The miraculous thing about the original Dishonored, studio Arkane’s bleak first-person prowler, is that you can finish it without offing a soul.
There’s an achievement for doing so, in fact. I’m not saying it’s a cakewalk, but therein lies the allure. All those lovely, lethal gadgets and supernatural talents beckon, but so does the tactical appeal of methodically studying then pulling off elaborate infiltration schemes and micro-heists.
You wouldn’t know that from the launch trailer, which lays on the bloody cam-kill animations as the optionally female protagonist wreaks havoc on an array of malefactors, villains and thugs. Fear not: I assume that’s just the marketing department voting up the hare over the tortoise. But not only do you not have to butcher anyone in Dishonored 2, you can also win a prize for not loosing any of your magic abilities.
Publisher Bethesda’s PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game arrives this Friday, November 11.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Matt Peckham at matt.peckham@time.com