Dishonored: Death of the Outsider Xbox One Review

Death of the Outsider is more Dishonored. It finishes off a story that took 2 full games to tell and doesn't attempt to change the formula or stray from the established characters from previous games. Instead, its primary goal is to provide an ending. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider isn't anything new but it offers a satisfying conclusion for one of the most iconic characters of the franchise. 

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider takes place after the events of Dishonored 2, with players taking control of Billie Lurk. After saving her former mentor, Daude, she is recruited for one of the biggest assassinations of the entire Dishonored franchise; killing the Outsider.

Death of the Outsider doesn't attempt to bring newcomers up to speed with the game's lore, instead, it's treated as an expansion and assumes you already know the lore of the game. You're expected to know all the main characters of this story and how their past ties into the Outsider's actions. Unfortunately, with the exception of The Outsider, who maintains his enigmatic persona everyone else falls flat and becomes simple conduits to drive the story forward. Billie just follows Daude's orders and Daude seeks revenge and blames the Outsider for everything that happened. However, after spending 2 games with the Outsider it was strange seeing him expose himself in such as way. He always acted out of his accord without many reasons to the madness but in this adventure that changed.

You aren't given with the Mark of the Outsider but you're given powers of the Void. This grants Billie 3 abilities that cannot be upgraded. This includes a modified Blink which requires a point where to teleport and a second pull of the trigger to activate. This allows Billie to teleport through grates as long as the point placed is within range and line of sight. It's not as effective as the other Blink abilities from past characters but it works in manipulating the environment in new ways. The other 2 abilities include stealing the faces of avatars for a limited period of time and an advanced version of Dark Vision. This variant allows you to float around, mark targets, highlight points of interest, and display cones of visions. None of your abilities require replenishing elixirs, instead, the entire meter refills if you wait long enough. 

Most of Death of the Outsider will have you exploring small portions of Karnaca and Dunwall, with a large overworld several as the primary HUB world for most of the game. This area was the most frustrating place I've ever explored in the Dishonored series. Don't expect the map to give you proper directions and most of the city looks the same. Since it's designed as one long path with little to branch off in several instances I became so frustrated with sneaking that I decided to just run through the streets to get to my next objective. 

Although Dishonored's horrible map system has returned so have the excellent qualities. The save anywhere feature is still available and the ability to replay missions if you want to get a perfect run. After completing the game there's the chance to play again using a mixture of Corvo and Emily's abilities and custom difficulties for those seeking a greater challenge.  

The enemy AI is still smart. They'll investigate odd occurrences, call for reinforcements overwhelmed, and attack in packs. You may not be Corvo or Emily but Billie still packs a punch and can hold her own. Either lethal or non-lethal attacks are available such as your blade, electric darts, mines, and much more. The selection of items isn't as varied from past games but you're given enough to tackle any challenge. Hot-keys can be linked to 4 directions on the D-pad for quick selection during hectic fights.

Death of the Outsider mimics the same multi-tier mission structure from past Dishonored games. Billie is given a myriad of ways to complete each mission, either passively or with lethal force. It's up to you to find the various options available but sometimes the game helps you out with specific missions, giving you highlighted options. Of course, there are old and new dangers to look out for such as electrified floors. If anything you can speak to the rats on the street, they will give you valuable information about hidden passages.

The game's pacing is off and information regarding one of the most mysterious beings in the Dishonored universe is uncovered very quickly. Most of the characters who are paramount to the plot serve minor roles and are quickly forgotten, such as a cult who existed since the Outsider's birth. While the endings did serve as satisfying conclusions, regardless of which you choose, the actions leading up to the finale didn't leave much of an impact. There was no time to show how my killings molded the world like in the rat-infested streets of the original Dishonored. The only decision that mattered was the final one, however, it was a monumental one with no clear right or wrong choice. 

Billie can access the Black Market for new upgrades and to replenish her supplies. These upgrades include various weapon and armor enhancements along bonecharms. Since Billie cannot upgrade her powers bonecharms serve as the primary supernatural upgrade system, allowing you to craft new bonecharms from sacrificed bonecharm attributes and whalebones. Contracts are available and offer secondary objectives for those looking for the extra coin if they're feeling short on cash. Most of these are bland fetch and kill quests but they extend the adventure on your skill level.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is a solid finale for fans of the series. Those who've played the franchise since the beginning will find the conclusion both shocking and worthy, even though it felt quick. Billie is definitely weaker and less equipped than Corvo or Emily but having her serve as the main character did give a new perspective on the series and showing that the Outsider's influence affected more than royalty. Death of the Outsider is more Dishonored and if you're a fan of the franchise Death of the Outsider will give exactly what you expect from this acclaimed series in addition to a solid ending.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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