Games review: Dishonored 2
For anyone who missed the original game, Dishonored was a smash hit, offering plenty of freedom.
Following a fairly linear path it became its own rare breed where gamers were given choices without forcing them to travel a gigantic open world in search of the next task.
I was a big fan of the original and, while some progress felt a little scripted and many decisions were effectively made for you (limiting the need for choice), it was still an amazing game which caught much of the industry off guard in a world of major hype and yearly franchises.
In the original, Corvo returned home to tend to a rat problem, and after a brief meeting with his daughter was soon framed for the murder of her mother, the Empress. Roll forward 15 years, and that little girl is now a young woman, and Emily has enlisted the help of her father Corvo as her bodyguard. While attending a memorial for her mother, Emily is interrupted by her niece Delilah. Soon enough, Corvo is drained of his power and you get to choose between the experienced assassin or his daughter, Emily.
In a story not too dissimilar to the first game, your job is to catch up with the power-hungry and clear your name. However, it's not quite that easy. The rats aren't such a problem, but after escaping Dunwall you're taken to a new city, Karnaca, where Delilah began her rise to power. Rats aren't so much of a problem this time, but there's a familiar feel to the bloodfly infestation. Karnaca is vast, varied and beautiful. It continues the trend of walls of light that still prove an adequate pointer you need when looking for an alternate route.
Similarities continue, especially on Corvo's storyline. I went with Emily on my first play through as her skill set certainly sounded like a preference towards stealth. Quickly jumping short distances with far reach is a good start and an effective way of evading combat. You quickly learn that only the very best will stay in the shadows very long. There are plenty of choices for how you approach each situation. The easier alternate path isn't always obvious and when you do come across it, you'll often find there's another handful of ways to get past the current obstacle.
Sometimes dying multiple times is a clear sign that you should try another approach. I lost count of how many times I found a much easier route that hadn't even crossed my mind the first time around. Dishonored gives a great sense of reward when you slip away unnoticed from a group of enemies.
It's difficult to explain the number of choices you'll get. There are probably half-a-dozen routes and each one of those has a variety of ways you can make the journey.
The choices are more diverse than ever. Jumping through an apartment window won't always be the best way to be stealthy. Likewise, walking straight through the front door doesn't always mean you'll end up in a fight with every nearby guard.
Graphically, Dishonored 2 looks very nice. There is a great selection of locations and very little back tracking. Characters are clear and well drawn although there are a few faces I wont cry about if I never see them again. It's consistent aesthetically and you're unlikely to see any slowdown or glitches. You will have to endure a few lengthily loading screens between missions, but there's every chance you'll be working your way through that mission for close to an hour, so the occasional loading delay isn't a problem.
There's an impressive level of voice acting both from the main characters as well as the guards. You will find they're a little more apt at spotting something fishy, especially later in the game where they seem to have eagle vision.
Arkane clearly didn't want to stray too far from the path that brought them so much success, but it's safe to say improvements have been made across the board. Many of those help to prevent it feeling like a mere update and controls are fluent and responsive.
For longevity, the base campaign will last you a little over ten hours. You can double that for the second play through, and if you start searching for all of the runes and bone charms you can easily add the same again making this great value.
Some people may feel that being forced to replay the same story isn't the best stretch, but there is a variation between the two characters.
Bottom Line
Dishonored 2 is another masterpiece from Arkane studios. Some might argue that it doesn't stray far from its predecessor's shadow, but for others that's exactly what they accept from a sequel. From the rich details and immersive world, through to the responsive and refined controls, Dishonored 2 is an absolute gem.
