Arkane used to be one of my favorites. They were amazing at creating games full of scenarios you could tackle in a variety of ways, where creative use of the tools and powers available was rewarding and fun. When they announced a multiplayer title I was excited to see how they would adapt this formula to encourage teamwork in a similarly simulated environment, but what we got seemed like it was built by an entirely different group of people. Maybe it was, I’m sure the staff changed over time, and maybe that’s the problem with development studios having a reputation instead of the people behind it. Either way, what they made was universally panned, to the point that it’s now killed this legendary name in gaming. What I ask now is why we would want a single player version of this thing, that seems to be a perversely messed up version of what they used to make. It was developed to be cooperative, and in doing so cut the elements that made their single player adventures so engaging. At best, its a shadow of what could have been. I get the merits of making this still playable for those who own it, but are they really coming back to play it more, or is this just for the principle of the thing? I guess it doesn’t matter, but it’s sad to see this as the end of Arkane. I wish we could have got a decent sequel to Prey or Dishonored instead. Maybe its good they didn’t shit on one of those franchises instead. I hope someone shits on the executive that ruined Arkane.

My cynical brain says the only reason they’re allowing this update is to have evidence that “see, no one cares about offline mode because we added it and no one bought the game!”