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Dishonored 2: 14 Beginner's Tips
Tips to Help You Reclaim the Throne
Dishonored 2 is a game that encourages creativity, experimentation, and skill. Whether you choose to play it lethally, non-lethally, or a combination of both, the varying playstyles call for a plethora of factors to consider. That's why we've gathered 14 tips to be mindful of as you fight to reclaim throne of the Kingdom of Isles.
Know Your Playstyle and Execute on It
Before diving into Dishonored 2, it's important to decide how you're going to play the game. This is because the various skills you can acquire are divided into two varieties you can choose from: lethal and non-lethal. While it's possible to play the game using a hybrid of both, it helps to understand what you want so you're not recklessly choosing skills that'll negatively impact your playstyle.
If You're Going Stealth, Play Hard
Dishonored 2 supports a variety of playstyles, but if you're opting to use stealth, we recommend playing on a higher difficulty level. Enemies will be more savvy to your movements and tougher to take down, especially in large numbers. Fans of stealth shouldn't settle for anything less.
Always Save
You never know when a situation will go south; a guard might suddenly see you and call for reinforcements, or you might accidentally throw a guard's body off a cliff during your no-kill run. That's why it's essential to save often, as it guarantees that you'll have a checkpoint to return to when you've made a terrible mistake. If you're ever about to do something risky, or don't know how an upcoming situation will turn out, be sure to save; you can't rely on autosave to do the work for you.
Lean + Corner/Doorway = Success
Never forget to lean; this maneuver will often save you from trouble, as it allows you peek your head around a corner to see what's ahead. Ideally perform it at the edge of a corner or doorway before progressing. Be careful; enemies can see your head peeking when you lean, so be sure to quickly pop back into cover if you're about to be caught.
Loot, Loot, Loot
This is a given, but don't forget to search the environment for items you can loot. You'll often find ammo, elixirs, valuables that'll net you coins, and even keys that can get you into locations that would be able to access otherwise. Always search the environment or the bodies of foes you've dispatched; you never know what treasures you might find.
Peep Through Keyholes
You never want to open a closed door without first knowing what's inside the adjacent room. Crouch down and hold down the action button to peep through the door's keyhole to get a narrow glimpse at what lies ahead. Make a habit out of doing this, as it'll help you form a plan for what to do next as well as prevent any unnecessary stress.
Take the High Road
Dishonored 2 is packed with multiple routes that'll lead you to your objective; however, it's wise to take the path that leads you upward. These pathways often provide you a better vantage point to work from, so you can find ways to sneak past enemy guards or formulate a plan of action to swiftly eliminate them.
Eavesdrop on Conversations; Look at Notes
You're not always left to your own devices to figure out a way to your objective. Sometimes you can easily discover a new route by simply eavesdropping on conversations between NPCs or reading through notes scattered throughout the area. If any pertinent information is revealed, your objectives will typically update with the knowledge, highlighting this new route or discovery on your HUD.
Explore Your Environment: Seek Out Runes and Bonecharms
When you're busy trying to chart out a path to assassinating your target, it's easy to forget to explore. Take time to observe your surroundings and seek out hidden collectibles, such as Runes and Bonecharms. These items can improve your character's strength and abilities, so always search for them with the Heart.
Tag Runes and Bonecharms
Unlike the first game, you can now tag a Rune or Bonecharm to display as an objective on your HUD. To do so, equip the Heart, aim at the Rune or Bonecharm you're looking for, and press the action button. This makes it easier to search for these items, as you can now pinpoint their locations without needing to constantly pull up the Heart.
Don't Forget to Assign Bonecharms
Bonecharms are special items you can find and equip that enhance your abilities. For example, one allows Elixirs to restore more mana, while another can increase your climbing speed. You can equip multiple Bonecharms at a time, enhancing your character in a variety of ways at once. Bonecharms are incredibly useful in the long run, so make sure to manually assign them in the status menu once you've found one.
Be Mindful of the Chaos System
While you're given the freedom to play the game any way you want, be aware that making unethical decisions and acting violently holds consequences. This is reflected in the Chaos System, which can punish aggressive behavior by increasing the enemy count in a map and changing the tone of the conversations you have and overhear. While it doesn't hurt to occasionally kill enemies from time to time, doing so excessively can influence the Chaos System against you. No matter your playstyle, always be conscious of your actions, and if possible, do your best to avoid pointless bloodshed.
Acquire Maps
Unlike the first game, there are maps that you can find in the environment. However, these are not your conventional video game maps, as they're more like a physical item you find that provides a rough structural diagram of the area. Seek these out as they can often help you decipher the locations of particular items you learn about through reading notes or eavesdropping on conversations.
Rob the Black Market
The game doesn't tell you to do this, but you can actually rob the black market. Doing so can net you a multitude of valuable items and weapons for free. It's no easy task though, as each black market is different and requires you to find a specific way to break into it. Successfully robbing them requires you to think outside of the box. Be wary; do not rob the black market until after you've accomplished the side quests and earned the special upgrades they offer, as they'll lock out completely if you don't do them beforehand.
More...
Dishonored 2 is a game that encourages creativity, experimentation, and skill. Whether you choose to play it lethally, non-lethally, or a combination of both, the varying playstyles call for a plethora of factors to consider. That's why we've gathered 14 tips to be mindful of as you fight to reclaim throne of the Kingdom of Isles.
Know Your Playstyle and Execute on It
Before diving into Dishonored 2, it's important to decide how you're going to play the game. This is because the various skills you can acquire are divided into two varieties you can choose from: lethal and non-lethal. While it's possible to play the game using a hybrid of both, it helps to understand what you want so you're not recklessly choosing skills that'll negatively impact your playstyle.
If You're Going Stealth, Play Hard
Dishonored 2 supports a variety of playstyles, but if you're opting to use stealth, we recommend playing on a higher difficulty level. Enemies will be more savvy to your movements and tougher to take down, especially in large numbers. Fans of stealth shouldn't settle for anything less.
Always Save
You never know when a situation will go south; a guard might suddenly see you and call for reinforcements, or you might accidentally throw a guard's body off a cliff during your no-kill run. That's why it's essential to save often, as it guarantees that you'll have a checkpoint to return to when you've made a terrible mistake. If you're ever about to do something risky, or don't know how an upcoming situation will turn out, be sure to save; you can't rely on autosave to do the work for you.
Lean + Corner/Doorway = Success
Never forget to lean; this maneuver will often save you from trouble, as it allows you peek your head around a corner to see what's ahead. Ideally perform it at the edge of a corner or doorway before progressing. Be careful; enemies can see your head peeking when you lean, so be sure to quickly pop back into cover if you're about to be caught.
Loot, Loot, Loot
This is a given, but don't forget to search the environment for items you can loot. You'll often find ammo, elixirs, valuables that'll net you coins, and even keys that can get you into locations that would be able to access otherwise. Always search the environment or the bodies of foes you've dispatched; you never know what treasures you might find.
Peep Through Keyholes
You never want to open a closed door without first knowing what's inside the adjacent room. Crouch down and hold down the action button to peep through the door's keyhole to get a narrow glimpse at what lies ahead. Make a habit out of doing this, as it'll help you form a plan for what to do next as well as prevent any unnecessary stress.
Take the High Road
Dishonored 2 is packed with multiple routes that'll lead you to your objective; however, it's wise to take the path that leads you upward. These pathways often provide you a better vantage point to work from, so you can find ways to sneak past enemy guards or formulate a plan of action to swiftly eliminate them.
Eavesdrop on Conversations; Look at Notes
You're not always left to your own devices to figure out a way to your objective. Sometimes you can easily discover a new route by simply eavesdropping on conversations between NPCs or reading through notes scattered throughout the area. If any pertinent information is revealed, your objectives will typically update with the knowledge, highlighting this new route or discovery on your HUD.
Explore Your Environment: Seek Out Runes and Bonecharms
When you're busy trying to chart out a path to assassinating your target, it's easy to forget to explore. Take time to observe your surroundings and seek out hidden collectibles, such as Runes and Bonecharms. These items can improve your character's strength and abilities, so always search for them with the Heart.
Tag Runes and Bonecharms
Unlike the first game, you can now tag a Rune or Bonecharm to display as an objective on your HUD. To do so, equip the Heart, aim at the Rune or Bonecharm you're looking for, and press the action button. This makes it easier to search for these items, as you can now pinpoint their locations without needing to constantly pull up the Heart.
Don't Forget to Assign Bonecharms
Bonecharms are special items you can find and equip that enhance your abilities. For example, one allows Elixirs to restore more mana, while another can increase your climbing speed. You can equip multiple Bonecharms at a time, enhancing your character in a variety of ways at once. Bonecharms are incredibly useful in the long run, so make sure to manually assign them in the status menu once you've found one.
Be Mindful of the Chaos System
While you're given the freedom to play the game any way you want, be aware that making unethical decisions and acting violently holds consequences. This is reflected in the Chaos System, which can punish aggressive behavior by increasing the enemy count in a map and changing the tone of the conversations you have and overhear. While it doesn't hurt to occasionally kill enemies from time to time, doing so excessively can influence the Chaos System against you. No matter your playstyle, always be conscious of your actions, and if possible, do your best to avoid pointless bloodshed.
Acquire Maps
Unlike the first game, there are maps that you can find in the environment. However, these are not your conventional video game maps, as they're more like a physical item you find that provides a rough structural diagram of the area. Seek these out as they can often help you decipher the locations of particular items you learn about through reading notes or eavesdropping on conversations.
Rob the Black Market
The game doesn't tell you to do this, but you can actually rob the black market. Doing so can net you a multitude of valuable items and weapons for free. It's no easy task though, as each black market is different and requires you to find a specific way to break into it. Successfully robbing them requires you to think outside of the box. Be wary; do not rob the black market until after you've accomplished the side quests and earned the special upgrades they offer, as they'll lock out completely if you don't do them beforehand.
More...