Arkane Studios. 12 studios that keep making the same game

Now we're entering a shakier ground. Many of you might be wondering what Arkane, the developers of games such as Dishonored, Prey and Deathloop, are doing on this list. What does the steampunk-Victorian stealth game have to do with an immersive sim in a science fiction universe and a surreal shooter with elements straight from roguelikes? I'm already explaining.

Contrary to the FromSoftware's portfolio, the works of the masters from France are rather hard to confuse. They definitely differ in style and, to a large extent, also in genre. However, they do have a handful of common features. The FPP view is one thing, but in itself, it's difficult to consider it as something that's really been recycled. The emphasis on stealth, however, is already something that we could describe as a hallmark of Arkane games. In the first and second Dishonored, it was highly rewarded. In Death of the Outsider and Prey, it was one of the possible ways to achieve the goal, but the developers clearly stopped trying to convince players to silently eliminate enemies – everyone could play their own way without running the risk of getting a worse ending.

Be it Dishonored or Deathloop – the blink looks almost identical.

In Deathloop, stealth has returned as a form of gaining the upper hand. It's quite a difficult game if you want to play it "from the hip." The element of surprise or the unnoticed reduction in the number of enemies we have to deal with in open combat can be considered the cornerstone of the gameplay.

Similarly, the use of special powers – theoretically optional, in practice, however, difficult to do without. Not using them only makes sense if you willingly wish the game to become more challenging. Especially since that doesn't make much sense story-wise in Deathloop, which could be found in Dishonored 2 (I even finished it this way, in addition without killing anyone and without detection) or in Prey (using the power of aliens or not).

Moreover, these abilities are quite similar in each of the games we mentioned. The blink is basically identical in the first Dishonored and in Deathloop. The same is true of the domino power that Emily could wield in Dishonored 2 and the nexus of Deathloop.

Obvious similarities can also be found in the interface or in the way the protagonist holds the knife and firearm – save from Prey. In other words, each Arkane games are unmistakable because of hallmarks like these. The creators, however, skillfully mix individual elements – and additionally enrich them with various visuals – so nobody should be bothered by it.

I wonder how the upcoming Redfall will fit in all of this.