Ask a bunch of gamers which series they think demands a fresh entry and youll likely be met with Half-Life, Portal or Elder Scrolls as answers. Maybe WipEout for those who like to dream. Or perhaps a game with only one entry to its name like Bully or Days Gone.One franchise thats in with a fair shout of getting more than a handful of votes though is Arkanes Dishonored. The first was in 2012, its sequel and subsequent DLC in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Deathloop purportedly set in the same universe released in 2021. Following Arkanes misstep with last years Redfall maybe a return to one of their success stories is just what they need (ignoring the fact Arkane Lyon currently working on Marvels Blade). A return to Dishonored is just the ticket; this stealth-orientated action-adventure series won a lot of fans following Dishonored 2s release despite its component parts lacking distinction when viewed individually.See, its freedom to approach objectives in a variety of ways isnt unlike Hitman. Its level design whilst exceptional, of course isnt objectively better than Bioshock or any of FromSoftwares offerings. Its story is arguably middling, its FPS combat relatively shallow. Yet, these elements coalesce beautifully to create a vibrant whole. Underpinned by fantastic stealth and potentially the games biggest strength its replayability, then there really hasnt been anything like Dishonored 2 since.Discussing deeper its replayability, now the point has already been made that the facets comprising Dishonored 2 arent all that unique on their own and justifiably its possession of high replay value doesnt make it stand out above anything thats been released since. Disco Elysium, for example, provides opportunities to solve its central mystery straight as an arrow or as an absolute train wreck, or some form of concoction blurring the two. NieR: Automata encourages you replay the story up to five times to experience the story from multiple perspectives, with numerous possible endings the result. Dishonored 2, however, does this but with much more.Principal behind its replayability are its two central characters royal guard, assassin, and protagonist from the first game, Corvo Attano, and dethroned Empress of the Empire of the Isles, daughter and protegee of Corvo, Emily Kaldwin. Following the undermining of Emilys rule due to enigmatic The Crown Killer assassinating her political opponents and the resulting coup the player can then choose one or the other to complete the game. Their chosen character then escapes through picturesque seaside city Karnaca whilst the other is turned to stone; defeating conspirators, forging alliances, and rescuing their next of kin from rocky prison make up the bulk of ensuing narrative. Two playable characters equals two possible endings, of course, but its not just how the story concludes that encourages replayability. There are many ways to skin a cat, as the saying goes, and the same is true here. How you reach the storys conclusion can vary wildly depending on the choices, playstyles, and approaches you employ with each character along the way.High and low chaos playthroughs, calculated predominately on opponents indiscriminately killed alongside completing specific side objectives, influence places that are accessible, NPCs that are encounterable, plus the number of guards, rats, weepers, and bloodflies and their relative strengths and stature. Going further, you may opt for a pacifist run with either character, favouring non-lethal takedowns. Or, maybe a pure stealth run whereby you attempt to avoid enemy detection throughout the entire game. You could choose to eschew supernatural powers or use nothing but. Perhaps an all-guns blazing approach akin to FPS is your choice, even if the game isnt well suited to this approach. Its still a viable strategy.This rampant choice of playthrough styles feeds into the games aforementioned freedom to explore different approaches whilst you wade through Dishonored 2s levels (a facet unremarkable on its own remember). For example, your modes of traversal can differ greatly should you opt not to use supernatural power versus a run where you embrace them totally. Unsurprisingly, both Corvo and Emily have unique supernatural powers too. Corvo, a combatant more adept at silent infiltration than Emily, possesses the Blink ability granting him power to move forward rapidly. Emily, an assassin more accomplished with swords and gunfire, has the Far Reach ability enabling her to pull herself rapidly across a set distance. Whilst both abilities might perform a similar function at first glance its the possible upgrades that send them off into different directions. Corvos Blink ability can be upgraded to stop time or incapacitate enemies in its duration whilst Emilys Far Reach upgrades involve pulling objects, corpses, or still living enemies towards her.Further abilities see Corvo possessing and controlling host humans, or Emily adopting a shadowy, stealthier form. Corvo can summon rats to wipe out multiple enemies whilst Emilys Domino ability chains humans together to wipe them out simultaneously. These supernatural powers are undeniably cool and together with the litany of stealthy methods of enemy takedown the sabotaging of electrical appliances or the array of traps available, for instance means youre never short of differing approaches to explore.Speaking of cool, special shoutout must go to Dishonored 2s A Crack in the Slab mission and its Timepiece artefact. This artefact allows you to shift between two timelines within Aramis Stiltons manor the ruinous present-day contemporary to the game, and more lavish three years in the past. Now, Titanfall 2 had already experimented with a similar mechanic in its Effect and Cause level, but it wasnt done with as much finesse as Dishonored 2s attempt. Flicking up the Timepieces lens presents a window into the past. You can see guards patrolling an area as they did three years ago, then swiftly swipe into their timeline, eradicate them, change history, and traverse back to the present day. Taking actions in the past that have consequences in the future is the kind of head spinnery that belongs in a game like Dishonored 2. Its enthralling, especially the first time. Interestingly though, despite its appeal the mission involving the Timepiece is the only one in the game that doesnt encourage a multitude of approaches. Powers cant be used, its the Timepiece and the Timepiece only. Still, as a mechanic its vastly underutilised in gaming and something which, should we ever see a Dishonored 3, Arkane would do well to refine and reuse.Technical shortcomings plagued Dishonored 2s launch on PC, but with a decent enough spec machine it should run absolutely fine in 2024, with ability to hit that maximum 120 fps. With the game occupying the lower end of the price scale, with regular discounts to boot, youd be missing out were you not to give it a go, assuming you havent blasted through it multiple times already. There arent a lot of games like it. As already mentioned, its components dont shine individually, but they combine exceptionally well. The Southern Mediterranean influenced coastal city of Karnaca has such a strong sense of place that its a joy to revisit. Its just a shame the games story and associated character development werent up to the same standard as its stealth, supernatural powers, and world design, but these are things that Arkane can address in a follow, should one ever materialise.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.