Here is my honest review of Dishonored.

First, the type of games I'm into:

Dragon Age series, Mass Effect series, Witcher series, Vampire Masq: Bloodlines, Kotor 1, Fable, Game of Thrones RPG , Bioshock - (Story driven games)

Dishonored Review

Story: The game has one but it's weak with empty dialogue that ultimately leads no where. If you're looking for a deep story, you won't find one here. There are barely any dialogue choices. You will not be emotionally driven to finish your quest objectives. You simply do them because the quest journal tells you to.

Gameplay: Mindless killing with no motivation. You either kill it or avoid it and go around. If your sole motivation for a game is to stealth and kill, then you have a winner here. The game does a decent job with stealthing and making kills.

Characters: There are maybe two memorable characters at the most. You never get a chance to delve deep into the personality of the characters. You never discover their motivations, passions, backgrounds. If a character in the game does something disturbing, it's almost never explained why, just empty shock value.

Aesthetics: The game got this right. The game is beautiful and a pleasure to look at. The art direction is strong and helps immerse you into the world.

Music: Mostly ambient music to supplement the stealth. No memorable music (except that horrible song played at the ending credits that makes you want to punch a kitten).

Ending: Quite possibly one of the worst endings in gaming history, I was shocked.

Summary

You'll like this game if you love to stealth and make kills followed by a nice animation. If you like Deus EX HR or a game like Thief, you'll probably enjoy dishonored for the gameplay alone. But don't buy this game for a any type of deep, thought provoking story.

The ending is horrible and the music played during the credits makes you want to exit the game. Is the game worth $59.99? No, more like $34.95. Keep in mind that I'm not a fan of this genre of game so my review may be biased. But trust me I know a bad ending when I see one and this game has a terrible ending devoid of anything stimulating.

Luzarius
http://www.twitch.tv/luzarius

Sounds like they have their priorities straight, good to hear.

This seems like a rather shallow and basic review. Whilst I have heard of some criticisms over the storyline, I have heard some really positive things about the rest of the game. Heck, one review I read even referred to it as the best game of the generation of consoles. It is, as far as I can tell, a modern-day Deus Ex kind of game that rewards tactics rather than straight combat. Also, if you're not a fan of stealth games or games which reward exploration a la Deus Ex, then its pretty obvious you're not going to like Dishonored - no?

I'm failing to see how you can accurately measure the emotional impact the game has just by watching it.

I loled at the $34.95.

Watching a stream of a game, and actually playing it, is way different.
example: My matey saw MGS1 all the way through vids on youtube, he said he felt it svcked,
he played it on my 51" TV on my PS3, was a loving fan of that game ever since(shame he hadn't played it sooner )

Anywho,
You really sound like there is NOTHING to come for and the whole game is worse than Rogue Warrior and My Little Pony,
it just seems outright weird that several places has given the game 10/10 or 100/100, marking it an absolute masterpiece,
and you end up marking it as not just mediocre, but under that mark. It seems inconsistent, and honestly "the worst ending ever"?
I heard that from people about The Sopranos' ending. I myself loved that episode and ending more than any other in any series EVER.

You seem too harsh on the game, and if you were a true Thief and Deus Ex fan, It seems almost scary you can't feel into the cuts,folds and shapes of this game,
and praise it for what it seems to do amazingly well? but you aren't a fan of those games, you're an RPG or an FPS kinda guy, and maybe that's why you're biased, but then you're not really able to see any good sides of this piece of art.

To me there is a difference between watching a game being played and actually playing it*. I respect your view, but it would be better if you had actually played it yourself.

*Edit: For me it would personally be Thief. I wasn't very impressed by watching it (it initially seemed that all you did was wander around occasionally knocking out guards), but once I'd bought the game, I would rate it as being one of favourite games of all time.

I watched a war on tv once, it looked cool.

Then I went and fought the war myself.
It was horrible and it svcked.


So I apologize but your review is not accurate to your experience. You simply watched someone play it. They might have even svcked pretty bad and you got miffed at some points. I'm sure you will enjoy the game far better than you think.

To each his own, but I do think this game is going to be very well in many ways. It is most defiantly the type of game though that requires a certain play style for the player. If you don't like certain types of game like Dishonored or you don't like the way this game is about then your not gonna like it. I think this is a pretty biased, pointless review though.

Yes, because a game based on the player's moral choices is best reviewed by watching someone else play the game. I have to wonder if you'll feel the same once the game arrives and you play it yourself. Just because a player handles the game one way doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't handle it differently. Please reserve judgment until you actually have basis for a review.

@luzarius

Thank you so much for your review. You just convinced me now that I will go ahead and buy it....AND done!!

I love stealth games!!!Since Dishonored is that,I am now buying it. I NEVER play games for story(who the hell plays games for story?Are you crazy or something here?That's like saying I watch music videos in the hope of seeing a story behind the music.LOL).

I honestly wanted someone to tell me if this really is stealth game like Thief..but thanks to you I am just gonna ahead and go all Thief here

Dont trust you at all, everyone else says the exact opposite of what you say about the characters , sorry dont trust you. If it was just IGN saying good characters, then I MIGHT trust you, but all over the web critics are praising its characters and story.

You realize your topic is video games, right? If I want a "deep, thought provoking story", video games are not my first port of call ... Did you think before you posted this?

Your obviously wrong, MGS has a deep and complex story. Assassins creed has a deep and complex story.

I live for games with strong stories. Without story, a game may as well just be a ball to play around with. Without gameplay, the game might as well be a film or a graphic novel (yes, I'm quoting Yahtzee).

What are you buying MGS for then? I won't be surprised if you think MGS is popular because of some story.

Why do people even play games? Story or Gameplay? Borderlands is popular for what?

I would feel sorry for anyone who buys games expecting a good story. But publishers love free money.

@Idignation- You already have your answer then. Dishonored has the one worst stories ever created, so you don't have to spend anything. Might as well just g ahead and play Borderlands 1 HAHA.

I buy for both, I hold both gameplay and story in equal regard.

Can't tell if joking or just likes ham...

The Longest Journey, Planescape: Torment, Grim Fandango...actually good (not video game good) stories are usually in adventure games, or games with an adventuring bent.

Then your luck!!-you can now forget Dishonored and buy something else.Isn't that why you are here?

Does this planescape , or your longest journey have philosophies and complex character motives?

I'll judge myself if dishonored has a good story.

First of all, since I obviously wasn't being very clear, I think story & gameplay are critical aspects of a game. I understand some play games for entertainment, but I play them because I both enjoy them and believe that they can reach artistic heights other mediums cannot.

I liked this review although I only read the beginning and the last paragraph. It might have some spoilers but I think the beginning of the article is safe.
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/10/08/dishonored-length/

Never heard of either of those games.

Oopps misspelled the names.