Dishonored - Definitive Edition

...very derivative: 60% Thief - core gameplay 30% Bioshock - superpowers 10% Half Life 2 - art style A game that borrows so heavily from other games should not be considered a masterpiece. It's enjoyable for what it is anyway.

The Good: + Remarkable graphics + Superb soundtrack by the late Daniel Licht + Some excellent voice acting + Atmospheric Steampunk setting + Very optimised (Will even run on a toaster) + Play the lethal or non-lethal way + Multiple ways to finish a level + Non-linear gameplay in the hubs + Levels change based on your playstyle + Different endings based on your playstyle + Playing with the different Void Powers is super fun + A lot of graphics and gameplay options + Dunwall City Trials provide more challenges + The two Daud DLC's are as good as the main game + New powers, weapons and enemies in the Daud DLC's + More non-lethal options in the Daud DLC's + New hubs to explore in the Daud DLC's + Buy favors that can help you in-game (Daud DLC's) + Daud is not a silent protagonist like Corvo + Michael Madsen does a stellar job as Daud's voice + Lots of fun side missions + Responsive controls + Manual saves The Bad: - Predictable storyline - You'll see the twist coming from miles away - Corvo is a silent protagonist - Enemy AI is a bit stupid at times - Too many repeating enemy voice lines - Chloe Grace Moretz's voice over is pretty bad - Stealth can be a bit twitchy on higher difficulties - Limited options for non-lethal playthrough - Some bad textures here and there The Ugly: - Blow off, choffer.

So, they went all out making this game. It's very serious-minded, and is one of the best Stealth Game ideas I've ever seen. The story is rich, the game play excellent, and while it's relatively linear (I'm an open world game fan), the gameplay is simply so awesome that it was hard to care. Your character can turn into a rat to get through small places, can virtually teleport behind enemies to stealth attack them from behind, the graphics, voice acting, and characters are all well done, and the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind. If you like stealth games, put this on your list.

Excellent game. Possibly my all time number one. Great stealth and tight combat with a high skill ceiling. It's interesting to investigate all the different choices you can make as a player.

Dishonored is a lot of fun gameplay wise, missions are different enough, but I found the overall writing... not consistently good. Lots of lore dump readables, everything related to the Outsider feels like an afterthought, and the twist around the 2/3 of the game is just too forced and even with the foreshadowings, seems illogical. The way the different characters constantly explain to you what, how and why happened makes it even more obvious even the developers weren't probably sure about it. Also, it's a little bit shame you'll have to use the Dark Vision ability a lot if you want to go the extra stealth route. These are my nitpicks, but I generally think Dishonored is a good time, I like to replay it every once in a while (the campaign is luckily not too long, you can easily finish it in a couple of afternoons). It has a pretty unique world and art design, lots of areas look fantastic even today. Maps are relatively small, but I like how focused is the whole experience.