First things first, It's confirmed, if it wasn't already obvious, that you need to play both paths in order to understand the story of Dishonored 2. Combine this with the comics and the 3 novels and you might as well consider yourself lucky to be a Dishonored Fan. He also reassures what Commander already confirmed long ago: you can reject the mark of the outsider. You will definitely start with Emily first and then you can choose. So if you've played Fire Emblem Sacred Stones, well...you'd understand my skepticism the accuracy of the story's canon for Corvo's branch. They are really trying to improve the replayability in this game, so much so that you can't get enough runes to buy half of the powers in one playthrough. This game definitely won't appeal to a casual audience, especially not ones who believe that slaughtering people and causing a rat infestation during the rat epidemic in Dunwall shouldn't force a player to get the bad ending.
http://www.pcgamer.com/harvey-smith-says-youll-need-to-play-dishonored-2-twice-to-understand-it/
Also, for those who don't know, the first Dishonored Novel "The Corroded Man" has been released today. I'm currently downloading it and will be reading it. There are 32 Chapters, a prologue, three interludes, and an epilogue (making it 37 total). Part 1 is long af, like 300+ pages in iPhone iBook terms. (or 794 in iPhone iBook terms). So maybe 5 Chapters a day until I get to parts 2-4 which I'll change it to 6. I'll give it a review around next Tuesday.
Update I didn't know the exact dates of the games, but after researching (by using the Empress's age + DoB minus 1851) I've concluded that this story takes place 14 years after the first Dishonored, so this literally takes place right before the second game begins.
I think that's partially what Harvey Smith meant, but I also think that he meant that some people won't go around and pick up every note and book in the game and read it.
When the first Dishonored came out, people missed out on some stuff because they didn't bother reading the stuff in-game.
Simple things like signing the guest book at the Boyle Party, and then the note showing up in the Lord Regent's bedroom saying that 1 of the officers noticed that "Corvo Attano" was written in the book, and how they never found Corvo's body after he escaped Coldridge.
Yeah, I imagine that you would also miss some stuff in Dishonored 2 if you choose to help the Howlers and not the Overseers, or vice versa, or if you choose not to help ANY of them out (which is also an option).
With a game series like Dishonored, you're bound to miss some stuff, given that you gave a variety of choices.
In the first Dishonored, if you chose to completely ignore Granny Rags side missions, after you pass through the Flooded District the sewer gate is unlocked and you don't have to get the key from her.
I'm pretty sure that choices like that are what Harvey Smith was referring to when he said that people would miss stuff if they didn't replay it.
As for the novel, I just finished it yesterday.
The story was good.
I liked it a lot better than the comics, and I'd give it an 8.5 or 9 out of 10.
Not perfect, but definitely a good read and it gives you insight on some stuff that isn't otherwise talked about in Dishonored or the DLC.
It does take place at the 14 year mark (1851), so just before Dishonored 2 which takes place in 1852.
There is some cool stuff mentioned via flashbacks, but without spoiling anything the majority of the novel takes place in 1851.
I don't think choices will carry over since the ending(s) of the first Dishonored were definitive endings that became non-canon due to the games success. Other than the DLC, there are no real spoilers here since the first Dishonored's endings don't really matter anymore in a since. The DLC does provide minor spoilers for the sequel (which I don't know how important they are since I haven't played the DLC) and I won't spoil anything major from the book when I post a review.
As far as the Dishonored 2 story goes, Harvey Smith has said that none of the endings will carry over from the 1st game.
That said, what is canon in the story for Dishonored 2 for the most part is the Low Chaos run of the main game (and presumably the DLC, as well) as well as the stuff in the novel and Trophies which consists of the following (WARNING- Some of this can be spoiler-ish, per the novel and Trophies, so view the spoiler tag at your own risk):
As for spoilers for the sequel via DLC, even without playing the DLC, if you saw the Dishonored 2 gameplay trailer that was shown not too long ago,
I won't say anymore than that, for those who wish to play the DLC before Dishonored 2 comes out.
