There are many different ways to play the original Dishonored. These varying styles significantly impact each mission’s difficulty and the broader future of the entire world. By the end of the game, the city of Dunwell can be overrun by the plague, key characters will have met their demise, and everything will be pure chaos!
Fortunately, this fate isn’t inevitable. A challenging but rewarding approach can be taken, which will allow players to achieve a low chaos ending. To do this, players must avoid murder at all costs and strive for positivity. If successful, the world becomes less grim, and Emily, the Empress’ daughter, grows up to positively influence the realm. Accomplishing this perfect ending isn’t easy, but players can do a few things to help achieve this noble goal.
10 Seek Out Pacifist Solutions
Although it might be tempting to go off on a murder spree, especially after being framed, almost executed, and having your daughter kidnapped, it is vital for low chaos to seek alternate routes. They are always possible and often provide more poetic justice for Corvo’s enemies.
Sometimes a mission might make it seem as if violence is the only route. For example, during the House Of Pleasure mission, the player only has access to a non-lethal approach if they agreed to help Slackjaw at the very beginning of the level. By helping Slackjaw out, he offers to take the targets to work in a grueling mine instead of facing Corvo’s blade. With a bit of investigation work, these pacifist solutions can be found and ensure Corvo’s hands stay clean.
9 Help Out Anyone In Need
Corvo has a clear goal in mind when setting out on his various missions, but that doesn’t mean he can’t lend a helping hand. Players should keep an eye out for civilians in distress, such as saving Geoff Curnow from an assassination attempt during the High Overseer mission. Not only does this make the player feel good, but it also lowers the chaos level. Win-win.
While attempting to be noble, it is also essential to consider that not everyone is trustworthy. Corvo can encounter a locked-up scavenger during the Royal Physician level and help him find his buried treasure. Spoilers: this encounter leads to a sudden betrayal, and combat is near impossible to avoid. If players want clean hands, it is sometimes best to be cautious with who they help.
8 Pick Powers That Help Avoid Conflict
Throughout the game, Corvo can unlock some extraordinary powers to aid him on his quest. Some of these abilities are pretty dangerous, such as being able to summon deadly rats or turn enemies into ash. These powers are best to avoid during a low chaos playthrough.
Instead, players should make use of these powers: Blink allows Corvo to teleport undetected. Dark Vision gives an enhanced view of the player’s surroundings. Possession allows Corvo to sneak around as an animal. As a last resort, Windblast can be used to knock enemies back without harm when caught in battle. All these powers help avoid combat altogether by keeping Corvo out of the way.
7 Seek Out Bone Charms That Improve Stealth Skills
Corvo carries around a heart possessed with the deceased Empress Jessamine’s spirit, which is entirely normal and not at all creepy… This heart allows the player to track down helpful bone charms and runes hidden throughout each mission.
Bone charms give bonuses when equipped that are incredibly helpful with a non-lethal playthrough. For example, Strong Arms speeds up Corvo’s ability to choke out his enemies, so he has less chance of being spotted in the act. Another good charm is Throwing Hand, which will allow Corvo to lob items further when distracting guards.
6 Upgrade Your Gear Regularly
Players can make use of various items to avoid conflict. One of the most valuable pieces of gear is the sleep dart. It can knock out enemies almost instantly, so they can have blissful dreams instead of fights. The dart can even be upgraded to work during combat to diffuse tricky situations.
Corvo can find or purchase blueprints to help improve his abilities. A useful one is Lens Magnification. This upgrade enhances Corvo’s ability to zoom in further with his mask, allowing him to scout ahead and see which routes are heavily guarded. To avoid detection, it is best to get the Boot Stealth upgrades, which eventually enable Corvo to run around with minimal noise. The sneakier Corvo is, the easier achieving low chaos becomes.
5 Save Often To Avoid Mistakes
There is nothing worse than attempting to be stealthy, walking around a corner, and bumping right into a guard. There’s no polite conversation to be had. Combat is instant. No matter how cautious players try to be, slipups like this are bound to happen. The best way to combat this is to save often. Make a huge mistake? Kill someone in cold blood? Just rewind time and pretend it didn’t happen.
There is also no shame in switching up the difficulty settings. Attempting to play this game without dropping blood is complicated enough on its own, without playing on its most difficult game mode.
4 Remember That Not Everything Affects The Chaos Rating
Although Corvo is a wanted outlaw, it is important to remember that not everyone is out to get him. Players can walk past most civilians without affecting their stealth, and not everyone needs to be taken down. If that red bolt alert doesn’t appear, then Corvo is still incognito.
While players might feel bad for doing so, killing animals will not count against a non-lethal playthrough. The wolfhounds can be especially troublesome, alerting guards and being quite vicious in general. Corvo can take them out without ruining his non-lethal streak.
3 Take Time To Plan Out Your Route
Patience and planning are essential for a low chaos playthrough. Using Corvo’s powers, gear, and just his natural abilities, players can scout out a route and figure out the best way to avoid enemies. This is best done from high up, but players can also peep through keyholes or briefly lean out from behind objects.
After determining where every enemy goes, players can find alternate paths to take instead. Corvo could swim underwater, cause nearby distractions, or Blink up to the rooftops to slip past everyone. Taking time with a mission allows for perfect precision, which is key to succeeding in a stealth game.
2 Be Careful When Hiding Bodies
To avoid combat, it is advantageous to knock enemies unconscious, but you can’t just leave sleeping guards all over the place. If a guard sleeping on the job is spotted, other enemies will be on high alert, with unpredictable routes, making the mission all the harder to complete. The best course of action is to hide the bodies.
But, when hiding bodies, it is vital to be considerate of where to place them, or they risk ruining that non-lethal streak. Unsurprisingly, unconscious people tend not to survive being placed underwater. The same goes for falling from great heights. With the plague, there’s even a chance that rats will take a nibble out of them! Ideally, bodies should be placed into dumpsters (Don’t forget to close the lid) or high up out of the way of patrol routes. Players need to make sure the body is secure and out of harm’s way.
1 Try To Avoid Getting Spotted Altogether
Although a non-lethal, low chaos playthrough is possible while still getting spotted, there’s no better way to ensure success than by going for Ghost mode. Ghost mode requires players never to get spotted, not even once. It is incredibly challenging and requires a lot of patience, reloading, and observation. Players should only take action when they are entirely confident they are out of sight and have escape routes figured out. Players can also check their stats at the end of each level to ensure they are on track for achieving Ghost status.
There’s no chance of being lethal if it seems as if no one was there in the first place. Corvo becomes like a shadow in this playstyle, and a low chaos ending should come with ease.
NEXT: Dishonored: 5 Things We Want From Another Dishonored Game (& 5 We Don’t)
