DEADBOLT 10th Anniversary Community Highlight
hi If you’ve missed it, we recently pushed out an update to fix some of the more disruptive issues that had been in the game for a while, you can check out the changelog here . DEADBOLT is 10 years old as of when this is posted! Crazy how time flies. Ten years of shooting undead,
hi
If you’ve missed it, we recently pushed out an update to fix some of the more disruptive issues that had been in the game for a while, you can check out the changelog here.
DEADBOLT is 10 years old as of when this is posted! Crazy how time flies. Ten years of shooting undead, obsessing over scraps of lore, proving your level design and artistic chops through many (MANY!) creative works, and drawing lines on the DEADBOLT 2 conspiracy board (it’s not a delusion if I’m right!). Alongside the patch, we’ve decided to celebrate with another community highlight.
While there is an extensive history of community efforts throughout the game’s lifespan, documenting all of that would require basically infinite space, which isn’t a luxury we can afford. As a compromise, we’ve decided to limit ourselves to everything particularly cool since the last community highlight, i.e. three years ag— what do you mean three—
ARTWORKS (AND ADJACENT COOL THINGS)
These past few years, there’s been a trend of putting the game’s beloved characters into other mediums and media — this rather curiously coincides with Hopoo Games’ departure to work on Deadlock, which could not escape said trend, though not without precedent.
@reikachang drew a stunning rendition of Ibzan as part of the game’s roster:
And Artidery, in collaboration with Red Cloud, actually put Reaper and (technically) Ibzan into the game, as a replacement for Mirage. Complete with custom sound effects and everything!
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, game updates have broken the custom model’s rigging, but it’s too cool a concept not to share.
[previewyoutube="LVqcnez6-Xo;full"][/previewyoutube]Since the start of 2025, Expend4bles together with his team have made some great efforts in making a fully custom Risk of Rain 2 character out of Reaper. An ambitious endeavour, but one with great promise. Here are a couple WIP screenshots:
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[/carousel]PodcoTima and friends have made a fair few physical items, though I particularly fancy this shirt:
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[/carousel]And, of course, there’s an insurmountable amount of good old artworks by our talented members of the community.
My personal (and extremely biased) shoutout goes to @brainheadbot for his strong linework and expressive use of contrast:
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[/carousel]As well as KL (@klthatsit), the resident pixel boltposter, who even made an artwork for today’s occasion:
We’ve also decided to feature the following:
"Another day at purgatory" by @SoGeerld
Reaper's apartment, drawn in acrylic by Твоя Майя
Holiday festivities by Настинский
"The walking one" by BlooodySpy, taken out of a set of 38 artworks, each depicting a different reaper.
Reaper in a spotlight by 8ughead
Reaper being moody by VentA M. Kutay
"Another night" by TAMA
Ashes to Ashes by Seru
Awesome cosplay by Mr. Funkybones
[/carousel]Though, of course, there is no shortage of great artworks that we could keep featuring (and it is hard to play favourites). If you're hungry for more, pay a visit over to the #creative-db and #creative-archive channels over on the community server.
Lastly, I’ll take this opportunity to shill a creation of my own, that being the enemy and weapon randomiser. If you’ve ever wanted to spike up the difficulty, or make the game utterly ridiculous, look no further. I could tell you all about what it does, but a single screenshot is worth a thousand words:
WORKSHOP
The custom map scene is still alive and well, with faces both familiar and new. Let’s look at a few that would have probably been guaranteed MotWs.
First on the agenda is the “TERMINATION” campaign by the already-mentioned brainheadbot. This campaign pushes the editor’s limitations to the fullest by featuring complex cinematics in between challenging encounters with a heavy emphasis on stealth, set in elaborately-decorated environments. If there’s any reason to play this campaign, it’s to admire the sheer wizardry accomplished with the level editor’s trigger system.
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[/carousel]Of particular note, however, is also the fact that brainheadbot actually went the extra mile to make a “physical copy” of the level, just as a side project. Now that’s commitment.
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[/carousel]jelliwren’s “TURNCOAT” features many of the same qualities (sans the box), but with an urban twist and a more puzzle-focused gameplay, at least to begin with. Both are story-heavy campaigns that do a great job showcasing what can be done with the editor, and both are well worth your time.
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[/carousel]And speaking of flexing with the editor’s trigger system, Mr. V, a newcomer to the scene, has three great maps: DOWNFALL, A.S.H. Inc. and STIFF RIVER. Don’t want to spoil the surprise with these (you'll see as soon as you start playing), but the maps share notable variety in both enemies and routes.
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[/carousel]Classic_Cheese18, a long-standing member of the community, has been killing it lately with his WORD series — a gameplay-focused collection with the central premise that every level is the size of the game’s window. No camera movement allowed, with the spatial constraints proving perfect both to express the mapper’s creativity and test the player’s wits.
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[/carousel]Here’s a really funny one for you – Dogs and Techies by Tahazzar. It’s exactly what it says on the tin. There are dogs, and there are techies. Everyone’s favourite enemy types! Not getting mauled or exploded requires a lot of forethought and, sometimes, recklessness. Good luck!
And lastly, what we’re featuring isn’t a map, but rather a blog about making a map. Garth-Mod decided to challenge themself by making three different maps, only spending a couple of hours on each, and then documented the experience over on the “What’s Behind The Waterfall” blog. It’s a unique opportunity to delve into the process behind a level’s design, rather than just focusing on the end result, and I personally found it to be an interesting read. The maps are also all available on the workshop (here, here and here), if you fancy trying them out!
AUDIOVISUAL TREATS
Before we wrap up, there are also a lot of video links that I really want to share.
For the musically inclined, plenty DEADBOLT-inspired compositions, covers and original, have been released over the last few years. These include:
ApaoloMusic collection:
If you fancy something with more visual content, though, we gotchu:
“Two Pairs”, a slick action animation:
[dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3R0d5X3PzM"][/dynamiclink]Re-experience the pains of the 100% achievement grind with Nick AR (almost a million views, holy moly!)
[dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXjw7FWclWo"][/dynamiclink]Follow along with Shoestring, beating the game without any starting weapons:
[dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OODaTd6BPSQ"][/dynamiclink]Cozy up in Fox.8830’s Minecraft recreation of Reaper’s apartment:
[dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC3P3BCzs3o"][/dynamiclink]And lastly, check out KH’s parody of “Firearms Expert Reacts”. This is peak boltposting.
[dynamiclink href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38XKsXtkWvU"][/dynamiclink]
And if you’re wanting to sink your teeth into the game’s narrative, the following collection of videos is for you. While they largely fall within the same genre of retelling the game’s events, each brings unique discussion points and has great presentation, making them well worth the watch:
Warmth by, like, a lot of people (the animations are cool too!)
Now I Am Become Dudebolt by autumn22
Hopoo’s forgotten gem by Bizmo
Why Deadbolt Deserves a Sequel by La Rubric
Wrap-Up
That’s it for this community highlight! As always, whether you’ve been here since the release or just bought the game, thanks for sticking around. Here’s to more DEADBOLT content, wherever it may come from. If you haven’t played the game in a long while, why not give it another replay with all of the patch’s improvements? And don’t forget to check out the community Discord server, for plenty more creative works and game discussions.
…seriously though, deadbolt 2 when?
Keep that counter going, y’all.
by pac1fying:
by @eliworks:
There’s also been a lot of other fan made art posted over the years on social media such as Tumblr and 
by 
by 
by 
by 
And as a special highlight, here's a wonderful Reaper-ified Chris Christodoulou drawn by 
And heck, we might as well count some stuff related to modding. Classic_Cheese18’s contribution to the scene with his sprite work is particularly noteworthy, even if it’s not implemented into any existing mods just yet.
Depending on which route you take throughout the level, the challenges that you’ll face change drastically. Left side will be a treat for those more predisposed to action. Relatively tight time limits on ash totems? Check. Huge levels with plenty of vents and possible routes? Check. A Sawn-Off only stage with nothing but Bouncers? Yeah, sure, why not.
If you want a real challenge, though, the rightmost route has rundown zombie apartments, hordes of Patriarchs, and gruelling traps from the cunning Timur. I mean, just look at this:
…huh, but if I interact with the portal, won’t I…
Oh.
OH.
…and you know what, I’m not gonna spoil it any further. Find out more yourself! But rest assured, this is a great conclusion to a quality campaign.
The screenshots that you're looking at right now are from the latest entry in the series, 
Lastly, we’d like to highlight the maps of a couple newcomers to the community.
And that’s as much as we can fit before this post gets ridiculously long. Even though a lot of time has passed since the release, it’s evident that a lot of people are still really passionate about this niche little videogame, and they deserve the spotlight.
Of course, we couldn’t possibly encompass everything. There must be plenty of stuff we’ve missed or neglected to mention. Search for/post about deadbolt on social media, subscribe to random custom maps on the Workshop, and see what gold you can uncover. Feel free to shill something you’ve made, in the comment section here or 
We start off at the ground level of one of Stela’s Towers, run by Amber & Evelyn. After a quick introduction — which also mentions our primary target, Sir Stela, — we’re immediately greeted with an overwhelmingly detailed environment and a foyer full of enemies. Well, that and a couple weapons lying by our car, which are sure to come in handy.
From there on, things quickly begin to derail - seems you aren't the only one who wants Sir Stela dead. As you ascend the tower, you're assaulted by a trio of demon snipers. Time your dodges well and you'll be able to reach a sniper rifle on the roof and get your own back. A veritable army of Dredged will cut off your exit point, however, and you'll be forced to hop across to the next building for a better chance at survival.
All of this results in a level with plenty of memorable gameplay moments contained within a total of just two playable areas that are so fun to play that you don’t even notice or mind the repeated layouts.
We’d be remiss not to mention that all of the care and effort put into this goes beyond just the pretty decor and balanced gameplay. You’ve got to appreciate the little quality of life things, like the arrows pointing you to the elevator after clearing a stage, or details like Amber and Evelyn still acting as one another’s phylacteries, despite being offscreen - or even in a different stage entirely.
Expect this to be a hard map - we ourselves are seasoned DEADBOLT players, yet our playthroughs still lasted somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes.
Since custom levels are at the heart of community content, I feel it’s appropriate to start off with the new custom level editor - the DEADBOLT Editor Community Patch, or DECP. Coincidentally, it was the first piece of custom content Chris made before moving onto the game itself.
The features DECP provides on its own are already incredibly useful. Several bugs have been squashed as one may expect, but Chris went above and beyond with features such as missing object support (you may recognise the lich arm and crossbow from previous Map Highlights), quality of life features (such as being able to optionally place Puff and his desk separately), extra UI elements, object scaling, easy-to-make custom thumbnails, a more in-depth and helpful GUI, and so... much... more! It’s honestly overwhelming just how much broader the possibilities are now.
Best part is, most of what’s listed above doesn’t require any changes to the game itself! Whether it be a regular level or one made with DECP, all is playable within the vanilla version of the game without the need for DCP. Speaking of which...
There are even two original weapons based on unused sprites left in the files: the Burst Pistol and Sickle! The former, as you could gather from the name, is like a mini-Burst Rifle, while the Sickle is an insanely powerful, reusable throwable.
To those of you who want to dabble with the editor, DCP has several new objects to play around with. Wallpapers, lights, and water can now be tinted with 52 colour variations, allowing for a much larger range of aesthetic options.
If you’re more interested in new gameplay features, check out the smoke detector and cable box. The smoke detector was somewhat functional in vanilla, sounding an alarm when you exit a nearby vent, but DCP shows you the radius while in the vents, so you won’t get caught off guard by it. The cable box was entirely nonfunctional, crashing when interacted with. In DCP, it will activate whatever its child is when interacted with - a much simpler alternative than killing an offscreen enemy.
The provided images and gifs speak volumes more than we ever could, and experiencing all this for yourself will have an even greater impact.
So why not do just that? Go onto the 
Of course, these aren’t the only pieces of modding that are worth your attention. How about fan translations? Complete with custom fonts and fully translated sprites (main menu, writings on the walls, etc.), these two fanmade localisations for 
Oh, and there’s also a really neat dock with a boat. How the heck did King Goose add open water without any dock tiles?
There’s beauty in simplicity, and simplicity is one thing this map does exceptionally well.
The major news is that we’ve got modding now! It’s still at a relatively basic level, but there’s already pretty cool stuff, like fixed crossbow sprites and barebones controller support! The real highlight is the modded level editor, featuring unused objects and more options than ever before. There’s even 
For all modding purposes, check out the 
Small Time Hydra is easily one of the most impressive of the bunch. It fits the entirety of the camera space, and poses quite a variety of ways to be completed. With vents that cover the entire building and enemies that appear seemingly out of nowhere ("Hydra" is there for a reason), it's jam packed with elements that allow for all sorts of routes. Destroy the phylacteries, kill Stela and flee. Can you beat our record of 29 seconds? ːhoopterː
Decomposition is mostly focused on finding your way around the level, almost feeling like an elaborate puzzle. Find your way to the 6 bottles that are scattered around the level, kill the bartender and exit via a level transition on the right. Mind the dancing crowds!
Well, it sure is a title. Anyway, this level is more akin to the standard levels of DEADBOLT, with some zombies here and there, an environment full of decor and even some backup! Usage of vents and lighting is greatly advised, since there is almost no way to go anywhere without alerting your enemies. Kill Puff, destroy the totems, cheese the backup if you know how and, you guessed it, escape the premises.
It’s quite simple in nature. Burning totems is nothing new to most reapers, but this map is heavily focused on stealth. You’re outmanned, outgunned, and confined to claustrophobic rooms that don’t leave you much space, you’ll have to plan out your route and avoid all the enemies so that you can burn the totems without being killed.
Or, if you’re feeling stubborn, you could try a full-on frontal assault of the base.
This map reminds me of how the official levels are structured, in a way. They tend to have a gimmick that uniquely define them, and this level really fits into that same design. It’s a nice, chill puzzle level, and sometimes simplicity is all you ever need.
We consider it to be the best entry of the bunch – it’s outstanding both in gameplay and level design, but the scripting and usage of triggers is what truly makes it.
choose a question with a smaller reapo
or get spooked. hard.
Simply put, you are on a quest to assassinate all the other mapmakers in the community to ensure Cheese’s place as the best mapper of all time. You’ll be going through plenty of unique scenarios as you strive to elevate Cheese via process of elimination.
The dialogue is witty and adds some nice flair to the map, and the creators were even nice enough to present the player with two different routes towards completion – one for reapers who are up for a challenge and one for reapers who are willing to endure many deaths and memorise every trick the levels have up their sleeves. It’s got a little something for everyone.
When boiled down to the basic premise, the different “directions” that the map can take you in are essentially all arenas where you fight off waves of enemies, as well as the usual style of DEADBOLT level and whatever dialogue Tabu has come up with.
Now, this one won’t be for everyone, especially due to various flaws that differ in severity depending on your chosen route – the waves usually consist of enemies being stacked upon one another, many portions can be something of a tedious grind, and some of the jokes are sure to fly over the heads of many, being influenced by Russian internet culture. Yet I just so happen to be exactly the kind of person willing to sit through something if it looks possible, and in a weird way it feels like it was worth it in the end. And even with said drawbacks, the visuals never fail to impress. I mean, just take a look at this:
So yeah, if being confined to small arenas and pushing your way through waves of enemies sounds like something you wouldn’t mind spending your time on, then this one’s for you. And if not, then hey, whatever Tabu comes up with next may be more your style.
And last, our final entry is 
And there you have it. Three cool and kinda-New-Year-themed maps (they’ve all got snow in them, that’s good enough for me), with each offering something unique that delivers a great time. You can access the maps via 
Fittingly enough for the level’s name, the first section is perfectly symmetrical, aside from the enemies being warped to different heights, which will make hitting the heads more difficult. The stage itself is pretty huge, with lots of small rooms, stairwells and interconnected vents that allow for quick navigation. The guns on the shelves are a neat touch, specifically because they’re pretty tricky to get.
After clearing the warped bar, you can explore a bit to find a familiar face, or acquire 
Once you land you’ll find that the fall has stretched you out this time, which will make aiming rather confusing. Tip: 
Once you rid the place of enemies undead, you’ll move to the story segment of the level by picking a safe and obtaining a cassette, a fragment of Ibzan’s shattered and distorted memory. We’re not gonna delve deep into the story here, though, so instead I’d like to bring your attention to this ridiculously large God of Life. Maybe this whole situation is just an obscure Evangelion reference.
All in all, it’s a memorable level, with added difficulty in figuring out just where to shoot the warped enemies, although it's somewhat short compared to some of the other stages in the collection. However, they’re designed just right to make the entire playthrough enjoyable.
Here, you’re tasked with wiping out the patrons of a club, with a long bar area at the top, and various seating areas on the way up. Of course, any self-respecting bar of this size must have four bartenders, at least. Three are just for show, but the fourth is so good at his job that he can pour drinks while upside down. Now that’s talent.
Of course, where there’s bartenders there’s phylacteries, scattered all around, with some being closer to their owners and others not so much. As such, the level quickly turns into a fun little adventure, mainly consisting of fighting your way to the bottles with what little weaponry you have at your disposal. Unlock vents, shoot bartenders to tell where their bottles are, and scavenge for ammo – you’ll need plenty for this job.
Now, if you’re having trouble with this level, whether due to its difficulty or its performance issues, that’s where 
The original I personally find more enjoyable, but the remake is more focused and performs better. If you want a challenge, play the original version, while if you just want a more laidback taste of Tazz’s distinct mapmaking style, go for the remake.
Maps in the Residue series are heavily connected to one another, and this one’s no exception. Right off the bat, you’re presented with two paths depending on your actions in One Trick Puppet. Of course, you’re also free to just try every possible outcome, like we did.
Depending on the path, the difficulty will vary greatly – you’ll either get a series of relatively difficult stages or some completely unreasonable stuff, with the latter earning this map the reputation of being one of the worst cases of enemy spam.
With that said, the levels are never impossible – Sock leaves plenty of ammunition and weaponry to be found, either lying on the ground or dropped from specific enemies. There are often plenty of vents that can get you almost anywhere, letting you flank or retreat as necessary.
Not only that, but the harder parts of the level also prove to be the most interesting or visually appealing areas – detailed nightclubs, invisible traps guarding a Lich Arm (thankfully with graffiti to show their positions) or even a hideout of zombie looters which also has a nice window that you can smash on your way through.
Being a SockPuppet map, secrets and mysteries are a given, but in this one he goes above and beyond, ranging from small easter eggs to fully fleshed-out endings full of oddities and interesting scenarios. The ways of getting them are rather unique too, as you aren’t just running off the sides of stages looking for hidden cutscenes. Be sure to take some time to think about where or what these secrets could be.
…alright, there’s, like, one joke-ish ending.
All in all, it’s a fine exhibit from the golden age of DEADBOLT mapping that’s well worth your time, even if the difficulty of these maps can get a little over the top occasionally.
And while we’re at it, don’t forget that we (the DEADBOLT community) have our own official Discord! The invite URL can be found in the Discussions section, but 
Right from the start, we’re introduced to a mechanic that we’re honestly surprised nobody’s really used until now – a level select screen! It’s very useful for large, multistage maps as you won’t need to repeat hard gameplay segments you’ve already completed just because you took a break. Neat!
And you should prepare yourself for hard gameplay segments, because boy there’s plenty of them.
As the title suggests, you’ll be making your way through interconnected areas that ramp up in difficulty as you progress, like huge warehouses, mini-skyscrapers and even a train section! Each of the eight levels is rightly packed with enemies and opportunities for taking them out, which is never an impossible task even with a standard revolver.
The maps in this level are also comparatively larger than Cheese’s previous levels, but the quantity doesn’t mean the quality suffers, as all the maps are super pretty, and they feel very polished and fun to play, with enough enemy variety to keep you on your toes. Yes, this includes Technicians, so watch your step.
All in all, these eight maps are sure to test and entertain you.