Romeo is a Dead Man review – an offbeat action game that finds its groovy, gory rhythm

What fight through yonder Windows breaks?

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grasshopper Manufacture

Romeo is a Dead Man begins as a chaotic mishmash of visual styles and storytelling ideas, and ends as an assured hack ’n’ slash whose oddness works in its favour.

• Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
• Publisher: Grasshopper Manufacture
• Release: February 11th 2026
• On: Windows
• From: Steam
• Price: $50/£42/€44
• Reviewed on: Intel Core i9-10900K, 32GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3090, Windows 10

Like the summonable, energy-shooting ghoul I cultivated on my spaceship’s zombie farm, Romeo is a Dead Man is a bit of a grower. After an iffy start that exhibits plenty of Grasshopper Manufacture weirdness but not much Grasshopper Manufacture charm, its disparate parts do eventually coalesce, forming a lean yet muscular hack ’n’ slash with a playful talent for mixing up its mediums.

God, so many mediums. The tale of Romeo – small town cop turned cyborg samurai, enlisted to hunt multiple space-time variants of obviously evil ex Juliet – is told not just through Unreal Engine cutscenes, but also animated pulp comics, stop motion, and 16-bit pixel art, and that’s just in the first half hour. It gets eclectic while you’re actually playing, too: bloody melee combat remains the star but it’s rarely long before you’re dragged off to do some 3D puzzling, or to upgrade your stats and items by playing arcade and mini-games.

It’s unfortunate that, in the early stages, not all of it lands. Such variety initially appears to paint a surface-level veneer of innovation over the action, which itself starts slow, only pitting you against shambling undead and the occasional powered-up meat monster. Neither does it help that the plot is largely stakeless multiverse nonsense, adopting a blandly literal interpretation of Suda51’s recurring Kill the Past theme and repeatedly contradicting itself with cheerful ‘Don’t worry about it’ handwaves. Game, I want to worry about it! Worrying is just caring with an extra syllable!

Stick with it, though, and Romeo is a Dead Man develops a genuine capacity to surprise. In part, because it knows when to commit to the bit. There’s an extended sequence halfway through that dips into survival horror, and instead of merely taking away Romeo’s ability to swing a sword, the entire game shifts into a claustrophobic over-the-shoulder perspective while introducing stealth and Resident Evil-style puzzle elements that never reappear anywhere else. That’s a bonkers amount of investment for a single switch-up. I don’t want to spoil the latter stages, like I’m apparently willing to do for the horror bit, but these also run further with the cross-media aspect, skillfully relieving some of the more dramatic moments with high-effort swerves into absurdist, visually diverse comedy.

Also, y’know, it’s a pretty good action game. Combat recovers from its weak start as well, both trusting you to uncover the nuances of its combo swishing and gradually enlarging the menagerie of angry flesh flappers – mostly in a sensible order of challenge – to test what you’ve learned. Romeo is no Dante or Raiden, agility-wise, but what his fighting style lacks in flashiness is more than made up for in tangible, satisfying weight. Even the default sword, perhaps the most purely functional weapon among an arsenal of power fists and sci-fi spears, cuts through crowds and bisects behemoths with a moreish chunkiness. Romeo can also wield guns, though I ended up having enough fun with the blades that I only whipped out my shotgun when necessary. As in, needing to shoot things that were either a) flying out of reach or b) liable to explode in my face upon thwacking them.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grasshopper Manufacture

The relatively lengthy wind-ups and recovery times do require more than a measure of timing, and bosses will happily teach a harsh lesson in it. But simultaneously, Romeo is a Dead Man is barely ever about passively waiting for an opening. There’s no blocking or parrying, and successful strikes fill a blood gauge that lets you lash out with more powerful special moves – which also partially refill your health. All of this conspires to thrust you into highly aggressive, excitingly pacey brawls, where taking some hits might be worth it if you can fill that blood bar in return. Dodging, too, often feels like less of an evasive technique and more an offensive manoeuvre for shifting into the optimal backstabbing angle.

None of this is especially groundbreaking. But it seems like before you can start layering on novelty cinematics and genre juggling, it’d be important to for your action game to have good action. And Romeo is a Dead Man’s fighty parts are meaty, frantic, and terribly good fun.

Truth be told, it’s also not just the most ambitious of Dead Man’s silly asides that can extract a grin. Between missions, I always enjoyed returning to the FBI’s spaceship hub (long story), where – in exchange for parting with the third dimension – you can chat, trade, and upgrade with weirdo agents and amusingly out-of-place family members. Here, the ‘Sure, whatever’ humour works better than in main story beats; nobody questions the logic of growing allied zombies like carrots so you can call them up in later battles, which makes it funnier when you yank one out of the dirt to triumphant fanfare. And there’s something both sweet and entertaining about having Romeo’s mum, settled inside the ship’s galley, cook buff-granting katsu curries using ingredients you’ve found drifting in space. As Yuri Gagarin said, “I saw how beautiful our planet is, and also how many jars of cumin are just floating around up there.”

I wasn’t quite so happy in Sub-Space, the loosely Tron-ish alternate dimension that most missions have you poking around for keys and light navigational puzzles. Its aesthetic, that of a Zen garden as built in a heavily shader-modded Minecraft, is quite nice. But whereas the rest of the game got better with time, the appeal of yet another dive into Sub-Space only waned. For one thing, a lot of these sections just go on far, far too long, slowing down progress in a way that becomes ever more incongruous with the impetus-heavy combat. For another, going there utterly knackered my framerates.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grasshopper Manufacture

PC performance, in general, lurches around like a Regent’s Park pedalo in a Caribbean storm. At what is usually an easy 1440p, my RTX 3090 – running Ultra settings with Quality-level DLSS 4 – couldn’t reliably hold 60fps, with drops to 30fps and sometimes even lower in some Sub-Space areas. I also tried the Steam Deck , using the lowest possible settings plus FSR upscaling, and that fell deep into the twenties too – even in real space. This is thankfully not a repeat of the No More Heroes PC port , as you do at least get proper mouse/keyboard support and, evidently, those custom graphics options. Still, it’s no smooth runner either.

Whether that’s a dealbreaker, I’ll leave between you and your rig. If you can run it, though, Romeo is a Dead Man provides smiles, surprises, and memorable swordfights, especially once it warms up. It probably won’t go down as an all-timer in Grasshopper Manufacture’s ouvre, and in 20 years’ time, I doubt YouTube will be recommending me Romeo videos as often as it currently does Killer7’s Russian Roulette scene . But that’s fine: quality slashing and organic zombie gardening can still count for plenty.

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Romeo is a Dead Man

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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