After the beloved but also problematic cult RPG hit that was Arx Fatalis, and a couple of mixed bags such as Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Arkane Studios finally made it big with the release of 2012’s Dishonored, aka Thief for the new millennium. Aided by Bethesda’s much deeper pockets, the French developer managed to meticulously craft a wonderfully dystopian realm, which can be described as a much dirtier, plague-ridden steampunk version of 17th-century London, with a little bit of eldritch witchcraft thrown in to spice things up. All of this was served along with some fine stealth gameplay, decent storytelling, and more than decent world-building. Thirteen years after it hit the shelves, here’s a retrospective look at a title that, even if you have played it before, you should reinstall and play it again. Right. Now.
Corvo Attano, Royal Protector of the Empress, returns to the withering city of Dunwall to give her information about the plague that’s slowly eating her empire from within. Before he even gets close to her there’s a feeling that something bad will happen, and indeed Dishonored wastes no time establishing the emotional stakes. Moments after he greets her, assassins appear from thin air (literally), mortally wound her, kidnap her daughter Emily, and vanish by using what seems to be magic. Her guards arrive too late, only to discover her bodyguard right next to their dead leader…and now the same gut feeling that predicted this is speaking in your ear telling you that some of these people who act all shocked and furious were the ones behind this terrible event.
Dishonored’s story is way too predictable. One can clearly see who the bad guys are, guess their motives, and after finding new friends in a team of Loyalists, deduce in mere seconds who amongst this new party is the traitor and who is the real deal. Spider-Sense currently offline? Worry not! Follow this helpful method: if it’s pretty or at least noble-looking it is good, if it’s ugly, and especially if it’s ugly and rich and powerful it is usually bad. Again, way, way too predictable. The weird thing? This otherwise cliché revenge narrative manages to still be enjoyable despite it lacking originality and having no talent in concealing its “twists.” Even its small cast, which can be described as generic and not that multilayered, is at the same time somewhat memorable.
Arkane’s gem succeeds in putting players into the shoes of the main character, whereas in many video games that have far more intricately woven plotlines they are simply told to feel whatever they are supposed to. Here you’ll feel the tension of having to save a little girl; you’ll feel the fury of being framed for a murder you didn’t commit; you’ll feel disgust from how the aristocrats of Dunwall behave towards the common folk and how easily they use others, ruining their life just for a title upgrade. Each scene adds fuel to Corvo’s fire and makes you feel good that your blade will put a stop to all that. In other words: immersion! It’s nice that similarly to how gracefully Dishonored engrosses one into its world, it also shows people the ropes.
The actual adventure begins with an escape from Coldridge Prison (this is partially a Bethesda product after all), and it is then where many of the mechanics will be introduced organically through action rather than condescending prompts. Corvo begins as a somewhat typical assassin. He crouches, gets behind objects and steps into the dark to better hide from patrolling enemies, leaning sideways to check his surroundings. He can pick amongst a variety of lethal but still stealthy options, and if he wants to, he can simply put them to sleep via a chokehold or a tranquilising dart. Don’t care about any of that? Simply avoid enemies altogether. The experience is great, but it gets even better when a certain mysterious fellow is met.
Very soon Corvo will visit the otherworldly dimension of the Outsider, and it is then where this shifts from just a strong stealth game to something far more unique, with a magic skillset that makes the hero a superhero, able to bend the world to his will. Dark Vision enables seeing behind walls or observing an NPC’s line of sight; Possession controls animals, and later humans as well, especially helpful when in need to turn security measures off; Bend Time starts as a typical bullet-time spell, and if upgraded freezes the world. There are more to talk about, but Blink is the one that really alters the experience, as this short-distance teleportation ability lets one do all the necessary traversing, killing, or hiding in all sorts of creative ways. Of course, none of these systems would matter if they were stuffed into a tedious corridor shooter, and this is anything but.
The Outsider’s gifts don’t just make Corvo more powerful – they encourage experimentation. It helps a lot that almost all missions are dense, mini sandboxes. Mansions, flooded districts, alleys and industrial yards all interlock with vents, rooftops, hidden basements and shadowy detours that reward curiosity with entirely different infiltration paths. It doesn’t stop there. Part of the whole espionage shebang is eavesdropping and reading notes; something that further increases one’s options when it comes to reaching a goal, like, for example, learning where a target is actually hiding or how to reach it from a secret alternative route. This is also an element that makes Dunwall feel like a real place instead of an assortment of video game levels. In fact, one should not just play. A great part of the fun is soaking in the wonderful world building – listening to conversations, reading journals, or simply observing the city itself and the story it has to tell.
Besides all that talk about great mechanics and non-linear gameplay, Dishonored is, above all else, one of those rarities in the vein of the legendary Deus Ex, whose key defining quality is its respect for player agency. You’re not forced into the mould of an executioner. One can approach it as a power fantasy experience like Doom and leave long trail of blood, create piles of unconscious foes, or turn into a ghost and reach the end without anyone seeing him. It gets even better. You want to eradicate a certain big cheese, like for instance the top guy of a corrupt religious organisation. His throat can be slit just like anyone’s, but wouldn’t it be better to brand him with a heretic’s mark to humiliate him and strip him of his power? There’s a neat alternative to killing every villain, and it is touches such as these that really help in making Dishonored feel like a real, dynamic microcosm.
The art direction helps immensely in elevating the setting and tone, too. It’s a deliberate collision of painterly impressionism and industrial brutality, with all this having a sort of cartoony (in a good way) simplicity that makes the whole thing a bit easier on the eyes while also giving it its unique look. The visuals also act as a quiet narrator. Every locale reinforces the tone of a society wheezing under authoritarian rule and plague-induced panic. Cornered between gargantuan, imposing walls, the streets of Dunwall glisten with a sickly grime, as every mechanical contraption works with whale oil as fuel, and corpses can be found between the cracks. The visuals don’t just decorate the world but strengthen its tangibility.
While Corvo’s quest has a very good length, some might see the single-digit mission number and feel that the asking price isn’t right. Worry not, because each map is designed with remarkable complexity rather than sheer size. Side objectives frequently tie into the main goal, which occasionally offering alternative routes and even outcomes. It’s the perfect example of quality over quantity, and replayability rather than needless filler. If there’s a flaw to talk about, that would be that Corvo’s quest kind of loses its steam after the sixth map or so, with the final “act” being less imaginative when it comes to how it looks and in terms of level structure, plus in how with the world building takes a small hit as well, since it kind of takes a backseat the closer one gets to the finale.
As a final note, there’s a morality system where each kill raises a ‘Chaos’ meter that affects the way some characters may behave towards Corvo, with a violent playthrough also offering a darker outcome in the ending. More important than these narrative changes, this also increases the chances of encountering swarms of flesh-eating rats or the zombie-like Weepers, amongst others. Note, however, that if you want to have fun you need to put away your gaming OCD, forget about which path leads to what, turn off your achievement-hunting addiction, and just play the way you find entertaining. Want to kill? Kill. Want to hide? Hide. Mix and match? Awesome! Self-imposed challenges? Fantastic! One of the best ways to play this is to put aside the save button and embrace each choice and consequence no matter what. The biggest compliment one can give to Dishonored is that the experience it offers is completely yours. Enjoy it!
