Dishonored 2

DISHONORED 2 – FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Dishonored struck a chord when it released back in 2012. The art style was refreshing, the first person gameplay mechanics felt unique and the storyline engaged. Fast forward to today and Dishonored 2 hopes to provide that fresh air feeling once more. The trouble with sequels though, is that that's a hard for lightning to strike twice.
Set fifteen years after the events of Dishonored, the rat plague is over. Story details are thin, but I'm introduced to a new playable character – Emily Kaldwin. Equipped with a fresh set of abilities, Emily is able to hide in the shadows, stalking her prey. Just as with Corvo from the original game, these abilities play a pivotal role in the success of combat encounters, and enable each player to tailor the experience to their individual style.
 I'm shown two previews showcasing Emily and her abilities. At first glance one thing is immediately apparent – Arkane has kept the art style that made the original feel unique, but have considerably upped the visual fidelity. The level of detail is very impressive, with vast structures filled with intricate detail. A tour of a villainous mansion and royal observatory displays rooms with a realistic feeling to them despite that steampunk artistic style. It's not a graphical masterpiece on a technical level, but it's a great looking game.
In the first preview Emily is on the hunt for her main target in his grand residence. She explores a series of narrow corridors and open spaces, with expensive chandeliers and grandfather clocks painting a picture of our antagonist’s personality. Corvo is still a playable character, but Emily has unique abilities that should make Dishonored 2 feel like a new experience while maintaining the familiarity that players expect.
Verticality plays a big part here, and can be used as a stealth mechanic or an aggressive way to charge any flailing foes. New twists on the old formula mostly come from new abilities with both Corvo and Emily, and being able to literally hide in the shadows looks to be a great addition. Both characters are also voiced this time round, unlike with the original Dishonored.
Otherwise it's mostly business as usual, with an extra layer of refinement. Combat mechanics stay largely the same, with the dual wield system allowing you to experiment with different abilities and mix them to great effect – the clockwork robots guarding the house don't stand a chance. Blinking towards an unsuspecting enemy, before dispatching with a single swipe of steel definitely looks as satisfying as ever. Hopefully Arkane manage to tidy up the hand to hand combat slightly, which could be a little bit clunky in its predecessor.


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