Dishonored 2 Reviews
Dishonored 2 is like a pretty painting stuck in an ugly frame — painfully close to being complete. New abilities and upgrades, the addition of a second playable character, and creative level designs illustrate Dishonored in its peak condition, but the game is hampered by technical issues on console as well as a predictable plot. These criticisms are easily forgivable though, because Dishonored 2 is so engaging in its moment-to-moment gameplay. Very few games can boast so lofty a degree of player agency as Dishonored 2, and when you consider this, the ugly frame doesn’t seem as important after all.
A competent and fun stealth experience brought down by some technical issues and the inexplicable lack of new game plus.
On paper, Dishonored 2 is a marked improvement on almost everything the original game brought to the table.
Dishonored 2 had a lot of high expectations to live up to, and it does so admirably. Not only is it a great game in its own right, but it also exists as a fantastic sequel that expands upon its predecessor in multiple memorable ways.
Whilst it has taken me a little while, I am fully engrossed in Dishonored 2 and slowly becoming obsessed with keeping my chaos low and learning the clever tricks presented to me in order to beat the guards and targets I have been presented with.
Dishonored 2 is an improvement over the original game in every sense of the word. Its real value lies in the fact that it offers unique and rewarding game experiences for any type of player, whether you like to murder everyone on sight or prefer a more… ghostly approach.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Dishonored 2 is great, it manages to keep to the style of the first game, improve on it no end and provides a superb playground for stealth or out and out bloodletting.
Dishonored 2 is a game that encourages a creative approach above all else. Where other games settle for for a lone, linear path – or in some cases, even force it – Dishonored 2 offers several. Best of all, these different paths are meaningful, detailed and incredibly fun to explore.
Dishonored 2 is one of the smartest, most well-designed games released this year. If you fancy a challenge, this one is a no-brainer.
So much freedom leads to inevitable bugs and AI glitches, but this is still a tremendously fun and empowering stealth-em-up.
Deliciously dark stealth adventure returns to tempt players into a trap-like city of wary guards and architectural puzzles
Dishonored's 'whalepunk' world remains stunning
Dishonored 2 has expanded on the original game in a number of ways, creating a world with a bigger scale. The gameplay builds on what was offered in the first game, with more options of how to approach situations and Emily’s powers adding further variety if you choose to play as her. What lets it down is that it’s missing a truly compelling narrative and cast of interesting secondary characters, and while it’s a very enjoyable game, it lacks some of the charm of the original.
I'm a fairly casual gamer and enjoy first-person experiences that pose a challenge and tell a great story. While most of this is achieved in Dishonoured 2 - I feel the storytelling aspects left me feel a little lacking. There are huge bouts of exposition and lore to read - things that could be 'shown' rather than 'told' are extremely present and get repetitive quick. With the sheer amount of action taking place I never felt I really had time to read passages of books and pages of notes - and since this isn't a game like Elder Scrolls Online which rewards you for reading, it doesn't feel warranted here. Everything else is absolutely on point - from the excellent levels to intelligent enemies, it's a pleasure wielding your abilities to demolish anyone in your path and restore yourself to your rightful throne.
Dishonored 2 takes everything that made Dishonored 1 great, and improves upon nearly every aspect. With a wealth of different ways to play, as well as fantastic level design dotted with collectibles, this game is sure to please returning fans and newcomers alike.
Dishonored 2 proves to be a return to a classic formula that worked so well in the orginal. Strong level design, open world exploration and the ability to play your own way with powers that can be adapted or modified how you want makes the game one of the top titles of the year. Now to start working on my low chaos playthrough.
Arkane manages to better the already exceptional Dishonored in nearly every way, creating a masterpiece of open-ended design.
Make no mistake: Dishonored 2 is an exquisite game that's likely to please anyone who enjoyed its predecessor. That's assuming they can play it at a reasonable framerate, though, and right now that's a pretty hefty assumption.
A perfect example of what can happen when world design, story and game mechanics click harmoniously into place, Dishonored 2 is just as good as we’d hoped it would be. Dust off that sword, pull on that mask and slink into the shadows for this year’s stand-out sandbox adventure.
Despite the overall feeling of familiarity, Dishonored 2 delivers such an impressive sense of variety and atmosphere that the game sits among the best gaming titles of 2016.
Review in Swedish | Read full review