This Deathloop Ability Is Way Overpowered

"Deathloop" arrived to positive reviews from critics and confusion from some fans, who struggled to figure out how to save their game, increase Colt's health, and master using Residuum. Now that players have had some time with the title and gotten the hang of the basic functions of "Deathloop," they've begun to hone their skills playing as Julianna, Colt's mysterious rival. With all the Abilities in the game at one's disposal, it's easy to see that one stands out amongst the rest. Havoc is way overpowered, and the internet is buzzing about it.

Of the 5 active "Deathloop" Abilities (as opposed to passive abilities like Colt's Reprise), Havoc has risen to the top of gamers' lists as one of the most powerful, versatile tools available when playing as either Colt or Julianna. Because Colt can only bring a limited number of Abilities and weapons with him between Loops, gamers have invested a lot of thought into what constitutes a good loadout to take into battle. For many, Havoc is always at the top of the list. Luckily, there's a simple answer for what Havoc does and how to use it effectively in combat.

In its most basic form, Havoc makes its user more powerful by increasing damage output while decreasing the amount of damage taken from attacks. While using Havoc, users suffer damage to their power, not their health, providing an opportunity for players to run through an Eternalist-filled Dorsey Square or mow down several enemies at once while taking relatively little damage.

Shortly after the release of "Deathloop," one Redditor posted about Havoc's potential power, writing, "Havoc might be one of the strongest, if not the strongest, slabs in the game. ... it is absolutely awesome to mow through enemies and tank everything, but during invasions, it is insane." The player then went on to describe how Havoc provides an unfair advantage to players going head to head with others via the game's online mode. Another player chimed in, saying, "There's no real countering it, you just have to run away because you can't outplay someone who does way more damage and has way more health. Right now I'm basically playing as an indestructible lawnmower with Havoc."

Many gamers noted that Havoc is particularly useful — or devastating, depending on one's perspective — in online mode, where players take on the role of Julianna as she hunts down Colt across multiple timelines.  Though it may seem hopeless for anyone without Havoc, here are some tips for facing players using it in PvP, as well as advice for those looking to become hulking death machines on their own.

There are a variety of opinions on how to best use Havoc, and as many different loadout combinations as there are players. Many players had specific combos that they claimed worked best. For example, one gamer explained that it seemed useless to be stealthy when one could just "brute force [their] way to everything using havoc with withdrawal and backslash upgrades." With these two upgrades, combined with Harriet's gas-emitting pistols, players can effectively shoot bombs at enemies, doing massive amounts of damage while being simultaneously invulnerable.

Others are merely focused on staying alive when a Havoc-wielding Julianna invades their game. One Redditor noted that players facing a Havoc user should "duck under some cover, wait 3 seconds, then fight." They explained that " 99% of the people who use havoc don't have the energy to blink or shift [afterward,] and are usually just going to be stuck in whatever position they used it in. Havoc makes them a brick wall for only a few seconds then they're a sitting duck with no energy." Once Havoc depletes the user's energy, there's no way for them to effectively run or turn invisible, making them the perfect target for a well-timed shot or machete swing.