Its haptics were designed for immersion, being able to simulate a range of different surfaces. weapons, and other effects, while its triggers would adapt to what was in your hands on-screen, making for a controller that feels like it’s a part of the game along with you. The touchpad and speaker made a very welcome return from the PS4, too. However, not all games make use of the DualSense’s immersive capability.

And yet, others do, with some very nice results. If you’re looking to find a few titles that do the DualSense justice, we’ve got a few great ones for you. Let’s get started.

1. Ghost of Yotei

As a PS5 exclusive, Atsu’s revenge-fueled rampage across Ezo was bound to make use of the DualSense in some form. The guiding wind was already mapped to the touchpad, as were a couple of key functions. But having players swipe across the touchpad to navigate their shamisens, or actually move and tilt their controllers to cook over a campfire, were fantastic touches that brought a layer of realism to the open-world and its activities.

Even building a campfire was cleverly implemented here. While we would have liked the haptics and adaptive triggers to really come alive during the game’s combat, they do a decent job overall. This one’s a great choice if you’d like your DualSense to really come along with you for the ride.

2. Astro Bot

Team Asobi’s platformer was so rooted in PlayStation history and put so much into the DualSense that there’s an Astro Bot-themed one all on its own. The haptics made surfaces like sand and metal come alive, the motor’s intensity pulsing ever so differently and giving a distinct feel to each one.

There were even different trigger responses on various power-ups. Suction devices made the triggers actually push against your fingers, simulating a device that was slowly filling up. The boxing gloves made them click satisfactorily in place, making it feel like you were landing punches yourself. We could go on, but you get the idea. This love letter to PlayStation is a logical choice for those of you who want to enjoy everything the DualSense has to offer.

3. Gran Turismo 7

As a racing sim that takes itself quite seriously, it only makes sense, then, that Gran Turismo 7 made use of every tool in its arsenal to improve player experience. If you’re thinking that it’s good news for PS5 players thanks to the DualSense, you already know what to expect.

But it’s hard to describe how each car’s engine brings a subtle, yet obvious shift in the haptic feedback you get, while bumps in the road or changes to your tire’s grip come right back to you as you attempt harder turns. The adaptive triggers do well to shift the weight of your brake pedals between cars, and even simulate ABS-assisted braking. It’s a long list, but definitely worth discovering for its visuals and authentic gameplay alongside its DualSense integration.

4. STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl

The PS5 version of GSC’s long-awaited addition to the STALKER franchise does interesting things with the DualSense. For starters, the developers have discussed their use of the adaptive triggers at length, highlighting how the weapon enthusiasts on the team ensured that each gun’s heft and distinct features were translated well into the triggers.

All of the game’s radio chatter is routed through the DualSense’s speaker, while the haptics have been trained to simulate a variety of different, varied surfaces across The Zone’s many biomes. In a game that’s as immersive as STALKER 2, the PS5 version is the one to beat, and the DualSense is a major part of that distinction.

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

As if bringing Peter Parker and Miles Morales together as dual protagonists wasn’t enough, Insomniac decided to make the DualSense feel alive in your hands as you zipped around the city, a ray-traced reflection of Spidey coming back at you to remind you that this one was a next-gen game at the time.

Of course, the DualSense played its part, its haptics simulating the feel of the wind on your web wings, or the adaptive triggers suitably seizing up as Spidey gathered the initial burst of force he needed for his next launch. Personally, the first time trying to glide along on water was among the best ways to feel the controller’s haptics at work. This one’s definitely worth checking out on the whole and as a showcase for the DualSense.

6. Horizon Forbidden West

Another great PS5 exclusive, this one is another great use case for the DualSense’s unique feature set. For starters, the controller’s integration into the gameplay loop is done so subtly, you might barely notice it’s there at the outset. But you’re soon going to be looking for ways to fire up the haptics by your in-game actions, and that’s where the fun begins.

You begin to notice the ever-so-slight vibrations of the blades of long grass you use to remain unseen, or the way a fall from a high place makes the controller tell you quite directly that it was a bad idea. It’s in the way that different strokes in the water as you swim evoke different responses from your controller, even as the triggers make each weapon feel distinctly different. This is one that you have to check out for yourself, and it’s a great game, too.

7. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Hideo Kojima’s 2025 masterpiece needs no introduction, but Sam Porter’s latest adventure does bring some interesting, DualSense-focused touches to the table. It essentially made the controller feel like an extension of Sam and the player, with every texture the character stepped across making the controller come alive just a bit differently in our hands.

The triggers made us feel the weight of his cargo when he handled it, even as every drop of rain from a Timefall occurring around us gave a sense of foreboding, thanks to the DualSense making us uncomfortably aware that time was of the essence. It’s brilliant stuff, and perhaps an indicator of even better things to come for the controller in the near and distant future.

8. The Last of Us Part I

This remake of Naughty Dog’s original 2013 classic did very well to make good use of the Dualsense to elevate an experience that was so familiar it ran the risk of feeling dated. Guns and Ellie’s bow are suitably different in your hands thanks to the triggers, while the haptics add to the tension you feel when you’re navigating the environments that cause it.

They’re also a part of some of the story’s most important moments, bringing a subtle yet fresh touch to those scenes in a way that wasn’t possible at the time of the game’s development. If you’re a fan and would like to experience the original adventure in a fresh new way, the DualSense is going to help with that.

9. Dead Space Remake

Returning to the USG Ishimura with a DualSense in our hands made for an interesting time when we tried this one out. The plasma rifle suddenly felt all the more satisfying to use, the haptic feedback from each shot working well with the visuals of a terrifying enemy being put down in front of you.

Every step with your magnetic boots is sent back to you via the haptics, while the triggers do well to make each weapon feel distinct enough that you might even tell them apart with your eyes closed once you spend enough time with them. If you have the stomach for some scares, give this one a go.

10. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Cloud Strife’s revamped tangle with Shinra in this continuation of the story from Remake came with excellent implementations of the DualSense’s haptics and triggers. They did well to add the usual immersive layers we’ve come to expect to the game’s combat and exploration, but they were also neatly tied into the story and a few minigames, too.

Rebirth is a great example of how the DualSense could be woven into a game’s narrative cutscenes as well, while also being a part of more than just combat and a way to simulate the texture of the ground under a player’s feet. This one’s a no-brainer on the controller front, and you’re likely going to enjoy it on its own merits as well.

11. Alan Wake 2

This one’s probably our favorite one of the lot. There’s a case to be made for combining a controller like the DualSense and a game that’s as atmospheric as this one. While the visuals could take a while to praise considering how great they look on a PS5, having the DualSense add-on to that immersion is a great way to enjoy an experience that’s already among the finest ones you can find.

From the way the rain patters down around you while the controller gently vibrates to make you feel like a few drops caught you instead, to how a shotgun and crossbow feel castly different thanks to the triggers working very well to make that so, this is a game you’re going to find excuses to replay once you finish it for the first time.

12. Black Myth Wukong

You’re going to appreciate the DualSense’s role in this one right off the bat. Fighting the several bosses throughout the game brings the controller alive, with each blow you fend off, making it rumble in your hands. But Wukong also weaves in other subtle touches to its gameplay loop that make it worthwhile to play on a PS5 (or a PC with a DualSense if that’s your thing).

From resistance to your staff to the build-up of spells, the adaptive triggers are always looking for ways to differentiate your gear, while the haptics do a great job of simulating different occurrences and, of course, making combat come to life. Tracing the steps of the protagonist is certainly a task worthy of the DualSense.

13. Deathloop

Deathloop is a solid example of the DualSense being used effectively across the board in a video game. The haptics are woven into your exploration loop, effectively making each surface you walk across feel as it should in the real world, while the triggers differentiate your weapons very well indeed.

But integrating the haptics into cutscenes made for an experience that was all the more engaging as a result, adding weight to the moments where the developers wanted it. Take the DualSense along to Blackreef, and you’re not going to be disappointed.

14. Stray

We can’t help but feel like this one was made for the DualSense and not the other way around. The controller feels like such an important part of this surreal adventure, coming alive with every purr your feline protagonist makes. The triggers make you appreciate why cats like to scratch things so much.

Our favorite use of the controller was at resting points, where watching your kitty cat take a well-served nap comes with the bonus of having the controller mimic its breathing in a way that’s as satisfying as it is adorable. This is one of the more innovative uses of the DualSense on our list, and perhaps a very innovative experience on its own.

15. Baldur’s Gate 3

Larian did well to translate its UI over from a keyboard and mouse to a controller, its radial menus offering players a lot of options as they navigated the many mysteries and adventures of Faerun in this very memorable take on Dungeons & Dragons.

The triggers did well to bring that shift to life, with varying amounts of pressure controlling the behavior of radial menus in the game. The light bar on the DualSense switches colors depending on the spell you’re casting, while the haptics rumble away at the appropriate times to make things interesting. It’s surely worth a shot, especially with official modding support from Larian for the PS5 thrown into the mix.

And that’s a wrap on games that are best enjoyed on the PS5, thanks to how the DualSense makes them even better. Here’s to many more on the horizon.

Gears 5

The Gears series was always at the forefront of modern rendering techniques, and Gears 5 is obviously no different in that regard. Released in 2019, Gears 5 continues to impress with its gorgeous level of detail present in every aspect of the presentation, including but not limited to the environment, characters, and the sheer spectacle of the firefights on offer.

What Remains of Edith Finch

There are quite a few games disparagingly labeled “walking simulator” due to the lack of action present. What Remains of Edith Finch proves that “walking simulators” don’t have to be boring and they can present some of the best examples of video game storytelling.

What Remains of Edith Finch tells the tale of the titular Edith Finch who visits her ancestral home and uncovers the terrible events that led to their deaths. It’s a game that packs an emotional punch, and there’s a lot of tragedy to process. For a unique gaming experience, this is a title not to be missed.

]]> 599284 https://gamingbolt.com/15-more-amazing-semi-open-world-games-you-need-to-experience Sun, 24 Dec 2023 05:50:02 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=571512 Capturing the strengths of both open world and linear games and retaining the perfect balance between what they both bring to the table is no easy task, which is why semi-open world games are as appreciated as they are. In a previous feature, we highlighted fifteen open world games that were the best of both worlds, offering both, tightly designed linear gameplay as well as the freedom to explore larger areas at your own leisure, but there are plenty more that deserve that sort of praise (including several since we published that aforementioned feature). As such, here, we’re going to talk about fifteen more excellent semi-open world games that you need to play.

GOD OF WAR RANGAROK

God of War Ragnarok’s approach to wide-linear design differs a bit from its predecessor, because rather than using the hub-and-spoke design of the 2018 title, it instead takes you to numerous larger maps throughout its experience, and it’s a change that works out for the best. In addition to boasting excellent design that constantly encourages exploration, God of War Ragnarok’s maps also exhibit an impressive amount of visual and design variety.

RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE

The Resident Evil franchise has always held up exploration as one of its key pillars (with some notable exceptions), so expanding that to a setting that emphasizes that aspect even more heavily felt like a natural step forward in Resident Evil Village. The titular village is a large environment that remains immensely fun to navigate throughout the experience, especially as more of it opens up over time, while at the same time, through the four main areas connected to the village, the game also delivers the tight, claustrophobic design the series is known for in spades.

ALAN WAKE 2

Where the original Alan Wake was a hyper-linear series of shooting galleries, its sequel goes in the exact opposite direction. Alan Wake 2 revels in slowing down the pace and allowing players to thoroughly immerse themselves across its main locations, where you have quite a bit of freedom to explore at your own pace (the rewards for which are almost always well worth the effort). Backtracking through older locations also always remains satisfying as you gain access to previously inaccessible sections, while there are, of course, plenty of meticulously crafted linear sections to enjoy as well.

PIKMIN 4

Exploration is king in Pikmin 4 in a way it never has been in any previous Pikmin games. By almost completely removing the concept of time limits, Pikmin 4 lets you explore every nook and cranny of its areas to your heart’s content, without anything urgently pushing you towards your next main objective, and that is reflected in the way the game’s maps are designed as well. Each of them is significantly larger and boasts impressive variety, not only in visual terms, but also in terms of how you interact with the environment and make it easier to navigate for yourself and your army of Pikmin.

LIKE A DRAGON: ISHIN!

Like all other RGG Studio games, Like a Dragon: Ishin! focuses on depth and detail over pure expanse. The bulk of the game takes place on one not-all-that-big map set in Edo-era Kyoto. As far as pure map design in the series goes, this isn’t a particularly special map- it’s good, but nothing that stands out. What pushes it over the edge is the incredible sense of place and atmosphere that it drips with, properly recreating the architecture, layout, and aesthetic of Japan in the dawn of its modern era. RGG Studio has made a lot of great maps- few are as memorable as this.

UNCHARTED: THE LOST LEGACY

Uncharted 4 introduced elements of wide-linear and semi-open world design to Naughty Dog’s traditionally hyper-linear series, and its standalone follow-up, The Lost Legacy, took that to even greater heights. Though those design sensibilities are limited only to the early sections of the game where you’re exploring the Western Ghats of India, that section is also surprisingly sizable, and leaves quite an impression. From navigating the terrain, both on foot and in a four-by-four, to uncovering its secrets and optional content, it stands as one of the game’s strongest sections.

SUPER MARIO: BOWSER’S FURY

People have been wondering what an open world Mario game would look like for a long time, and never have we come closer to seeing what something like that would look like than with Bowser’s Fury. Released to the world as a standalone addendum to Super Mario 3D World’s Switch port, Bowser’s Fury is an incredible four-hour romp that somehow manages to perfectly blend Super Mario’s tight platforming and level design with open-ended design and an emphasis on exploration. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of that from the franchise in the not-too-distant future.

LIES OF P

Soulslike design has become like a second language to many by now, but even though there’s no shortage of games that try their hand at it, very few of them in recent years have done it as well as Lies of P. The city of Krat is massive and winding, and making your way through its intertwining areas that loop in and around themselves never loses its spark. It helps, of course, that the game looks as gorgeous as it does, because around nearly every corner is something new and exciting to see.

LORDS OF THE FALLEN

Developer Hexworks said prior to Lords of the Fallen’s launch that it was building the game as a Dark Spuls 4.5, and while the Soulslike action RPG doesn’t quite hit that level of quality, it does have plenty of the right elements in place. Its expansive world, though not fully open by any means, encourages exploration constantly, which is made that much more interesting by the game’s dual realm mechanic. That feeling of gradually mastering and unlocking the world around you is one of the biggest strengths of the Soulslike genre, and Lords of the Fallen delivers that in spades.

MONSTER HUNTER RISE

Monster Hunter Rise continued the move towards more open maps that Monster Hunter World started. Rise’s maps are actually smaller,and have less going on than World’s, which had a lot of environmental effects and interactions independent of the player. What Rise’s maps do have, however, is design that is perfectly tuned to all the wonderful new traversal tools the game gives you in the wirebug and the Palamute. The act of actually moving through the maps to find the monsters has never been as fun in Monster Hunter as it is in Rise, and the traversal tools, as well as the maps designed around those tools, are both to credit for that.

OUTER WILDS

Outer Wilds’s exploration serves as the perfect marriage between gameplay and narrative, thanks to how intrinsically those two elements are tied together throughout the experience. In each loop, the more you explore, the more you learn the Nomai, the solar system they once used to be spread out across, and the time loop that it’s currently caught in, and the game paces that almost to pitch-perfection. Pretty much the entirety of Outer Wilds is unlike anything else you’ll play, and how rewarding it makes its exploration through narrative discoveries contributes to that uniqueness massively.

STAR WARS JEDI: SURVIVOR

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a solid first foray into Metroidvania design for Respawn Entertainment, and with its sequel, Jedi: Survivor, the developer expanded that idea with significantly larger play spaces. There are, of course, plenty of Metroidvania locations scattered throughout the game, but the Koboh map in particular is where Jedi: Survivor taps into a much more expansive and open-ended design style. And it does that excellently, somehow managing to sprinkle that large, semi-open world map with plenty of Metroidvania design elements.

PREY

Prey’s Talos I is probably the best setting we’ve ever seen in an Arkane game, which, as those who’ve played other Arkane titles will tell you, is high praise, to say the least. The space station is not only dripping with atmosphere, it’s also spectacularly designed. Navigating its environments and slowly being able to unlock more and more of it as you grow more powerful makes for an incredibly satisfying and organic progression curve throughout the experience.

DEATHLOOP

Deathloop is decidedly more linear than most other Arkane titles (Prey especially), but in spite of being much more focused on action and forward momentum, it does still retain its fair share of the open-ended design that you expect to see in the studio’s games. There are multiple maps to explore, and going out of your way to do that is always encouraged. Not only do you learn more about the world and the people you are targeting, you’re also constantly treated to the incredible art design that’s so abundantly found throughout Deathloop’s world.

SNIPER ELITE 5

The Sniper Elite franchise probably doesn’t get as much credit for its level design as it should, and Sniper Elite 5 exemplifies that perfectly. Every single map is designed as an incredible stealth sandbox where player freedom is emphasized first and foremost. By allowing you to constantly discover new and creative ways to tackle obstacles and sprinkling in a healthy dose of optional content, every map in Sniper Elite 5 becomes an absolute blast to explore as thoroughly as possible, while also making replays that much more rewarding.

METRO EXODUS

The Metro series has always prided itself on pushing the envelope with its visuals, and Metro Exodus certainly didn’t disappoint on that front either. From how spectacularly it realizes all of its many post-apocalyptic environments to how thoroughly it immerses players in its world with its diegetic and detail-oriented aesthetic, Metro Exodus is still one of the best-looking games out there, over four years on from its launch.

DOOM ETERNAL

There aren’t a lot of studios out there who can boast an equal level mastery over both game design and technology as convincingly as id Software can, and DOOM Eternal is a perfect example of that. Not only are its hellish battle arenas a veritable attack on the senses in the best way possible, the game also excels at making every combat encounter feel breathtakingly explosive in a way that very few of its peers are capable of.

HUNT: SHOWDOWN

Crytek is no stranger to developing visually spectacular first person shooters, but Hunt: Showdown in particular deserves a special mention. The game boasts all the technical polish and obsessive attention to detail that you’d expect from a Crytek joint, but on top of that, it’s also uplifted by some of the strongest art design we’ve ever seen in a shooter, allowing its dark fantasy horror world to come to life in spectacular fashion.

RAINBOW SIX SIEGE

Rainbow Six Siege might be nearly a decade old, but that just makes its technical accomplishments that much more impressive. From the destructibility and dynamics of its environments to the impressive coat of polish that encases every inch of the experience, there’s so much about this game that can still easily be described as best-in-class, several years on from its initial release.

CYBERPUNK 2077

Even when Cyberpunk 2077 was as broken as it famously was in the immediate aftermath of its launch, it was still easy to see how impressive it was on a visual level. Now, with three years of updates and improvements under its belt, it’s nothing short of a graphical masterpiece. No matter where you are in Night City, it’s hard not to be taken aback by how gorgeous it looks and the painstaking attention to detail it exhibits on a consistent basis.

WITCHFIRE

Witchfire launched in early access earlier this year after years of anticipation, and instantly impressed the masses in more ways than one- its visuals being chief among them. The dark fantasy aesthetic of the setting alone is enough to elevate Witchfire’s visuals in and of itself, and the fact that the game has the technical chops to be able to properly back its artistic ambitions only makes it that much more an impressive graphical ride.

HALF-LIFE: ALYX

VR may not have managed to permeate the gaming mainstream the way many had hoped it would, but in Half-Life: Alyx, we do have at least one major game that truly demonstrates just what a AAA VR megaton can look like. Not only does the game look excellent on a consistent basis, it’s also crammed full of a level of interactivity and attention to detail that you would think would have necessitated some technical sacrifices in a virtual reality game. That Half-Life: Alyx so confidently has its cake and eats it too probably doesn’t get enough credit.

BATTLEFIELD 5

For all the problems DICE’s games have launched with over the years, one area that the studio is pretty much always guaranteed to excel in is the visuals. Take Battlefield 5, for instance- a game that divided fans upon release, but in spite of its issues, stands as one of the best-looking shooters you’ll ever play. From the snow-encased Norvik to the war-torn ruins of Devastation to the wide, open spaces of Panzerstorm, every map in Battlefield 5 is gorgeous to behold.

STARFIELD

It’s fair to say that Starfield has plenty of rough edges on the visual and technical fronts, but for all of its many typical Bethesda flaws, it’s still a game that’s capable of taking your breath away with its graphics. Whether you’re looking at the futuristic city of New Atlantis stretching out in front of you or standing on a desolate planet and watching the sun rise over the horizon, from time to time, Starfield showcases just how incredible it can look when it isn’t being bogged down by technical issues.

WOLFENSTEIN 2: THE NEW COLOSSUS

It’s hard to believe that Wolfenstein 2 is over six years old at this point, because even it certainly doesn’t look its age. Though perhaps not as much of a visual stunner as something like DOOM Eternal, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is still a gorgeous game. From the detailed character models to the explosive and gleefully violent combat, there’s plenty about this game that still stands out on a technical level.

FAR CRY 6

Ubisoft has got the balance between scope and visual fidelity down to a science by this point, and Far Cry 6 illustrates that point perfectly. You’d expect that a game as massive and sprawling as this one would have to make significant cutbacks in the graphics department, but that most certainly isn’t the case here. The level of detail and fidelity that Yara’s many biomes boast is partly why exploring Far Cry 6’s enormous map is as engaging as it is.

GTFO

You don’t need a massive budget of dozens of millions to make a visually impressive shooter, as evidenced so convincingly by GTFO. Made by indie Swedish studio 10 Chambers, the co-op horror shooter flexes its technical muscles almost constantly, immersing you in is terrifying reality that much more. GTFO’s impressive visuals alone making it worth checking out, even if its uncompromising approach to difficulty might turn some people off- though of course, for many that’s exactly what makes the game as good as it is.

RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE

The Resident Evil franchise has always been associated with cutting edge visuals, especially in its RE Engine era, and Village, like all of its siblings, demonstrates the series’ graphical mastery every step of the way. Whether it’s the varied and horrific environments of the titular village and the areas surrounding it or the many monstrosities you clash horns with throughout the experience, there’s no shortage of things in Resident Evil Village to remind you of just how impressive a AAA flagship Capcom release can look.

DESTINY 2

As a game that’s over six years old, Destiny 2 maybe doesn’t have the wow factor that many of the other games on this list do, but the fact that it is still comfortably earns itself a spot here is testament to just how good it looks. On a technical level, the looter shooter is one of many fine examples of Bungie’s mastery and knowhow, but it’s with its stellar art design that the game really cements itself in your memory.

DEATHLOOP

Arkane Studios’ games have never really been leaders of the pack with their graphical ambitions, but even though Deathloop isn’t the most technically impressive game you’ll ever play, it’s hard not to be impressed by how good it looks. A lot of that is obviously down to its unique art style and aesthetic, but the game is no slouch on a technical front either. The end product is one that looks significantly better than you’d expect from an Arkane game.

Aragami 2

The original Aragami was a surprisingly solid stealth game in a market mostly devoid of such releases, and 2021’s Aragami 2 excellently builds on those foundations to create a sequel that’s both larger and better in more aspects than one. Aragami 2 allows you to take enemies head-on with a brand new combat system, mission objectives are more varied than before, and you can also tackle the many missions with friends thanks to support for co-op – making it a dream come true for stealth game fans.

One such deal that the company agreed with was with Nvidia, with Microsoft pledging to bring its games to cloud platform GeForce Now for at least the next 10 years. That process has now begun, with Gears 5 being the first Microsoft-published title to become available on the streaming platform.

Meanwhile, more Xbox titles will soon be making their way to the streaming service as well, with Arkane Studios’ Deathloop and Obsidian Entertainment’s Pentiment and Grounded set to become available for GeForce Now next week, on May 25.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Ghostwire: Tokyo might not be developer Tango Gameworks’ best work to date, but it certainly impresses with its rendition of modern day Tokyo. Everything from the dark alleys to the weirdly empty roads and neon lit shops lining the streets feature striking amounts of detail, which is further helped by generous use of ray tracing in the lighting department. Turning it on immediately increases the accuracy and resolution of reflections, and indirect lighting is also simulated more effectively than before – making for an even more immersive experience all around.

Bethesda wanted to put Dishonored on pause, and according to Colantonio, Deathloop was originally intended to be a small project for Arkane to learn and keep busy until the chance to work on a bigger game came along.

“Bethesda wanted us to do something,” said Colantonio. “They didn’t quite know where we were going after Dishonored. ‘Do we want Dishonored 3? I don’t know, let’s make something simple and short before, and let’s see.’”

Colantonio also revealed that Deathloop‘s multiplayer features might have been a result of the studio wanting to learn how to develop and release multiplayer games.

“And then [Deathloop] became a big thing, over the years,” Colantonio continued. “That was the funny thing: ‘Nah, we don’t wanna do Dishonored 3, but if you can pitch us a small game, something that maybe has multiplayer so we can learn multiplayer, something that maybe has microtransactions, maybe something with a lot of recycling, like a roguelike.’”

The studio’s experience with Prey: Mooncrash also helped the studio in figuring out some of the roguelike aspects of Deathloop, and Arkane and Bethesda wanted to recycle assets and other parts of the game in development.

“Almost everybody in the world was into some sort of roguelike,” said Colantonio. “So it felt like, ‘Yeah, maybe it’s the way to go, you recycle gameplay, you take some of the elements of the world and remix content constantly.’”

Colantonio has since left Arkane, having left the studio around the time Deathloop was released. He currently heads indie studio WolfEye Studios, which developed Weird West.

Deathloop is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also available through PC and Xbox Game Pass. For more details about the time-loop shooter, check out our review.

The developer also shared some interesting statistics, including the most commonly used Trinkets for Colt and Julianna (Spring-Heeled is a top pick for both characters). Colt has spent over 190 years being invisible with the Aether Slab and has taken nearly seven round trips to the Moon and back with Shift. Over 2.8 billion bullets were fired as well.

Players spent 70,933 years in Blackreef as Colt, with Karl’s Bay being the least deadly area and Updaam the most. Unsurprisingly, bullets accounted for 79 percent of all deaths, with eight percent being through melee.

As for what’s next, Colt’s voice actor Jason Kelley has hinted at potential new content, whether it’s DLC or a sequel. Neither Arkane nor Bethesda confirmed anything (yet), so stay tuned in the meantime.

https://twitter.com/deathloop/status/1628786764503519236

It's hard to tell which is more impressive. Seven round trips to the Moon and back or how much you all love being invisible. pic.twitter.com/GHSBhoLLXQ

— DEATHLOOP (@deathloop) February 23, 2023