"Dishonored 2" offers a world in which you can lose yourself
17.11.2016
Translation: machine translated
The sneaking and assassination game with magical influences is back. Deadlier and better than ever. Even more than in the first instalment, however, the world is the real star of the game in "Dishonored 2".
If you like steampunk, like sneaking around and rummaging through other people's things, then "Dishonored 2" is just right for you. Unlike in the first instalment, you can now choose between two protagonists. In addition to Korvo Attano, you can now also choose Emily Kaldwin, his daughter. You travel with them through a fictional world at the time of industrialisation - but in a much more futuristic way than we know it.
After a coup d'état, the aim is to bring the conspirators to justice. To do so, you follow various trails that usually end with a villainous leader. In these confrontations, you have the choice between a deadly solution and a much more interesting "non-violent" one.
The levels are spread across different parts of the city, in which you can move freely. Thanks to supernatural powers, you can teleport, slip into the body of a rat or double up. How you complete the missions is up to you. If you get caught sneaking, it's not game over. Thanks to a colourful arsenal of weapons, the fun really gets going and limbs fly around - "Dishonored 2" is not squeamish when it comes to violence. The freedom, the action and the graphics make "Dishonored 2" a real treat, but the highlight of the game is the world itself.
The love is in the detail
I need hours for every level section in "Dishonored 2", no matter how small. Not because I'm constantly dying - there are quicksaves for that - but because I have to search every alleyway, flat and storeroom. The metropolises of Dunwall and later Karnaca are packed with detail and the designers have gone to incredible lengths to bring the world to life. From opulent paintings to numerous gadgets, such as curious typewriters or radios with punch cards that you can often interact with, I just soak it all up.
The furnishings speak volumes and are not just wildly thrown together. Every room is unique. If you play with your eyes open, you will regularly come across strange scenes, such as a house infested with blood flies, whose owner has fallen victim to his own experiment.
In addition, there are countless letters and books scattered everywhere. If you take the time to read them, you will learn exciting and tragic stories about the inhabitants.
The all-knowing heart
The magical talking heart is back in the game and reveals dark secrets about the people when you press it. The developers must have recorded countless dialogues for this, because I have never heard a sentence twice. So I never miss an opportunity to interrogate guards, pub owners or beggars. The brief glimpses into the abysses of the NPCs help to make the world more believable.
But even without holding the heart, the characters reveal a lot about themselves by frequently having short dialogues with each other. A feature I've loved since "No One Lives Forever". Eavesdropping on a guard as she blackmails a greengrocer or servants gossiping about their landlords are little treats for attentive players.
Although the striking graphic style alone, with its varied and open gameplay, earns the game top marks, it is the world, bursting with detail, that makes "Dishonored 2" something very special for me. It's dark, dirty, wicked and just my thing.
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.