Skip to main content

Better Late Than Never Review: Dishonored 2



The original Dishonored came out of left field.  A cool first person stealth game in the style of Thief that featured a unique Victorian-whale oil setting (whalepunk?). the game was a triumph of good stealth mechanics and practical supernatural powers.

A sequel was unnessiarry but eagerly anticipated. Players loved exploring Dunwall as Corvo; the masked assassin framed for his lover and Empresses's murder. Taking an exciting, if predictable story and putting the player into the thick of it Dishonored redefined what liner stealth and storytelling could do.

The sequel does what a good sequel should do. Provide more of what was good while dropping what didn't work. This time it's been 15 years since the last game. Emily is all grown up and the Empress now. On the anniversary of her mothers murder a woman appears claiming to her aunt and Backed by a shady Duke (who brings new enemies for the game) appears to usurp the throne. the player decides here who they're going to play as.

It's an interesting choice but having the two characters (and they're unique perspective on the unfolding plot) available feels like an fitting next step for the series. The game had a good and bad ending the first time around so why not expand on this in the sequel.

The game is then the same first person stealth affair as last time. You sneak around stabbing/choking out guards, nicking anything of value, and doing the occasional side quest. There are runes and bone charms to find along with colorful characters to meet.

Levels are largely the same as before. There's a hub location from which you head out to an area with a target in mind. You move through a bit of town before coming to an area unique to your target.

Some of the mechanics are improved. If you get spotted sneaking around and get forced into combat you can parry into a sleeper hold and keep your kill count at zero. New powers are fun and the levels are playgrounds for them.

Thankfully the plague aesthetic has been largely dropped. Many levels take place during daylight hours and though there are blood flies occupying the same role, it's not the focus. Instead of a hindrance they provide additional challenge and a mechanic for dealing with enemies.

Importantly the game still lets you decide wether or not to kill not only target characters but any enemies. Deus Ex is the closest comparison that had a no-kill route but in Dishonored it was a central theme in the narrative, perhaps more so this time. Emily will comment on things as she sees them and her response reflects the amount of chaos your gameplay has caused.

All said, it is more of the same. Some of the problems persist from the original such as the blinking(called far reach now) getting you where you want to go correctly. additionally, some of the other powers seem weaker than I remember. The new mechanic of setting alarms for noises to draw guards is largely useless.

The good:
-the no-kill route is easier
-first person stealth is challenging and fun.

The bad:
-Some of same problems persist
-the alarms mechanic is useless

Dishonored 2 has the mechanics of DLC on the surface, but even a shallow dive into it reveals a game that has expanded on nearly every concept from the original. It was a real joy to play through Dishonored 2 and with multiple endings I'll be playing through it again, and not just for the achievements.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The End

Today we end things on Breweriesandgames! in much the same way that we began, with a post whose first draft started in the notes app of my phone.  Our last post a year and a half after we began. Before I get into the meat of  things here’s your to-long, didn’t-read. We’re closing up.  This may not come as a surprise to longtime readers as it’s no secret that posts have been few and far between lately. To say nothing of having missed several important dates. Consistency is an important part of content creation and we haven’t been meeting the goals we set for ourselves. These also aren’t the only goals that aren’t being met.  I have a number of responsibilities, like anyone, and those have only grown in the past year and a half.  While I’ve never considered my obligations here any less important than other writing obligations, they do need to take a back seat to some of practical obligations in my life. In dividing my time, all parts have suffered. It’s n...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bonus DLC Review: Assassins Creed Syndicate: Jack the Ripper

This DLC does what all good additional content for a game should do; add new features while expanding on the setting. The game is fun and probably the best way to tell a side story in the Assassins Creed universe.  It's now 1888 and Evie has been called back from India to London. The city is gripped in terror due to the vicious murders by 'Jack the Ripper'. Jacob has also gone missing so it's up to Evie to save the city and her twin.  Narratively the game switches between Evie and Jack (the Ripper) as the former is investigating and hunting down the latter. As Evie your not only trying to stop the Ripper but save your brother and the Assassin Order itself which is at risk of exposure by the Ripper. I don't want to get further into the plot for fear of spoilers.  Functionally, you spend most of the game as Evie and all side missions are hers.  You have only two neighborhoods to explore this time, all with a bunch of things to find. The game world i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Brewery Review: Gordon Biersch SLC

A brewery in an airport!?  What a scandal. Or at least it would have been once. Breweries are everywhere else these days, and some airlines offer craft brews in-flight. So why not have one at an airport, even if it's in a limited capacity. This week we went through the Salt Lake International Airport and saw an old friend. Flagship: multiple Kids: yes Dogs: airport rules Do they brew there: no Food: full menu Has guest taps: yes Events: no Outside seating: no Wifi: yes We've talked about Gorden Biersch before so I'm going to highlight what this place does different. The place is spacious, for an airport at least, and has the usual seating.  Booths and tables encircle a sizable bar.  Being in a busy airport GB was crowded both times I visited.  The whole place sits raised above the security checkpoint with a great view of the nearby mountains the other way.  Now for this next part we need to do a little background. Salt Lake City is in Utah, ...
Post a Comment
Read more