Dishonored 2, the sequel to the 2012 game, Dishonored, is an action-adventure video game developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Released on 11 November 2016, this title is available across Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.
Set 15 years after the its predecessor, in the fictional Empire of the Isles, Dishonored 2 follows Empress Emily Kaldwin as she is deposed of her position by her estranged Aunt, who attempts to usurp the throne and title of Empress.
The game begins as soon as this critical moment is reached and provides players with the opportunity to choose whether to continue the game and play as Emily or her father, Corvo Attano, the protagonist in Dishonored. As both Emily and Corvo have their own unique play styles and abilities, offering players a choice of who to play as allows for more freedom of preferential gameplay. This choice is new to the Dishonored mechanic as the previous game did not offer the same kind of options. The importance of character selection here is that whomever players choose will escape from being turned to stone, while the other suffers from that cruel fate. It is then up to players to enlist the help of old allies, uncover the conspiracy and save the character which has been captured and turned to stone.
Right from the beginning, Dishonored 2 allows players the freedom of playing the game in whichever way they choose, first with character selection and thereby making a choice as to what abilities to play with, and second, by choosing from a variety of ways to complete objectives and succeed each mission, from utilising stealth and completing the game without taking a single life to delving in guns, or rather, powers and weapons, blazing and creating violent mayhem. This ability to play Dishonored 2 however one likes and being in control of how each mission plays out is by far one of the pros of the game as it allows for a relatively smoother and easier gaming experience for all kinds of gamers, from seasoned players to those unaccustomed to first person video games.
As mentioned above, both Emily and Corvo possess their own unique set of skills and supernatural abilities, which can be done away with, should players choose to reject them. These abilities, should players opt to keep them, can be augmented by collecting bone charms, which are prevalent throughout each mission. Many of Corvo’s abilities largely remain from the previous game though some minor upgrades are made such as his ability to teleport and freeze time or inflict damage using the momentum gained from teleporting. Furthermore, where Corvo could only possess live creatures, Dishonored 2 sees him taking control of corpses as well. Not to mention, his ability to slow down time is immensely helpful during gameplay wherein players are able to evade danger and sneak up on enemies without being caught.
Emily, on the other hand, has powers completely new to the Dishonored series, which are a lot darker and more supernatural compared to her father’s. Included in her repertoire are the ability to pull objects toward her and propel herself forward enabling her to travel without physically moving, putting her enemies into a sedated state to distract them, linking a number of enemies together to provide a domino-like effect in which they each share the same outcome, shapeshift into a shadowy, flexible cloud like entity and finally, the ability to create a clone of herself to mislead enemies. Compared to Corvo, Emily’s powers presents itself as being far more diverse and therefore allowing for a much more interesting play style, different to the previous game.
Dishonored 2 definitely is a step up from its predecessor, primarily due to the character selection option and the adaptability of Emily and Corvo’s abilities to allow for diverse play styles. Further, the game certainly comes with improvements, such as more depth to missions and complexity to locations as well as darker undertones to truly capture the supernatural aspects of the game’s plot. What was truly intriguing is the fact that decisions made in the game directly links to the player’s moral code, or at least it certainly felt that way for me. For example, choosing to spare a person’s life instead of killing them, could lead them to a fate worse than death, which can, potentially, play on one’s mind.
While the game includes a number of upgrades and improvements, which makes gameplay compelling, Dishonored 2 lacks in growth when it comes to difficulty. The level of difficulty is on par with the first game and therefore can become rather frustrating to players seeking a challenge, which isn’t a problem for a gamer like myself, who prefers a game to be rather easy-going. In addition, the game’s story and plot isn’t as gripping and captivating as the opening scene makes it out to be, leaving some moments in game to feel rather slow and dull.
However, while I was disappointed at the lack of an exhilarating plot, Dishonored 2 still stood out with its impeccable gameplay. The game’s strength and appeal certainly comes from the way the game is played and the level of creativity in each mission. For example, mission 4, the Clockwork Mansion, encapsulates the brilliance of Dishonored 2’s gameplay by way of mind-blowing effects and illusions. The entire mission kept me on my toes as rooms within the mansion would move and change around, leaving me with a sense of disorientation, which required quick thinking and action to overcome. Like this mission, so many others were equally riveting and solidified the fact that despite lacking a fascinating plot and beguiling characters, Dishonored 2 still projects itself as a game worthy of a good, solid run.
Dishonored 2 presents itself as a game for everyone, especially those interested in its lore and gameplay style. An improvement from its predecessor, albeit marginally, this game certainly proves itself as a solid first-person videogame worthy of hours of gameplay and is one I would recommend. If you’re unsure of whether or not to pick this title up, just imagine it as a cross between Assassin’s Creed and Hitman.
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