Despite being in an invite-only closed beta, Deadlock has been taking the internet by storm. Seeing constant praise for the game online, I decided to dive into its fantasy-steampunk world and was quickly blown away by just how entertaining yet complex it is.
What first struck me was the hero variety: from Abrams’ brawling close-quarters playstyle to Mina’s bursty in-and-out combat, the range and depth of the over 35 unique characters and their abilities felt exciting, especially when paired with the game’s dynamic movement system. It isn’t all perfect, though. Despite being common in the genre, the lack of a draft system makes it difficult to work around both your team’s (or enemy’s) character picks.
Deadlock’s gameplay loop follows suit to others of the genre such as League of Legends or Valve’s own Dota 2, with lane-based strategy and rounds ranging from twenty to forty-five minutes. With the main objective focused on destroying the effigy of the enemy ‘Patron,’ players are expected to farm souls – this game’s currency – to power up and remove any towers or enemies in their way. Items can be bought, each with their own buffs or abilities, allowing characters to be built in various ways. Whether you are trying to experiment with something new, or just deal with the enemy Doorman who won’t stop sending you to his death trap of a parkour course, there is a great room for customisation.
As with most MOBAs however, this depth brings challenges. Deadlock’s learning curve is pretty steep, with new players being expected to pick up on several game mechanics with haste to ensure they can play successfully. This is only multiplied for those unfamiliar with the genre, with the number of new items, abilities, and details on the map to remember being quite overwhelming. To counter this though is the handy ‘Public Builds’ section of the shop, allowing players to quickly copy and paste other’s popular builds, which usually come with short explanations of each pick, alongside the UI having a pretty extensive mini-map.
It would be impossible to discuss Deadlock without touching on the rich lore embedded into all aspects of it. Set in 1940's New York, players act as heroes involved in a ritualistic fight, attempting to prevent enemies from summoning a godlike wish-granting entity known as a ‘Patron.’ It is a joy to discover pieces of the story whilst playing, through the entertaining abundance of voice lines, the environment itself, or the backstories attached to each character in-game.
All of these elements combine to create a fresh experience in which no two rounds feel the same, each with its own challenges. Regardless of if you’re a complete newcomer to hero shooters and MOBAs or an expert, I’d recommend Deadlock to anyone remotely interested. As for me, I’ll be found sneaking around as REM, ready to load into the next match.