I remember the first time I blinked onto a chandelier in Dunwall. It felt like breaking the game. Most stealth titles back then were about hugging shadows and moving at a snail's pace, but Dishonored gave you the keys to the kingdom and told you to go nuts. Then came Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. It’s a weird one. It’s technically a standalone expansion, a "bridge" between the second game and whatever comes next, but honestly? It’s probably the most focused, refined version of the Arkane formula we’ve ever seen.
The game puts you in the boots of Billie Lurk. You might remember her as Meagan Foster from the second game, or as Daud’s right-hand woman from the Knife of Dunwall DLC. She’s tired. She’s scarred. And she’s looking for her old mentor to pull off the ultimate heist: killing a god. Not just any god, but the Outsider—that black-eyed entity who’s been handing out supernatural powers like candy to the most chaotic people in the Isles for four thousand years.
It’s a bold premise. Usually, in these games, the Outsider is this untouchable observer. Making him the target changes the vibe entirely. It's less about political revenge and more about cosmic housekeeping.
Why Dishonored: Death of the Outsider Dials Back the Stress
One of the biggest hurdles for people getting into this series was the "Chaos System." You know the drill. If you kill everyone, the world gets darker, there are more rats, and the ending is depressing. It made a lot of players feel like they were playing "wrong" if they actually used the cool lethal gadgets the developers spent months designing.
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider basically says, "Forget all that."
There is no Chaos System here. None. You can be a ghost who never touches a hair on a guard's head, or you can turn Karnaca into a butcher shop. The game doesn't judge you. This change alone makes the gameplay loop feel way more liberating. You’re free to experiment with Billie’s unique kit without worrying about some invisible moral scoreboard.
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Speaking of Billie’s kit, it’s completely different from Corvo or Emily’s. She doesn't have the Mark of the Outsider. Instead, she uses artifacts, which means her mana—or "Void Energy"—regenerates on its own. You don’t have to chug Piero’s Spiritual Remedy every thirty seconds. It’s a small tweak that fundamentally changes how you play. You’re more aggressive. You take more risks. You use your powers more often because you know they’ll be back in a few seconds anyway.
The Power Set is Small but Weirdly Flexible
Billie only has three core powers. That sounds like a downgrade compared to the massive skill trees in Dishonored 2, but they’re designed for maximum synergy.
- Displace: This is your "Blink" equivalent, but it’s more tactical. You place a marker, and then you can swap places with it whenever you want, provided you have line of sight. You can even use it to telefrag people—teleporting into their physical space so they literally explode. It’s messy. It’s great.
- Semblance: This is arguably the coolest power in the whole franchise. You literally rip the face off a living NPC and wear it as a disguise. You walk right past guards. You talk to people. You use energy while moving, so you have to be smart about your pathing.
- Foresight: You pause time, leave your body, and scout ahead. You can mark enemies and even place Displace markers through walls or grates.
It’s a lean, mean power set. Arkane realized that players usually only use two or three powers anyway, so they just perfected those three.
The Bank Heist: Arkane's Masterpiece
We need to talk about "The Bank Job." If you ask any fan of the series about the best levels, they’ll usually mention the Clockwork Mansion or A Crack in the Slab. But the third mission in Dishonored: Death of the Outsider belongs in that same tier.
It’s a classic heist. You’re breaking into the Dolores Michaels Deposit & Loan Bank to steal a legendary knife. The level is huge. It's daunting. But what makes it special is the preparation. You can choose how to get in. Maybe you drug the guards by dumping sedative into the ventilation system. Maybe you sneak through the sewers. Maybe you just blast through the front door.
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The level design is so dense with secrets that you could play it five times and still find a new vent or a hidden note that reveals a vault combination. It’s the purest expression of "Immersive Sim" design. You’re given a goal and a toolbox, and the game just steps out of the way.
Is the Story Actually Any Good?
Look, storytelling in these games has always been a bit hit-or-miss. The world-building is top-tier—the books, the posters, the weird bonecharms—but the central plots can feel a bit "revenge-by-numbers."
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider feels more personal. Billie isn't a royal; she’s a survivor. Seeing her interact with an aged, dying Daud is genuinely moving for anyone who played the first game’s DLC. There’s a sense of finality here. The game explores the origin of the Outsider, taking us back to the Void to see how a lonely, sacrificed boy became a god. It’s cosmic horror mixed with a Victorian heist movie.
Some people felt the ending was a bit abrupt. I get that. But in a world where games are often 80 hours of filler, there’s something refreshing about an 8-to-10-hour experience that knows exactly what it wants to say and then stops talking.
Contracts: Giving You a Reason to Care
Since there’s no Chaos System, Arkane added "Contracts." These are side objectives you pick up at Black Markets. They range from "kill this specific guy and make it look like an accident" to "don't hurt anyone in this entire district."
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They add a layer of challenge that the main path lacks. Some of them are legitimately tough. There’s one where you have to move a guy from one side of the map to the other without being seen, and since bodies in Dishonored are basically ragdolls that love to get stuck on geometry, it’s a hilarious exercise in frustration and physics. These contracts force you to use the map in ways you wouldn't otherwise.
The Legacy of the Void
So, why does this game still matter years after its release?
Basically, it’s the "Greatest Hits" album of the series. It takes the engine from Dishonored 2, trims the fat, removes the punishing morality system, and lets you play with some of the most creative tools in gaming. It’s the perfect entry point for people who found the main games too intimidating, and it’s a satisfying conclusion for those who have been there since the beginning.
It also serves as a masterclass in environmental storytelling. You can spend twenty minutes just reading the journals in a single apartment, piecing together the life of some random taxidermist who has nothing to do with the main plot. That’s the Arkane magic.
How to Master the Void: Actionable Next Steps
If you're jumping back in or starting for the first time, don't play it like a standard stealth game. Here is how to actually get the most out of the experience:
- Ignore the "No Kill" Pressure: Since there's no Chaos System, don't restart the level if you get spotted. Fight your way out. Use the grenades. Use the hyper-lethal Displace telefrag. The game is much more fun when you embrace the mess.
- Abuse Foresight and Displace Together: You can use Foresight to fly through a small gap (like a mail slot), place a Displace marker on the other side, and then teleport through the wall once you're back in your body. It breaks the level design in the best way possible.
- Read the Contracts Before Leaving the Black Market: You can't go back once you've crossed certain points in the level. Always check the board first so you don't miss out on the extra coin and lore.
- Listen to the Rats: Billie has a unique ability to listen to the whispers of rats. They aren't just flavor text; they often give you direct hints about hidden Bonecharms or secret entrances.
- Try Original Game Plus: Once you beat the game, you unlock OG+, which replaces Billie’s powers with Blink, Dark Vision, and Domino from Dishonored 2. It completely changes the flow of the missions and gives the game massive replay value.
Whether you're there for the lore or just to see how many guards you can lure into a single springrazor trap, the game delivers. It’s a tight, focused, and weirdly beautiful goodbye to the Empire of the Isles. Overlooking it just because it's "shorter" than the main games is a huge mistake. It’s Arkane at the height of their powers.