I noticed a bunch of reviews saying that the story isn't as good as the first game, and I disagree with this completely. However, while the game is offering two playable characters, the story feels way richer if you play as Emily. This is a story of coming of age through strife, and a story of trying to take your power back. This is a story of the empress getting to see just how much responsibility she has and what her personal negligence could actually do. All this is lost when you play as Corvo. And while I feel that the core message is better than that of the first game, D2 just shines in individual little stories and missions, most of which have some nice legitimately interesting twists in them now. Also, the fact that the protagonists have voices now goes a long way to build immersion. It felt weird to play as a mute guy in a personal story of revenge that was the first game. It's still great gameplay-wise, better graphically and stylistically, and is just way more fun than the relatively straightforward Dishonored 1. It's legitimately amazing, do play.
This game got a lot of flak on release - can't say it was entirely undeserved - the plot was spoiled in its entirety in the trailer and the game ends on a cliffhanger. SQuenix is too busy cashing in on superhero games, so another Deus Ex is not exactly announced. BUT to me it was an absolutely amazing experience, and in all honesty I loved it more than Human Revolution. Literally everything else aside from the main plot is great. The atmosphere is amazing. The npc dialogues are actually fun no longer 'durr hurr, I have a strong opinion about augmentations, they're all I talk about'. The graphics are great. The side quests are great. Exploration is rewarding. Stealth gameplay is fun. It feels like it's a third of something great, and I really wish to experience the rest of Jensen's story one day.
This was a really cool game in the beginning, but then after ten hours or so it started to show it's actual face. And it's a face that will appeal only to truly hardcore gamers with either lightning-quick reflexes, or a lot of free time on their hands. Basically, it's artificially made hard, unforgiving and frustrating instead of being challenging and fun. Just imagine: you progress through a relatively challenging level, fight foes, avoid spikes, find a bench that is a checkpoint... The controls are really good, visual style and music are pleasantly dark, everything oozes this Dark Souls vibe. Pure bliss, right? And then you continue moving forward, and do so for minutes and minutes, and then! oh horror! you encounter a boss! It's big and scary and relentless. You barely glimpse its attack patterns in those few seconds it kills you. Do you really, really want to just get back in the fight and show it who can evade attacks like a dodge master and deal tons of damage with their sword? I know I did. But you find yourself right at that bench again, minutes and minutes before the fight. And so you go there again. And again. And again. After about fifth attempt you start to ask yourself whether it's the best use of your time. You could have been playing something story-driven and enjoying something new. You could have been learning how to play a guitar or how to pronounce 'I'm being kidnapped, help' in Latin. You could have been writing that book you always wanted to write, or playing with your cat, or your kid, or just talking to your friends. But no, you just sit there and repeat the same stretch of a level over and over and over. Why would you? If overcoming such things brings enjoyment to you, well, don't miss this game for anything. But if you want something more productive, than avoid it like it's the avoidance company and you're an employee of the month. Good luck.
