Those who played the first Dishonored were already familiar with this philosophy in action. As Corvo Attano, players could stay hidden in the shadows… or they could openly wreak havoc in the streets of Dunwall.

While Dishonored 2 remains, at its core, a stealth game, it offers even more player choice and freedom – and not just because you now have two fully playable characters. Beyond the different experiences delivered by Royal Protector Corvo Attano and Empress Emily Kaldwin, Dishonored 2 includes even more nonlethal options, along with more ways to fight and subdue your foes. For Creative Director Harvey Smith, it’s all about allowing players to be as improvisational as they desire. "Some players move through the game like a shadow, without leaving anyone disturbed," Smith says. "Other players leave a big trail of blood and body parts. We try to support both fantasies – taking out your enemies with surgical precision and minimal collateral damage, or leaving the city burning at your back."

And for those looking for a completely different type of challenge, Dishonored 2 even includes the option to play with no powers at all. Watch the video (above) to see how Dishonored 2 embraces the "play your way" philosophy, with exclusive insights from the team at Arkane Studios.

Next month, Dishonored 2 will offer even more options to play your way. In a free update, Dishonored 2 will include a New Game + mode and new custom difficulty settings. We’ll have more details on the content of this update (including the exact release date) in the coming weeks.