Deceit 2 is a layered and equally terrifying multiplayer | Hands-on preview
It’s hard not to talk about Deceit 2 without at least mentioning Among Us. Although two entirely different genres, both work in similar ways. There are elements of Innersloth’s massively popular multiplayer in World Makers’ social deduction horror title, but I had far more fun in the two games of Deceit 2 I played. Sure, I’m a big horror fan, but it was in the various ways you get to play during the two phases of each game and the fear I felt every time I saw one of the terrifying monsters that made me excited to dive in with my friends and try to work out who among us is part of the ritual.
Each game in Deceit 2 starts off during the Reality Phase, where nothing’s trying to hunt you down and kill you, however, this time is spent trying to work out who likely will when the darkness comes. You’ll start as a survivor or an infected. The survivors must band together and complete tasks to earn souls, a form of currency that can be spent on numerous items to help you in the dark and keep the infected at bay. They must also watch out for any weird goings on, such as the infected trying to activate various Blood Altars that will begin the ritual: the second phase in Deceit 2. Players can chat between themselves if they suspect an infected via proximity chat, and if they all agree, they can shoot the suspect and cast votes to have them expelled from the game.
This is where the fun begins, as players that are infected can chip in and make a case for themselves, trying to convince others that a survivor might be infected. The social aspect is great, and hearing conversations between players can give you an idea about how lies are being told, how truths are being shared, and generally help to build up a case in your mind for who and who not to trust. The second stage of the game is the In-Between Phase. When a Blood Altar is activated, everyone enters another realm where the fear starts to kick in, and if you’re a survivor, you better hope you’re prepared to survive.
Multiple times during this phase, I jumped out of my skin as one of these hideous creatures got closer. The music is fantastic in its ominous and eerie tones, giving you an inkling that the infected is close, but it’s when you finally see one that Deceit 2 is at its most scariest. If you’ve got a flashlight or another type of item that can produce light, the infected will not be able to get close. These items also help you to keep your sanity. If you Sanity Meter reduces, it’s tougher to get away. leaving you more vulnerable to an attack. Surviving the In-Between Phase takes you back to the Reality Phase, repeating the process of trying to figure out who is infected, albeit with less survivors if they perished at the hands of one of the nightmarish monsters.
Being deceptive is at the heart of everything you do as an infected. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play as one during the preview, but as a survivor, it was interesting to see people’s thought process as to who they thought was one. I was suspicious of someone so decided to follow them to one of the Blood Altars, however, I’m fairly sure they saw me and decided to run right past it. I went to complete a few more tasks in order to gather more souls to spend at the Peddler’s, but I never got there as the darkness came and I was thrust into my own nightmare. These tasks are simple in nature, such as trying to unlock a safe, and they give you another thing to do during the Reality Phase.
Chatting amongst the survivors and coming up with a plan of action is also a way to play, giving you complete freedom during both phases. With only playing two phases, I didn’t get to see how many different scenarios between people played out, but the hints of intrigue and deception gave me a reason to get excited for when Deceit 2 releases this year. The possibilities seem endless, and I can’t wait to see new characters and locations added after release, as well as taking great pleasure in seeing just how creative I can be with my lies, and how clever I am when trying to weed out the evil.
Deceit 2 is coming to PC this year.
