Can You Keep Playing After You Beat Deathloop? Absolutely! Here’s What Happens

Yes, absolutely! Even after the credits roll in Deathloop, the game doesn’t simply end. You can jump right back into the loop, retaining all your acquired weapons, powers (called Slabs), upgrades, and knowledge. This means you can continue to experiment with different strategies, explore areas you might have missed, and generally wreak havoc on Blackreef to your heart’s content. Think of it as a New Game Plus mode, but without the need to restart your entire progression.

The Beauty of the Unbroken Loop: Post-Ending Gameplay

The genius of Deathloop’s design lies in its embrace of the looping mechanic. Even after achieving one of the possible endings, the core loop persists. The final mission, “Ending It,” will remain in your journal, but you are free to ignore it entirely. This allows you to:

• Revisit and Master Areas: With all your abilities unlocked, you can explore the four districts (Rockeye, Updaam, Karl’s Bay, and Fristad Rock) with a new level of confidence and efficiency. Discover hidden secrets, optimize your routes, and perfect your combat techniques.
• Experiment with Different Loadouts: Try out new combinations of weapons, Slabs, and Trinkets to find the ultimate killing machine build.
• Takedown Visionaries in New Ways: You might have found an efficient way to eliminate the Visionaries to break the loop, but can you find even more creative and challenging ways to take them down? Try using different weapons, Slab combinations, or environmental hazards.
• Continue the PvP Chaos (as Julianna): If you enjoy the multiplayer aspect, playing as Julianna and invading other players’ loops remains fully functional. Hone your skills as the ultimate loop protector.

Deathloop understands that the fun isn’t just in solving the puzzle, but in playing with the pieces. The post-ending gameplay allows you to do just that, offering a playground of possibilities. The concept of replayability and learning through iterative experiences is something that educational organizations like the Games Learning Society understand well, as games can be powerful tools for developing problem-solving skills.

The Final Mission Remains: A Constant Reminder

Although you can freely ignore it, the “Ending It” mission will perpetually remain in your journal. This acts as a constant reminder that you did technically “beat” the game, but that the island of Blackreef, and its peculiar temporal anomaly, still offers endless opportunities for further exploration and experimentation. It’s a subtle nudge to try different approaches or perhaps even pursue one of the alternative endings.

Deathloop: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions players have about Deathloop, expanding on various aspects of the game:

1. What actually happens when you finish Deathloop?

You have a final confrontation with Julianna and then you decide the fate of the loop. It can end or keep going on. After seeing at least one of the possible endings, you can continue playing the game in the loop as Colt.

2. Is there a “true” ending in Deathloop?

The ending where Colt kills all eight Visionaries in a single loop and then makes a decision about the loop itself is often considered the “true” or “good” ending. This unlocks the “Ending It” quest and is tied to specific achievements/trophies.

3. Can I get all the endings in one playthrough?

No, you can only achieve one ending per playthrough. After seeing one ending, you’ll need to reload a previous save or begin a new loop to pursue the other ending.

4. Is there a time limit in Deathloop?

No, there is no ticking time limit that puts pressure on you. Time only advances when you transition between the four districts. After you have visited all 4 locations, the loop resets.

5. Can I revisit areas in Deathloop?

Absolutely. Deathloop is structured around revisiting the four core districts at different times of day to learn their patterns, secrets, and how they connect. This is vital to successfully breaking the loop.

6. Can Julianna invade me more than once per district?

No, once you defeat Julianna in a specific district and time of day, she cannot invade you again during that particular loop. She can only invade again once you change the time of day.

7. Should I break the loop or protect the loop?

“Break the loop” is the main single-player story mode, where you play as Colt. “Protect the loop” is the multiplayer mode, where you play as Julianna and invade other players’ games.

8. Why do Colt and Julianna hate each other?

Their relationship is complicated. Julianna believes that Colt, in his attempts to break the loop, has repeatedly “murdered” her in previous loops, leading her to resent him. Colt claims he was trying to free her. They also have a big family secret.

9. Can you beat Deathloop in a single day/loop?

Yes, but it requires extensive knowledge of the game, careful planning, and skillful execution. Achieving the perfect loop is the key to the “true” ending.

10. Is Deathloop a difficult game?

Deathloop can be challenging, especially early on. The difficulty increases as you progress and as you kill the Visionaries during the day. However, the looping mechanic allows you to learn from your mistakes and improve with each attempt.

11. What happens if I don’t shoot Julianna at the end?

If you don’t shoot Julianna at the end, but also don’t kill yourself, the loop resets, implying a truce between Colt and Julianna.

12. Is Julianna Colt’s daughter?

Yes, Julianna is revealed to be Colt’s daughter.

13. Does Deathloop punish you for killing?

No, Deathloop encourages killing as a core mechanic. The loop resets after each run, therefore, there are no long-term consequences of your actions.

14. What is the “perfect loop” in Deathloop?

The “perfect loop” refers to successfully killing all eight Visionaries in a single loop, following the necessary steps to trigger the final confrontation and ending.

15. Why is Julianna protecting the loop?

Julianna, unlike most of the Visionaries, remembers each loop. She believes it is her duty to protect the loop and ensure its continuation, seeing Colt as a threat to its existence.

Embrace the Loop: Endless Possibilities

Deathloop is designed to be replayed, experimented with, and ultimately, mastered. The ability to continue playing after you beat the game is a testament to its commitment to player agency and endless possibilities. So, jump back in, refine your strategies, and discover everything Blackreef has to offer. The lessons learned from the game can even be applicable to the real world, as discussed on GamesLearningSociety.org, where game-based learning and its impact on education is explored. The loop awaits!