Reviews in 300 words or less...
It’s been said that life is all about the choices we make. Take the time I decided to high-kick a tree branch at Great America and fell on my butt. In public. Boy, do I wish I could take that back.
Choices also happen to be at the core of Dishonored, a game about a former royal bodyguard turned assassin after being framed for murder. Although divided into chapters, each stage in Dishonored pretty much acts like open world. From the routes you take in the plague-infested city of Dunwall to your decisions on whether to kill or spare practically every character you run into, choosing your own path is baked into the game’s DNA. Want to sneak around and finish the game without killing a single soul? With a little creativity, you can actually do that even with your assassination targets. Want to unleash a Kill Bill murder spree? You can do that, too, albeit at the expense of making the rat plague worse. In fact, hand Dishonored to two people and you’re guaranteed to see different approaches to the game. In one stage, I entered my destination by climbing up to a second-floor window after sneaking around and rendering enemies unconscious. My cousin, meanwhile, mowed everyone down and entered through the front door. Don’t be surprised if you save and reload often to test all sorts of possibilities.
The only caveat is that this game may not be action-packed enough for folks who prefer a more Michael Bay type of experience. Still, given its overwhelming sense of freedom combined with cool assassin skills and a distinct Victorian steampunk art style, Dishonored is easily one of 2012’s best games.
Recommended if you like: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Cost: $60, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Official Dishonored website
