All these words sum up the game that is Dishonored. According to Arkane Studios at least. From my personal experience this game is like a steroid using bodybuilder. Aesthetically muscular, but with no actual hard work and commitment. Taking far too many bits and pieces from other games such as Bioshock (not surprising when they co developed it) and Assassins Creed among others. Without actually fleshing it out.
You play Corvo Attano, Lord Protector to The Empress Jessamine Kauldwin and her young daughter Emily. Your story is legendary, people fear and respect you throughout the land as an incredible warrior, this is even mentioned when an Admiral Havelock states "You've heard the stories". Insinuating this man is someone you would not want to have at the other end of the blade. The most mysterious and intriguing man in this game, never speaking, the only vocal sounds we hear is at the beginning when you get a hot poker to the face. The only problem is, even though the developers want you to "project themselves on to the character" there isn't much of a character in the first place, not enough options to be charismatic or loathing, in most sequences when you interact with a character their is only two options.
Anyway, this is getting away from the game itself and just taking jabs, the game plays and looks beautiful. There is nothing more satisfactory as lopping off someones head and being able to see their shocked expression at their own decapitation. It's bloody and brutal at times, while at others it is slow and precise, depending on the path you wish to take. Arkane has taken liberal use of the word "choice" just like a lot of other games. Yet, truly, if you think about it there isn't much choice here, sure you can go in hacking, slashing, shooting and near enough being a badass. Or you can sneak around, knocking guards out and hiding bodies, teleporting in and out of existence or just stopping time itself. These give the feel of choice, what with all the different places you can go and do within a single level, but it still leaves you with a feeling of longing, wanting to find out more about these places instead of just running round silly trying to find the next guy to take out. That's another point. There is literally one or two civilians in these levels with the rest being thugs, guards or overseers the zealous religious order dedicated to loathing The Outsider, Dishonoreds mixture of the Devil and God.
You can't say you don't enjoy these moments.
In principle this game is about choice, whether its choosing to seal your victims fate with the swing of a sword or pulling the trigger on the poor bastard. Or choosing an entirely much darker choice than that, sparing them but having to give them up to a crime lord or an obsessed aristocrat who has dark intentions for the target.
The game itself does well in gameplay and exploration, almost. But it is the universe that I am intrigued with, who is the Outside truly? What is the Lord Regents motivation to take over? Who is Daud the master assassin voiced by Michael Madsen? Or Granny Rags the insane, blind ex aristocrat? Dishonored never really delves much into the past and present of Dunwall, just gives you a linear, non-interesting cliched story, where the only thing good about it is the "twist" at the end.
But the thing about Dishonored is, its more about the gameplay, the fear of being caught. The excitement at taking on a tallboy and the need for revenge against those that killed The Empress and stole Emily away from you. Which makes it highly addictive too play with me myself already having played over 30 hours.
All in all, taking into consideration everything, this game is enjoyable and highly playable. What more could you ask for. Although if you buy this expecting a highly intricate story, I'm warning you now, it doesn't have one.
You just have to love Corvo Attano. Seriously, he'll kill you.
No comments:
Post a Comment