Dark Vision

Lore & Background

The power of Dark Vision stems directly from the intervention of the Outsider, a powerful being who imbues Corvo with magical abilities after he is framed for the Empress's murder. In the fictional, industrial city of Dunwall—modeled on late nineteenth-century London and Edinburgh—this ability serves as a critical tool for navigating a world filled with oppression and plague. The game features seven active powers in total, and Dark Vision is distinct in its capacity to highlight field-of-view indicators and interactive objects through barriers. Co-creative designer Harvey Smith and the development team at Arkane Studios designed these abilities to be combined, allowing players to create varied effects. While the power reveals the immediate physical layout of a mission area, it does not show 'echoes' or spectral imprints of past events, nor does it function as a passive sense that is always on; it must be activated and consumes mana, which partially regenerates over time.

In Their Own Story

During missions in locations such as the Royal Estate or the Hound Pits pub's surrounding districts, Corvo Attano utilizes Dark Vision to bypass security without engaging in direct combat. When activated, his vision shifts, allowing him to perceive guards patrolling on the other side of a brick wall. The ability highlights their specific field-of-view cones and marks them clearly against the muted background, enabling Corvo to plan stealthy approaches or determine when it is safe to use Blink for short-distance teleportation. This strategic insight is vital in a game where completing missions non-lethally is possible but requires precise execution. The designers intentionally did not restrict players from exploiting such techniques; instead, they redesigned levels to accommodate unexpected outcomes discovered by test players. Consequently, Dark Vision became integral to the 'chaos' system, where the player's choice to use magic versus violence influences the story's direction and the number of rats or plagued citizens encountered.

Reader's Guide

To utilize Dark Vision effectively, players must first acquire runes—artifacts carved from whale bone—which are used to unlock and upgrade the ability. Once unlocked, it is assigned to a specific control input (left hand for magic) and consumes mana when active. Mana partially regenerates after use, allowing repeated activation of lower-cost abilities like Blink and Dark Vision, though higher-cost powers such as Possession or Bend Time require mana potions found throughout the game world. The ability reveals enemies through walls, their field-of-view indicators, and interactive objects, aiding in stealth by allowing players to avoid detection or plan silent takedowns. It is impossible to accrue all powers and upgrades in a single playthrough due to rune limitations, encouraging multiple runs with different builds. Dark Vision does not prevent detection if the player moves into an enemy's line of sight while active; it only reveals that line of sight beforehand. The ability works in conjunction with other stealth elements like hiding behind objects or using sound to distract guards.

Did You Know?

• Dark Vision is one of seven active supernatural powers granted by the Outsider, alongside Blink, Bend Time, Possession, Devouring Swarm, Wind Blast, and Shadow Kill.
• The ability highlights interactive objects and enemy field-of-view cones through walls, aiding in mission planning without direct combat.
• Managers at Arkane Studios redesigned levels to accommodate players exploiting powers like Dark Vision rather than restricting the technique.
• Using runes carved from whale bone is required to unlock and upgrade Dark Vision, and it is possible to acquire all upgrades for this power in a single playthrough if enough runes are collected.
• Dark Vision consumes mana that partially regenerates over time, eliminating the need for potions if used sparingly.