Unlike the first game, the upgrading system was changed to a skill tree with multiple paths and more possible upgrades a power may have a lethal or non-lethal upgrade.
The heart also reveals whether those the player comes across are sympathetic, guilty or murderous. Independently from whether these supernatural powers are rejected or not, the player receives a heart item which aids in the discovery of bonecharms and runes these provide passive perks and skill points, respectively if the powers are not accepted, runes are converted into additional coins. These powers are optional and may be rejected. Abilities and powers Īs in the first game, the player has access to supernatural powers. The player is given a device that lets them glimpse three years into the past, where the mansion is still occupied and guards roam, and can shift back and forth between the two points in time. In another, time distortion is introduced as the player traverses an abandoned mansion in ruins. In one level, the player is confronted with two factions each with their own assassination target, and may use the level's reoccurring dust storms for cover. Each level in the game is intended to have a unique theme, in either fiction or game mechanic. The bloodflies similarly encourage the player to hide bodies from them while on a mission. Loot can be found in the nests which, if destroyed, can be obtained. Further, insects called bloodflies make nests in corpses therefore if many people are killed, there will be an increase in bloodflies. The amount of chaos accrued affects the dialog used by Emily and Corvo and the quantity of enemies present in each given level. Killing a 'sympathetic' person gives the player more chaos than killing others, while in contrast killing a murderous character gives the player a lesser amount. The game adds a new element to the system where, at the start of a mission, random non-player characters are procedurally assigned one of three states: sympathetic, guilty, and murderous. The player gains chaos by killing characters, representative of the player destabilizing the world. ĭishonored 2 introduces non-lethal combat moves to throw people off-balance or knock someone unconscious-choke-holds, blocks, pushes, kicks, crouch-slides, drops from high up, sleep darts, stun mines, and various supernatural abilities-and features the chaos system used in the first game. Whale oil canisters explode on harsh impact, and can be thrown at enemies to that end. Walls of Light, barriers powered by wind or whale oil, are subject to have their power turned off or be rewired so that only enemies are killed by going through them. Alarms can be disabled to assure that enemies are not alerted to the player's presence.
Bodies can be carried away and concealed. To avoid detection, the player may choke people out or have their throat slit. The player is now able to be detected if they peer out from behind a wall for too long, a feature not seen in Dishonored. Players can look through keyholes to help them survey a room before entering, and can lean to look from cover without fully exposing themselves. Noise will cause enemies to go to investigate, including noise made by broken bottles or the player striking a sword against the wall this may be used deliberately to lure guards into traps or disrupt their patrol route.
Enemy alert meters and musical cues let the player know if they've been spotted. Darkness can aid the player in staying hidden, but it is only effective at a distance. Įnemy detection works on line-of-sight, with players being able to use cover or high areas out of enemies' cones of vision to stay undetected. Health elixirs and food consumables will restore health, while mana elixirs replenish mana. Players can choose whether to play stealthily or not, and can finish the game without taking a life.
Coin is required to buy these upgrades, which again may be found throughout a level or gained from other collectibles, like stealing paintings. Upgrades may be purchased at black market shops found throughout the levels, and blueprints scattered across levels unlock new potential upgrades (in New Game Plus playthroughs, blueprints already acquired are converted into additional coin). Both characters wield swords, pistols, crossbows, a retractable blade, grenades and mines-all of which are upgradable. Side missions unlock alternate methods of assassination, non-lethal approaches and paths to navigate the main mission. After playing as Empress Emily Kaldwin during the prologue, players may decide to play either as Emily or as Corvo Attano (the protagonist from the previous game). Dishonored 2 is an action-adventure game with stealth elements played from a first-person perspective.