Dishonored was released back in October 2012 and enjoyed steady sales from the get-go. Expectations for this game were at an all-time high as it was created by the genius minds behind classics like ‘Deus Ex’ and ‘Half Life 2’. To be frank, it did not disappoint - in fact Dishonored became 2012’s most favourite game beating off competition such as Far Cry 3 and Mass Effect 3. So what made it so special?
Like titles before it, Dishonored gives you freedom of how exactly you want to play through the story. Want to be heartless warrior who slashes his way through? You have a vast variety of weaponry at your disposal; a sword, crossbow, a pistol and of course magical charms. Or you would rather play as a stealthy assassin and aim to take out only your target rather than the guards. You can sneak silently in the shadows and knock guards unconscious, hiding their bodies. The level design offers players a wide range of options, which allows players to go underground, cross rooftops or just walk in through the front door.
Fans of Bioshock will a find a lot of similarities in Dishonored, but the game has its own identity and stands tall on its own.
The story itself is a strong point of the game, set in the Victorian industrial city of Dunwall. A disease outbreak has hit the city, carried by rats which transforms citizens into zombie-like creatures called ‘weepers’ who seem to cry blood and have the urge to infect others. Dishonored stars a royal bodyguard Corvo who has to rescue a young girl who next in line to the throne. Corvo is wrongly accused of assassinating the Queen and the girl’s kidnap is a political move for the corrupt to rule the empire. But with the help of resistance group called the Loyalists, Corvo escapes the prison and is hell-bent on killing the corrupt bureaucrats who accused him of killing the Queen. Corvo is also supported by the mythical and mysterious creature known as ‘The Outsider’ who grants him sorcerous powers to help clear his name.
Dishonored has an incredible Hollywood voice cast at its disposal like Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass) and Carrie Fisher (Star Wars). For me, it has to be Susan Sarandon who voiced Granny Rags, a minor character in Dishonored. Living alone on the streets for far too long, Granny Rags went insane, talking to herself and randomly killing people. When I played through, I became friends with Rags to gain her support but players have the option to merely ignore her or even put her out her misery. This is just one minor example of how much freedom Dishonored offers.
Dishonored may be close to perfect, but it does comes with demerits. At times, the controls can go haywire especially went the guards have their sights on you. The story may also go off the tracks, with the ‘Outsider’ coming out as a fool in serious situation. Fans of Bioshock will a find a lot of similarities in Dishonored, but the game has its own identity and stands tall on its own. Dishonored definitely has the potential for a strong franchise with the sequel coming out somewhere in 2016. In the meanwhile enjoy the DLC on the previous-gen or the definitive edition on the current gen consoles if you haven’t played it yet, and trust me, you won’t regret it.
