Dishonored 2's New Setting
By Cody Gravelle 14 November 2015
Dishonored 2 will have a lot to live up to as Bethesda and Arkane Studios’ follow-up effort to their smash hit predecessor. The original Dishonored was loved not just for its multi-faceted approach to combat and stealth gameplay, but also the perfectly rendered setting of Dunwall, a bleak, almost Gothic take on mid-1800s England and Scotland. Dunwall was equal parts supernatural and realistic, but the two elements never really conflicted. Somehow, the tension between a plague outbreak and the presence of an omnipotent British vagabond named the Outsider just works.
Naturally, fans of Dishonored imagined that in the sequel, players would find themselves somewhere that strongly resembles Dunwall. However, when the time came for Dishonored 2‘s E3 2015 trailer, gamers instead found Emily Kaldwin sneaking through a more temperate, tropical climate. At the time, all fans knew about the city, Karnaca, was what they had seen in the trailer, but a recently released Bethesda video looks to make players better acquainted with Corvo and Emily’s new surroundings.
In another video recorded during E3, Arkane Studios Co-Creative Director Harvey Smith sat down to talk about Karnaca, the sunny city that will take over the reigns from Dunwall as Dishonored 2‘s setting. Smith says that Karnaca is the southernmost city in the Empire of the Isles, and is altogether much warmer and easier on the eyes than Dunwall was. In fact, Smith even used some real-world comparisons to help fans get a feel for what Dishonored 2‘s dual protagonists can expect in Karnaca, stating:
“If Dunwall was modeled after Scotland and England, Karnaca might be modeled after Greece or Spain or Italy. It’s like southern Europe.”
Sounds like you might even consider taking a vacation in Karnaca, no? However, Smith was quick to point out that not everything is pleasant and balmy in Dishonored 2‘s new digs. Although the rats that played such a big role in Dishonored won’t be a significant factor in Dishonored 2, Arkane Studios has cooked up a creature just as creepy: bloodflies, insects that lay eggs in corpses and explode out of them when Emily or Corvo come too close. It remains to be seen whether or not players will be able to control the bloodflies like rats in Dishonored, or if you’ll even want to. Gross.
While much has been made of Arkane Studios’ decision to move on from Dunwall and feature dual protagonists, its refreshing to see a developer willing to take risks with their most successful IP. Unfortunately, Dishonored 2 doesn’t have a concrete release date yet, so fans anxious to play the next installment of the franchise might be better served picking up the Dishonored: Definitive Edition. At least then players can spend some time brushing up on their skills until we have a better idea of when the series sets sail for Karnaca.
What’s your favorite moment that took place in Dishonored‘s Dunwall? Are you eager to play in a brighter, more colorful setting? Let us know in the comments.
Dishonored 2 releases releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometimes in 2016.
Source: PC Gamer
