Confirming fervent fan speculation, Arkane Studios took to the stage at Bethesda’s first ever E3 press conference in order to reveal Dishonored 2. The Empire of the Isles is in trouble once more. An “otherworldly usurper” has seized the throne, and its up to you to depose it.
Corvo Attano, the protagonist from the first game, returns, but is also joined by another playable character, Emily Caldwen, who is featured in the reveal trailer. Emily and Corvo each have their own unique sets of weapons and paranormal abilities with which you can experiment. In the trailer we see Emily shooting out tendrils like Spider-Man to pull herself from building top to building top, and later she transforms into some sort of smoke monster in her relentless pursuit.
The gameplay looks otherwise very reminiscent of the first Dishonored, with its mix of stealth, action, and exploration. Like the previous game, it will be possible (though not easy!) to go through the entire story without killing anyone, instead relying on stealth and non-lethal weapons to carefully complete your objectives, making as little noise as possible.
Beyond its flexible, well-tuned gameplay, Dishonored also made waves because of its compelling world-building and stunning visual design. Dishonored 2 will continue that legacy with lush environments and imaginative, steampunk flourishes. When Emily arrives at the house of her apparent target, we see a room completely transform itself as if a steam-powered GLaDOS is operating behind the scenes. Then she fights robots!
There is no release window yet, but Dishonored 2 has been confirmed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The first game was an unexpected delight, so we’re really excited to spend more time in this world.
In the meantime, however, fans will be able to return to the Empire of the Isles this fall with Dishonored: Definitive Edition. Set to come out this fall, this is the now-standard remastered version of the first game for the new consoles. The developers didn’t share any real details, but it seems safe to assume that it will include all previous DLC and a visual makeover.