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Dishonored 2 |OT| The Edge of the World

Just finished a low chaos playthrough of the first game and the DLC. Pretty good stuff and some fun levels. I think high chaos is a lot more fun but I like to play high chaos as "never get spotted but kill everyone on the map". Really excited to dive into 2 tonight.
 
Playing on PS4 and I'm not noticing anything really wrong with controls or performance. The only thing that bugs me is I can't seem to get down the stealth knockout from above. Which especially sucks when you have a group of guys dominoed with the plan being to stealth knockout the entire group.

The levels are sprawling and full of surprises and interesting designs, the world building is absolutely fantastic. And the slow, methodical and immersive gameplay is really unlike anything else out there.

I think the problems I see people having is trying to ghost the entire game on their first run on Hard. It's certainly more difficult than the first. I know people are opposed to hearing "stick with it" and expect games to be instantly gratifying, which is fine if that's their opinion, but really Dishonored 2 becomes very rewarding by the end of Mission 3 when you adjust to the gamestyle. The game admittedly demands a lot from the player, kind of like XCOM 2. Both games have no problem letting the player fail.

Basically I'm loving it.

Question! I haven't really been utilizing the heart to identify who is good or bad, just trying to play as non-lethally as possible. Does killing bad people actually lower chaos?
 
I'm on mission 7. Well, part-way through. Ended up catching a 2nd wind at 3am and played all night.

It says I've played for 5.5 hours, but given that the estimate is 12, I wonder how much time the last couple or few missions will take.

The only real issue I've noticed is some sluggishness when about 9 enemies were chasing me. Also, fuck the witches/ghost dogs.
 

Zesh

Member
That is a bummer ... It is so satisfying to go 100% non-lethal takedowns. Leaving active enemies strolling around feels wrong. It is the same mechanics as with the walkers in the last game, though ...

You can shoot their heads off with a crossbow bolt and then jump assassinate them, I think you won't be alerted that way but I could be wrong.
This method does indeed take them out without causing you to be spotted.
 
i just cant get into this game and i really want to.

i cant seem to figure out if i should be ghosting through the town, fighting, reloading a save right when im caught, etc. It seems like a first playthrough would be way easier on high chaos but im not trying to get some super dour ending because i had fun with the game.

its like im having trouble figuring out what the game "wants" me to do
 
i just cant get into this game and i really want to.

i cant seem to figure out if i should be ghosting through the town, fighting, reloading a save right when im caught, etc. It seems like a first playthrough would be way easier on high chaos but im not trying to get some super dour ending because i had fun with the game.

its like im having trouble figuring out what the game "wants" me to do

The game doesn't want you to do any one particular thing and I think this is what frustrates people. There isn't always a clear path or a clear outcome to your actions. The gameplay is highly emergent and it's probably best to just sort of let things happen on your first playthrough and have fun with it. Then you can fuck with the high/low chaos systems, try a no powers/ghost run, murderous rampage run, etc.


Sliding non-lethal attacks are the shit. Were they in the first game?
 

Ill Saint

Member
i just cant get into this game and i really want to.

i cant seem to figure out if i should be ghosting through the town, fighting, reloading a save right when im caught, etc. It seems like a first playthrough would be way easier on high chaos but im not trying to get some super dour ending because i had fun with the game.

its like im having trouble figuring out what the game "wants" me to do

It's not a big deal, just play it and live with the consequences. If you get into fights, you can run, hide, blink out to safety, or fight it out and kill everyone (or knock them out). Up to you. There's no right or wrong way to play.
 

Goreomedy

Console Market Analyst
I don't know how anyone could go through this game without killing anyone.
Agreed.

It just becomes a chore.

If you're reloading because you accidentally enjoyed the freedom of the game, you're doing it wrong. But, I get it. The game itself practically warns you away from the variety and release that's afforded with momentary aggression.
 

KORNdoggy

Member
Agreed.

It just becomes a chore.

If you're reloading because you accidentally enjoyed the freedom of the game, you're doing it wrong. But, I get it. The game itself practically warns you away from the variety and release that's afforded with momentary aggression.

i'm playing on very hard, no powers, no kills, no alerts, never spotted and all collectibles. and i did with the first game too. i like the almost puzzle aspect of it. it's a huge challenge, but offers a huge sense of accomplishment too. plus you certainly get your money's worth. mission 2 took me over 4 hours alone.

but that's why i do it first. second playthrough i go all out and kill everything, it's very cathartic
 

Skilletor

Member
I'm really not enjoying this. The performance on PS4 (standard) is atrocious, and I'm getting tired of the psychic AI (especially the civilians). Maybe it's because the first real level is in broad daylight, but enemies seem to be spotting me and going on instant alert from all the way across the map. Combined with the swimmy controls and long load and pause times (seriously what is the deal with the laggy menus in this game) I'm getting incredibly frustrated.

Started playing on Hard because I really liked the first game, but I might have to drop it down to power through.

Mission 4 and that hasn't stopped.

Loved the first game, absolutely hating this. I don't want to go in killing everything, that's not fun to me, but the stealth in this game feels awful because of the psychic enemies.
 

KORNdoggy

Member
Mission 4 and that hasn't stopped.

Loved the first game, absolutely hating this. I don't want to go in killing everything, that's not fun to me, but the stealth in this game feels awful because of the psychic enemies.

as someone who'd playing with no powers on very hard i'm not sure what you're talking about. they have peripheral vision. but they still struggle to see you if you're high or low. i worked out the AI after the intro mission and it's been fine since. they're not as blind as the first game but they can easily be exploited. plus distractions are your friend.

as for the guys issues with load times in menu's. deactivate the "save on menu" option. it helps. and turn your "friction" down to 0. no-more "swimmy" controls.
 
The Addermire Institute was great, although I did have to google how to get one of the runes in the end. Gotta say the structure of this game is really working for me, both areas so far have been so dense, sizable and fleshed out that I can start a mission and spend a few hours getting lost in it and then be completely satisfied and done for the day by the time i’ve finished it...With a whole new area to look forward to next time.

Great game so far.
 

Skilletor

Member
as someone who'd playing with no powers on very hard i'm not sure what you're talking about. they have peripheral vision. but they still struggle to see you if you're high or low. i worked out the AI after the intro mission and it's been fine since. they're not as blind as the first game but they can easily be exploited. plus distractions are your friend.

as for the guys issues with load times in menu's. deactivate the "save on menu" option. it helps. and turn your "friction" down to 0. no-more "swimmy" controls.

/shrug

Glad you're having fun. I placed (not throw, not dropped) a body on the floor, it hit nothing, and I had four guards surround me. After disabling a wall of light, I have guards that can see me all the way down a hill. I've literally had guards see me through walls.

As somebody playing on hard w/ powers, this isn't fun in the slightest.
 
Just finished Clockwork Mansion. God damn, that might have been one of my favorite levels in a stealth game.

Just wait...there is more!

The Addermire Institute was great, although I did have to google how to get one of the runes in the end. Gotta say the structure of this game is really working for me, both areas so far have been so dense, sizable and fleshed out that I can start a mission and spend a few hours getting lost in it and then be completely satisfied and done for the day by the time i’ve finished it...With a whole new area to look forward to next time.

Great game so far.

Yeah, for sure. It's been a long time...probably since Dishonored 1, where I could play through one level exploring and grabbing all the runes and bone charms and reading all the notes and stories. Then completing the mission I am fully satisfied and end up just doing one level each night.
 

EndcatOmega

Unconfirmed Member
I want to see a game set on the Pandyssian continent. It'll solve any arguments about guard AI by making sure every guard gets dragged immediately underground by fiery centipedes as soon as they spawn and encourage exploration by making every inch of the ground actually poisonous rock-coloured badgers immune to Time Stop and Mesmerise.

Clockwork Mansion spoilers:
Did I miss something? Everyone's talking about Jandosh providing commentary. Are the clockwork soldiers supposed to say more than the usual AI stuff?
 
I want to see a game set on the Pandyssian continent. It'll solve any arguments about guard AI by making sure every guard gets dragged immediately underground by fiery centipedes as soon as they spawn and encourage exploration by making every inch of the ground actually poisonous rock-coloured badgers immune to Time Stop and Mesmerise.

Clockwork Mansion spoilers:
Did I miss something? Everyone's talking about Jandosh providing commentary. Are the clockwork soldiers supposed to say more than the usual AI stuff?

He's babbling over the loud speakers quite a bit.
 

EndcatOmega

Unconfirmed Member
He's babbling over the loud speakers quite a bit.

All he said to me that I was missing after the first time I hit a switch then 'Ah-ha! I knew someone was here!' the second time. He didn't say anything else the entire time. I got the Silence achievement though so I guess I won't complain? Still a fun mission.
 
All he said to me that I was missing after the first time I hit a switch then 'Ah-ha! I knew someone was here!' the second time. He didn't say anything else the entire time. I got the Silence achievement though so I guess I won't complain? Still a fun mission.

Ohh, maybe because
you were stealthing it? I got caught quite a bit so maybe his commentary is contextual.
 
The bloodwasps seem kind of annoying and if High Chaos turns Karnaca into a massive hive, I hope Corvo has some powers to deal with that. If not, gonna be stocking up on fire darts like crazy.
 

Anung

Un Rama
Does anyone know how to get around the wall of light in mission 8? I've found a route but cannot find the key at all. The only other way is turning it off but that alerts a nearby guard.
 

Wiseblood

Member
Does anyone know how to get around the wall of light in mission 8? I've found a route but cannot find the key at all. The only other way is turning it off but that alerts a nearby guard.

That's the owner of the safe shop's apartment. I believe the key is in his cash register.
 

Timeaisis

Member
Man, I sure am taking my time with this. I'm at 13 hours and only at mission 6. This game is so dense haha.

Playing mostly stealth, but not afraid to get my hands dirty when necessary. Also, back to low chaos going a little crazy in mission 3. So yay. Possession is an incredibly useful power, god damn.

I think I'll do high chaos with Emily next. She looks like she'll be fun for that.

I'm really not enjoying this. The performance on PS4 (standard) is atrocious, and I'm getting tired of the psychic AI (especially the civilians). Maybe it's because the first real level is in broad daylight, but enemies seem to be spotting me and going on instant alert from all the way across the map. Combined with the swimmy controls and long load and pause times (seriously what is the deal with the laggy menus in this game) I'm getting incredibly frustrated.

Started playing on Hard because I really liked the first game, but I might have to drop it down to power through.
I felt the same way for the first 3 or so levels. It's really hard to not get spotted in this game, the guards have more vision and awareness than what I'm used to in stealth games. That, and at the beginning of the game you have very limited options for dealing with enemies nonlethally. In addition to the fact that the first couple stages are just loaded with guards grouped together so thy literally all see you. So you are basically reloading every 30-60 second, which sucks. Hard is not the way to go, imo. I'm playing on normal and it's still quite a challenge.

Luckily, the game eases up on this a bit. Also, you kind of get used to how damn good guards are at noticing you and you figure out the optimal way of going. The level design becomes more corridor-y later. Yes, there are still plenty of open spaces, but it opens up vertically as well as long as you use your blink/far reach well. I'm enjoying it quite a bit now, started to be the case on about mission 3. I agree with you that the first couple missions are not ideal and can get frustrating, especially considering your limited powerset. One thing I do not like, especially on the early levels, is the amount of collectibles you need to acquire to upgrade your powers, but you don't have enough powers to effectively stealth your way to those collectibles. Kind of a catch-22 that becomes rather trial-and-error.

Anyway, hope that helps fwiw. It does get better and I am really, really enjoying myself now after being in a similar situation to you in the first few stages. I think around mission 3 or 4 it all started clicking and I was having a good time.
 

valeu

Member
i just want to give praise for the clockwork mansion. the thing that struck me was that it seemed like a livable functional rich mad inventor's strange house, with all the necessary rooms to live, work, see clients, and a full staff. looking forward to revisiting on my second playtrough
 

SkylineRKR

Member
Very last scene of the game:

I did the final mission fully ghost and placed the rune, now behind Delilah in her chair. How do I subdue her?
 

Goreomedy

Console Market Analyst
Btw, just finished and got the low chaos Emily ending. That's it? That's what people are stressing over?

Outside of chapters 4 and 7, I just did not feel this game.
 

SkylineRKR

Member
Use the heart?

No I got it already,

The heart is the first part of the fight. I went in via a hole in the side and used it from above on her. Then I placed the rune. Then you just have to be quick, she isn't sitting on the throne right away.

She first stands directly above you. Far reach to the side and upward the cliff, then grab her and walk out of the portal. No single clone triggered. She never knew I was there because I ignored the statues in the building.
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
i'm playing on very hard, no powers, no kills, no alerts, never spotted and all collectibles. and i did with the first game too. i like the almost puzzle aspect of it. it's a huge challenge, but offers a huge sense of accomplishment too. plus you certainly get your money's worth. mission 2 took me over 4 hours alone.

but that's why i do it first. second playthrough i go all out and kill everything, it's very cathartic

My man.

First playthrough on D1 was the same. It's the puzzle aspect I like: exploring the levels, exploiting the AI, learning the systems etc.

I'm playing on Hard at the moment and getting used to all the new bits. I haven't come up to that point in the game, but I'm seriously considering telling the Outsider to shove it so I can see just how well designed these levels really are. :)

The fact that the game supports all these playstyles can only be a good thing.
 

Teggy

Member
I have a hard time killing people in games that give you non-lethal or non-violent options. I just finished a 'Psycho' run of D1 at the weekend and felt awful XD

I have been doing low chaos and will finish it out that way, but the people who recommended using the heart on people were right - pretty much everyone you run into in the game is terrible and deserves to die ;)
 

Wanderer5

Member
I only had to reset like maybe 5 times after accidentally killing someone heh.

I really appreciate the expended non-lethal goodies, and that I can thrown in some assault fun better. That was basically most of the levels for me, non-lethal assault. There quite a bit of freedom with non-lethal honestly.
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
I have been doing low chaos and will finish it out that way, but the people who recommended using the heart on people were right - pretty much everyone you run into in the game is terrible and deserves to die ;)

Haha! That ain't for me or the errant clockwork chest muscle of some mealy-mouthed posho to decide! I say let the Outsider sort 'em out!
 

thenexus6

Member
Finally got to the level from the demo where
Misson 7 - crack in the slab you go between the time lines

Man this game has some awesome ideas!
 

SkylineRKR

Member
Game is brilliant, loved the final mission. Ghosted that one. Ending is worthless though, but I never expect something worthwhile (deus ex endings sucked too).

I understood all the mechanics too late but you can really think outside of the box. I ended up staying at high ground wherever possible, lure enemies with bottles and domino drop assassinate one down to knock a whole group down. Or pull one, though that doesn't seem to be good for ghost runs. Love to do it though. There are lots of enemies right in the first area and you're underpowered still, that makes the game more difficult than it actually is. Hunt dem runes.

Same goes for clockwork soldiers, i'd fight them at first which can be tedious but later on
I just crossbow'd their head off and snuck an upgraded mine next to them.
 
Just finished mission 2 and I'm really starting to get into this. I'm such a fan of the art design and the sheer density of the environments, much in the same way that I'm a fan of Deus Ex.

My main issue with with the responsiveness of the controls. Coming off of Titanfall 2 it feels like Corvo is walking through mud. But since this is a game that I tend to play slowly and carefully anyway it's not a huge dealbreaker for me, especially as I play a bit more and get used to the controls.
 

Timeaisis

Member
I only had to reset like maybe 5 times after accidentally killing someone heh.

I really appreciate the expended non-lethal goodies, and that I can thrown in some assault fun better. That was basically most of the levels for me, non-lethal assault. There quite a bit of freedom with non-lethal honestly.

Yeah, but it takes a little while to get all the non-lethal options, imo. First two level were me murdering everyone lol. Now that I have more options I'm doing non-lethal. Last 3 levels have been all non-lethal for me. :)

Not going ghost because screw that, that shit is too hard.
 

Stoze

Member
Game is brilliant, loved the final mission. Ghosted it.

I understood all the mechanics too late but you can really think outside of the box. I ended up staying at high ground wherever possible, lure enemies with bottles and domino drop assassinate one down to knock a whole group down. Or pull one, though that doesn't seem to be good for ghost runs. Love to do it though.

Same goes for clockwork soldiers, i'd fight them at first which can be tedious but later on
I just crossbow'd their head off and snuck an upgraded mine next to them.

Yeah there's a staggering amount of mechanics to play with. I got all of Emily's powers but totally forgot I had Doppleganger for like 2 whole levels because I just had too much stuff going on. I also didn't get Mesmerize until the final mission, it's way better than I thought it would be because of its range and how long it lasts (plus it works with Domino).

Also Black and Corrupted Bonecharms can be gamechangers, my favorite was one that makes it so using far reach on enemies is silent. The regular bonecharms are fine but even stacking 4x of them they still didn't feel super significant.
 

SkylineRKR

Member
Yeah there's a staggering amount of mechanics to play with. I got all of Emily's powers but totally forgot I had Doppleganger for like 2 whole levels because I just had too much stuff going on. I also didn't get Mesmerize until the final mission, it's way better than I thought it would be because of its range and how long it lasts (plus it works with Domino).

Also Black and Corrupted Bonecharms can be gamechangers, my favorite was one that makes it so using far reach on enemies is silent. The regular bonecharms are fine but even stacking 4x of them they still didn't feel super significant.

Yeah I needed the far reach one, though annoying you don't have enough for far reach if you're empty.

I also had one that replenished mana after drop takedowns, and one with faster chokes. That was a game changer... if the latter one actually worked?
 
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