Game Review: Dishonored 2

After gritting my teeth through some performance issues, I finally go to the end of Arkane Studio’s brilliantly crafted Dishonored 2.

A sequel to one of 2011’s most enjoyable titles, it recaptures the essence of what made the first one so damn enjoyable, whilst sprinkling in some new and interesting mechanics and story arcs. The gameplay, the story, the levels, everything comes together to form one incredible experience that you could easily spend 20+ hours on. I know I did.

The story follows the same sort of pattern as the first, you’re seeking revenge on a powerful enemy, one who can bend the will of the Void, where you get your powers from. She is called Delilah, and she has returned, after being banished to the Void to retake the throne in Dunwall tower, where our two main characters live. When she does, depending on who you pick to play as the other will be frozen in stone.

You are then sent to Karnaca, Dunwall’s sister city, and it’s just as bad. Bloodflys, gangs, guards and a mysterious cult of witches are all fighting for control of this land. It’s up to you to decide who lives, and who dies.

However, it’s not all praise. The game had a shaky launch and things still aren’t peachy when it comes to performance. Frame drops are a massive issue still, along with numerous crashes throughout my 25 hours of total playtime. While these drops and crashes were a hindrance, it by no means stopped me from playing altogether.

With that said, what stood out in this game? What draws us to this type of adventure.

For a start, the power creep is incredibly good. Power creep, if you don’t know, means the slow and steady build of abilities and over all how powerful you eventually become. You begin the game with very little at your disposal. You have your movement ability, either Blink, when playing as the OG protagonist Corvo, or Far Reach as his daughter Emily. Far Reach allows you to latch onto walls easier, allowing for combo wall jump and the like, whereas Blink is useful for speed. But as you gain more Runes, the currency for unlocking powers, you feel more capable. Can you leap into a room full of enemies, slow down time, set up some traps then leap out?

Or could you slink in all quiet like in a Shadow Form, taking each guard out one by one?

The variety of abilities and levels keep things fresh and interesting. It’s immensely satisfying to plan a strategy and see it form perfectly. That is one thing the game has down. The satisfaction of pulling off a level either not being spotted or shredding through it before anyone knew what was happening.

Solid work from Arkane, I just wish I could run it at a consistent frame rate.

4/5