For those playingDeathloopfor the first time, with no prior experience with Arkane’s games, the experience might feel overwhelming. There are a lot of details that are easy to miss, and some of the gameplay might even come across as overly punishing. It’s all part of Arkane Studios' signature style, which encourages players to be creative and curious.
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Deathloopis a game that rewards those traits, but it can be hard to know what to look for or what to focus on jumping in headfirst. These beginner tips forDeathloopshould help players get through their first free hours of the game after making it through the tutorial phase.
Updated July 25, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:Thanks to its inclusion on PlayStation Plus andXbox Game Passsubscription services, Deathloop is more accessible than ever. The sci-fi stealth em-up incorporates many of the immersive simulation mechanics seen inArkane’s Dishonoredand Prey. In that sense, it’s not a typical FPS action game, and knowing how to approach this title can be integral to a player’s enjoyment. This article has been updated to include moreDeathloop beginner tipsto help players get better.
13Prioritize Stealth Over Combat
Fans that enjoyed Arkane’s previous work on theDishonoredserieswill already know that stealth plays a significant part in a player’s success.Deathloop’s enemies are dangerous and can derail Colt’s progress with a few hits.
As a result, taking a slow and steady approach to avoid confrontation is more advantageous to the player. After all,Deathloopappears to take inspiration fromthe espionage genre, making it reasonable to assume that the developers intended the game to be played like a supernatural James Bond.
12Listen To NPC Conversations
One aspect ofDeathloop’s gameplay that quickly becomes obvious is that players should take their time and investigate everything. The spy aspect of the game’s mechanics becomes vital to move the story forward. One way to do this is to listen to NPC and enemy conversations.
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Many conversations around Blackreef are integral to advancingDeathloop’s story and ensuring Colt knows what to do next. Colt should remain out of sight in a crouched stealth position to listen to an enemy’s conversation for clues before taking them down.
11Adjust Graphics Settings
One of the major complaints players have had since starting Deathloop is that the game stutters quite a bit, especially on PC. Before hopping right into the game, make sure to check Arkane’s graphics requirements for PC, which are surprisingly high compared to some other games that have come out in the last year.
Deathloopalso requires players to update their graphics drivers to the latest one. Not doing this might significantly impact the gameplay experience. After that, adjusting individual graphics settings in the menu before playing to avoid crashes or stuttering is key.This guidewill go more in-depth into which settings can be tweaked for a better experience.
10Explore Every Nook And Cranny
Deathloop’sworld might not be massive,but the four zones included provide plenty of exploration optionsand secrets for Colt to uncover. When first entering an area, the game will try to guide players toward a quest marker. However, there’s no real rush to get to the quest since time doesn’t move forward while on a mission, so exploring an area during a certain time of the day before heading to a quest is a good idea.
Exploration in Arkane games isn’t just about opening doors and back alleyways. There’s a lot of verticality to Blackreef’s four zones. Chances are, if the player can think of reaching an area, they can physically reach it too, and many secrets are found in the unlikeliest of spots, rewarding curious players.
Speaking of exploration, the real value Colt gets from this is a bunch of leads.These are side quests that expand onDeathloop’sstory, and while they are optional, it’s highly recommended to knock down as many of them as possible.
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Side quests provide a ton of advantages, including weapons,various trinkets, and more clues and insight into who the Visionaries are and what they’re up to. Solving these leads might affect Colt’s main quest of killing the Visionaries later on, so ensure not to ignore them, and have the patience to complete them.
8Revisit Places At Different Times Of The Day
The island of Blackreef is a place that changes throughout the single first day it loops through. Updaam in the morning isn’t the same as Updaam in the evening, and so on. Because of this, once the player finishes the tutorial portion of the game and can gather Residuum, it’s a good idea to use every time slot of the day to explore the different areas of Blackreef fully.
Rather than just waiting for the next time slot, use the time Colt has on hand to check out a different area, gather some clues, and maybe even knock down a Visionary for some loot. It might not significantly progress the story, but it will all come together later on.
7There’s More Than One Way To Reach An Area
Exploring aside, Colt’s main concern remains the completion of the main quests inDeathloop. Most of the time this involves entering highly guarded areas or getting a hit on a Visionary surrounded by thick walls, top-grade security, and a million Eternalists. The task, at first glance, seems monumental and downright impossible.
Thankfully, Arkane doesn’t expect players to attempt to force their way in through the front door.There are many alternate routes.Some involve a lot of climbing and jumping, some involve finding a code nearby to open a lock, some might require taking down enemies and hacking security cameras - some might only be accessible through a specific lead. The key is to think outside of the box and get creative.
6Violence Isn’t Always The Answer
Deathloopis a first-person shooter, there’s no question about that. Colt is given several tools of destruction, and once the player begins to Infuse his gear, he becomes an unstoppable force. However, before that, combat isn’t advised unless the player is confident in their abilities.
Enemies will deal a significant amount of damage, especially in groups. Eternalists will typically already be near one another when combat is triggered, so more often than not, Colt will have to ward off an entire swarm of them. Pair that with turrets and a Julianna, and violence is suddenly not the ideal way. Sometimes, it’s better to be patient, until Colt can keep his gear reliably, at least.
5Know What To Infuse And What To Sacrifice
When it comes to gear, the process of Infusion is the most important thing players will be working towards. The key is to get the best possible gear, with the best trinkets and slabs, and then gather enough Residuum to be able to Infuse it all and never have to worry about losing that gear again. It’s a real-life saver.
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Most of the generic gear at the beginning of the game can be sacrificed for Residuum, which includes the most common trinkets since they can be found and picked up again. Starting weapons and gear, in particular,shouldn’t be Infused, and Residuum should be reservedfor mid to late-game items.
4Slabs Should Be Top Priority
Slabs are really what give Colt the edge inDeathloop, and should be the player’s priority over weapons andeven special trinkets. And not just in obtaining them but also in Infusing them. Slabs give Colt his extraordinary powers, and there’s a total of five of them: Aether, Karnesis, Havoc, Shift, and Nexus. Each of them can be powered with additional upgrades as well.
The best way to hunt down these special abilities is to kill individual Visionaries or Julianna and then Infuse the slabs. Objectively the most useful slabs will be Aether and Shift, which are great for stealth and mobility, but ideally, Colt will want to get his hands on all the slabs. Residuum should also be reserved for Slabs in priority since losing a Slab means having to kill a Visionary -again.
