Gameplay 9/10

Incredible flexibility and rewarding moment-to-moment decision-making provide consistently rewarding and engaging moments. Whether stealth or full-on “eliminate everyone in sight!” is your style, the systems and enemy AI feel tight and responsive.

Story 7/10

The central plot is fine but not exactly fascinating. It’s the world of Karnaca itself that tells a deeper, more intriguing story through exploration and spying on NPC interactions that pull you into the game and drive immersion.

Graphics 8/10

The game’s art style and distinctive architecture really give it a unique charm. Some visuals (like facial expressions during dialogue) feel slightly dated but the theme and feel blend so well together that the game never feels too dated.

Sound & Music 7/10

The soundtrack sets a moody tone, but there are no memorable cinematic themes. The sounds and ambient noise though, are awesome. The weapons and powers sound good, but it’s the immersive components like footsteps, passing railcars, and guards discussing changes to gate codes or just complaining about their shift that really draw you into the game.

Controls 9/10

Controls are smooth and responsive, with satisfying movement and ability execution. From visceral stabbing assassinations to using your “blink” ability to teleport from one balcony to the other, the game plays incredibly well.

Level Design 9/10

Each new map feels like a puzzle box waiting to be unraveled. There’s a handful of ways to complete them and exploration is almost always rewarded. Standout missions like the Clockwork Mansion and A Crack in the Slab showcase brilliant, innovative design.

Replayability 9/10

This is a game that begs for at least a second playthrough, if not more. Multiple playstyles through multiple pathways, two playable characters, NG+ allowing you to combine abilities from both protagonists – this is a game that truly maximizes replayability (and value.)

Final Verdict 9/10

Dishonored 2 is an outstanding sequel that builds on everything good from the original, then pushes the boundaries of player choice and creative problem-solving. It may not hit every narrative note perfectly, but its rewarding mechanics make it a must-play for fans of both stealth and action games.

Our Takes

Tommy's Take

Dishonored 2 feels like sneaking out past curfew when you were a kid—exciting and risky, but totally worth it. You're a magical assassin running around in a steampunk city, teleporting onto rooftops and making guards question their career choices. Turning into a shadow monster and scaring enemies half to death never really gets old.

The story's solid, but honestly, the best part is just messing around with all your powers. You can freeze time and possess rats which causes some hilarious chaos. The levels are clever and creative, especially one with a mansion that shifts around like a giant Rubik's cube; whoever designed that deserves a raise.

Sure, sometimes the guards seem about as smart as a bag of rocks, but that makes it even funnier. Graphics are awesome for its time and everything has this gritty, artsy look that's strangely satisfying to stare at.

Overall, Dishonored 2 makes you feel clever even when you're just winging it. Definitely recommended if you want to spend hours figuring out ridiculously entertaining ways to mess with people.

More From Doc

This game is freaking great. I hadn't played it since it released in 2016 until recently and it still holds up. The gameplay is near perfect- blinking to otherwise unreachable locations, peeking thru door locks, and visceral assassination animations all look and feel great. Every stage presents a multitude of different ways to get through. You can stealth it completely undetected, murder every soul that gets in your way with guns or cool special powers, or any combination you want. The creepy asylum level and Jindosh's mansion with moving floors and walls were the highlights for me.

The only downside to this game was it reminded how boring and bland the Assassin's Creed franchise has gotten (RIP Black Flag!)

Allowing you to choose between two characters at the beginning is kinda cool, but there isn't a huge difference between them. New Game+ allows you to use both sets of powers and upgrades so the extra incentive for a new playthrough definitely pays off.

Screenshots

Captured on Xbox Series X