I've finally managed to get a solid number of hours into Arkane Studios' newest game Dishonored 2 . As a huge fan of the first, I was excited to sink many hours into leaning around corners, blinking across chandeliers, and leaving a trail of sleeping guards in compromising positions.

Brilliant level design; Deeper upgrade system; World feels alive

Most powers become obsolete; Some bugs break momentum; Voice acting can be stale at times

Dishonored 2 is a sequel in a classic vein. When Dishonored was released in 2012, it was a throwback shot across the bow of AAA games. It largely avoided the spectacular action and setpieces of big-budget titles, and instead went back to the well of the late-'90s/early-'00s renaissance of...

2012's Dishonored was a gaming triumph, which is why when publisher Bethesda announced a sequel at last year's E3, the question of whether it could top the original quickly emerged.

Beautiful environment; Rich storyline and characters; Engaging gameplay

Requires a lot of time and patience

Note: Dishonored 2 was co-reviewed by both Joe DeClara and Hunter Wolfe. Hunter The original Dishonored was a sleeper hit when it launched back in 2013. Like its protagonist, it came out of the shadows and captivated players with its open-ended level design and London-inspired steampunk setting.

Masterful level design; Two playable characters; A dense; fascinating world to explore

Predictable story; Flat; dry characters; Minor technical difficulties

Return once again to the Empire of the Isles, but this time we head South to Karnaca, the capital of Serkonos in a quest to reclaim the throne and your honour. In Dishonored 2, you play as either Corvo Attano, the protagonist for the previous game, or Emily Kaldwin, his daughter and Empress of the...

Great Stylized world | Fun gameplay | Excellent Voice acting | plenty of choice and variety

Actual combat is a bit dull | Some strange sound issues at times

The first Dishonored was a remarkable achievement in stealth gaming: in its very best moments, hugging the shadows throughout its plague-ridden steampunk city of Dunwall evoked the special kind of thrilling, freewheeling danger largely unseen since the venerable Thief 2 .

Explore a world unlike any other as either Emily Kaldwin or Corvo Attano - both powerful assassins with their own unique set of supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets.

I've always found there to be a weird link between games like BioShock, Deus Ex and Dishonored. All of them are first-person but all of them are totally committed to building strong and believable worlds. There's some linked history between them all as well.

Every bit as intelligent and daring as its predecessor, and if you're prepared to be equally creative while playing it then Dishonored 2 offers almost endless rewards.

Very solid stealth and action, enhanced by some extremely flexible special abilities; Interesting characters and dialogue options, and some superbly imaginative set pieces and level design

The plot is disappointingly similar to the last game and quite awkwardly told; Corvo's voice acting sounds silly; Unfortunate number of bugs (not counting the bloodflies)

↵ It's been a long road for Dishonored 2 , Bethesda's now-embattled sequel. While a release on PS4 Pro is bound to help them along, the sequel to 2012's Stealth-action hit also had to face a questionable review policy change and early reports of shoddy PC performance.

Robust Side Quests; Freedom Of Choice Done Right; Improved Ability System; Deep Characters

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