Dishonored: Death of the Outsider Review

sjackson (54)in #gaming • 7 years ago (edited)

Dishonored is a series defined by its constant evolution, with the dark and gritty stealth/action gameplay of the first game refined and expanded in a sequel that tried to build on what worked and fix what didn’t. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (DDotO), a hefty standalone expansion to Dishonored 2, has everything you would expect from the series, including sneaking, stabbing, exploding, mercy, destruction, and an overwhelming willingness to “make good choices”. Far more importantly though, it keeps the series’ reputation intact, with bold design choices creating new problems and opportunities, and a new protagonist giving Arkane the chance to truly explore the game’s narrative. It’s a shame, therefore, that this latest entry in the series continues to be dogged by some familiar failings.

In DDotO, you play as Billie Lurk, a streetsmart, tough straight-talker who was a key character in the ‘Knife of Dunwall’ DLC from Dishonored 1, and she also went by the name of Meagan Foster in Dishonored 2. She’s on the hunt for her mentor Daud (a master of both magic and violence who works as an elite assassin for hire and is central to the events of the first game and its DLCs) and quickly finds herself back on the streets of sunny Karnaca a few months after the end of the second game. To find him, she (or rather you) will need to journey into the city’s seedy underbelly, starting with infiltrating an underground boxing club run by the Eyeless gang, a band of cultists who worship the god-like Outsider. Disappointingly, the Eyeless NPCs seem to be re-skinned versions of the classic brute, witch and upper class enemies, and so Dishonored veterans shouldn’t have much trouble dispatching them from whence they came. They also lack individuality but do at least seem to be more perceptive than enemies in the first two games, which can lead to a few panicky moments as you try to remain out of sight.

The first mission seems almost like a tutorial level to get you back up to speed with the controls. It is exceptionally bland and offers nothing to the story except giving you a starting point and a new enemy. Although this is a smart choice for new players, it was unnecessary for players who understand the series and its controls. One thing the first mission does well is give you a feel of the environment in a post-Delilah world (see Dishonored 2). There are some nice throwbacks throughout the expansion to the original games, providing a continuity to the series and showing that Arkane Studios remembers the franchise’s roots.

After the release of the original game, Arkane Studios realised that a mission that stood out was the party at the Boyle Manor. They used this knowledge and tried to incorporate a different quirk in each mission in Dishonored 2. This was a smart move by the developers, and it works well when used for DDotO. Special missions in the expansion include a bank heist, using detective work, and infiltrating the Eyeless gang. Despite the variation of missions and goals, some missions felt rushed, weak on content, or like they lost the ethos of the franchise entirely. Without giving too much away, each mission seemed to be built for the end goal but missed some steps in the middle. The groundwork for each mission (finding clues, gaining information, etc.) could have been more immersive as it was in the original game’s DLCs.

On the other hand, each mission flows into the next very well. The entire story is set over a few days and does not feel overly complicated. The main focus of each mission is a step in Billie’s journey to kill the Outsider. She learns secrets, gains powers, and steals artefacts all for this cause. The story in DDotO was its main strength as it did not tie you down to unnecessary missions that are simply there for the purpose of furthering the plot. Despite the story, missions were short, and players deserved more goals to pour their efforts into.

You gain your abilities from the Outsider after the first mission. There are four new supernatural abilities to help you work through the game which can work like a well-oiled machine when properly combined. Your new powers include:

Semblance – Steal an unsuspecting NPC’s face, making Billie walk and talk like them.
Foresight – Move your spirit freely and mark enemies, loot, and mechanical devices (marked objects stay marked until you choose otherwise).
Displace – Lay a marker that you can instantly teleport to when in a clear view (Billie’s rendition of Blink).
Rat Whispers – Gain info and learn clues from groups of rats (usable from the start of the game)

One way the series was improved in this expansion is that your powers automatically regenerate without the need for mana potions. This allows you to focus more on quickly moving around the landscape without having to scout for elixirs, meaning the game flows better. The powers themselves are useful, but you may find that Semblance is more of a novelty than a useful ability. There are a couple of instances that are clearly pointed out by NPCs where this power is actually helpful, but otherwise, it went mostly unused. Of course, every power is only as good as its user, so players may find a way to use it to its full potential. One of the best power combinations is to link Foresight and Displace. You can zoom around the map marking targets then tactically teleport to your enemies without alerting anyone else.

An aspect of the Dishonored franchise that will never leave us are the ever collectable Bonecharms. They are literally everywhere in this game, around every corner you seem to hear the familiar screeches letting you know you’re near a collectable. This probably makes up for the fact Runes are now unnecessary, as you are not able to upgrade your powers. Despite the familiarity that comes with Bonecharms, they are almost unnecessary in DDotO. Other than a boost in mana or health, you can complete the game easily without needing to think about any added boosts to your game.

Black markets also make a return to DDotO and offer the same ammo and equipment. One additional thing that the black markets can offer you is the option to complete contracts. These are small jobs that pay in various degrees depending on their difficulty. You must first visit the black market to see the contracts, which means players who want to speed-run the game will likely miss out on extra coin or Bonecharms. The contracts themselves seem relatively easy but may frustrate players on their first run through, especially contracts that seem easy but are hard to find.

One factor of this game that did not please me was the lack of a Chaos system, a game mechanic that made the original such an immersive experience. For those that don’t know, the Chaos system measures your actions and tailors the world around you based on your decisions. For example, if you assassinate your targets, you will be viewed as a villain and the game has a much darker tone. If you show mercy, you will see less rats or bloodflies and will achieve a happier ending. This expansion does not factor this system into its game. You can stab, shoot, and steal as much as you like and having no consequences other than a massive kill count. On one hand, it was nice to know that my actions will go unpunished, but it took away an aspect of the game that made you think about how you approach different situations.

Finally, the Envisioned cultists were literally the worst thing to happen to the world of Dishonored since finding out that there were no Tallboys in Dishonored 2. They add nothing to the game except frustration and repeated death screens as you try to work out what the hell you are doing wrong. Without the proper formula, these things are unkillable. When confronted, they will one-shot you with no hesitation. At the start, they are interesting Void-walkers that remind you of the Clockwork Soldiers with an extra sprinkle of grim foreboding. After about 6 deaths with no end in sight, you will start to view them as evil entities set to destroy your very soul. When players purchase DDotO, they likely will not expect something from Dark Souls to haunt their dreams. The Envisioned cultists are killable, but they require some serious firepower. There are plenty of guides and walkthroughs online that can tell you exactly how to end these soulless beasts.

In summary, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is a nice spin on the franchise but with some serious misses in gameplay. The story was a major win for the game and ensures that players understand the world around them without worrying about getting lost on the way. Players may feel the substance in the missions was watered down, and sometimes the ethos of the series was missed, but it satisfied the murderous rage in all of us enough through its story to push us to carry on playing and ultimately decide The Outsider’s fate.