Can "Dishonored – Death of the Outsider" live up to the quite positive impression made at gamescom (our previewWill the hype surrounding this promising title prove unfounded? We were curious and took a closer look. The result was quite surprising.
The freedom of choice begins even before the actual gameplay. Besides the usual difficulty levels of easy, normal, hard, etc., players in "Dishonored: Death of the Outsiders" can define their own difficulty level and set various parameters themselves. The game is set independently of the main series, after the events of the second installment. However, it occasionally references the events of the main games or mentions characters from them. Our journey begins somewhat differently:
The protagonist, Billie Lurk, awakens in a small cabin on her ship, the Dreadful Whale, which serves as the starting point for each level. We quickly learn her motivation: she wants to find and free her former mentor, Draud, who seems to be in grave danger. Once he's located and rescued, the hunt for the ultimate enemy begins: the Outsider. Our journey takes us to many different areas and locations, where we find a number of charming little objects scattered throughout.
A particularly appealing feature: While preparations for the first mission are still underway, the built-in tutorial is already in full swing. Short interruptions provide useful information, such as menu explanations, possible attack combos, customizable settings, and potential approaches.
During the tutorial, one thing immediately stands out: the menu is very clear and simply structured. There's no need for a learning curve or lengthy searches to find the desired option. The five tabs – "Mission," "Contracts," "Bone Artifacts," "Knowledge & Maps," and "Travel Log" – are further divided into subcategories. For example, under "Mission," you can choose between Objectives, Mission Hints, and Mission Items. The Objectives provide a classic, brief outline of the mission, while the Mission Hints offer genuinely useful tips, such as the whispers of rats in the streets that you overheard. It's definitely worth checking these regularly, as shortcuts and hidden passages are often mentioned here, as are passwords and codes that you collect from letters. The Mission Items section describes the items you find and provides brief hints about where or how the object could be used.
These quests are special side missions that further enhance the gameplay experience. They offer a nice way to earn extra coins, which can be used, for example, to bribe characters to make missions much easier, or to buy new equipment in the black market shop. Furthermore, these quests can easily be completed alongside the main mission.
Also worth mentioning are the bone artifacts. These can be found in chests or cabinets, or obtained by looting an executed enemy. Initially, up to five artifacts can be permanently activated at once. However, the choice should be carefully considered, as some artifacts bring both advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, each player should decide for themselves which item best suits their playstyle.
Furthermore, it was a positive feature that various points from the tutorial could be revisited at any time during the game via the main menu. This allows players, especially at the beginning, to quickly get help in certain situations to get out of tricky situations. And otherwise, it also manages to…Dishonored - The Death of the Outsider“, just like its predecessors, to score points with a good stand-alone story and a successful main character.
Different strategies
In "Dishonored – Death of the Outsider," the developers give the player the opportunity to play to their strengths. There is no single "right way," only misjudgment of one's own abilities. But as they say, you should learn from your mistakes, which in this case would mean developing a new strategy. The choice between a loud frontal assault or the path of the silent assassin is entirely up to the player. Both paths are challenging, with open combat demanding considerable skill and dexterity and often resulting in death. Should you choose the stealthy approach, timing and patience are crucial. The precise moment to strike must be carefully considered to avoid drawing attention to yourself.
Camouflage is everything
Anyone who has already experienced a Dishonored game will be familiar with the special powers granted to the characters by the Void. Lurk also benefits from this and possesses her own unique abilities. Should her disguise be blown, she can teleport to a distant location, which she must quickly target herself. A good target would be a wall or statue behind which she can easily hide until the guards cease searching. Open windows or passageways can also be reached this way.
Should a head-on confrontation occur, you should use your sword to attack and block at the right moment. Utilizing the available ranged weapons, a kind of mini-crossbow mounted on the back of your wrist, is also recommended. This weapon comes with various types of ammunition, including standard lethal projectiles that will instantly kill your opponent. Alternatively, you can use electroshock-like projectiles that stun your enemy for a short time. The game also features mines that can be thrown in an emergency or, with good preparation, strategically placed before an impending battle. It's better to place more mines than too few, as they can be retrieved later. Overall, the combat is quite challenging, requiring careful consideration of every move.
As the game progresses, we also gain other useful abilities. For example, it's possible to "steal" the body of a civilian, ideally one who is unobserved. You assume the passerby's appearance and can thus pass undetected through areas that are critical for you. But be careful, this effect doesn't last forever. If the disguise wears off, the guards will spot you and immediately attack, bringing you back to open combat.
The solution to the riddle…
It's not always immediately obvious. And that's precisely what makes it so interesting. To open the safe in a house, for example, we first have to follow a few clues. We have to overcome defensive structures to reach our goal. We should also always be on the lookout for loopholes or hidden paths. These can save a lot of time and effort. It's almost essential to look closely to progress at all, which is what makes the game so engaging. You're not simply guided from mission to mission, killing or knocking people unconscious, collecting your reward, and that's it. Dishonored is, overall, a large puzzle that needs solving. The game's relatively large, open levels, in which we can freely move around, also work to its advantage here. Sure, a completely open world would have been preferable, especially to eliminate the loading times that do occur from time to time, even when just entering a larger house, but that's still quite forgivable.
Optically convincing
The game's strength lies in its meticulous environmental design. The narrow streets, with their inhabitants and green spaces, are beautifully rendered to the usual high standard. Both the player character and their opponents look extremely appealing. The various locations are well-designed and create a cohesive overall impression. The numerous details are particularly noteworthy, as secret notes, coins, bottles, books, weapons, and other useful items can be found everywhere. In addition, there are numerous paintings, a wide variety of buildings and interior design styles, and many small details that make the entire game feel very vibrant. Overall, the presentation is once again very successful, employing the steampunk style typical of the series while maintaining solid performance, even if a little more polish or performance in some areas would have been desirable.
