'Dishonored 2' gameplay news: Players to choose between two protagonists

Dishonored website

Publisher and big-name developer Bethesda has been slowly building up the hype for "Dishonored 2," the sequel to the original stealth action role-playing game "Dishonored." Recently, it let gamers have a glimpse at how the game will look like. 

One of the sequel's new features is letting players choose between two protagonists. In the opening sequences and missions of the new game, players will control Emily Kaldwin, the new Empress. After the prologue, however, gamers will be given a choice to either continue playing as Emily or switch to the main character of the first "Dishonored" title, Corvo. Once the player selects a character, the choice will become permanent, and whoever character is picked will have an impact on the gameplay and how the story unfolds.

Those who have played through the first game will be familiar with the skill set and abilities of Corvo, as he seems to have retained the old gameplay from "Dishonored." However, those who want to play the game with more stealth and tactics should choose Emily. 

Speaking to tech and game site Mashable during this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, the sequel's co-director Harvery Smith said that a balance between her exposure in combat during the first game and the time she spent as a royalty some years after gives the new Empress insights on how to fight with more subtlety and discretion than Corvo.

He stated, "Emily fights with a little more finesse than Corvo does." 

Smith added that Emily will also have new powers that would be introduced during the course of the game, saying, "Whereas Corvo has the very classic Possession, Rat Swarm, Blink [abilities], Emily has Far Reach, Shadow Walk, Mesmerize... these powers that nobody has heard of."

"Dishonored 2" is expected to be made available for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC some time next year.