Dishonored 2 - Limited Edition (Xbox One)

Status:

Complete and Play Tested

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Dishonored 2 Limited Edition (Xbox One) Review

Arkane Studios 2016 sequel returns to the steampunk city-states of the Isles with two playable assassins, sprawling clockwork sandboxes, and freedom to be as ghost-likeor as ruthlessas you wish. The Limited Edition bundles the base game with a digital copy of Dishonored: Definitive Edition plus the Imperial Assassins Pack (extra bonecharms and gear), making it the most complete console offering.

Gameplay & Mechanics

• Dual Protagonists: Choose Empress Emily Kaldwin or her father Corvo Attano, each with distinct power sets. Emilys Domino links fates; Corvo reprises Bend Time and Blink.

• Play-Your-Way Design: Non-lethal stealth, lethal stealth, or guns-blazing are all viable. Mission stats grade you on kills, detections, and chaos.

• Verticality & Mobility: Far-reach/Blink, spring-razor traps, and chain-link climbing let you exploit rooftops and vents.

• Upgradable Powers: Runes and bonecharms unlock skill treese.g., Emilys Shadow Walk evolves from rat-form stealth to lethal monstrosity.

• Adaptive AI & Chaos: Bodies left in the open, bloodfly nests, and civilian fear raise global chaos, altering dialogue, endings, and even level geometry.

Standout Levels

Story & World

Set 15 years after the first game, would-be usurper Delilah Copperspoon stages a coup, forcing Emily or Corvo into exile in Karnaca. Themes of power, legacy, and moral cost permeate the narrative. Multiple endings hinge on chaos level and key character fates; New Game+ lets you mix both protagonists powers for fresh runs.

Graphics & Presentation

• Void Engine Enhancements: Hand-painted textures and exaggerated art direction shine at 1080p with improved draw distance over last gen.

• Performance: Xbox One targets 30 fps; minor stutters occur in dense particle scenes (Dust District storms).

• Environmental Detail: Whale-oil machinery, blood-fly-infested tenements, and golden-hour coastal vistas craft a lived-in world brimming with lore objects.

Sound & Voice Work

• Score: Daniel Lichts melancholic strings mix with industrial ambience, evolving dynamically with stealth or combat.

• Voice Cast: Rosario Dawson (Emily), Vincent DOnofrio (Luca Abele), and Stephen Russell (Corvo) deliver grounded performances. Guards remain chatty, offering world lore and tactical hints.

• Audio Design: Spatial cuesclanking clockwork soldiers, muffled footsteps on carpetsaid stealth planning.

Final Verdict

Dishonored 2 perfects Arkanes immersive-sim formula: intricate levels, flexible powers, and reactive storytelling reward experimentation and replay. The Limited Editions inclusion of the remastered original sweetens the pot, though occasional frame dips and a still-middling melee system keep it shy of perfection.

Score: 9/10 A mastercla