Dishonored, the newest IP from Bethesda and their new partner Zenimax, is, at first glance, a shabby looking Xbox 360 game. Graphically, it lags way behind other Bethesda properties (notably Skyrim and Oblivion) and doesn't have the polished look you'd come to expect from one of the powerhouses in the gaming industry. There is more clipping than an Edward Scissorhands hedge-trimming montage and characters have a tendency to bleed through solid objects seemingly at random. But I admit to being a bit of a fussypants here. The main reason I'm so persnickety about the graphics is that Dishonored's Xbox 360 concept art, and indeed the overall style, are amazing. The nautical/steampunk/Dr.Who-ish vibe in the game is a breath of fresh, original air in an industry that is overwrought with sequels and franchise properties. The nouveau-industrial atmosphere of Dishonored for the Xbox 360 provides the ultimate backdrop for a title that delivers captivating gameplay nearly as unique as the world in which it's set.
The game's first mission, like so many other Bethesda games (again, Skyrim and Oblivion) is for your character, Corvo, to escape from jail. I won't give you all the backstory and spoilers, odds are you know the gist of the storyline from the massive ad campaign. It's a fairly standard introduction to stealth (nosy guards and dark corners), ethics (lethal vs. non-lethal tactics) and exploration (loot, story elements and other 'thanks for looking' goodies). What is missing from the prison escape are the supernatural powers Corvo acquires later in the game that are the heart and soul of Dishonored's gameplay style on the Xbox 360. It's a fun little tutorial mission however, and certainly whets the appetite for more of the same.
I do, however, have a few gripes with the Achievement set-up. Like most Xbox 360 gamers, I run through the Achievement list before I get started to try to get a sense of how I should play the game or what I should keep an eye out for. Dishonored provides some real juicy death cam kills, and I love the first-person perspective of jabbing a sabre in a thug's throat or beheading an unassuming guard in one deft maneuver. But in a game that makes gore so much fun, I feel too many achievements are based around NOT killing. There are achievements for going through the entire game without killing anyone, for not killing more than 10 people in the first few missions, etc. Not to mention the multiple warnings it gives you that killing too many people will result in a darker ending (whatever that means.) There are a few kill-related achievements and a number of secret achievements as well, so perhaps there's a few more gore rewards than meets the eye. But, basically, I got a little po'ed that a game that makes it so much fun to be a ruthless killer puts so much emphasis on restraint. Does this mean I will have to do multiple playthroughs? Yes. Is that a terrible thing? Not really, no. Once you start unlocking Corvo's supernatural powers, Dishonored becomes a s-tload of fun.
Corvo gets his superpowers when he is visited by a mysterious man in his dreams. The man marks him as his new champion and teaches him how to use runes and bone charms to develop his supernatural abilities. He gives Corvo an enchanted heart to carry around that will alert him when runes or bone charms are near (i.e. waypoints). I've only played the game for a few hours, but in that time managed to unlock some incredibly fun abilities.
Dark Vision, which allows you to see through walls and detect enemies and their sight lines, has an Arkham Asylum feel to it. I love a healthy dose of tension in a game, and crouching behind a wall waiting for a guard, or even better multiple guards, to turn just-so so you can sneak in and eliminate one is both slow-paced and heart-pounding. Blink, the short-range teleportation skill adds so, so, so, so, so, so MUCH to navigating levels. While the game isn't a wide-open sandbox in the true Bethesda style, it certainly doesn't make ledges and pipes and catwalks off-limits. And in the steampunk-inspired level design there are plenty of tubes and tunnels to Blink onto and out of. Not to mention its effectiveness in fleeing a pack of guards. You'll find yourself instantly zapping from point A to b to C in mere moments. Again, the fantastic pacing comes through because when a nail-biting stalking session goes awry the panic feels real while you flee one-too-many guards.
Or you can stand your ground and experience the other side of Dishonored for Xbox 360. The bloody, timing-oriented combat system that is simple, clean and addictive. After a few tutorial prompts, you will get the hang of counter moves. Basically, you tap RB at a precise moment, send an enemy off-balance, and finish them off with a wicked kill move. There's no cut-away, slo-mo death cam like in Fallout, but a first-person animation of slicing a head in half like a bagel is reward enough. Add to that the dual-wield potential from a crossbow or pistol and you feel like a one-man wrecking crew. Be warned. Enemies are not mindless meatbags and will parry, counter and strike with fluidity. Too much fancy swordplay going on? Point-blank pistol fire to the face is one solution. Or summon a pack of plague-infested rats to devour an enemy like so many piranhas.
Yes, you can summon rats with the Devouring Swarm power, or possess a single rat with the Possession power. Possession can be used on dogs, and on people at higher levels, but becoming the rat is incredibly useful early in the game. You can scurry under gates and through ductwork to avoid guards, and then rematerialize in a hidden or off-limits location. There are a number of runes and bone charms that can be found using this technique, so keep an eye out for little holes in the wall to explore.
Beyond the distinct environments and the freewill to be a virtual ghost or rampaging madman is some of the best supplementary writing I've ever seen in a game. I always enjoyed the notes and diaries Bethesda sprinkles throughout its games. Subtle story elements or unrelated anecdotes add a lot of flavor to a game, and Dishonored is no exception. Graphic retellings of vivisecting whales to get their precious Whale Oil gave me chills. Other notes included clues for unlocking combination safes or provided backstory for NPC motives. Each note I found was just long enough, so that there wasn't a lot of wasted time reading pages of material but still enough time spent getting a sense of the world Corvo lives in.
Overall, my early impression of Dishonored for Xbox 360 is a good one. Imaginative, stylized environments paired beautifully with the sweet/sour combination of the stealth and action gameplay and peppered with impeccable writing and story detail.
