Summary
Arkane Studioshas spent the best part of two decades cementing its place in the gaming industry. Despite specializing in the fairly oversaturated genre of first-person shooters with the occasional addition of supernatural powers or stealth,Arkanehas managed to establish a unique and identifiable voice that sets it apart from its contemporaries. People were excited aboutDeathloopandPreynot because they were FPS games but because they were Arkane projects.
Since the early 2000s, the company has developed six full games, a highly-regarded expansion (and a few non-standalone DLC), and also co-developed two shooters with MachineGames. Arkane rarely misses the mark on a project, although there is a first time for everything. What are thebest Arkane Studios games?
Updated Aug 01, 2025 by Mark Sammut:The specifications have been added forevery Arkane game, including their approximate lengths and platforms.
Arkane’s association withWolfensteinhappened to coincide with the license’sdecline in quality, although this era still produced some things of value. While the company lent a hand in the development ofYoungblood, Arkane took the lead forCyberpilot, a short VR experience that attracted very little attention when it debuted in 2019.
A short but still enjoyable experience, the game puts players in charge of mechas popularized by MachineGames' franchise. Over the course of four levels, the campaign guides players through a Nazi-occupied France as they fight in favor of the resistance. Like many VR packages,Cyberpilotprioritizes style over substance, and the overly simplistic gunplay provides very little incentive for a replay; that said, this is a fine experience for the roughly two hours it lasts.
WhileCyberpilotis little more than a side distraction,Youngbloodis closer to a proper successor toWolfenstein 2, although it does not come close to reaching the heights seen byThe New Colossusor evenThe New Order. Set a few decades following the events of the second game, the story followsBlazkowicz’s daughtersas they try to find their dad. Naturally, their search involves shooting armies of Nazi troops and robots.
Youngblood’s moment-by-moment gunplay is fine, which should hardly come as a surprise since it is largely lifted from its predecessor. However, everything else is a mixed bag. The campaign’s structure emphasizes repetition, while the introduction of RPG-style levels for enemies only results in dragged-out encounters. The plot is also painfully forgettable and uneventful, particularly when compared to the previous entries in MachineGames' reboot era.
Launching to a mixed reception,Redfallis Arkane’s worst solo project. Created by the developer’s Austin branch, which previously worked onPrey, this vampire-themed shooter contains many staples that have come to define Arkane, including an interesting setting and a combat system revolving around gunplay and supernatural-leaning abilities. Unfortunately, the game launched with many issues that extend beyond performance, to the point that a 30 FPS lock on the Xbox Series X has been relegated to a minor issue.
Story-wise, the campaign is set in the eponymous town that has become overrun by vampires.Redfallhas four playable characterswho serve as unique classes, permitting players to step into the shoes of vampire hunters tasked with freeing the town from the grasp of the Hollow Man and other vampire gods.Redfallhas a decent enough premise that could have been a fun mix of supernatural horrors and an element of faction warfare; unfortunately, the plot is damaged by a bare-bones presentation that neuters the characters and the world they inhabit.
The gameplay has some decent points, including a solid arsenal of weapons. Not every gun is fun to use, but they are more than capable of getting the job done. However, the combat is undermined by sluggish controls and inconsistent AI enemies that seem to have a collective death wish. Visually,Redfalldoes not look particularly good, which might have been acceptable if so many other elements did not come across as half-baked.
After the game’s debut, Arkane released a 2.0 update that addressed some of the main issues, including the frame rate and the braindead AI.Redfall’s Update 3 patchwas another step in the right direction. While certainly appreciated, these patches could only fix so much; still, at this point,Redfallis at least playable.
In truth,Youngbloodis probably superior toRedfall, but it was a bigger disappointment due toWolfenstein’s recent history of excellence.
Even though everyone will have their favorites, Arkane’s in-house resume is fairly consistent. Up until 2021, very little separated the developer’s “worst” and “best” projects. The company’s debut title,Arx Fatalisis an ambitious first-person RPG set largely beneath the surface as it takes place in a world stripped of the sun’s warmth.
As with most new studios, this 2002 release does show some growing pains, be it the enjoyable but clunky combat or the occasional obtuse quest. However,Arx Fatalisalso highlights exactly why Arkane has grown into such a beloved developer over the last 20 years. LikeDishonoredorPrey,Arx Fatalisprioritizes player freedom through build customization and unrestricted level design. The game also utilizes a neat magic system that involves combining rune symbols to execute attacks.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magicmight be the most difficult Arkane project to rank since, in many ways, it is the company’s least impressive release. The game has a weak story that does not have anything noteworthy to say, a statement that cannot be extended to most of the developer’s other releases. As a fantasy realm, Ashan was rather nondescript in 2006, and time has done little to make it more interesting.
Yet, despite those criticisms,Dark Messiahis still an easy recommendation due to its fantastic combat system, which compares favorably to Arkane’s subsequent releases. This RPG is a murder simulator, and the game makes extra sure that players have all the tools they could need to create magic, both literally and figuratively.
Deathloopfollows Colt, an assassin trapped in a time loop that can only be broken once he completes his task (to kill eight targets in a single day). This process is complicated further by the arrival of another assassin that targets the protagonist, and they can even be controlled by a second player. While not completely devoid of a story,Deathloopis more action-driven than most of Arkane’s other releases, particularly the company’s 2010s output.
The game is built upon a combat system that feels like a compilation of the developer’s previous projects, combining gunplay, stealth, andunlockable abilities. The time loop mechanic is rather forgiving and encourages players to not only try different approaches but to also accumulate information on each target in service of subsequent runs. As great as it is,Deathloopcan be a rather polarizing experience, particularly since its inherently repetitive nature can give way to boredom after a while. The game’s less-than-fantastic enemy AI also becomes more and more evident with each new restart.
Someone’s mileage withDeath of the Outsider,Dishonored 2’s standalone expansion, will likely come down to expectations. Compared to other entries in the series, this project reduces build and playstyle options; basically,Death of the Outsidercasts players in an already well-defined role (Billie Lurk) that does not present as much wiggle room for experimentation asDishonored 2. The expansion is built around Emily’s three core abilities, which are instantly available and do not change all that much throughout the campaign. As there is no Chaos system, there is not much reason to opt for a pacifist run, outside of wanting a change of pace. That said, it is still an option, even if it is not rewarded.
Death of the Outsider’s narrower approach might put off a few long-timeDishonoredfans, but this creative decision has its benefits. For one, the expansion has some of Arkane’s tightest level layouts since they are designed around fewer potential approaches than the mainline entries. The combat system has also been tweaked to encourage more liberal use of Billie’s abilities.
Dishonoredput Arkane on the map, and some might argue it is still the company’s crowning achievement. The campaign follows Corvo, who is falsely accused of killing Dunwall’s Empress; naturally, he sets out to right this wrong. Narratively,Dishonoredis among Arkane’s strongest works, as the developer did a fantastic job of not only fleshing out its protagonist and supporting characters but also building a captivating world that has enticed players to embark on repeat visits.
Dishonoredemphasizes flexibility in its maps and missions. Players are allowed to choose their preferred method of approaching scenarios, and they can decide whether they want Corvo to kill everyone on sight or take a quieter pacifist approach. This freedom encourages repeat playthroughs, especially sinceDishonoredhas multiple endings. While still passable, the game’s combat is among Arkane’s weaker efforts, although that mostly has to do with its age.
Mechanically,Dishonored 2improves on nearly everything that worked in its predecessor. Following a quick introduction, players get to pick one of two protagonists: a returning Corvo or the Empress herself, Emily. While their core mechanics are largely similar, they both gradually unlock unique abilities that distinguish them from each other. Consequently,Dishonored 2is arguably Arkane’s most replayable game, especially since both Corvo and Emily support various playstyles. Narratively, the leads essentially follow the same storyline,which is decent but does not reach the heights ofDishonoredorArx Fatalis.
While the plot might not be out-of-this-world amazing,Dishonored 2’s world more than picks up the slack. The game primarily takes place in Karnaca, a gorgeous, lively, and adaptive city that is brimming with overt and subtle environmental storytelling. More importantly, Karnaca works beautifully as a sandbox to encourage players to carve their own identities. Overall, this entry is thebestDishonoredgame.
Preydrops players in a desolate space station that happens to have an alien infestation. With little context and rather general directions, players venture out on an intense, dizzying, and unforgettable journey that balances action, stealth, and horror elements.Preymoves at a deliberately slow pace when compared to Arkane’s other projects, a decision that heightens the setting’s atmospheric and unsettling nature.
Talos 1, the space station, is Arkane’s greatest sandbox, a statement that is not made lightly. Even though it can be disorienting initially, Talos 1 is expertly designed and, at times, comes across like an expansive puzzle that needs to be carefully solved. As the more interesting abilities are not unlocked until a few hours in,Prey’s combat takes a while to fully get going; however, once it does, it is a great deal of fun.
