As the end credits rolled on Dishonored 2, the kingdom of Dunwall was in ruin. Hundreds of soldiers, servants, and sailors—many innocent bystanders in the age-old power struggle between an empress and her throne—lay dead. Once thriving cities had been razed to the ground in a blaze of steampunk gunfire and meticulously placed spring razors. Not a single soul that crossed me was left standing.
My time in Dishonored 2 may have been little more than a free-for-all blood bath of death, destruction, and chaos—but I don’t regret a single bit of it.
That’s the thing about Dishonored 2—the sequel to 2012’s brilliant first-person stealth shooter Dishonored—it’s not so much about the destination (and I’ve left out the much darker story spoilers) as it is about how you get there. This isn’t a game that breaks new ground in interactive storytelling. Nor is it a game that creates bold new mechanics that push the boundaries of design. This is game that simply relishes being a game, a mix of tried-and-true mechanics as pure as those from an old ’80s arcade cabinet that can be be picked apart and mastered by players.
Ultimately, it’s about choice. From the moment you start and pick whether to play as series stalwart Corvo Attano or his empress daughter Emily Kaldwin, to the moment you decide whether to land a fatal blow in the game’s dying moments, Dishonored 2 doesn’t hold your hand and tell you how to complete your goals, but simply gives you tools to do so, difficulty curve be damned. This isn’t an easy game to master for those unversed in the language of video games. Hell, it’s not the easiest game to master or complete (even on the the “normal” difficulty level) full stop. But then few games make completing a task as simple as trying to get through the guarded door of a building, or eavesdrop on a political parley anywhere near as satisfying.
Read 19 remaining paragraphs | Comments
Source: Ars Technica – Dishonored 2 review: Simply stunning