"Dishonored" sits comfortably in the mixed heritage of FPS games like "Bioshock," "Half Life 2," and "Deus Ex" without quite meeting the same great heights. Instead, it unfortunately is going to join my shelf of "Bioshock 2" and "Deus Ex: HR" as grand attempts that don't quite make it. It's a shame, cause on gameplay alone this really should be a 10/10... it just lacks that extra punch, and since the combat/stealth is so good, it's all the more noticeable what it lacks in payoff. The attack customization is top-notch - better, perhaps, than any of the above mentioned games - with plenty of player choices affecting later gameplay, if not so much the story. And the level design is pretty damn good, allowing exploration risk/reward while still giving a straight shot for those who aren't interested in every completionist sidequest and item. But (and this is a big But), the game is too short and the story is forgettable. Now, usually I'd argue a short game is just a good game without padding, but it really feels like there could've been some more missions if devtimes had not caught up with them. Or maybe they focused so heavily on making the levels excellent, they didn't notice how few well crafted moments they gave us. And the story is...well, it's there, but often I felt like I was supposed to be more wowed by the setting than the narrative. There are no real stand-out "wow" moments, something the greats of the genre make sure to give players almost every level. Some reviewers have argued that the best part is going back to try different ways through each mission and shoot for those ghost/deathless scores, but so many other games already have that great retread.It's fantastic that the depth is there (and believe me, the depth of the level design is awesome), I just wish there was more of it to explore. I'd still highly recommend this game to FPS/Stealth fans, especially those that wanted "Deus Ex: Human Revolution" to be better than it was, but at the end of the day the game sits, for me, as an enjoyable "Aw damn. So close, yet so far."… Expand

Own it, love it. I actually mainly wanted to write this review to comment on the obviously bogus amount of negative User Ratings. The other versions of this game only have between 200-300 total ratings, and even a controversial game like Mass Effect 3 only has 2900 or so total ratings after 7 months. Obviously, some shenanigans are afoot. This proves my point: User Ratings are useless, just look at the critic scores (and I'm still waiting for someone to provide some proof to the overused accusation that game publishers "buy" their reviews from major outlets).… Expand

There is nothing bad i can say about this game i love it so much i will dare to say it is perfect. i will say this now though if you just rush through and kill everything in your path you will not have as good of a time and the game will be relatively short. all of your assassination targets are easy to get to right at the start but it involves killing everything in front of you and going in guns blazing. there is nothing wrong with doing that of course but you will not experience the full game. what i mean by this is the fact that there is so much going on that you will miss entire scenes of the game if you don't think about your kill before making a strategy and finding out everything there is to know about them. the way they throw you into each situation is also to be praised because the game is open world to an extent and this allows you to play the game the way you want to play it unlike most games where there is only one way to do something this game allows limitless possibilities on how to play. the art in this game is icing on the cake it is beautiful and so diverse that as well as trying to figure out how you will kill your target you will also look around and admire your surroundings. although some may disagree i love the story so far and it is puling me in further and further and i want to keep playing so i can find out what is going to happen next. this game is a breath of fresh air and is a goood break from all the FPS games that are on the market i recommend this to everyone and i highly suggest you pick it up now.… Expand

What a game. Right away it reminds me of the first time I played the original Bioshock. The story is fairly typical but the gameplay is fantastic. Everything works well and you can really get creative in how you choose to sneak about or lay waste to everyone in your path. The amount of abilities and upgrades really give you some great choices in how you decide to go about things. I have found myself replaying sections simply to try our different tactics and see what works out best for me personally. One of the few games I have played where the stealth is actually a lot of fun and makes you feel like a total badass. The visuals are very nice as well. Some reviews say the textures are a bit muddy but I personally think it is the art style they were going for as it almost feels like you are playing a comic at times, everything is simply gorgeous. Each level also has a bunch of collectibles to keep the replay up and keep you searching for that next item....be it an upgrade, collectable or simply money. Easily one of the coolest games I have played in ages, an absolute must own in my book.… Expand

The game fails to grab my attention. I'm many hours in and am still underwhelmed by the atmosphere / story / gameplay variation. The game is fun when you're in the thick of it on a mission, but as an overall experience Dishonored is disjointed and stiff. It's a very stop-and-go experience, which doesn't allow for much momentum. Games like Bioshock and Arkham City get it right by being "dungeon based" but working hard to disguise the seams between levels (Batman does it best by far). The world feels very dead too. I wish there were more NPC's or detail to the world. The mechanics of the game are great, and I enjoy it in small doses. But it doesn't approach the genre's high water marks like System Shock 2. Or even is most direct influence Bioshock. The game basically feels like a poor man's Bioshock. I say: RENT IT.… Expand

I have only played a few hours of Dishonored, and I already love it. I am not that far into the game, so I can't tell all the things I like. So far, I love the detail and distinct style this whaling city has. The story is pretty cool and the powers you get are incredible. Great game! If you are going to pay full price for anything on its release day, you could do a lot worse than this.

Its like Deus Ex and Bioshock had a baby and Half Life 2 is the Godfather!! is it not enough for you? Freedom of choice and gameplay,journey that will attach you deeply and at last one game that rewards your brain for being creative and do smart things, if you're looking for something mindless and easy this game may not be for you, if you want to challenge yourself GO BUY IT FOR CHRIST SAKE :D

I sadly thought this game was going to be unique and a major change in the industries but I was wrong. The trailers were misleading along with countless reviews. The game has many fine aspects and ideas but all are horribly used. At the beginning the game seems interesting and exciting, but shortly after it feels like you have done everything before and the missions get repetitive. It also feels as if a large part of the game was missing, content wise. Their were limited weapons and abilities. Also the stealth aspect was poorly done which lead to alot of problems and very many of the characters seemed uninteresting. The story was also quite short and very predictable after about the third mission. Also their was no real need for strategies, But when you used strategie it was time consuming and easily destroyed by countless bugs and a poorly made rating system called "The Chaos metre" which counted the times you were seen, the number killed or left unconscious was also poorly executed. Finally the graphics and the rendering system in place were absolute terrible, it's 2012, not 2008. Many times when rotating around I was met with quite a fair bit of lag on a machine meant to handle resource hogging games, but apparently the devs never got the memo on efficiently rendering and good graphics and little ol'e textures. In all honesty this game had some great ideas but failed to execute them properly and was followed by a dull story. I will give this game a 4 for the slight enjoyment I had. So all in all, rent the game… Expand

This game is amazing. Its a new take on gaming that we desperately needed in these times of repetitiveness. The art style is unique, scenes and maps amazing. Personally I love the sand box feel and the separated missions much like portal 2. This also lends a hand to those completionists as it assesses your mission stats and you can always work on improving. Maybe the endings leave much to be desired but do we play these games for the story or for the awesome supernatural assassin powers and awesome gameplay? May be a bit easy but up the difficulty and we have a contender for game of the year. I'll rewrite this review after one week to comment on replayability.… Expand

Finally a REAL next gen game these are far and few between anymore, kudos Arkane studios! Dishonored is a thinking mans game that places you in open world scenarios that have endless approaches to completing your assination objectives. Along the way you will learn of side missions, search for runes to upgrade your super natural powers and explore large environments while evading or killing many memorable enemies. This is how games should be anymore, screw that arcade style linear casual gamer crap and pick up a game actually worth $60… Expand

Dishonored Review
The highlight of E3 has finally arrived and being one of the only new series his year gamers across the globe get ready to play one of the best games of the year so far. Dishonored comes to us from Arkane Studios and Bethesda and the Besthesda influence really rubs off on this one too. The story is pretty standard, Empress gets murdered, princess gets kidnapped and of course you are framed for it, you are Corvo Attano the former bodyguard and it is your job to avenge the Empress's death and put the rightful heir on the throne. The story here is nothing original with some predictable twists but provides a good backdrop for the chaos going around in this city. Yes not only is the Empress dead but the city is still suffering from the rat plague which gives the city a certain lack of hope and happiness. The world is extremely detailed and evolves according to your actions, depending on who you kill and how many people you kill. The more you slaughter the more rats and the darker to outcome at the end. This adds a heap of replay value straight up to see the different outcome of the 9 missions and the ending. True to Bethesda fashion, the first mission is of course a prison break where you learn all the combat ropes and the different physical actions you can perform. The level design here is very open ended like the Thief and Hitman series, you can even get through the game without killing a soul, there are a million possibilities in these levels. Even more replay value, there are ghost bonuses and low chaos challenges to add difficulty. Talking about that, the difficulty settings here are pretty off, if you want a good time definitely turn it up to Hard or Very hard. Early you gain you magical abilities, to get these powers you must collect runes scattered around the world and these are powers like teleportation, possession, time bending and there is even a Fus Ro Dah. There are also passive abilities to get too like extra health, bodies disappear when killed and others. Graphically the game is perfectly fine but I think the developers were a bit confused when it came to art direction, were they going for cartoony or were they going for serious steampunk, I have no idea but regardless the visuals are fine. What baffled me is the lack of a substantial soundtrack, ambient music provides a little effect but it isn… Expand

0.5 - A score which Corvo would freeze time, and crossbow. Dishonored is not only one of the best games of 2012, but one of the best I have EVER played. A great story encompassing the murkiness of betrayal; awesome game-play that encourages creativity and a beautiful hand-drawn atmosphere in Dunwall. people, if this hate is retaliation for Skyrim's PS3 ridiculousness then I'm behind you on that. But don't drag don this incredible game that deserves the love of the gaming community.… Collapse

This game is a brilliant breath of fresh air! The art style is unique and beautiful. The world is masterfully crafted and immersing, the city of dunwall is a treat to explore. Oh and amidst this fascinating world is a damn good action game too. This is the new IP i've been waiting for .

Never been a big fan of first person but Dishonored has been truly one of the more unique games I have ever played. Very happy I picked this game up and already looking forward to my second play through. Lots of different choices you can make during the game that will affect your story. So awesome.

I am having a really good time with this game. It reminds me of System Shock and Deus Ex but definnitely has its own personality and style. You have so much control over how you proceed with your objectives its crazy. This is a game that demands exploration and experimentation. I definitely recommend it.

PS: These Abdul fanatics whoever they are need to be IP banned. This is ridiculous. These clowns have no lives.… Expand

AMAZING! crazy gamplay, really enjoyable game that provides a challenge without taking away from the fun of it. many different ways to play and paths to take really adds to the replay value

I am in love with this game. It's soooo beautiful and the world is so well made. I love exploring the levels and finding everything it has to offer. I am playing a full stealth game and it's so intense and fun. If I get caught I consider it a failure and reload I haven't had this much fun in a game since Deus Ex: Human Revolution!

0.5? Seriously guys? I wonder which ill-fated cause made you so angry that you had to destroy the user score average of the PS3 version. The game is good, maybe not perfect, but doesn't deserve all this hate.

Replaying through this game is a must. Even within the first level I noticed pathways/things that I completely missed the first time through. So great to see what happens when a company puts so much emphasis on a single player game nowadays. Instead of making a sub-par co-op mode or something they have made the most fun single player experience I have played this year....easily.

Overhyped and overrated, this game is not near as good as I expected. A number of issues include a weak story, repetitive gameplay, abysmal graphics, and rushed stages.

It's truly a unique game with amazing gameplay. The gameplay gives you creative ways to utilize gadgets and kill your enemies to stealthily proceed in the game such as by possessing rats to kill enemies. But even during all-out combat the gameplay is amazing. The graphics and art design are some of the best I've seen in a long time. Moreover, it comes with large amounts of content giving it high replayability. As for the story, it's the cherry of the cake so I won't spoil it for you. Betheseda has done a great job this time. THIS IS A MUST BUY FOLKS!… Expand

For everything Dishonored does right, something also feels rather off - resulting in a rather "meh" overall experience. The in-game world is convincing and tangible, but the gorgeously rendered, realistic trailers betray the truth of the slightly-dated "wood carving" art style, which doesn't detract from my experience as much as lower my expectations. The environments are stable and aesthetic, but entirely non-interactive save for the breakaway tables and glasses copy/pasted from area to area, which drags my immersion back to the shallows, at times. Combat is reliable, but one-dimensional - a blow either connects or it doesn't, with no variability of result quality or magnitude. These simplicities, I imagine, allow for the stalk-'n'-sock, custom-built kills to function reliably (and they do). However, though it may be fun to find new combinations of talents for your kills, the novelty wears off incredibly fast, leaving me feeling like some of the main selling points for the game are gimmicks, at best. I finished the initial playthrough, but don't have the motivation to put in the time and effort for the quality retry/replay attempts at a perfect game. Much of the story is told through submenu databanks, so perhaps I might revisit those and let myself deeper into the story, at some point. However, overall, this felt like BioShock 1 was reskinned for a Metal Gear Solid Mode set in the London of Alice: Madness Returns. I recommend picking it up as the price comes down. It's a good game and you'll enjoy the experience, but it will feel dated either way and there's nothing new or innovative enough to enjoy at full price; bland is bland regardless of freshness.… Expand

The GOOD: awesome stealth gameplay, cool powers, easy and responsive controls, freedom to achieve objectives the way you want, good graphics and astonishing art style, rich world and decent story.
The NOT SO GOOD: soundtrack, melee combat doesn't feel right, no cutscenes at all and uninteresting voice acting.
In the end: Dishonored is a MUST PLAY! Like most of games, Dishonored isn't perfect, but even so is a remarkable experience. The atmosphere of the game feels unique. The addition of some cutscenes and a better selection of tracks for the soundtrack would have built an even more interesting experience. The stealth approach works flawlessly. Some may get disappointed by how the melee combat works, like I did, but if you enjoy a good stealth gameplay, you won't even get bugged by this fact.
So, that's it: 10/10 to Dishonored.… Expand

What a gem. This game is everything we want as gamers. It's new, fresh, innovative, and just a damn good time. It doesn't take us for fools and is a smart and well thought out game. Love that you can remove the hud as well. This isn't a game you are supposed to rush through. Take your time, explore, etc. Unbelievably great game.

This is one of the better games that I've bought in the last few years. It exceeds guild wars 2, battlefield 3, and many others in terms of how much I've enjoyed it. The gameplay is smooth as silk, and you get very immersed when you are stalking your prey. Huge fights give an adrenaline rush from all of the unpredictable chaos that happens which is a big bonus. I'd give it a 10, but the game is a little more cartoony than I would have expected, and the blood effects leave just a tiny bit to be desired in your killing sprees… Expand

Dishonoured takes a more creative approach than most video games and I really like how it has all these different choices you can decide on. Say you are entering a building where you're target is, you can decide which way to enter such as the front door (well duh!) a window or even through a sewer by possessing a fish. If you want, you can just find a non lethal approach to the whole game and kill no one which is highly unlikely to happen but still adds to the fun that you know you can kill or spare anyone you want. The ending of the game depends on how you play so if you just run an kill everyone, people will react differently, you might be betrayed and even the dialogue of the game changes. So if you choose that kind of approach than I can tell you the ending won't be pretty. I also love how it doesn't just have to be a stealth game as it's supposed to but can also be a normal killing game mixed with cool powers. These are some of the many things that make Dishonoured unique from other games. Something I dislike in Dishonoured is probably the lack of powers you actually get in this game compared to the variety there is. One of things I was most exited about when Dishonoured was announced was all those supernatural powers you could have in the game but then was heavily disappointed when I found out you can only choose slightly less than half of the breath-taking abilities. I found the powers as one of the most attracting things that brought me towards this game and am very disappointed with this. What's the point of bragging about all these powers you can use when you can only choose not even half of them? I also don't like it how there is no free roam as free roam with abilities like those could have unlimited potential. Just imagine being able to do ANYTHING you want with powers like those, if the whole thing was just free roam I still wouldn't hesitate a second giving it 100/100. Alias you can only imagine these excitement.

Overall:
+Freedom of choice
+Can be several types of genres depending on how you play
+ Different endings to the game
+People reacting differently depending on how you play as well as the environment changing
+Supernatural powers
-Limited amount of powers available per a game
- No free roam

In conclusion, Dishonoured is great game for people who like deciding how the game moves towards the conclusion and also for people who don't . I highly recommend this game.… Expand

Hmmm, i'm giving this an 8 because it's a very good game but i still feel it's been overhyped when so many reviewers are calling it GOTY. Though you can't deny that Dishonoured mostly achieves what it sets out to do polished gameplay with non linier level design, freedom to play how you want, some cool powers, and an interesting graphical style it also becomes apparent long before the end that the missions are repetitive and the plot is a bit dull. Although Dishonoured is always enjoyable ther's no real surprise or anticipation about what's coming next and ther's a constant, nagging feeling of "seen it all before and seen it done better". It just lacks that special oomph to be a true classic. Again, it's not that it's a bad game at all but it's just not the mindblowing, innovative experience many reviewers have hyped it up to be.… Expand

Good game, mixes elements of Arkham Asylum, Bioshock and Fable while probably not being quite as good as any at any aspect (as well as Skyrim's piss poor melee combat). For a normal playthrough, at no point can you rely fully on any one aspect- and that's perhaps the best thing I can say about the game is that you do rely on melee, ranged, stealth and gadgets rather than becoming godlike in one thing and using only that for the rest of the game.

Worth the 10-15 hour playthrough.

Also, lol at the negative user score spam- looks like Bethesda pissed off ****… Expand