I’ve been playing Deadlock, I’ll admit it. I currently sit in an odd position where I don’t have a dedicated multiplayer game – I’ve fallen off of League of Legends again, and have struggled to fall back into Valorant – but Valve’s new action MOBA has swooped in and given me something new. In the wake of its official reveal last week, I’ve played enough to feel like I was doing pretty well on the suitcase-wielding Pocket, but with this huge new Deadlock patch, it looks like I’m back to the drawing board.
The first – and biggest – change to Deadlock is the all-new wall jump ability, which, as you’ve likely guessed, lets you propel yourself off of walls. While you can only do it once (you won’t be bouncing around like Faith from Mirror’s Edge), it doesn’t cost any stamina – perfect for flying characters like Vindicta, or high-mobility DPS fighters like Haze or Yamato.
It’s not the only huge change, however, because the MOBA‘s map has also been switched up. While initially it felt a little blocky and linear (it’s an early test build, of course), a series of new climbable ropes give you better access to the rooftops than the original bouncepads. You can shoot as you climb too, meaning that, while you’ll have to stationary, you’ll be able to fight back as you ascend.
You can see all of this in action in Brad Garlinghouse’s video below:
There’s a slew of item changes, too, but you’ll spot two items in the store that are listed as ‘new.’ The first is tier three item Headhunter, which increases your bullet velocity, damage, and weapon shield while rewarding headshots with bonus damage and a shot of self-healing.
You’ll require the High-Velocity Mag in order to make use of Headhunter, which is also flagged as new in the store, but has only received a minor nerf (it now grants 30% bullet velocity instead of 35%).
While there’s a lot going on here, for me, the climbable ropes are an absolute gamechanger. As someone who likes to deal heavy damage and get out quickly on characters like Pocket and Haze, this adds a whole new level of verticality to the map.
I also love playing snipers, but haven’t really got on with Vindicta’s kit over the past few weeks. With more cheeky rooftop spots and open sightlines available thanks to all of these movement changes, I sense I may need to take her for a spin again.
For a full breakdown of the recent patch, you’ll have to check out the Deadlock forums. Note that you’ll need to sign up in-game view the site’s content, but if that’s too much hassle it’s also available on Reddit.
If Deadlock intrigues you and you’re looking to take it for a spin, check out our guide on how to get into the Deadlock playtest. Alternatively, if you’ve given it a try and aren’t a fan, here are some other multiplayer games for you to try out.
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