Deadlink review

The frantic fragging is fun and augmented by roguelike perks and different classes. But the intensity cools before too long.

In Deadlink’s neon-drenched, dystopia, megacorporations are untouchable. Artificial intelligence can change laws so quickly that traditional government agencies are powerless to stop their nefarious activities. As such, the Corporate Security Agency was formed. Unrestricted by traditional administrative restraints, the CSA sends in combat shells controlled by a neural connection to wreck retaliatory havoc.

As Warsaw-based developer Gruby Entertainment’s inaugural effort, Deadlink offers an appealing fusion layered on top of its cyberpunk backdrop. The game’s arena-based action recalls Doom Eternal’s hectic first-person shooting while the inclusion of randomized power-ups and meta-game upgrades are culled from roguelike formula. And while there’s some exposition to help construct a rousing context, Deadlink astutely keeps things focused on the chaotic action.

Grab Your C-Balls

Initially, you’ll have only access to the Soldier combat shell, which is armed with a shotgun, rocket launcher, grapple hook, and grenade-like ‘scrambler’. With the ability to double-jump as well as air-dash, Deadlink endows robo-surrogates with plenty of dexterity. And undoubtedly, you’ll need it. Not only is evasive movement essential for survival, but each arena is filled with floating C-Balls, which are like piñatas filled with ammo instead of candy. Jumping to nab one while a dozen adversaries are attempting to slaughter you is persistently intense.

Much like Doom’s Glory Kill mechanic, Deadlink doesn’t just want you to gun down foes, but mark them before a kill. By using your grappling hook to reel yourself toward them or hitting them with a grenade blast, foes will turn translucent. When this happens, an additional attack eliminates the foe and showers the area with power-ups that can rejuvenate your health or shielding. And since this is the only method of recovery, marking opponents becomes imperative.

Use Those Implants

A trek through Deadlink’s procedurally generated stadiums reveals a growing catalogue of adversity. At first, you’ll fight humans who’ll collapse after a hit or two. But soon, the game throws everything from giant, shielded sumo wrestlers to spider-like mecha that launch a barrage of area-of-effect assaults. Expectedly, prioritizing targets becomes essential with each successive showdown ratcheting up the intensity of the firefights.

Fortunately, you’ll earn a procession of perks, with the exits of each arena leading to new weapon mods, ability-providing implants, or advantageous stat boosts. Interestingly, implants are tied to specific functions, such as changing weapons or grabbing a C-Ball. So, for a few seconds after grappling or using your scrambler ability, you might gain a short-term elemental advantage or invulnerability. Deadlink is passionate about prodding players into using their entire moveset, rather than merely running and gunning their way through foes. And with plenty of volatile objects littered across each battleground, play revolves around seizing advantages as quickly as possible.

Voices from the DualSense

Stick with it and you’ll eventually unlock a trio of additional shell types, each promoting their own playstyle. Playing as a Hunter relies on stealth on deception, with abilities like being able to swap places with an enemy. Meanwhile Engineers lean on their ability to summon machinery, dropping turrets that can turn the tide of battle. Finally, there’s the Juggernaut, a tank with a robust amount of health and shielding who is tailed for close- and medium-range encounters.

If you appreciate old, fashioned, frantic frag-fests like Unreal Tournament or Quake III: Arena, Deadlink could delight. It’s in the sub-genre of first-person shooters where survival hinges on your reaction times more than developing a tactical approach. But despite the developer’s efforts to inject longevity with random perks, multiple classes, and unlockable modes, I spent some of my time with Deadlink wanting to revisit rivals like Gunfire Reborn, Immortal Redneck, and Crab Champions. In the fight against long-term tedium, Deadlink can’t quite complete.

Deadlink was played on PlayStation 5 with review code provided by the publisher.