There are very few games that left an impression on me the way that Dishonored did. From a gameplay perspective, it’s one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever encountered. I’ve played a lot of games that messed around with player choice, but Dishonored stands head and shoulders above them.
Developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, Dishonored is a first-person stealth adventure game with magic elements. Each area in the game is its own sandbox where your weapons, powers and abilities can be used in just about any way that you can imagine.
The art style of the game is beautifully dark and dingy. You can feel the grime in the city of Dunwall, and the poverty of those who aren’t living in the ivory tower is palpable. When the story really gets going, everything you’ve seen leading up to it amplifies it.
GO IN QUIET? OR GUNS BLAZING?
The game is simple enough in its premise but it’s the execution that makes it a classic. Dishonored really does want you to play it in any way you can think of. While the end result is pretty binary, how you get there matters. I won’t go too into detail with the story because this is about getting people who haven’t played it to play it. But you play as Corvo Attano who has been wrongfully accused of a crime he didn’t commit and is out for revenge
You can play it by killing every enemy you see, and the game gives you the abilities needed to do that. But it does come at a price. At the end of the game, rats essentially take over the city because of all the dead bodies in your wake in addition to much more dire consequences related to the story.
The good ending of course comes from not killing a bunch of people. Again, Dishonored offers you the powers and abilities to do just that. But nothing feels forced decision wise. You get an idea through dialogue of how your actions affect things, but you’re never explicitly told what you should be doing. The game lets you do what you see fit.
NO ONE DISHONORED
Dishonored was well received enough to get a sequel and some DLC. Dishonored 2 assumes you got the good ending in the previous game and carries the story from there. It doubles down on everything that made the first game great and presents even cooler power-based puzzles.
Arkane and Bethesda revisited the Dishonored universe with the underrated Deathloop, with a different premise but similar play style. There’s definitely more to explore in this universe. If you haven’t played any of these games, you owe it yourself to experience them.
The post ‘Dishonored’: Bethesda’s Underrated Classic appeared first on VICE.
The post ‘Dishonored’: Bethesda’s Underrated Classic appeared first on VICE.
