The game would have been better with the original design -- no handholding, forcing you to Bill Murray your way through this Groundhog Day But It's a Group Activity and Also There's Murder. Bethesda's testers gave feedback that basically forced them to put together the "here is everything you are supposed to do" aspects at the last minute before the game went out the door. Probably the same group of people who didn't go upstairs in the mansion in Dishonored because the guard told you not to.

Anyways, it pretty clearly takes place in the Dishonored universe, and if you cobble together the hints scattered through the world it seems like they used the Void to make an artificial time loop and may have kinda sorta ended the world in the process. Not their problem, and it's implied they were having some sort of Cold War/climate change situation and everyone thought the world was doomed anyways. The technology is slightly off in the same way that Disco Elysium's tech was, and the visuals are dripping with psychedelic 1960's design philosophies. Amazing soundtrack to match, too. Some of my favorites:

• Karl's Bay theme - Link goes right to the combat bit, with a shit-ton of combo organ interlaid with some dirty surf rock riffs
• "The Revenant" by Ramblin' Frank Spicer - in-universe track made by one of the Visionaries, catchy as hell
• Updaam theme - The whole thing is good. Twangy guitars for when you're creeping about in stealth mode, good old spy movie shit. Then the electric guitars and heavy bass guitar kick when the combat busts out, and of course the obligatory combo organ in the background.

Check it out if you get a chance. Arkane makes a lot of good shit. I hope they continue to do so in the future, and Bethesda doesn't suck all the blood out of them to fund another Rage sequel or some shit.