- Publisher: Crunching Koalas
- Release Date: Jul 30, 2024
- Also On: PC, Xbox Series X
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Sep 16, 2024Deadlink is an excellent mixture of Robobeat’s roguelike structure and DOOM (2016)’s frantic but strategic frenzied gunplay. That’s a very high compliment, as I loved both games very much, and Deadlink proves there’s still plenty of life in the roguelike shooting genre. The gunplay is rapid, clicks together well, and provides plenty of room for experimentation to help soak up some, but not all, of the burnout the lack of enemy and level variety brings. Even when I get a bad run, I still feel accomplished in what I get from it, whether that be more XP and Tokens or even a little secret nugget or two. Just make sure to keep yourself on the move; Deadlink goes full throttle right from the start. From the absolutely electrifying beats to the simple pleasures of racking the pump of a shotgun, every sound comes in crystal clear, and the Dualsense additions are icing on the cake. If you want to run and gun with a bit of randomness in between, Deadlink’s cyberpunk flair just cannot be passed up.
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Jul 30, 2024Deadlink is a thrilling, kinetic blend of two genres that are rarely harmonized. Random runs are not drastically hindered by the usually roguelite trappings, instead identifying that player skill should be the de facto method of progression. The raw momentum of zipping through Deadlink‘s many areas is immensely satisfying but the reward of new upgrades to tackles increasingly brutal modes rockets the game past any potential doldrums, having players beg for that one more run.
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Oct 7, 2024Deadlink doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Despite its shortcomings, it presents a well-tuned, fast-paced experience that remains engaging from start to finish, and on more than one occasion I found myself so locked in that my knuckles were hurting from gripping my controller. Deadlink asks its players to walk a thin line between success and failure, and in so doing captures a sense of intensity that vastly overshadows its lack of variety and disappointing story. Anytime I find myself in need of a quick shot of adrenaline, I have a feeling that Deadlink will be my fix for a good while now.
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Aug 30, 2024Deadlink delivers a fast-paced, action-packed FPS roguelite experience with a striking cyberpunk aesthetic, though its steep difficulty and intense visual style might not appeal to all players.
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Jul 30, 2024Deadlink is a ridiculously compelling Roguelike FPS, with a seriously clever upgrade system and a combat loop that never gets old.
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Jul 31, 2024The FPS action is top-notch, the combat loop satisfying and the roguelike elements are all balanced to perfection. The game is let down a little by a lack of variety in locations and enemies and the writing is hardly anything to set the world on fire, but these are small issues that are easily overlooked because the core loop is just too much fun.
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Aug 20, 2024Deadlink is a polished cyberpunk FPS arena shooter with fast kinetic gameplay. As is so often the case these days, there’s roguelite elements. Due to the fixed progression, replaying the first few levels can get a bit overfamiliar and a little stale, but it merely adds impetus to progress further into the game. Great weapon balance and nicely done upgrades make for compelling reasons to keep playing.
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Aug 5, 2024The missteps and fumbles associated with Deadlink – whether inherent or inadvertent – are ultimately an unconvincing argument against playing the game.
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Jul 31, 2024Deadlink is a first-person shooter that any gamer can enjoy with rewarding roguelike elements and satisfying action-packed gameplay.
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Jul 31, 2024A shooter that echoes the old school with modern sensibilities, Deadlink will scratch that roguelike itch if you let it. A little lacking in variety, hopefully time and TLC will prove us wrong on that front.
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Jul 30, 2024Deadlink is a great arena shooter with fast-paced action and a banging soundtrack. You’ll be speeding around arenas as hordes of enemies give chase, and you will be challenged. Things can get repetitive, but you'll probably be having too much of a good time to care.
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Jul 30, 2024Roguelike fans who love fast-paced first-person shooter action are in for a treat with Deadlink. Its combat encounters take heavy inspiration from DOOM Eternal, and with four combat shells to choose from, along with a wide range of upgrades to acquire, there's plenty of variety to be found from one run to the next. A new time trial mode complete with global leaderboards adds even more fun into the mix.
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Jul 30, 2024Deadlink is a blast. At its pulse-pounding best, it's a breakneck shooter that rewards skill and tactical thinking, and keeps you hooked with a range of run-altering unlocks. A must for fans of relentless and often brutal action.
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Sep 2, 2024Deadlink is a refreshing and intoxicating roguelite fps that we cannot avoid recommending. It's fast paced, the shooting is good, the upgrade system is clever and the quantity of content is not an issue. We only wish it was more various in its map layout and enemy types, but there's a lot to love here for fps fans.
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Jul 31, 2024With a quartet of character classes, Deadlink lets you find a class that complements your playstyle in the game’s procession of hectic, arena-based first-person frag fests. But incongruously, the game’s roguelike perks provoke you into playing a very specific way, where you’ll use all of your capabilities. This dissonance doesn’t devastate the action, but it doesn’t elevate it either.
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Jul 30, 2024Deadlink gets the idea right and its main highlight is its explosive combat in a well-presented theme, but it suffers from the rapid fatigue common in many roguelites that offer little variety in scenarios and enemies.
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Aug 26, 2024Deadlink is a game that challenges us with each new run we try. Those who enjoy fast-paced FPS games will find their fit here. However, it is not as complicated as other FPSs, and the Live, Die, Repeat gameplay may not appeal to everyone.
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