Dishonored 2
Dishonored 2 – Weapon and Ability Gallery
Dishonored 2
Each weapon and item we designed for Dishonored 2 has a story.
Each is tied to the world or the characters in a unique way, and we pay special attention to every little detail to ensure everything you interact with as the player feels like it belongs. And we don’t stop with the tools at your disposal. Each supernatural ability coursing through Emily and Corvo undergoes intense storyboarding and concepting, so we can be absolutely sure it will be just as stylish as it is devastating. Here you can get a taste of some of weapons, items and abilities in the game, and see some of the thoughts that went into designing them.
Emily and Corvo’s Sword
Half butterfly knife, half switchblade; we wanted to make Emily and Corvo’s sword as realistic as possible. In Dishonored 2, we’ve decided to show the handle mechanism, which may seem like an unnecessary detail, but we want to let players see it in action when they bend time during combat. This attention to detail is what drives us, and we think it helps the game experience feel more genuine and immersive.
Emily’s Crossbow
At Arkane we don’t know the word “lazy,” and we want to give each playable character their own unique set of weapons and powers. Corvo has his own crossbow, and we wanted to give Emily a powerful tool to call her own. We’ve focused on giving her crossbow a more elegant, regal version with softer shapes. It has inspiration from musical instruments (lyre, violin) but still looks lethal.
Howlers’ Sword
We’ve spent so much time on the character design and creation – with unique references from tailors and fashion designers – that one day, while talking about the big scissors my grandma used as a dressmaker, it clicked! We were drawing swords for our Howler gang, who wear dark fitted tailored coats, and decided to simply remove one of the blades from a large pair of scissors and use that to arm them. The result is a unique sword that also fits the characters’ backgrounds!
Delirium Bolt
We wanted a weapon crafted by the civilians themselves that would serve to distract enemies, and that’s where the Delirium bolt came from. For the design, we mixed a flute and an insect captured in a bulb. When launched, it makes a sound and the insect inside begins to glow, emitting a long, luminescent trail.
Timepiece Device
In Dishonored 2, we push the boundaries in every aspect. In one particular mission, we can even look into the past through a lens… and use this timepiece device to switch from the present to the past, and back again! Here are early attempts at the design of this device.
Whale Oil
Whale oil is a central pillar in our world, as it powers a lot of devices. The idea of using the whale oil battery as a projectile came naturally to our minds during the production of Dishonored 1. This time, and thanks to the capability of our engine to display new shaders, we’ve taken the opportunity to play with the viscosity of the oil to give different waves of reaction, from the melted ground to the more volatile vapors.
Arc Pylon
Kirin Jindosh is the main inventor in Dishonored 2. Creator of the menacing Clockwork Soldiers, you can think of him as the new Sokolov. A new location and new characters means new designs. We’ve updated existing devices and brought Jindosh’s eccentric touch to them. Thanks to our new software, the Void Engine, we now have more dynamic objects and movement, in addition to a higher level of detail.
Abilities
As a new playable character in Dishonored 2, Emily has a brand new set of supernatural abilities, whilst Corvo retains his supernatural abilities from the first game (with a few tweaks). Here you can watch how you can creatively combine some of their abilities to eliminate enemies or escape difficult situations. The abilities on display are Doppelganger, Far Reach, Domino, Wind Blast, Dark Vision and Mesmerize.
Far Reach
Here are some storyboards that helped the VFX team figure out the main steps of the Far Reach ability. In this instance you decide to grab your opponent, pulling him towards you to take him out.
Mesmerize
Can I cast this anywhere I want? Can I hide behind it for a stealth approach? Can I link one of the guards with Domino to extend the effect of Mesmerize? These are just a few questions we raised when discussing Mesmerize with the game design team. Mesmerize is one of Emily’s supernatural abilities, which allows her to summon a Void spirit to distract living enemies, putting them into a dream-like state.
For more information on Dishonored 2, check out these videos and features:
Dishonored 2 – Inside the Epic, Themed Missions
Dishonored 2 – Character Art Gallery
Dishonored 2 – Creating Karnaca
