Dishonored 2 Gameplay Trailer from E3

Besides the very exciting new gameplay trailer from Mass Effect:  Andromeda, we also got a brand new video for Dishonored 2.  Unlike Andromeda, Dishonored 2 is slated to come out this year...yay!  Here's the new video for your viewing pleasure:

So, it looks like Dunwall is still the same ol' politically charged murder-fest that it was in the first game.  But it looks like those murders are going to happen with some spiffy new abilities--like the foggy/shadowy go-go gadget arms that seem to allow you to grab a guard from far away or the time warping ability that lets you pause and shoot.  I had read that Emily wouldn't have exactly the same abilities as Corvo (seeing as how Corvo had that extra special relationship with the Outsider--who, surprisingly, appears in this video) but her abilities appear to be at least inspired by his.  For the most part it doesn't look like the gameplay will be changing drastically.

The people who appear in the video also leave some room for speculation.  There are some strange masked people--(maybe more creepy city guards?), a woman who looks an awful lot like one of the Brigmore witches, and several shots of those weird, robotic sentinels that we initially saw in a trailer from E3 last year.  These characters suggest an interesting stew of issues and people who could really spice up a second game.  Oh, and the Outsider!  He's apparently still poking his bizarre black eyes into the business of the denizens of Dunwall.

Now that E3 is over we can stop "oohing" and "aahing" over all the smokin' trailers for these upcoming games and put in some serious time on our backlogs.  But all that stabbing....damn.

Play 'em or slay 'em?

I've been going through a bit of a weird gaming spell.  Pillars of Eternity frustrated me to the point of exasperation, then I felt like shooting things and switched gears to Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel which I'm not that crazy about.  Then I felt like driving so I started up a new round of Grand Theft Auto V.  My manic bouncing from game to game isn't over but I think I've finally settled on something that I can spend some time with.  Dishonored is one of those classic games that is severely underrated.  I had played through it several years ago but hadn't touched it since finishing the main storyline and all the DLC.  There's something special about stalking through the streets of Dunwall and the upcoming sequel has been a welcome reminder of what I've been missing.

A few weeks ago one of my former students posted a funny quote on Facebook about how she always wants to help people in video games and will play the "good guy."  I, too, have this exact same mentality and find myself leading Corvo on a quest of non-lethal takedowns.  But where's the fun in that?  Assassinations feel so much more rewarding than choking out every guard you come across.  I've always wanted to play a higher chaos campaign....

One of the main reasons I've avoided the high chaos scenario is that the game (and many others) seems to reward players more for choosing the less lethal approach.  There's a special box to check off for killing no one, for not being detected or raising any alarms.  This seems to be steering players toward the more stealthy approach--which, I fully agree with, but secretly I've always wanted to opt for the less peaceful option.  I feel like I'm missing out on some of the best parts of the game when I choose to be a pacifist.  I never get to shoot anything or do any of the cool drop assassinations or set a group of ravenous rats onto a guard.  No fun, no fun!  I mean, it's still fun, but the stabby stuff is kind of awesome.

The drop assassination.  Peaceful players are missing out on this fun move.

Players are awarded special points for never being detected and for not killing anyone.  Why isn't there an award for masterful assassination?  Or for going on a vengeful killing-fest of all the guards on a level?  This sounds a little bloodthirsty, but isn't that sort of the point of the game?  You're on a mission to avenge the death of the empress whose assassination you were framed for...what's a little revenge?

I finished Dishonored for the second time on a low-chaos playthrough.  The reality is that I struggle at playing the bad guy.  Even though I find it hard to kill mercilessly in a video game I do feel that many games intentionally steer players along a specific style of play.  I'm torn about this illusion of freedom and choice.  I'm also really looking forward to the next installment of Dishonored, Dishonored 2, which is scheduled to come out later this year.

Some more Stealth Game Musings. Do you take the Lethal or Non-Lethal path?

There's another aspect of stealth games that I didn't think of earlier.  In most stealth games you are given the option to use non-lethal methods to take down enemies (except bosses--who must die).  In Dishonored, Deus Ex:  Human Revolution, and in Bioshock:  Infinite "Burial at Sea" part 2 you can put the bad guys in ol' sleeper hold as opposed to simply shooting them in the face.  Why is this an option in stealth games but not an option in other games?

That got me thinking about the moral choices I make in games.  Typically when presented with the option to go non-lethal I will take that path.  Those poor guards--they just had the misfortune of being assigned to guard a specific area and cross paths with my Corvo or Adam or Elizabeth (which would mean poor splicers....which might morally be a little tougher choice to justify).  In Deus Ex you are even presented with weapons that are non-lethal or lethal.  Which do you choose?  Strategically going with lethal weapons is probably the better choice--most bosses require shooting and are immune to any stunning/knocking out options.

The rats in Dishonored make quick work of a corpse.

During my short replay of Dishonored I found myself knocking out guards and stashing their bodies in some closet or unseen corner.  Except for one specific guard.  I silently blinked down from a ledge right behind him and proceeded to knock him out.  There were several other guards patrolling the area and no way that I could reach the same ledge.  I decided to grab the body and jump down onto a pipe overlooking an alley populated by a group of ravenous rats.  But what do I do with the body?  Hmmm...those rats would definitely clear up that problem.  So while I specifically went to the trouble of knocking out the guard I unceremoniously dumped his body over the ledge and into the rat pile.  The rats proceeded to make quick work of the poor guard.  Afterward I felt kind of bad about that guard...what a horrible way to die--knocked out and tossed off a ledge to be eaten by a bunch of rats.  Very rarely do I think twice about the decisions I make--especially something so minor as the death of a guard.  This felt morally dubious because I had made the decision to knock out the guards rather than kill them.

Have you ever had a moment similar to this where you thought about the decision you had just made and it's moral implications?

Smack you in the face!

Stealth games are my nemesis due to my total lack of patience.  After finishing up BioShock:  Infinite's DLC "Burial at Sea" which involved some stealthiness I somehow decided that the next game I wanted to re-tackle would be Dishonored.  I'm not sure what part of my brain influenced me to make this decision since I know that I get irritated with games that have a sneaky/stealthy aspect.  I'm going to blame it on being sick.

Dishonored is a game that is completely about sneaking.  I suppose you could just run headlong into foes and get creative in your evasion, but I don't see that as being very successful.  It also seems to me that the game is very actively encouraging you to use stealthy tactics--the "hints" on the loading screen state that sneaking and killing fewer people will result in a happier ending.  To me this seems to be nudging players to opt for the more "peaceful" option.  You do get rewarded for avoiding conflict in Dishonored by bonuses at the end of the mission for not killing anyone or for not setting off any alarms.  I've played through it once but decided that it was time for a replay but am having difficulty being patient.  Crouching in a corner, waiting for some guard to walk by, then waiting to make sure he isn't going to turn around mid-stride.  There's an element of tension as you wait and plan out your moves, but it is decidedly slower than a more traditional shooting type of game.  Maybe that's what's wrong--I don't want a game that forces me to plan and be patient.  I want a game that lets you smack stuff in the face.  Preferably with giant weapons.

The male and female crusader models.  Very cool.

And that's how I ended up playing Diablo III (with Reaper of Souls) rather than continuing hiding in corners in Dishonored.  There's no stealthing or hiding.  There's nothing but good old fashioned slaying.  I bought the Reaper of Souls expansion this summer (meaning the summer of 2014 in teacher years) and had played through much of the new campaign content with some of my favorite classes--namely the monk, wizard, and witch doctor.  I hadn't really touched the shiny, new crusader class so I decided to give it a whirl and it's pretty freakin' awesome.  The crusader seems to be geared toward a more tank-like role with talent options that help reduce the amount of damage taken through blocking with a shield.  If you're playing solo you can talent more for sheer damage capabilities.  Crusaders can wield a two-handed weapon as a one-hander.  This totally satisfies my requirement for giant weapons.  This combined with a shield makes you less squishy than other classes which is good for players like me who enjoy charging into a big group of demons with wild abandon.

My crusader is still in it's early stages, but I am really enjoying this added class.  For some reason I felt like I had better luck than normal with legendary drops (which don't really matter at low-levels but are still exciting--that orange just makes you want to giggle) and have managed to deck out my crusader pretty nicely for some low-level smashing.

I'm going to try my hardest to soldier through Dishonored, but I have found a nice tension release in the form of Diablo III:  Reaper of Souls and the crusader.