User blog:MDGeistMD02/Speculation time!

So with the new pics coming out for the cover of Game Informer magazine, I decided to give a looksee. I was impressed by the style, though I think Corvo is a bit thin in his pic.

Once I saw them, a couple things came to mind, and of course I began speculating about this and that. Rather than draw out conversations in the comments section of each page, or discuss stuff on the chat where it's hard to keep a record of what was said, I decided to write this here blog up to discuss what I think about the new covers/artwork and my thoughts about them.

Anyway, onto the speculating!

First we'll start with the Emily one since it seems to be the easier to talk about:



The newer versions of the Clockwork Soldiers seem to be going ahead. I really like the creepy smiling faces of the originals seen in the trailer, but I understand why the devs chose this path. Aesthetically, the faces of the new Clockwork Soldiers are easier to create, and will therefore save time (and pixels).

Everything else seems pretty straight forward. You have the Grand Serkonan Guard armed with swords that seem to resemble those of the non-officer City Watch.

However, it seems that Emily is tossing some sort of crescent shaped weapon at the nearest Clockwork Soldier. Could this be a signature weapon? It seems ranged, but can it also be used in melee? Also, it's hard to tell from the artwork, but it could be attached to her arm/sleeve via a cord that would make it retractable, which would be awesome. I don't, however, think that is the case.

Further examinations show the black swirl about the weapon and her arm, so it could be some version of either Far Reach or her Shadow Walk power, which would seem to be more plausible.

Okay, now onto the Corvo pic:



This has a bit more to it. First we have SlimFast Corvo with his dark brown hair. :(

I think he should be a bit bulkier and have greying hair, but those are small points.

Next we seem to have a gang of miscreants chasing and fighting our beloved protagonists along the rooftops near the windmills of Karnaca.

These toughs all seem to share the same garb: blue overcoats, light grey pants, white shirts and some sort of red bandana or scarf. Their weapons appear to be some sort of thick-bladed machete with a hilt guard. Are they part of some gang, perhaps? The one on the far right being struck by Corvo also has a distinctive tattoo on his right arm reminiscent of those used and worn by the gangs in Dunwall.

Perhaps they are the Howlers. More likely though, the tattoo (which appears to be a harpoon or spear of some type) symbolizes the crew of the Dreadful Wale. These may be pirates that Corvo will have to deal with. The bandana/scarves could be worn across their face when they attack, as one of the guys on the far left seems to be doing.

Also, there is the figure on the short wall who appears to be clothed different than the others. Red coat, darker pants. Maybe an officer?

However, and this is total fanboying hope on my part, that could signal a return of Billie Lurk, as she is one of my favorite characters from the original game, or the DLC at least. The figure looks female, but it could just be the way the figure is drawn.

More than likely though, if this IS a female figure, and the combatants ARE the Dreadful Wale crew, then the figure in red would probably be the captain of the Dreadful Wale, Meagan Foster.

Finally, it appears the antagonists on the far left are beset by rats. This would seem to indicate that the Devouring Swarm ability has returned.



Those are just my initial thoughts, notes, and speculations. Let me know if you notice anything else. :)