
For a refresher on how our voting process works, refer to the #10 article where it’s all explained in detail.