Knife of Dunwall PC Review

By – Armaan Khan

The first scene you experience in Knife of Dunwall is a familiar one: the murder of Empress Jessamine. The perspective, however, is different. This time, you witness the event through the eyes of Daud, the master assassin hired to end her life. Unfortunately for him, the death of an empress is not something the universe takes lightly. Our killer is visited by the mystical Outsider, who chastises him for his actions, and provides a means of recompense: find the meaning behind the name “Delilah.”

If you’re reading this review, then you’ve probably already played the main Dishonored campaign, so I’ll skip the detailed explanation of the gameplay (if you haven’t, then you should read my original review of the game in order to catch up). Daud has a couple twists to his abilities—he summons assassins instead of rats, but it’s pretty much the same sneaky, stabby, fun-filled experience you’re familiar with. If your interest in Dishonored was purely about the gameplay, you’ll be very happy with what Knife of Dunwall has to offer.

I, however, am more “tourist” than gamer, so setting and story plays a large role in my enjoyment of a title. That’s where Knife of Dunwall fails to deliver. The first level contains the most memorable moment in the game, and after that everything degenerates into similar-looking urban areas. What’s worse, the final level is almost exactly the same as one in Dishonored’s main campaign, which makes sense story-wise, but still feels like a creative cop-out nonetheless.

The story also felt much weaker than that of the main game. Corvo had a powerful reason driving him through his arc, but Daud’s is less compelling. He has no personal stake in the situation, and is searching for Delilah because the Outsider said so. As such, he becomes a slave to whoever can offer a tidbit of information about her, becoming more of a lackey than a hired assassin. Sure, Corvo was very much a pawn, but he had a vested interest in taking out all his targets anyway. Daud has no such incentive, and that makes him less interesting as a result.

Conclusion: Is it Worth they Money?

I might seem to be down on Knife of Dunwall, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the money. Objectively speaking, the gameplay is the same solid experience Dishonored has been praised for, and the there’s enough AAA production value to more than make it worth the $10 price tag. If you absolutely loved Dishonored’s gameplay and have been eagerly awaiting more, then you won’t be disappointed with what Arkane has offered here. Personally, however, I found the main campaign to be perfectly fulfilling, and would much rather play that a third and fourth time than go through Knife of Dunwall again.