>>719067396
>>719068801
This. The main thing about Deadlock is that it's rooted in early to mid 1900's occult Americana, but a little beyond that still fits.
It is SO incredibly based of Valve to go with the American Culture angle, bc very few games or things lately, let alone modern culture, seems to be in touch with, or even actively in denial of, America's very rich and influential cultural history.
It probably just made so much sense to swap to this sryle in hindsight, and they had no fear in running with it. Finally showing people very slyly what the game was going for.
Neon Prime was such a presently generic premise, I get the feeling they only went tech-y first bc of the earlier halflife/citadel lean. I wonder who on the team floated the occult nyc idea first...