Revenge is one of the oldest and most pervasive storytelling themes found in literature, film, and theater. Interactive entertainment frequently trades in this convention as well, giving players the tools to pursue justice unbound by the restraints of law and order. Arkane Studios has made the conceit the calling card of its Dishonored series, preserving the quest for vengeance as the sequel’s central theme.
Fifteen years after Emily Kaldwin ascends to the throne following the assassination of her mother, Dishonored 2 begins with an unexpected (and abrupt) coup. Depending on the choice you make in this pivotal turn of events in the throne room, either Emily or her father Corvo Atttano (the original Dishonored protagonist) must voyage to the southernmost point of the empire to unravel the conspiracy of this successful putsch and exact vengeance.
Dishonored 2 wisely preserves the play style flexibility of its predecessor, but better balances the scales between choosing a blood-soaked, high-chaos approach and a nonviolent, low-chaos solution. Whereas the first game failed to deliver a compelling progression for stealth-minded players, the distinct powers Emily and Corvo wield are equally useful for avoiding detection and taking a pound of flesh from every enemy you encounter. Stealthy players will also appreciate the addition of nonlethal drop takedowns and a small timing window that allows you to choke out enemies after stunning them during combat.
Corvo retains the same supernatural arsenal as the first game – allowing him to bend time, sic swarms of rats on enemies, and possess animals for a brief moment – but each skill now upgrades in multiple ways via branching paths using runes you can find hidden throughout the levels. On the other hand, Emily brandishes a suite of brand new abilities, making her the more interesting choice for a first playthrough. The doppelganger and mesmerize powers are useful diversions, and the shadow walk skill makes her much harder to spot when moving through heavily patrolled areas. Each of these has value, but the star power of the game is domino. Once fully upgraded, domino allows you to tie the fates of several enemies together via a psychic bond. Incapacitating or eliminating an entire room of guards in one fell swoop always feels gratifying.
