Dishonored 2 Hands-On Preview
I recently had the opportunity to demo the much anticipated Dishonored 2 at an event in Los Angeles. As a huge fan of the first title, I was eager to try any elements of the sequel Arkane Studios would let me get my hands on. Fortunately, I was able to try out Emily and a handful of her signature powers and weapons in the Clockwork Mansion mission.
Emily’s basic movement is very similar to Corvo’s from the first Dishonored; the usual sprint, crouch, lean, and slide are back as well as the familiar combat mechanics. Her main differences come from the powers she’s been given by the Outsider. While Corvo had his signature Blink ability, Emily has a Far Reach ability that extends a shadowy arm to pull her close to ledges or hard to reach places; however, if she uses it on guards or other entities not nailed down she can pull them closer in a less than subtle way. I found the contrast to Blink really interesting as it meant you could pick off guards one by one from a distance rather than jump in dangerously close.
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“Perhaps what was my favorite new ability so far is Domino, an ability that ties the fate of everyone linked.”
The other abilities in Emily’s arsenal are completely different from Corvo’s. Her Shadow Walk ability allows her to assume a stealthier form, one that moves quickly and quietly. To be honest, this ability didn’t seem to fit my playstyle after testing it out some. I would much rather hop around using Far Reach than skulk on the ground as some shadow beast. It can be upgraded to allow for some more creative movement, so I might invest some time and runes into it when I get my hands on the full game, but it felt too foreign to me in the demo. Perhaps what was my favorite new ability so far is Domino, an ability that ties the fate of everyone linked. If one person in the chain falls victim to a sleep dart, the lot fall asleep; if one of the linked loses their head, all linked victims lose their heads. Though the ability drains a hefty amount of mana, it’s the perfect response to pesky clusters of guards. It can be versatile for both the bloodthirsty assassins or the merciful players in setting up creative opportunities to navigate the tricky levels.
On the subject of levels, it seems that the levels in Dishonored 2 will each have some over the top mechanics or themes to make them feel unique. In the demo, I played through the Clockwork Mansion, an ever-changing house created by the brilliant inventor Kirin Jindosh. It’s the perfect example to embody the idea of taking multiple routes since the physical level changes as you unravel its mysteries. What’s more, there isn’t a cut-scene or character lock while the house contorts in front of you; everything changes in real time, allowing you to slip between walls and opening pathways that maybe weren’t so obvious before. In talking with Harvey Smith, co-director for Dishonored 2, I learned that all of the levels featured in this game have some unique feature that is dialed up. “Things are bigger, wider, [with] fewer loads. Each one is its own mini-world,” he says in relation to the level design. In the urban missions, there will be more streets and a larger area to roam. The motivation behind the level design is to foster creative ways to play.
A large focus in the development of Dishonored 2 has been bringing more life to the world with updated animations and more dynamic environment. NPCs will have more lifelike behaviors when interacting with their surroundings. Dust storms will come and go in the Dust District of Karnaca, providing cover for you as well as your enemies. For those who love the lore, you’ll be able to eavesdrop on conversations amongst all types of people. Even people’s predisposition to you will change based on who you play as and the decisions you make. Not only will there be many different routes you can explore, but there are many permutations of the end sequence of events based on how you choose to play the game. All of these updates to the sequel are motivated by a desire to engage players even more than the previous title.
Dishonored 2 cannot come out soon enough. I eagerly await my chance to delve deeper into the rich world the team at Arkane Studios has created.
