The Brigmore Witches is the latest DLC content for Bethesda's popular stealth action title Dishonored. This is the fourth and the final DLCoffered for the game, continuing Daud's narrative first brought about in The Knife of Dunwall, which released back in April.
The plot for The Knife of Dunwall ran parallel to that of Dishonored's, and provided players with Daud's perspective on events, introducing brand new locations such as a whale slaughterhouse and Dunwall's prosperous legal district. The Brigmore Witches continues Daud's story, detailing his quest to stop the eponymous witches from performing a powerful ritual that will doom him, and concludes eventual fate at the hands of Corvo.
The entire crux of the DLC is Daud's journey towards a probable redemption.
This time around, players have the option to explore even more. For example, when Daud enters the Coldridge prison (just after Corvo escapes), players will be able to explore the prison in its entirety. What's more, you will be offered a choice between which inmates you would like to free, and the ones that are better left behind bars. You will see guards responsible for Corvo's escape being executed in front of you, giving you the option of saving the poor soul if you'd like.
While it's okay to pick up The Brigmore Witches without experiencing The Knife of Dunwall, you'd be at a bit of a disadvantage to do so, in regards to gameplay. Obviously, you'd be missing out on the story, but this new DLC allows you to carry over upgrades of your choice from The Knife of Dunwall saved game that you earlier kept. Still, even without playing the previous DLC, you're still able to enjoy new abilities that The Brigmore Witches bring, like Daud's new ability to pull enemies toward him and choke them while they're suspended in air (Darth Daud?).
Before each mission starts, players have the option to purchase required supplies and making adjustments and improvements to their gear earned in the previous DLC.
Interestingly, there's also the option to purchase 'favors,' intended to tip the odds in your favor in upcoming mission. If you're lucky, these favors sometimes reveal classified information related to the mission, and even grant full access to equipment caches loaded with ammunitions and/or bonus runes.
It's still up to you to decide how you want to approach a mission - obtain entry by slipping into a smart disguise, or breach the perimeter for a stealthier approach. However, there are several costlier options that you may also make use of that can effectively change the course of the game.
Whatever path you may decide to choose, The Brigmore Witches is a great way to find out more about Daud's motivation and the noble side of him. However, the player's choices will determine if Daud will walk the righteous path, or one that's stained with blood. Whichever you choose, you will eventually reach your destination - Delilah.
Making purchases in the game to gain upgrades or favors is extremely important. If you are heading into a mission without sufficient funds in your grasp, the chances of success decrease. As always, you have to keep exploring for anything new you might find and can use in the following missions.
While we feel that the best parts of the game included fresh abilities that offered variety for Corvo's campaign, great new in-game settings, better characterization, and horribly lifelike witches, we still have a little thought somewhere that the final meeting between Daud and Corvo, although breathtaking, could have been slightly better.
Not to reveal anything beforehand, as we want everybody to experience the DLC, The Brigmore Witches will judge you by the way you approached the campaign - that is, if you played as a man who mostly kept to shadows or killed anything and everything along the way. Even Daud's conduct in the entire game (also carrying over from The Knife of Dunwall) will determine the course of action for Corvo eventually. But know this - Daud is frighteningly similar to Corvo's mould.
While The Brigmore Witches doesn't offer much more, the unique stealth/slaughter gameplay never loses its shine. It gives Daud a real sense of purpose that pushes the story ahead, and while we were left wanting more from the final confrontation between Daud and Corvo, it needs to be said that Delilah's story perfectly complements the original Dishonored story.
