The Game You Should Play If You Love James Bond And Tarantino Films

From the classic horror films that inspired "Resident Evil" to the 15 flicks that influenced Hideo Kojima, the silver screen has long sparked the creativity of video game developers. This trend has even carried over to next-gen titles, with one PlayStation 5 timed console exclusive boasting about 100 movie muses as diverse as "Groundhog Day" and the "Book of Eli." 

Set in a retro sci-fi version of the 1960s, this title wears its heart on its sleeve. Cinematic references color nearly every detail, permeating the environmental storytelling, themes, and lore. There's always another nod, secret, or Easter egg for true fans to discover. Though it draws from a diverse range of material, the dueling assassin shooter clearly pays homage to two media powerhouses: the "James Bond" franchise and Quentin Tarantino films. If an intimate setting peppered with eccentric characters, unique gadgets, polished action sequences, and smart quips sounds like a perfect storm of entertainment, look no further than Arkane Studios' "Deathloop."

In "Deathloop," players step into the boots of Colt, an assassin who comes to on the island of Blackreef with no memory of how he got there. He soon discovers that he's stuck in a time loop, doomed to die and awake at the start of the same day again and again until he breaks the loop. To accomplish this, he must hunt down and take out eight Visionaries using scavenged weapons and gizmos, all while avoiding Julianna, a rival assassin hellbent on protecting the loop at all costs.

"We used to say internally, to simplify for everyone at Arkane, that 'Deathloop' is 'James Bond' meets Tarantino," art director Sébastien Mitton told Polygon. "And afterwards, we added a whole lot more to that." The team drew a great deal of inspiration from "Skyfall" in particular, especially when designing the game's physical location. Similarly, Tarantino's works left their mark on the characters, script, and intense shootouts. "We were really inspired by the punchy dialogue of 'Grindhouse,'" revealed Mitton. "We took the smooth action and gadget of 'James Bond' and added the punchy dialogue of Tarantino movies because we really had this will to bring narration as high as possible."

"Deathloop" is available now for PlayStation 5 and PC.