$14.99 (−40%)Deadlink
Deadlink is a cyberpunk FPS with roguelite runs: you pilot a combat shell for the Corporate Security Agency and wreck the operations of megacorporations that a court case would cost too much to fix. Dash, double-jump and swap weapons through cramped slums and sleek offices, mark targets, blow up the furniture, and come back from every death with a tougher shell.
Is Deadlink worth it?
Deadlink is worth it if…
- you want an arena shooter that never lets you stand still
- you like Doom-style combat where swapping weapons and abilities constantly is the whole point
- you enjoy short, intense runs where death still buys permanent upgrades
- you can accept that the four zones and bosses repeat between runs
Screenshots
Movement is survival
Standing still is not an option. You dash, double-jump and grapple around arenas while outnumbered enemies pour bullets in from every side, and the environment is as much a weapon as your guns: it is destructible, so cover does not stay cover for long. The loop rewards constant motion. You mark targets with your abilities, and killing a marked one drops shield refills, so the safest place to be is right on top of the next kill. Ammo and armor come from enemies too, which means the more the arena throws at you, the harder you have to push into it. Each fight lasts a couple of minutes, and the pace only climbs until the arena is empty. The shooting feels crisp and the movement snappy: mid-fight you are jumping, swapping weapons and dropping abilities all at once, and it flows.
Four shells, one job
You pilot one of four combat shells, each with its own two weapons and two abilities on cooldowns. One class grapples across the map with a shotgun and a rocket launcher; another punches enemies so hard they fly. Heavy weapons come in stock, fire, shock and acid variants that change how they play: an energy gun becomes a railgun with the fire version. Between arenas you pick from a random set of rewards, including implants that trigger on weapon swaps or ability use, some of which genuinely change how a run plays. Death is not the end of progress: every run, won or lost, pays out tokens and experience for permanent upgrades and new skills, so your next shell starts meaner.
What should you know before playing?
How difficult is Deadlink?
It is a hard game, and it gets harder. There are three difficulty tiers, and the higher ones are a serious step up that demands lucky upgrades and heavy investment. Even the middle tier is far from a guaranteed win on a fully upgraded shell. If you are new to fast arena shooters, expect a rough first few hours while you learn enemy weaknesses and which guns and implants work.
Can you play it solo?
Yes, it is a singleplayer game. You get support from your team at HQ between missions, and the story campaign advances as you beat the final boss, which takes seven wins to see the credits. The tone is comic-book cyberpunk with jokes, and the music is good enough that some players rate it as a highlight on its own.
