This review is from: Dishonored (Xbox 360) (Video Game)
Dishonored is a game on many levels. You play as Corvo, protector of the empress and her daughter, Emily, the heiress to an empire; an empire which is suffering from a multitude of problems including corruption, plague, crime and all round unsavoury inhabitants. The story takes no time at all in throwing you into the midst of a conspiracy, and following being framed for the murder of empress Jessamine your quest begins to clear your name and retrieve any information on Emily’s whereabouts. The story takes a relatively unoriginal formula, however the world that Arkane have managed to create as the premise for this is incredible for more reasons than you can imagine.
Playing Dishonored is like jumping into bed with the love-child of Tenchu and Bioshock. Corvo dual wields with a brilliantly designed signature blade in the right hand and player assigned abilities/utilities in the left. The powers given to you by the mysterious Outsider are bare-bones but extremely effective in creating a clutter free navigational/killing experience. There are six powers and four character attributes to choose from and upgrade. The genius in this model is that by combining the various powers, you are limitless in the ways and means to dispose of your enemies. Why not summon a swarm of rats, strap a razor-wire grenade to one, possess it, run through the ventilation shafts into a room full of enemies and let rip? Or freeze time, possess a guard and move him into his own comrade’s line of fire? Or freeze time, snatch a thrown grenade out of the air and return it to from where it came? The list really does go on. And if you’re like me you’ll spend hours playing with these mechanics discovering new and brutal ways to avenge your empire.
For those stealth heads out there, no other game offers a stalking experience quite like it. There did tend to be issues with hiding bodies in that there is actually no measure as to whether a body is hidden or not. Splinter Cell for example, had very definite `light and dark’ areas and throughout the series brilliant mechanisms for identifying whether your character is visible or not. Dishonored relies more on line of sight and level/height in relation to enemies. Shadows offer bonus invisibility at distances, but don’t expect to be in pitch dark facing an enemy head on (note: this may differ on lower difficulties). And so issues with hiding bodies commence. Is this hidden in the dark corner of this room? Is this hidden, above the chandelier? A minor complaint, but important for those who play for the perfect end of mission stats.
Assassinations themselves vary depending on player position and are immensely bloody and satisfying. Your staple tool throughout is Blink, helping you to reach ledges, hide and sometimes simply to GTFO. But its design is unique and effective, despite taking a little getting used to (amongst the huge deal of freedom you will likely encounter a few invisible walls or glass ceilings). The `corner/peek’ system has been considered, and where DE:HR utilised the third-person cover system, Dishonored simply allows for peeking, without fear of being seen. This can sometimes be jarring when you’re staring right into the whites of an enemy’s eyes, however it’s hard to think of a much better solution concerning first person stealth.
If you are spotted and it does kick off however, don’t be disappointed. The combat in Dishonored is second to none. Skill in parrying and methodical solutions to overcoming a foe in direct hand-to-hand combat is essential, especially if like me you go straight for the very hard setting. If you play the game with a head on approach, you’ll very much want to tailor your character to this type of play because you will find yourself utilising resources much more often than taking the quieter approach (bone-charms and runes can be combined to benefit fighters as opposed to sneakers (e.g. exilers having greater more sustained effects, regenerative mana, greater amount of health etc). This different approach to character modelling is one way Dishonored delves into roleplaying, the other is then an extension of this in how, thereafter, you chose to play.
The decision making processes are apparent from the very start. Will you slip into the murderous ways of your conspirators, or take the moral high road and exact your revenge in a series of non-lethal approaches? These decisions, although they are frequent and seemingly unobtrusive, accumulate and the repercussions are expressed through atmosphere, dialogue and gameplay as oppose to “you said this, here are the repercussions of your actions. Now, run forth and play on”, a method utilised by so many role-playing games to date. Being spotted or causing a ruckus near the start of an area might much later trigger a conversation between guards or key characters reflecting this. It’s touches like this that make Dishonored a real pleasure to play as you can feel the…
This review is from: Dishonored (Xbox 360) (Video Game)
PRESENTATION: Dishonored starts in great fashion.You are Corvo Attano a legendary bodyguard to the Empress who is framed for her murder and forced to become an assassin to seek revenge on those who conspired against him. You spend your new days around the city of dunwall,Which feels like a victorian london but in a present day format. Dishonored would fall under the genre of “first person stealth action adveture game.”If this piques your interest? then this game will already be recommending itself to you.
GAMEPLAY:
Very satisfying mechanics,One on one combat is it’s only downfall but this isn’t a serious problem because the whole point is to move around using the surroundings accessible to you.So if stealth isn’t your cup of tea then be prepared that your expirence will be alot more hard work than mosts.Having said that you can play the game guns blazing ..The game encourages you to play in both styles.The game has got a good challenge to it.Its not the longest game on the market but if you savour it..you will surely get a decent lenthy expirence. I found that after completing a mission i would automaticaly want to replay it having felt i did it sloppy. It shows you collectibles what you may or may not have missed.I suggest getting through the tutorial mission undetected and without slaying the enemy..If you stand any chance of aceing this game.
GRAPHICS:
Overall really good,Alot of attention to detail.The ncps look good and so do the backgrounds.The game has been compared to a oil, water based ,colour painting ..Thingy?!!.Hell do i know about art..As the saying goes i dont know a thing about art ..But i know what i like…And i like this!!
SOUND:
Great voice acting.Fits perfect into whats going on around you and the story in hand.
Great sound effects too!!
COMPARSIONS:
My personal thoughts are this game feels like a first person Tenchu Game.A old ps one game…with elements of Assassins creed and anyone who has played skyrim will feel the abilitys you use in your inventory will resemble this game..But are by know means the same.I will disclose only one abilty,Called blink which can move you 20 feet in a heartbeat.(All abilitys are fully upgradable as you progress).
OVERALL: Final verdict
Something new and very enjoyable if you have plenty of time on your hands you could get through this in 2 or 3 days.
I wouldn’t recommend that, take your time and enjoy the expirence.Not to many of these sort of games come along. If you speed through games then replay value is here,But only if you want to get achievements or want a stealth playthough.
I give this game 4 stars because its a really good game.Hope this helped
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Dishonored (Xbox 360) (Video Game)
Picture this. The corrupt leader of the world’s most powerful religious order has just led a captain of the City Watch into his secret chamber, deep within the bowels of his impenetrable headquarters in the mighty port city of Dunwall. They talk about his most prized portrait, where the captain leans forward to inspect it, trying not to insult his leader with his disinterest. The godly man takes a step forward behind him, his voice full of pride, his hands full of glinting steel. Another step closer, and he feels the air shift behind him; the religious man blinks, his throat tightening – he can’t breathe … the next thing he knows is that he is awake, strapped into his own interrogation chair, with the Brand upon his face. With the Heretic’s Brand, the High Overseer will be scandalized, cast out – possibly even sentenced. But how did this happen? How!?
I happened. I observed the guards from the shadows, hunted the streets for clues to cement my approach by stealth, and slid through the walls of light and brick like a ghost. For those who came close, they choked and fell asleep, and those who walked by, walk on unaware. The city is my armour; the shadows my shield; the night is my weapon, etc. etc.
Yeah, anyway. Onto the review; I read a few people here complaining about the texture quality employed in the game. I agree with them, but can’t really say it bothers me; I mean the rooftops in the city are impressive, but there exists a compromise in terms of having unique, grandiose and impressively handcrafted architecture within each and every vista, against detailing the minutiae of every pane of glass. The scenes in the distance have depth and look painted with a brush. Assassin’s Creed is expansive and realistic, but doesn’t have many ‘hollow’ buildings. That’s something reviewers should take into account; there’s a lot of hidden depth here. I’m inclined to say “It’s not an FPS, it’s a sculpture, you morons!”, but then this game does allow you to play it as an FPS, and the ‘accessible requirement’ of modern gaming means even the best art has to pander to the most dimwitted FPS-ers. So yes, I turned everything off that the modern dullard needs; No UI, No contextual menus, No crosshairs. I thought this was as close to hardcore perfection as I could get on the xbox, until I found the only real complaint I have with this game; the context-glow (or focus-glow, if you will) of items still exists whether you turn it off or not. That’s a bug, which I hope will be fixed because it does detract from the immersion. Not massively so, however. Just enough to recall that you’re playing a game, and are not totally part of the world.
So what’s it like as a sneak ’em up? Well, you can lean in and out of corners. Throw things to cause distractions. Enemies are sound and light and movement aware in line of sight, whilst patrols randomise when suspicious, requiring map-memory and dextrous improvisation. You can knock people out. And hide their bodies, because if you don’t hide them well, other guards will sound the alarm (if you don’t rewire it first, of course!) There are varied routes and secret spaces, opened by sourcing clues from the environment, such as from written notes and eavesdropped conversations. The mission review screen is so reminiscent of Thief that it is basically tells you what you hadn’t found, if you’ve been seen and how much chaos you caused (chaos relating to how much you affect the game world for good or ill). It truly is the best successor to the Thief series that fans are likely to play until the real thing comes out. And then you have the rooftops. The Moonlit Rooftops.
Each mission is so large and filled with challenging alternate objectives that you are unlikely to discover everything in your first play; each play area is as much vertical as it is linear, what with some of the special powers available, such as teleport, allowing you access to otherwise inaccessible places.
I love the fact that Dishonored blazes its own path, however. I love the ironic premise of an assassination game that challenges you to complete it by not killing anyone. That demonstrates respect for the hardcore sentiment within you; that need you should have to utterly master your environment. Playing this on Very Hard with no UI gives you a proper challenge; the challenge to be creative and yet methodical. A plausible heir to Thief.
If immersion and exploration are not your thing then stay away (from all games), but if you enjoy first person tension, creative epiphanies and being treated and respected like an adult with the ability to choose an intelligent solution to a problem then purchase this. You will not regret, nor forget it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Dishonored: A True User’s Review,
Dishonored is a game on many levels. You play as Corvo, protector of the empress and her daughter, Emily, the heiress to an empire; an empire which is suffering from a multitude of problems including corruption, plague, crime and all round unsavoury inhabitants. The story takes no time at all in throwing you into the midst of a conspiracy, and following being framed for the murder of empress Jessamine your quest begins to clear your name and retrieve any information on Emily’s whereabouts. The story takes a relatively unoriginal formula, however the world that Arkane have managed to create as the premise for this is incredible for more reasons than you can imagine.
Playing Dishonored is like jumping into bed with the love-child of Tenchu and Bioshock. Corvo dual wields with a brilliantly designed signature blade in the right hand and player assigned abilities/utilities in the left. The powers given to you by the mysterious Outsider are bare-bones but extremely effective in creating a clutter free navigational/killing experience. There are six powers and four character attributes to choose from and upgrade. The genius in this model is that by combining the various powers, you are limitless in the ways and means to dispose of your enemies. Why not summon a swarm of rats, strap a razor-wire grenade to one, possess it, run through the ventilation shafts into a room full of enemies and let rip? Or freeze time, possess a guard and move him into his own comrade’s line of fire? Or freeze time, snatch a thrown grenade out of the air and return it to from where it came? The list really does go on. And if you’re like me you’ll spend hours playing with these mechanics discovering new and brutal ways to avenge your empire.
For those stealth heads out there, no other game offers a stalking experience quite like it. There did tend to be issues with hiding bodies in that there is actually no measure as to whether a body is hidden or not. Splinter Cell for example, had very definite `light and dark’ areas and throughout the series brilliant mechanisms for identifying whether your character is visible or not. Dishonored relies more on line of sight and level/height in relation to enemies. Shadows offer bonus invisibility at distances, but don’t expect to be in pitch dark facing an enemy head on (note: this may differ on lower difficulties). And so issues with hiding bodies commence. Is this hidden in the dark corner of this room? Is this hidden, above the chandelier? A minor complaint, but important for those who play for the perfect end of mission stats.
Assassinations themselves vary depending on player position and are immensely bloody and satisfying. Your staple tool throughout is Blink, helping you to reach ledges, hide and sometimes simply to GTFO. But its design is unique and effective, despite taking a little getting used to (amongst the huge deal of freedom you will likely encounter a few invisible walls or glass ceilings). The `corner/peek’ system has been considered, and where DE:HR utilised the third-person cover system, Dishonored simply allows for peeking, without fear of being seen. This can sometimes be jarring when you’re staring right into the whites of an enemy’s eyes, however it’s hard to think of a much better solution concerning first person stealth.
If you are spotted and it does kick off however, don’t be disappointed. The combat in Dishonored is second to none. Skill in parrying and methodical solutions to overcoming a foe in direct hand-to-hand combat is essential, especially if like me you go straight for the very hard setting. If you play the game with a head on approach, you’ll very much want to tailor your character to this type of play because you will find yourself utilising resources much more often than taking the quieter approach (bone-charms and runes can be combined to benefit fighters as opposed to sneakers (e.g. exilers having greater more sustained effects, regenerative mana, greater amount of health etc). This different approach to character modelling is one way Dishonored delves into roleplaying, the other is then an extension of this in how, thereafter, you chose to play.
The decision making processes are apparent from the very start. Will you slip into the murderous ways of your conspirators, or take the moral high road and exact your revenge in a series of non-lethal approaches? These decisions, although they are frequent and seemingly unobtrusive, accumulate and the repercussions are expressed through atmosphere, dialogue and gameplay as oppose to “you said this, here are the repercussions of your actions. Now, run forth and play on”, a method utilised by so many role-playing games to date. Being spotted or causing a ruckus near the start of an area might much later trigger a conversation between guards or key characters reflecting this. It’s touches like this that make Dishonored a real pleasure to play as you can feel the…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|Unmasking dishonored,
PRESENTATION:
Dishonored starts in great fashion.You are Corvo Attano a legendary bodyguard to the Empress who is framed for her murder and forced to become an assassin to seek revenge on those who conspired against him.
You spend your new days around the city of dunwall,Which feels like a victorian london but in a present day format.
Dishonored would fall under the genre of “first person stealth action adveture game.”If this piques your interest? then this game will already be recommending itself to you.
GAMEPLAY:
Very satisfying mechanics,One on one combat is it’s only downfall but this isn’t a serious problem because the whole point is to move around using the surroundings accessible to you.So if stealth isn’t your cup of tea then be prepared that your expirence will be alot more hard work than mosts.Having said that you can play the game guns blazing ..The game encourages you to play in both styles.The game has got a good challenge to it.Its not the longest game on the market but if you savour it..you will surely get a decent lenthy expirence.
I found that after completing a mission i would automaticaly want to replay it having felt i did it sloppy.
It shows you collectibles what you may or may not have missed.I suggest getting through the tutorial mission undetected and without slaying the enemy..If you stand any chance of aceing this game.
GRAPHICS:
Overall really good,Alot of attention to detail.The ncps look good and so do the backgrounds.The game has been compared to a oil, water based ,colour painting ..Thingy?!!.Hell do i know about art..As the saying goes i dont know a thing about art ..But i know what i like…And i like this!!
SOUND:
Great voice acting.Fits perfect into whats going on around you and the story in hand.
Great sound effects too!!
COMPARSIONS:
My personal thoughts are this game feels like a first person Tenchu Game.A old ps one game…with elements of Assassins creed and anyone who has played skyrim will feel the abilitys you use in your inventory will resemble this game..But are by know means the same.I will disclose only one abilty,Called blink which can move you 20 feet in a heartbeat.(All abilitys are fully upgradable as you progress).
OVERALL:
Final verdict
Something new and very enjoyable if you have plenty of time on your hands you could get through this in 2 or 3 days.
I wouldn’t recommend that, take your time and enjoy the expirence.Not to many of these sort of games come along.
If you speed through games then replay value is here,But only if you want to get achievements or want a stealth playthough.
I give this game 4 stars because its a really good game.Hope this helped
Was this review helpful to you?
|Thief 4?,
Picture this. The corrupt leader of the world’s most powerful religious order has just led a captain of the City Watch into his secret chamber, deep within the bowels of his impenetrable headquarters in the mighty port city of Dunwall. They talk about his most prized portrait, where the captain leans forward to inspect it, trying not to insult his leader with his disinterest. The godly man takes a step forward behind him, his voice full of pride, his hands full of glinting steel. Another step closer, and he feels the air shift behind him; the religious man blinks, his throat tightening – he can’t breathe … the next thing he knows is that he is awake, strapped into his own interrogation chair, with the Brand upon his face. With the Heretic’s Brand, the High Overseer will be scandalized, cast out – possibly even sentenced. But how did this happen? How!?
I happened. I observed the guards from the shadows, hunted the streets for clues to cement my approach by stealth, and slid through the walls of light and brick like a ghost. For those who came close, they choked and fell asleep, and those who walked by, walk on unaware. The city is my armour; the shadows my shield; the night is my weapon, etc. etc.
Yeah, anyway. Onto the review; I read a few people here complaining about the texture quality employed in the game. I agree with them, but can’t really say it bothers me; I mean the rooftops in the city are impressive, but there exists a compromise in terms of having unique, grandiose and impressively handcrafted architecture within each and every vista, against detailing the minutiae of every pane of glass. The scenes in the distance have depth and look painted with a brush. Assassin’s Creed is expansive and realistic, but doesn’t have many ‘hollow’ buildings. That’s something reviewers should take into account; there’s a lot of hidden depth here. I’m inclined to say “It’s not an FPS, it’s a sculpture, you morons!”, but then this game does allow you to play it as an FPS, and the ‘accessible requirement’ of modern gaming means even the best art has to pander to the most dimwitted FPS-ers. So yes, I turned everything off that the modern dullard needs; No UI, No contextual menus, No crosshairs. I thought this was as close to hardcore perfection as I could get on the xbox, until I found the only real complaint I have with this game; the context-glow (or focus-glow, if you will) of items still exists whether you turn it off or not. That’s a bug, which I hope will be fixed because it does detract from the immersion. Not massively so, however. Just enough to recall that you’re playing a game, and are not totally part of the world.
So what’s it like as a sneak ’em up? Well, you can lean in and out of corners. Throw things to cause distractions. Enemies are sound and light and movement aware in line of sight, whilst patrols randomise when suspicious, requiring map-memory and dextrous improvisation. You can knock people out. And hide their bodies, because if you don’t hide them well, other guards will sound the alarm (if you don’t rewire it first, of course!) There are varied routes and secret spaces, opened by sourcing clues from the environment, such as from written notes and eavesdropped conversations. The mission review screen is so reminiscent of Thief that it is basically tells you what you hadn’t found, if you’ve been seen and how much chaos you caused (chaos relating to how much you affect the game world for good or ill). It truly is the best successor to the Thief series that fans are likely to play until the real thing comes out. And then you have the rooftops. The Moonlit Rooftops.
Each mission is so large and filled with challenging alternate objectives that you are unlikely to discover everything in your first play; each play area is as much vertical as it is linear, what with some of the special powers available, such as teleport, allowing you access to otherwise inaccessible places.
I love the fact that Dishonored blazes its own path, however. I love the ironic premise of an assassination game that challenges you to complete it by not killing anyone. That demonstrates respect for the hardcore sentiment within you; that need you should have to utterly master your environment. Playing this on Very Hard with no UI gives you a proper challenge; the challenge to be creative and yet methodical. A plausible heir to Thief.
If immersion and exploration are not your thing then stay away (from all games), but if you enjoy first person tension, creative epiphanies and being treated and respected like an adult with the ability to choose an intelligent solution to a problem then purchase this. You will not regret, nor forget it.
Was this review helpful to you?
|