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This thread has been linked to the game 'Dishonored'.
What is it with the games industry and silent protagonists? It seems like every third or fourth game these days has a main character who's completely mute. I guess the idea is so we can identify more with the character, but in the case of Dishonored, it's just odd. You play as Corvo, former bodyguard and envoy to the Empress. I say former, because as the game begins, she meets a fairly bloody end. And still he doesn't say a thing - not even a 'Look out behind you!'. How exactly did has he been communicating thus far? By playing charades?
Regardless, Corvo ends up being banged up for the crime, but escapes with the help of a group of rebels/loyalists and a mysterious figure known as The Outsider. It's up to you to help the rebels gain control of the city from the bad guys who framed you. And how do you do this? By killing a whole bunch of people, of course! But it's stealth, not gunplay that's the order of the day. You sneak around a variety of locations - many initially accessed from a main city hub - with the aim of slaughtering your targets, usually one or two per mission. You may also have to collect the odd important item as well, depending upon your mission objectives.
Granted, you can go in guns blazing, but you won't survive all that long since ammo is strictly limited. The game has a steampunk setting, resembling the Thief series in some respects, although you're slightly more tricked out than that game's protagonist. The Outsider - whose motives are never really revealed - has given you the ability to use a few magical abilities, which can be upgraded throughout the game. You never turn into a death-dealing super wizard, but you do get to possess people to get them open doors, and you can also teleport across short distances in the blink of the eye.
Cool, eh? Admittedly yes, but some of the abilities feel like cheating. And the game is heavily weighted against you if you don't use them. Either way, it's up to you whether you choose to kill the guards you encounter or knock them out. Killing them is marginally easier, but too many deaths will result in a bad ending. You can replay the missions if you want to, so you can take a less violent approach if you so desire.
Storywise, Dishonored's tale is reasonably well written, though the characters themselves do sometimes come across as a bit sterotypical. The cut-scenes all take place within the game's engine, and the game's graphics are pretty good, as are the voice-overs. Though I'm sure they didn't need to spend as much cash on getting various celebs to do voices - they could have used any old voice over talent.
The game's actual sneaking mechanic is fairly decent. There are usually several different ways to tackle each mission, although the game's not quite on a par with Splinter Cell or Thief. How so? Well, for a start there's no indication of how well you're hidden from view, and there's a distinct lack of shadows to hide in. This was apparently intentional, but the games designers seem to have attempted to compensate by making the games enemies as thick as two short planks. Even the game's tougher baddies and main have some difficulty seeing you when you're just a couple of metres away from them. During one memorable scene I was sitting on top of a bookshelf in a fairly well lit room, and none of the characters noticed me at all.
Basically, Dishonored is a game that is enjoyable enough, and it will keep you amused for a week or two, more if you replay the missions. You'll probably enjoy it more if you've not played a stealth game before, though if you're looking for a great stealth game, you might want to wait for Hitman Absolution or Thief 4, when it eventually turns up. Personally, I'd advise you try before you buy.
Pros:
Sneaking around is entertaining enough.
The graphics are good.
There are different ways to tackle each level.
Cons:
It's hard to tell exactly when you're hidden and when you're not.
The AI's a bit wonky.
Regardless, Corvo ends up being banged up for the crime, but escapes with the help of a group of rebels/loyalists and a mysterious figure known as The Outsider. It's up to you to help the rebels gain control of the city from the bad guys who framed you. And how do you do this? By killing a whole bunch of people, of course! But it's stealth, not gunplay that's the order of the day. You sneak around a variety of locations - many initially accessed from a main city hub - with the aim of slaughtering your targets, usually one or two per mission. You may also have to collect the odd important item as well, depending upon your mission objectives.
Granted, you can go in guns blazing, but you won't survive all that long since ammo is strictly limited. The game has a steampunk setting, resembling the Thief series in some respects, although you're slightly more tricked out than that game's protagonist. The Outsider - whose motives are never really revealed - has given you the ability to use a few magical abilities, which can be upgraded throughout the game. You never turn into a death-dealing super wizard, but you do get to possess people to get them open doors, and you can also teleport across short distances in the blink of the eye.
Cool, eh? Admittedly yes, but some of the abilities feel like cheating. And the game is heavily weighted against you if you don't use them. Either way, it's up to you whether you choose to kill the guards you encounter or knock them out. Killing them is marginally easier, but too many deaths will result in a bad ending. You can replay the missions if you want to, so you can take a less violent approach if you so desire.
Storywise, Dishonored's tale is reasonably well written, though the characters themselves do sometimes come across as a bit sterotypical. The cut-scenes all take place within the game's engine, and the game's graphics are pretty good, as are the voice-overs. Though I'm sure they didn't need to spend as much cash on getting various celebs to do voices - they could have used any old voice over talent.
The game's actual sneaking mechanic is fairly decent. There are usually several different ways to tackle each mission, although the game's not quite on a par with Splinter Cell or Thief. How so? Well, for a start there's no indication of how well you're hidden from view, and there's a distinct lack of shadows to hide in. This was apparently intentional, but the games designers seem to have attempted to compensate by making the games enemies as thick as two short planks. Even the game's tougher baddies and main have some difficulty seeing you when you're just a couple of metres away from them. During one memorable scene I was sitting on top of a bookshelf in a fairly well lit room, and none of the characters noticed me at all.
Basically, Dishonored is a game that is enjoyable enough, and it will keep you amused for a week or two, more if you replay the missions. You'll probably enjoy it more if you've not played a stealth game before, though if you're looking for a great stealth game, you might want to wait for Hitman Absolution or Thief 4, when it eventually turns up. Personally, I'd advise you try before you buy.
Pros:
Sneaking around is entertaining enough.
The graphics are good.
There are different ways to tackle each level.
Cons:
It's hard to tell exactly when you're hidden and when you're not.
The AI's a bit wonky.
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
What is it with the games industry and silent protagonists? It seems like every third or fourth game these days has a main character who's completely mute. I guess the idea is so we can identify more with the character, but in the case of Dishonored, it's just odd. You play as Corvo, former bodyguard and envoy to the Empress. I say former, because as the game begins, she meets a fairly bloody end. And still he doesn't say a thing - not even a 'Look out behind you!'. How exactly did has he been communicating thus far? By playing charades?
Regardless, Corvo ends up being banged up for the crime, but escapes with the help of a group of rebels/loyalists and a mysterious figure known as The Outsider. It's up to you to help the rebels gain control of the city from the bad guys who framed you. And how do you do this? By killing a whole bunch of people, of course! But it's stealth, not gunplay that's the order of the day. You sneak around a variety of locations - many initially accessed from a main city hub - with the aim of slaughtering your targets, usually one or two per mission. You may also have to collect the odd important item as well, depending upon your mission objectives.
Granted, you can go in guns blazing, but you won't survive all that long since ammo is strictly limited. The game has a steampunk setting, resembling the Thief series in some respects, although you're slightly more tricked out than that game's protagonist. The Outsider - whose motives are never really revealed - has given you the ability to use a few magical abilities, which can be upgraded throughout the game. You never turn into a death-dealing super wizard, but you do get to possess people to get them open doors, and you can also teleport across short distances in the blink of the eye.
Cool, eh? Admittedly yes, but some of the abilities feel like cheating. And the game is heavily weighted against you if you don't use them. Either way, it's up to you whether you choose to kill the guards you encounter or knock them out. Killing them is marginally easier, but too many deaths will result in a bad ending. You can replay the missions if you want to, so you can take a less violent approach if you so desire.
Storywise, Dishonored's tale is reasonably well written, though the characters themselves do sometimes come across as a bit sterotypical. The cut-scenes all take place within the game's engine, and the game's graphics are pretty good, as are the voice-overs. Though I'm sure they didn't need to spend as much cash on getting various celebs to do voices - they could have used any old voice over talent.
The game's actual sneaking mechanic is fairly decent. There are usually several different ways to tackle each mission, although the game's not quite on a par with Splinter Cell or Thief. How so? Well, for a start there's no indication of how well you're hidden from view, and there's a distinct lack of shadows to hide in. This was apparently intentional, but the games designers seem to have attempted to compensate by making the games enemies as thick as two short planks. Even the game's tougher baddies and main have some difficulty seeing you when you're just a couple of metres away from them. During one memorable scene I was sitting on top of a bookshelf in a fairly well lit room, and none of the characters noticed me at all.
Basically, Dishonored is a game that is enjoyable enough, and it will keep you amused for a week or two, more if you replay the missions. You'll probably enjoy it more if you've not played a stealth game before, though if you're looking for a great stealth game, you might want to wait for Hitman Absolution or Thief 4, when it eventually turns up. Personally, I'd advise you try before you buy.
Pros:
Sneaking around is entertaining enough.
The graphics are good.
There are different ways to tackle each level.
Cons:
It's hard to tell exactly when you're hidden and when you're not.
The AI's a bit wonky.
Regardless, Corvo ends up being banged up for the crime, but escapes with the help of a group of rebels/loyalists and a mysterious figure known as The Outsider. It's up to you to help the rebels gain control of the city from the bad guys who framed you. And how do you do this? By killing a whole bunch of people, of course! But it's stealth, not gunplay that's the order of the day. You sneak around a variety of locations - many initially accessed from a main city hub - with the aim of slaughtering your targets, usually one or two per mission. You may also have to collect the odd important item as well, depending upon your mission objectives.
Granted, you can go in guns blazing, but you won't survive all that long since ammo is strictly limited. The game has a steampunk setting, resembling the Thief series in some respects, although you're slightly more tricked out than that game's protagonist. The Outsider - whose motives are never really revealed - has given you the ability to use a few magical abilities, which can be upgraded throughout the game. You never turn into a death-dealing super wizard, but you do get to possess people to get them open doors, and you can also teleport across short distances in the blink of the eye.
Cool, eh? Admittedly yes, but some of the abilities feel like cheating. And the game is heavily weighted against you if you don't use them. Either way, it's up to you whether you choose to kill the guards you encounter or knock them out. Killing them is marginally easier, but too many deaths will result in a bad ending. You can replay the missions if you want to, so you can take a less violent approach if you so desire.
Storywise, Dishonored's tale is reasonably well written, though the characters themselves do sometimes come across as a bit sterotypical. The cut-scenes all take place within the game's engine, and the game's graphics are pretty good, as are the voice-overs. Though I'm sure they didn't need to spend as much cash on getting various celebs to do voices - they could have used any old voice over talent.
The game's actual sneaking mechanic is fairly decent. There are usually several different ways to tackle each mission, although the game's not quite on a par with Splinter Cell or Thief. How so? Well, for a start there's no indication of how well you're hidden from view, and there's a distinct lack of shadows to hide in. This was apparently intentional, but the games designers seem to have attempted to compensate by making the games enemies as thick as two short planks. Even the game's tougher baddies and main have some difficulty seeing you when you're just a couple of metres away from them. During one memorable scene I was sitting on top of a bookshelf in a fairly well lit room, and none of the characters noticed me at all.
Basically, Dishonored is a game that is enjoyable enough, and it will keep you amused for a week or two, more if you replay the missions. You'll probably enjoy it more if you've not played a stealth game before, though if you're looking for a great stealth game, you might want to wait for Hitman Absolution or Thief 4, when it eventually turns up. Personally, I'd advise you try before you buy.
Pros:
Sneaking around is entertaining enough.
The graphics are good.
There are different ways to tackle each level.
Cons:
It's hard to tell exactly when you're hidden and when you're not.
The AI's a bit wonky.