Dishonored 2 will take place in Carnaca. Immediately we see that it is a far more colourful, vibrant and tropical setting compared to that of the original. A whole new type of power is present in this world. Where as whale oil powered Dunwall, wind power is used in Carnaca.
They have incorporated a new engine which they call the Void engine, making Carnaca feel like a painting in motion. This engine gives extra attention to elements such as lighting and audio, making the world feel more authentic. The creators of Dishonored 2 have also aimed to incorporate history into the environment. When walking down an alley or searching a building, you may see visuals that in some way hint to its past, making the city feel lived in. This level of detail is very impressive.
Emily is now 25, meaning that Dishonored 2 is set 15 years after the original. Emily now rules the empire, watched over by Corvo, but she does not seem like she particularly wants her title. In the clip we are shown, she wishes she could run away and leave everything behind. This clip also shows an addition to the game, voiced protagonists. We understand that players will be able to take control of both Corvo and Emily for missions, although it is unclear right now if you can choose who to be for each mission or if they are mission specific, but both are fully voiced.
We are given a brief introduction to the story of Dishonored 2. An other worldly usurper seizes the throne and the fate of the empire hangs in the balance. You must travel from Dunwall to Carnaca in search for answers and unravel the conspiracy against you.
The mission shown in the conference includes Emily moving through the Dust District. Like in Dishonored's Brigmore Witches DLC, there is conflict between two factions. You are able to side with group A group B or neither, the choice is yours. This type of gameplay encourages multiple playthroughs.
As for the environments, they have attempted to make better use of vertical space, allowing you to stalk enemies from the rooftops or get a better lay of the land. The gameplay also shows a sandstorm hit the area, reducing hostiles visibility, as well as your own. Yet another tool to use for tactically traversing the environment.
In terms of gameplay, it seems as though they are sticking to the gameplay that made the original so popular. The levels are unscripted. You are encouraged to explore and be as creative as possible. Whether you lurk in the shadows or hack and slash, no two players will have the same experience when playing through. Combat seems very similar too. You block and counter with your sword and have a pistol in your other hand, but I am sure we will see new offensive gadgets brought in. Supernatural powers were also a big part of the original. Corvo and Emily will have character specific powers, meaning one may be suited to a certain mission better than the other. We see a few of Emily's powers in the gameplay. Mesmerise dulls enemies senses allowing you to slip by them un-noticed. Far Reach seems to be an improved version of Daud's Pull ability, and Domino allows Emily to tag multiple targets, meaning when one is stabbed, the others suffer the same fate.
We are also shown a second gameplay clip of a different area, this time in a ruined mansion. You hold a device in your left hand showing you when the mansion was in use and fully guarded. This device allows you to warp between the two time frames in order to get through the level. This was very creative from the developers and I am glad to see an impressive bit of innovation in their level design, so not to feel too similar to the original Dishonored.
There are many reasons to be really excited for the release of Dishonored 2 on November 11th 2016. Some may have gripes about the graphics as this is far from the most visually impressive game out there, but Dishonored is all about the fantastic gameplay. I was impressed by what they showed in the press conference. Hopefully the final product can live up to the hype.
Dishonored 2 Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJL3gCKeQCA
