Since we've now established that Dishonored is quite good, I can now talk about the game without worrying about being critical.  The game has its faults as any game does, but they are easily over looked.  And to be honest, this game is such an under-appreciated genre  that I feel it demands my attention.  I also realize that the game is not for everyone, and that some people may be hesitant to try it out.  As such, perhaps my thoughts on the minute details will help sway them.  We'll see.  

The first thing I would like to discuss is the game world itself, to include it's immersion, art style, sound design, and how your character fits into the world.  This is the first thing that came to mind when I want to talk about the positives aspects of game, and this is because it's the most prevalent to me.  When I sit here and think about this game, I think about how wonderful, albeit dark and sinister, a world the devs have created.  Sinister is SUCH a good word to describe it.  I didn't want to use gritty, because that doesn't quite work.  I also didn't want to use the word steampunk, because although it very much has that element, it doesn't have that big of an impact on the story.  The steampunk technology is just there and it's part of the world, and it seems to BELONG there.  That in itself is a testament to how good of a job they've done in creating the world.



For a stealth game, it's very important that you feel as though you belong in the game world.  Otherwise, the illusion that you're sneaking around is broken, and thus the immersion fails.  Dishonored has accomplished the illusion very well from the way you hide bodies in the dark places of the world, to the way you hide out of sight and watch the people around you for opportunities to strike from the shadows.  And most importantly of all, the fact that you can choose from many different paths in order to reach the same goal.  "Gee, I wonder if I could get into his building from over there instead of from where I am now?"  The answer is most likely yes, along with about four or five other paths that you just haven't seen yet.

I think the best way to continue on would be to talk about the screenshots I've taken thus far.  They will help me remember what I want to talk about.



Given how the missions are summarized, I've decided I'm going to play the game as such:

1. Be as sneaky as possible, killing only when necessary or deemed the preferred method of elimination.

2. Always find all the runes and bones.

3. Do not worry about finding all the coins.

4. Choose powers and upgrades that make me sneakier.



I am surprised by the amount of supernatural elements within the game.  I honestly wasn't expecting that.  With a game so focused on sneaking around, realism is pivotal.  Magic can very easily break the immersion, making stealth seem moot or too easy.  Fortunately, the magic within this game is quite subtle and not overpowering.  It's just strong enough to give you a bit of an edge over the other people in the game, but it's not strong enough to make you unstoppable.  If magic existed in the real world, this is how I imagine it would look like.  Very subtle, and not even noticeable if you weren't seeing it directly.  It's the kind of thing where you would see someone on this impossible ledge, and without seeing how they got up there you were left to wonder "How is that even possible?"  It's that type of thing that the magic in this game allows.



The arsenal of gadgets in the game, conversely, did not surprise me.  In a steampunk world based on stealth, it was a given.  The loadouts do not disappoint, and everything is interesting and useful.  My weapon of choice tends to be the mini-crossbow with the sleep dart, and of course the heart so that I can find the runes and bones.  I'm constantly switching between gadgets and magic, and that's a good thing.  One should not be more useful than the other.  That would be boring.

Also, I freaking love this guy.  He's probably my favorite character in the game thus far.  He's got this quirkiness about him that's endearing.  He's basically the steampunk version of a nerd.  You can really feel his passion for his creations, and that he really loves what he does.  I actually feel really bad when I don't have coins to purchase an upgrade from him when I talk to him.  I love the way he talks to you when he's putting on your mask and adjusting it for the first time.  You get this feeling that you're learning from someone with experience that vastly dwarfs that of your own.  It's like the game is saying, "Okay, you are excellent at what you do, but this guy knows how to make you things that will let you be so much better."

And for the record, putting on your mask at the start of each mission is the greatest transition into a loading screen ever.



I love this haunting little tune, so it was pretty cool to find the lyrics to it within the game world.  You also hear people whistling it in game.  On a related note, I love the sharp violin sound that plays when you're spotted by someone.  That thing makes me jump every time.



Successfully hiding from people is very satisfying in the game.  You really feel like you're being sneaky, and it provides you with a great sense of accomplishment when you get through an area filled with people without being seen.  The AI reacts pretty much as you would expect.  There are not many cases where I have been spotted and felt that I should not have been.  Most of the time, I'm spotted when making a rather daring or risky move.  Or when I make a mistake and fall on top of someone.  Yes, that's happened.  I was trying to peer over the pipe to look down at someone, and I fell right off.  What was cool through is that my fall broke some planks, which then hit the guy and knocked him out.



I've got this view of someone quite a lot, given that I almost always opt to be non-lethal.  I don't mind that.  The "kills" tend to be more fabulous in how they look, with head rolling around and blood spraying everywhere and glorious yells of pain and surprise.  But given the OPTION to be non-lethal and have it be just as effective is quite the thing.



I love the menus.  They feel like they're created from concept art, or that they should exist in a comic book.  The slickness of them reminds me of Dragon Age 2, which had lovely menus as well.  OH NO.  I HAVE SAID SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT DA2.  BURN ME AT THE STAKE.


Mm, Sneak-O-Vision.  The fact that you can see WHERE they are looking is oh-so-very useful.