Dishonored 2

[ClockworkCupcake]

Rather surprised to find there isn't a thread already running on this (not that I could find anyway).

Anyone else playing it?

I'm really enjoying it so far.

[ClockworkCupcake]

I managed to pick it up on Amazon for £32.99 for the PC version on physical media, which arrived the next day.
Ironically, the Steam Code only version was £39.99 on both Amazon and Steam, so I saved £7 by buying physical media which contained a code I needed to type into Steam to play the game. Crazy.

Anyway, if you liked the first Dishonored then you will like this too. Definitely worth playing.

[ClockworkCupcake]

judas said:

Playing it on the PC; not had any of the performance issues others have had. This first play-through I went for the low chaos stealth approach but this quickly required self-defence based tactics as I kept getting spotted; this further degenerated into a "screw it, kill 'em all" approach as I got more proactive with the whole stabby thing.

I'm also on the PC version and likewise haven't had any performance issues other than the fact that when I first fired it up, it ran like a dog but then I updated my nVidia driver to the latest and then it ran fine.

I'm playing Emily on my first playthrough, and going for low chaos stealth. I quickly found that when discovered, all is not lost if you run away and hide, preferably with a Far Reach (Blink) to higher ground as guards tend to not look up. Hide for a while and eventually you'll get an audio clue telling you that the guards have gone back to normal duties.

If it's just one guard, you can engage in swordplay and block / parry. You'll get an option for a non-lethal takedown briefly if you parry correctly (I'm not sure if you need a power for this or if it is always like this).

I'm really liking the Domino power too. Link 2, 3 or 4 enemies (depending on power upgrade level) and what you do to one happens to all the others too. So if you do a drop takedown on one, or shoot one with a sleepy dart, then all of them go sleepy bye byes.

You could call it the Bagpuss Effect.

Oh, and the Shadow Walk power. That genuinely freaks me out.

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Wednesday 23 November 13:15

[ClockworkCupcake]

I'm currently in Stilton's House and the jumping between two time lines is a nice addition. It reminds me very much of Singularity though (which I also enjoyed).

[ClockworkCupcake]

Mr E said:

Have completed my low chaos run as Emily and very much enjoyed it.

About to rerun as corvo. I expect the second run to be faster and rather more bloody.

LOL. Exactly the same here (in the sense of low chaos Emily first, with plans for high chaos Corvo next)

My only regret is that I didn't decide on a low chaos run until part way through chapter one, so have 8 deaths on my stats.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Mr E said:

The heart reveals some very dark stuff indeed.

It certainly does.

I am now feeling less bad about the idea of a high chaos playthough in the light of this - I've not really used the heart much up until now, apart from to locate runes and bonecharms.

Coincidently, I looked at a playthrough today whilst exploring Stilton's house. Did you know that you can alter time so that he doesn't go insane and radically alter the present in doing so, so that Meagan has no longer lost her arm and eye, and the mansion is no longer dilapidated, and that Stilton has become an ally due to his friendship with Meagan? I might have to go back and try that.

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Sunday 4th December 16:49

[ClockworkCupcake]

Dejay1788 said:

I downloaded Dishonored about 4 years ago in a steam sale and have only just gotten around to playing it and I have to admit I'm really enjoying it.

How does the new game compare to the original? Is it more of the same?

Kind of, but in a good way. It's a very worthy sequel.

Incidentally, if you are playing the original I would very strongly recommend the two story-based DLCs, "The Knife of Dunwall" and "The Brigmore Witches" as, not only are they very good, their stories are canon to the lore of Dishonored 2. I'd even go as far as saying they are essential.

[ClockworkCupcake]

I finished my first playthrough tonight. By exploring every nook and cranny I managed to spin it out to over 32 hours of gameplay, completing it on Low Chaos with only 9 kills, 8 of which were in the first chapter before I had decided to go for no kills, and one accidental (I was choking out a guard when another one ran in and tried to attack me through his colleague and ended up killing him. I was then able to parry his attack and render him unconscious).

I rather suspect my 2nd playthrough will be a lot faster, and a lot more bloody.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Just to add that I started my Corvo playthrough, got to Chapter 2, and was a bit disappointed to find he doesn't have some of the powers that Emily has. Particularly Domino, which is one I used a *lot* on my Emily playthrough. Still, I guess it spices it up for them to have different abilities.

Edit: Also Blink seems to have a lesser range than Far Reach.

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Wednesday 14th December 14:08

[ClockworkCupcake]

I finished my High Chaos Corvo playthrough, and right at the very end I thought it fitting that Corvo should leave Emily as a statue and take the throne for himself. Corvo the Black, the Outsider called him in the epilogue.

One thing that did strike me is that, unlike the first Dishonored, in Dishonored 2 there wasn't a huge difference between low chaos and high chaos. In the first game, things got progressively more run down, far more rat plagues, etc., and the final level was very radically different. But in Dishonored 2 the locations were pretty much identical. In the Grand Palace chapter there was a blood flies nest where in Low Chaos there was a begger, but that's about it.

Anyway, on to "Deus Ex: Human Revolution" now, which I picked up yesterday in the Steam sale for £13-odd. Yay!

[ClockworkCupcake]

rockford22 said:

Tell me I'm wrong?

There is no right or wrong, merely opinion. I enjoyed it, and it seems you don't. How can this be right or wrong?

[ClockworkCupcake]

rockford22 said:

Of course it is personal preference but my question was around the tech issues of sluggish controls and visual quality which make the game unplayable.

Seems there are widespread issues with input lag, performance and visual glitches across all platforms. Has anyone one else experienced these on a PS4?

Ah, I see; I understand what you meant now. Well, for what it's worth, I'm on the PC platform and have had none of the issues that others have reported. The game did run incredibly slowly when I first bought it, but then I installed the very latest driver for my nVidia graphics card and it ran absolutely fine after that. I realise that doesn't have any relevance to you on the PS4 though.

Tech issues aside, though, I really enjoyed it and thought it brought something fresh to the table over the original. Yes, in some ways it was "more of the same" but I thought that the story contrivance that they used to arrange it was well done. And also the two characters (Emily and Corvo), the different powers they have, and the two play styles (low chaos and high chaos) made it sufficiently different that it gives replayability.

The "Cracks in the Pavement" chapter was very good too, with it's wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, and your powers not working during that chapter (I don't think that is a spoiler, particularly).

[ClockworkCupcake]

The DLC "Death of the Outsider" is now available.

It's a rather hefty £19.99 on Steam for the PC version ( link), although much cheaper on Amazon at £11.99 (PC DVD version, digital download is £19.99 same as Steam). Console versions are around £15 on Amazon.

Worth noting that it doesn't show up as a DLC on your Steam library if navigating from the main Dishonored 2 game, hence the handy link above.

Reviews:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/20/dishon...
http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2017/09/18/dishonored-deat...