The world of Dishonored has always appealed to me. I have played through the original a couple of times, on the previous gen and the remastered edition that launched a while ago. I’ve Blinked across rooftops, knocked guards unconscious, and even killed them if need be through the eyes of Corvo in the bleak city of Dunwall. I’ve even encountered witches with Daud in the DLC for the original game, and it is that DLC that actually brings us to Dishonored 2, with Delilah, the main antagonist of the content, making a reappearance.
Dishonored 2 is set 15 years after the events of the first game, with Emily now an adult and the Empire of the Isles’ Empress. Alongside her, Corvo remains ever vigilant to any threats that may put Emily in danger, but for all of his power even he cannot know everything that is going on within the empire. He’s also no longer the silent assassin from the original, but more a concerned father looking out for his daughter and advising her in any way he can.
The Empire is in crisis as a killer stalks its lands, with their victims being people who don’t like Emily’s rule, firmly planting suspicion on the two protagonists. That’s right, you can choose to be either Emily or Corvo, but the way the game is set it feels like Arkane pushes you towards picking Emily for your first playthrough. This is made obvious during the tutorial where you’re cast as Emily and must complete the training Corvo has set out for you. When it comes down to it, you are free to experience the story through either of the characters, with the selection itself affecting what happens in a pivotal scene near the beginning.
Within just a few minutes of the beginning of the campaign, danger rears its head during a remembrance ceremony for Emily’s mother, the previous Empress, and you soon find yourself needing to escape from Dunwall. This escape sequence teaches you how to put into practice what you learned during the tutorial, with the mission being a relatively simple one. You can choose to go in with blade unsheathed or sneak around avoiding and subduing guards, which is the choice I made as I’m trying to do a no kill playthrough.
Such an approach is tough, but entering combat isn’t the easy option. Death can come quickly even if you are facing just two guards, whose attacks and reflexes seem a lot sharper compared to the first game. They won’t just run at you with sword in hand, firing their guns to do some damage as the gap is closed. It is only early in the game, but I’ve fallen a couple of times to an enemy blade. I’ve found that running away is often the best option, though how it feels later will depend on the abilities and powers gained.
Dishonored had a lot of focus on the powers Corvo received from The Outsider, a supernatural being that has watched the world for thousands of years, and that isn’t much different here though you can choose to reject his offer of powers and play without them. I personally opted to use the powers and Emily’s first is one called Far Reach. It works similarly to Corvo’s Blink does, where you aim at a location then rapily teleport or move there, making it helpful for avoiding confrontation or fleeing from it.
Far Reach is also very useful for exploring the new city of Karnaca, where Dishonored 2 takes place, as there are many tall buildings around the place with quite a few open windows. While Far Reach is the first power, you’ll unlock more as you discover runes, which are easier found with the Heart. The Heart tells you about a location and the secrets of people, as well as marking the locations of runes and charms.
Even though I’m still in the opening area of Karnaca, it feels a lot bigger than the hubs of Dunwall and much more colourful as well. It was a major city built with beauty in mind, but recent events have seen it spiral downwards in stature. The city is colourful and bright with the sun beating down on it, but its streets are just as dangerous as those of Dunwall. There are a number of routes to take around the area and a lot of exploring to do, which is advisable instead of running straight towards objectives. This is because a lot of the lore is locked up in books, letters, and conversations which can all help in providing information for objectives. You’ll also miss all of the runes required to upgrade powers.
Dishonored 2 appears to have some issues though, including some noticeable flickering in one of the early areas and occasional dips in framerate. There’s also a point I found where a message pops up saying “Locked from the inside” when looking at a window, and then those words stay on screen no matter where you go. It’s incredibly distracting and you may miss it should you choose a different route, but be aware that this bug exists. At the moment the voice acting feels a bit hit and miss, though I’m hoping the delivery improves as the game progresses.
On the whole though Dishonored 2 seems like a step up from the previous game, with what I’ve seen of the world showing a lot of promise. We’ll be back with our review soon.
TSBonyman
Sounds good so far, good luck with the ‘no kills’ approach! :)