Dishonored 2 takes place 15 years after the events of the original game. This time around, players have the option of playing Corvo Attano, the Royal Protector/main protagonist of the original title or Emily Kaldwin, the current Empress of Dunwall/Corvo's daughter. This option immediately sets the sequel apart from the original, with both characters offering different play styles and options for dealing with different situations, while directly effecting the narrative. While the game begins and ends in Dunwall, most of the narrative takes place in the southern city of Karnaca, capitol of Serkonos. I do not intend to give any critical plot points away, but Dishonored 2's plot is a fantastic example of what it means to weave scenarios that keep players intrigued and invested. Using the dramatic events of the original Dishonored as a launch pad, Arkane Studios continues to develop an incredibly well fashioned fictional world of political unrest and conspiracy that feels similar to the first game but manages to be fresh and exciting. The first major problem presented in the narrative is a mysterious figure known as "The Crown Killer" who seems to be targeting and assassinating political adversaries of our protagonists, creating a facade of blame aimed towards Emily and Corvo. These events lead to a coup on the throne of Dunwall by Emily's long lost Aunt, working in tandem with the Duke of Serkonos. Events play out and eventually players are forced to choose their character and render the other absent for the rest of the narrative. Although stressing Emily's struggle for independence and having almost nobody to rely on, this choice from Arkane bummed me out a little. I understand how not having Corvo at her side creates some very potent character growth for Emily, I would have loved to see what the duo is capable of and what their interactions would be like. Cutting Emily out of Corvo's narrative creates a parallel to the original Dishonored, and well Arkane does a great job of doing it, once again I can't help but wish we could have got some father daughter team up action.









The "Dreadful Wale" serves as a hub between missions in Dishonored 2. It is also an anagram relating to events in Dishonored 1. Can you figure it out?





After spending some time in Dunwall players set sail for Karnaca, a stunningly beautiful coastal city. I love Dunwall overall, but the coastal city of Karnaca in the country of Serkonos was an excellent change of scenery for fans of the first game. The Dishonored series is definitely dark and I wouldn't want it any other way, but it was nice to see some grass here and there! Gameplay is divided into chapters with a small respite between missions aboard the "Dreadful Wale", a small ship piloted by the mysterious Meagan Foster. Each of the 9 missions in Dishonored 2 manage to be different then the last, with some of the craziest "themes" I've ever had the pleasure of sneaking through. From an ornate Clockwork Mansion created by a genius to a Chapter revolving around time traveling (being stealthy in two timelines at once is...an experience), I never found my goals to be monotonous, which is a problem that plagues many stealth games. Before I get into gameplay, I'd like to touch on one of Dishonored's strongest assets as a stealth game.







