Side Quests & Activities

Beyond the critical path of eliminating the Visionaries and breaking the loop, Blackreef is teeming with optional side quests and activities. These diversions are not just filler; they offer invaluable opportunities to acquire powerful Slab upgrades, unique weapons, significant amounts of Residuum, and deeper insights into the island's enigmatic lore. Engaging with these optional objectives can significantly strengthen Colt, unlock new strategies, and ultimately make the Golden Loop easier to achieve.

Unlike traditional RPGs with explicit quest markers, Deathloop often integrates its side content more organically into the environment and through discovered lore. This guide will help you identify, initiate, and successfully complete some of Blackreef's most rewarding optional endeavors.

Identifying and Initiating Side Quests

Side quests in Deathloop rarely appear as traditional quest logs. Instead, they are typically triggered by:

• Discovering Notes and Documents: Many side quests begin with a cryptic note, a diary entry, or a research paper found in various locations. These often hint at unusual experiments, hidden stashes, or strange occurrences.
• Overhearing Conversations: Pay attention to the Eternalists' chatter. They frequently discuss odd happenings, secret projects, or valuable items they've stumbled upon.
• Environmental Clues: Unusual setups, locked doors with strange mechanisms, or out-of-place objects can often point to a hidden activity.
• Interacting with Specific Objects: Some quests are initiated by simply interacting with a particular item, like a locked safe or a mysterious device.
• Visionary Leads (Minor): While not strictly "side quests," some Visionary Leads have optional components or alternative solutions that feel like side activities, offering different rewards or paths.

Once initiated, these activities often create new "Leads" in your journal under the "Discoveries" tab, guiding you through the steps. Always tag these leads to get on-screen markers.

Notable Side Quests and Activities

Here are some of the most impactful and engaging side quests and activities you can undertake on Blackreef:

1. The Moxie (Karl's Bay, Evening)

Objective: Participate in a deadly game show for unique rewards.

The Moxie is a brutal game show hosted by the deranged Visionary, Charlie Montague. It's an excellent source of Residuum, unique weapons, and a chance to practice your combat skills under pressure.

Initiation:

• Head to Karl's Bay in the Evening.
• Locate the large "Fia's Fortress" sign and look for a smaller sign pointing to "The Moxie."
• Enter the building and follow the path to the main arena.

Walkthrough:

1. The Gauntlet: The Moxie consists of several rounds of combat challenges. Each round pits you against waves of Eternalists in a confined space.
2. Survive and Eliminate: Your primary goal is to eliminate all enemies in each round. Be mindful of environmental hazards like explosive barrels and turrets.
3. Bonus Objectives: Charlie often announces bonus objectives, such as "kill X enemies with headshots" or "don't take damage." Completing these yields extra Residuum.
4. Weapon Scavenging: You'll start with basic weapons. More powerful firearms and grenades can be found on defeated enemies or in weapon caches around the arena.
5. Health Management: Health pickups are scarce. Use your Slabs (especially Shift for mobility or Aether for stealth) strategically. Consider bringing a health-regen Trinket.
6. Final Round: The last round usually features tougher enemies, including Heavies. Focus fire and use your most powerful abilities.

Rewards:

• Residuum: Significant amounts, especially for completing bonus objectives.
• Unique Weapons: Often includes a high-tier weapon, sometimes with unique perks.
• Trinkets: High-quality character and weapon trinkets.
• Practice: Excellent combat training for dealing with multiple enemies.

Strategy Tips:

• Stealth First: In early rounds, try to thin out the Eternalists silently with a suppressed weapon or machete before engaging in open combat.
• High Ground: Utilize the arena's verticality. High ground offers cover and a vantage point.
• Slab Synergy: Combine Slabs like Shift for quick repositioning and Havoc for damage absorption when overwhelmed. Nexus can be devastating against clustered enemies.
• Loadout: Bring a versatile loadout. A good assault rifle, a shotgun for close quarters, and a sniper rifle (if available) can cover most situations.

2. Condition Detachment (Frisad Rock, Morning/Noon/Afternoon)

Objective: Uncover the secrets of a mysterious experiment and acquire a unique weapon.

This quest involves a series of clues leading to a hidden laboratory and a powerful, experimental weapon.

Initiation:

• Discover the Clue: In Frisad Rock, during the Morning, Noon, or Afternoon, head towards the coastline near the "Snipers Nest" area.
• Find the Note: Look for a small, dilapidated shack or a cave entrance. Inside, you'll find a note or a research log detailing a "Condition Detachment" experiment. This note will trigger the "Condition Detachment" discovery in your journal.

Walkthrough:

1. Follow the Clues: The initial note will point you towards other locations on Blackreef where further research logs or experimental equipment are hidden. These clues often involve specific times of day.
2. Location 1 (Example): Updaam, Noon: A clue might lead you to a specific building in Updaam, perhaps a library or a research facility, where you'll find another note detailing a specific frequency or code.
3. Location 2 (Example): Complex, Afternoon: Another clue might direct you to a bunker in the Complex, requiring you to input a sequence or solve a small environmental puzzle to access the next piece of the puzzle.
4. The Final Lab (Frisad Rock, Evening): All clues will eventually converge, leading you back to a hidden, heavily fortified laboratory in Frisad Rock during the Evening. This lab is usually well-guarded by Eternalists and potentially turrets.
5. Accessing the Lab: You'll need to use the codes or frequencies gathered from previous steps to bypass security systems (e.g., a locked door, a laser grid).
6. Acquire the Weapon: Inside the lab, you'll find the experimental weapon, usually housed in a display case or on a workbench.

Rewards:

• Unique Weapon: Often a powerful, experimental firearm with unique properties (e.g., the "Strelak Verso" which transforms between SMG and burst-fire pistol, or a weapon with special elemental damage).
• Lore: Deep insights into the AEON program's more bizarre experiments and the nature of the loop.
• Residuum: Found on enemies guarding the lab and from breaking down unwanted gear.

Strategy Tips:

• Patience: This quest spans multiple time periods and locations. Don't rush it.
• Note-Taking: Keep track of codes, frequencies, and locations mentioned in the clues. Your journal helps, but a personal note can be useful.
• Stealth for the Lab: The final lab is often heavily guarded. Consider a stealth approach using Aether or a suppressed weapon to thin out enemies before engaging.
• Environmental Awareness: Look for alternative entry points into buildings or labs (vents, broken windows).

3. Lore Hunts & Hidden Stashes (Various Locations & Times)

Objective: Discover hidden lore, unique trinkets, and large caches of Residuum.

Blackreef is littered with hidden areas, secret messages, and environmental puzzles that don't always lead to a specific weapon but offer valuable rewards and expand the game's narrative.

Examples:

• The "8-Ball" Puzzles (Updaam, Morning):
  • Initiation: Find the first "8-Ball" clue in Updaam, often near the library or the main square. It's a cryptic message or a drawing.
  • Walkthrough: These puzzles involve finding a series of eight hidden objects or clues scattered throughout Updaam (and sometimes other districts) that, when combined, reveal a code or a location.
  • Rewards: Often leads to a hidden safe containing a significant amount of Residuum, a unique trinket, or a powerful weapon.
  • Tips: Look for subtle environmental cues, graffiti, or notes that stand out. The clues are often sequential.
• The "Pictogram" Hunt (Fia's Fortress, Fristad Rock, Afternoon):
  • Initiation: While exploring Fia's Fortress, you might stumble upon strange pictograms or symbols on walls.
  • Walkthrough: This activity involves deciphering Fia's cryptic messages and locating all her hidden art installations. Some are well-hidden and require careful exploration.
  • Rewards: Unlocks deeper lore about Fia and her connection to Blackreef. Completing the full set can sometimes lead to a hidden stash or an achievement.
  • Tips: Pay close attention to your surroundings, especially in less-trafficked areas of the fortress. Some pictograms are only visible from specific angles.
• The "Locked Safe" Puzzles (Various Locations & Times):
  • Initiation: You'll frequently encounter locked safes that require a specific code.
  • Walkthrough: The codes for these safes are almost always found elsewhere in the same district, often in a note, overheard conversation, or written on a whiteboard. Sometimes the code changes with the time of day or is linked to a specific event.
  • Rewards: Residuum, high-tier weapons, or valuable trinkets.
  • Tips: Always check nearby notes, terminals, and listen to Eternalist chatter when you find a locked safe. The solution is usually close by.

General Tips for Side Activities

• Explore Thoroughly: Don't just rush through areas. Take your time to explore every nook and cranny, especially off the beaten path.
• Read Everything: Notes, emails, whiteboards, and even graffiti can contain vital clues for side quests.
• Listen Carefully: Eternalists' conversations are a goldmine for hints about hidden stashes, upcoming events, or strange occurrences.
• Tag Discoveries: Once a side quest or activity appears in your "Discoveries" tab, tag it. This will provide objective markers and help you track your progress.
• Don't Fear the Loop: If you miss a clue or fail an objective, the loop resets. You can always try again in the next cycle, armed with new knowledge.
• Prioritize Residuum: Many side activities offer generous Residuum rewards. Prioritize these early on to infuse your favorite Slabs and weapons, making subsequent loops much easier.

By actively seeking out and engaging with these side quests and activities, you'll not only enrich your Deathloop experience but also gain a significant advantage in breaking the loop and achieving your ultimate goal.