Let’s go deep into two unquestionably great games of recent times, where the design, aesthetic, and mechanics perfectly blend with a great plot full of dark secrets and strange paradoxes.

We’re talking about Deathloop and Dishonored, two titles developed by Arkane Lyon, a small studio with a few employees but thousands of good ideas. No doubt that these two titles will give a lot to talk about in the coming years.

In this Deathloop vs. Dishonored article, we put these two games face to face to unravel all their features and pick the best work of the studio.

• Release Date: September 14, 2021

• Developer: Arkane Lyon

• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

• Metascore: 89

Deathloop is an immersive sim and a first-person shooter that follows the path of an assassin stuck in a time loop. Stepping into his shoes, you must eliminate eight targets known as the Visionaries. If not, the time loop will reset to the infinite until you complete the job.

Deathloop is the quintessence of previous games of Arkane Lyon, like the Dishonored series and Prey, sharing many of their features but taking them to another level. Besides shooting to kill enemies and targets, in Deathloop, you can parkour, stealth, and use gadgets to advance through the scenario.

Deathloop is an interesting game with multiple features and several areas on the island where the game takes place. It has an engaging approach to the subject of completing quests in a particular period, which augments tension and dynamism.

Deathloop Global Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

• Release Date: October 9, 2012

• Developer: Arkane Studios

• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

• Metascore: 91

The second game we’ll discuss in this article is already a classic. There are four Dishonored games at the moment of writing. The four games are mainly about stealth and action-adventure played from a first-person point of view.

Every Dishonored game focuses on the interaction between your character and the surroundings to terminate enemy forces. The Dishonored franchise also integrates role-playing elements to improve supernatural abilities and make moral decisions.

One of the most compelling aspects of this series is its flexibility, allowing players to accomplish missions and reach the end without eliminating a single enemy. It offers numerous methods to fulfill objectives, emphasizing exploration and creative movement within the setting. All these elements, combined with a captivating story and character development, contribute to its greatness.

In this article, we’ll focus on Dishonored 2, the last installment of the franchise and probably the best title of the series, according to many players.  

Dishonored 2 Global Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Let’s check the main similarities and differences between Deathloop and Dishonored 2. Below, we will compare five crucial points to help you decide what will be your next first-person adventure. 

Dishonored 2 contains several levels that are open within themselves, and, as we mentioned earlier, you can complete them in various ways. It makes the game versatile, turning every time you play a level into a puff of fresh air. However, the progression throughout different levels is not so organic. It means you advance in a linear and fixed progression.

But do not misunderstand me. Each level has a unique and great level design, containing multiple missions, objectives, hidden secrets, and quirks of the world, but each feels independent and a separate part of the game. In Deathloop, this is totally different.

The gameplay in Deathloop is more open to experimentation since the island is an open-world scenario containing several areas. This way, progression is always organic and feels very smooth. It sums up the total freedom of movement and interaction with the surroundings, turning Deathloop into a free experience where you decide the best route to complete your objectives.

Verdict. Deathloop stands out for its well-achieved and immersive world and ways of interacting with it.

Deathloop is great from several points of view, but it does not especially stand out for its characters. Okay, they look very interesting but lack depth and charisma, at least most of them.  For example, the main character, Colt, has a generic personality and does not look as smart as all the protagonists of the Dishonored saga. Even though Colt has its fans, he’s still a new character that, maybe, should be developed in future releases.

The villains in Deathloop aren’t good, either. The Visioners – enemies you should kill before the time comes to an end – lack personality and charisma. It may be due to the opening of the game, which does not allow the Visioners to develop in depth.

In short, Deathloop has a poor main character and a similar setting throughout the entire game.

Deathloop also has forgettable NPCs, and its AI is not as good as that of its counterpart.

The Dishonored franchise stands out due to its rich villains, who really impact the plot and affect other characters of the story. They have different powers, contexts, and stories. For instance, you can find from fearsome witches to dangerous inventors.

Corvo, the main character in Dishonored, possesses a compelling backstory and an engaging narrative. His character is distinguished by a remarkable design and strong moral values. He presents unwavering loyalty to his family, which resonates deeply with fans who admire his consistency and sense of honor.

Verdict. Dishonored 2 kicks the table in this topic.

This theme is an easy one since Deathloop is mainly focused on gunplay and how you kill the eight Visioners and other enemies before the time loop resets.

It’s true that these two games are played from a first-person perspective and that Dishonored 2 also involves aiming and shooting from time to time, but this mechanic is not as important as in its counterpart.

In this sense, Deathloop integrates combat with more possibilities and options, and in most of the gameplay, you’re thinking of new ways to achieve your goals. Besides, since Deathloop takes place in a more modern setting, there are a lot of high-quality tools and weapons with great technology available, which definitely expands the possibilities. Consequently, Deathloop is one of the most interesting shooters of recent times.

In contrast, Dishonored is set in the Victorian era, reflecting its weaponry and technology reminiscent of that time period. The game features weapons with limited range and a stronger emphasis on melee combat rather than advanced firearms. For instance, Corvo can wield swords to kill enemies. He can also use powers to attack enemies directly, but the ranged weapons are just a few, such as a crossbow or a single-shot pistol.

Verdict. Like most games of the same genre, Deathloop boasts a wide variety of weapons to unleash your creativity. 

Many gamers agree that the single-player experience of the previous games of the studio, Dishonored franchise and Prey, is great. Still, due to their incredible level of design and complex scenarios, a multiplayer mode was always necessary in Arkane’s games. Gamers also agree that the optimal way of pulling off the best of this shooter experience is for two players to interact. It takes on special relevance since in Deathloop, the second player will have to control Julianna, Colt’s daughter, and his worst impediment during his mission.

Dishonored 2 does not have cooperative mode or any type of multiplayer. This is sad since the game could gain a lot of co-op gameplay through which the adventure can be experienced from a different perspective. We hope that a multiplayer mode will be added in a sequel.

Verdict. The multiplayer mode of Deathloop really nurtures its sandbox experience and the general gameplay.

Since the setting of Deathloop is a single island with several areas, the general sensation is like a big map with different biomes that really do not change a lot between them. It’s true that its bit is daring and brings an avant-garde context that can be charming for most developers and players. Still, it darkens compared to the creativity and general imagination of the islands of Dishonored 2.

The several areas of Dishonored 2 are extracted from an Industrial Revolution fantasy context, which is great for provoking the deepest feelings of nostalgia and staying enthralled looking at the surroundings. Besides, this fantasy world is dark and rare, with a very special aesthetic. This condition, added to the high chaos system, generates a stormy atmosphere that is really fun to explore and experience.

Verdict. Of course, both games boast a clever setting, but the world of Dishonored 2 is more charming, dark, interesting, and impressively visual.

My final verdict is that Deathloop is one level over Dishonored 2. This is because Deathloop is a more recent game and the natural port of arrival of previous developments of Arkane Studios. In other words, developers took the best of Prey and Dishonored and built a more complete experience called Deathloop.

However, trying both games is recommended since these two titles will put you in an excellent outline that you can enjoy from the first time you put your hands on the joystick.

Get these two incredible games and others on RoyalCDKeys while saving money and embarking on this pair of excellent adventures.