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Dishonored

Don't be surprised if Dishonored is in the conversation for GOTY 2012. Arkane Studios' first game is one of the best titles of the year in almost every facet.
Dishonored Game Cover
94%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
97% User Score Based on 48,504 reviews
Critic Score 91%Based on 9 reviews

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Dishonored Game Cover

About

Dishonored is a single player role playing shooter game. It was developed by Arkane Studios and was released on October 11, 2012. It received very positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In Dishonored, you play as a supernatural assassin seeking revenge in a plague-ridden city. With flexible stealth and combat gameplay, choose your own playstyle to take down targets with creative ways to kill or non-lethal options. Your decisions and actions impact the world and outcome of the story.

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Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
Dishonored screenshot
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97%
Audience ScoreBased on 48,504 reviews
story8.4k positive mentions
stability210 negative mentions
  • The immersive atmosphere of Dunwall, with its unique art style and rich sound design, creates a captivating and haunting environment that enhances the storytelling.
  • The gameplay mechanics are fluid and engaging, allowing for a high degree of freedom in how players approach missions, whether through stealth or aggression.
  • The game is praised for its high replayability, with multiple ways to tackle objectives and the impact of player choices on the narrative and world.
  • The story is often criticized for being predictable and lacking depth, with some players finding character development to be shallow or underwhelming.
  • The game can suffer from technical issues, including bugs and glitches, particularly in the DLC, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • Some players find the gameplay to be tedious, especially when pursuing non-lethal options or achievements, leading to a sense of monotony.
  • story
    19,221 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Dishonored" follows Corvo Attano, a bodyguard framed for the murder of the Empress, as he seeks revenge and justice in a plague-ridden, steampunk city. Players appreciate the engaging narrative, which is enhanced by a rich lore and the consequences of their choices, affecting both the story's outcome and the game's environment. While some find the main plot predictable, the game's immersive world and the freedom to approach missions in various ways contribute to its lasting appeal and replayability.

    • “The story is engaging: you play as Corvo, the former royal bodyguard who is framed for the queen’s murder, and you set out to clear your name.”
    • “The story works because it’s simple but layered.”
    • “The story is incredibly rich, and the gameplay mechanics are very natural.”
    • “The story is a bit weak and predictable, and the non-lethal options are frustrating.”
    • “The story is rather simple in comparison to other games in this genre, however, this simplicity is actually one of the game's strengths, allowing it to not become bogged down with overly long dialogue and drawn-out cutscenes.”
    • “The story is okay, though I saw the major plot twists coming.”
  • gameplay
    9,736 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Dishonored* is widely praised for its fluid mechanics, allowing players to approach missions with a high degree of freedom, whether through stealth or aggressive tactics. The game features a rich blend of supernatural abilities and tools that enhance the experience, encouraging creativity and experimentation in how players tackle objectives. While some critiques mention dated graphics and occasional AI inconsistencies, the overall consensus highlights the game's engaging level design and the meaningful impact of player choices on the narrative and gameplay outcomes.

    • “The gameplay is fun and fluid—you parkour across rooftops, slip through shadows, and quietly incapacitate enemies.”
    • “Compelling gameplay mechanics: the combination of supernatural powers, tools, and weapons offers a liberating and engaging experience.”
    • “The blend of stealth, freedom of choice, and supernatural abilities creates a gameplay experience that feels endlessly replayable.”
    • “The gameplay is so janky that it interferes with creativity.”
    • “The stealth mechanics are so well tuned to the environment and level design.”
    • “The gameplay is filled with frustrating elements that make me wish I understood the thought process developers go through when designing game mechanics.”
  • graphics
    4,940 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Dishonored" are characterized by a unique hand-drawn, oil-paint aesthetic that has allowed the game to age gracefully since its 2012 release. While some players note that the textures and character models appear dated compared to modern standards, many appreciate the stylized visuals that contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere and distinct steampunk setting. Overall, the art style is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the storytelling experience, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The game features a unique art style with a hand-drawn, oil-paint aesthetic that creates a captivating atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, and it's hard to believe it came out for the PS3 and Xbox 360.”
    • “The art style is timeless, and the game was far ahead of its time, making it visually stunning even years after its release.”
    • “Older graphics: while the art style is distinct, the textures and graphics are dated compared to modern games.”
    • “The graphics are kind of dated now, but they still look decent, and I really like the art style.”
    • “The graphics are showing their age, but the art style still looks good.”
  • replayability
    2,094 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game "Dishonored" is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its open-ended gameplay design that allows players to approach missions in various ways—whether through lethal or non-lethal methods. Players appreciate the impact of their choices on the game's world and narrative, leading to multiple endings and encouraging experimentation with different playstyles. Overall, the combination of diverse gameplay mechanics, branching narratives, and the inclusion of DLC content significantly enhances the game's replay value, making it a standout title in the stealth genre.

    • “There's so much replayability because there's a dozen different ways to solve problems and you choose how to proceed, and the world reacts to your choices.”
    • “It is a title that invites replayability not just through its branching narrative but through the sheer variety of ways in which each mission can be approached, making it a benchmark for the genre and a milestone for narrative-driven action games.”
    • “The blend of stealth, freedom of choice, and supernatural abilities creates a gameplay experience that feels endlessly replayable.”
    • “While the binary good-or-evil ending system lacks nuance, the game remains replayable thanks to its flexible mechanics and alternate paths.”
    • “The game is relatively short, but has some replay value if you like achievement hunting or trying to do everything undetected.”
    • “The gameplay itself is incredibly engaging, and the game's structure leaves room for a lot of replayability.”
  • atmosphere
    1,556 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Dishonored" is widely praised for its immersive and richly detailed world, set in the dark, steampunk city of Dunwall. Reviewers highlight the game's unique art style, which combines a painterly aesthetic with atmospheric sound design, creating a haunting and engaging environment that enhances the storytelling and gameplay. The atmosphere is described as both oppressive and captivating, with player choices significantly impacting the mood and tone of the game, making each playthrough feel distinct and meaningful.

    • “Even though Dishonored was released quite some time ago, its phenomenal world-building still creates a thick, immersive atmosphere as you sneak through the streets of Dunwall, eliminating your opponents to save your daughter, Emily.”
    • “The atmosphere of the city of Dunwall is completely immersive — the grim industrial aesthetic with steampunk elements creates a unique world.”
    • “The atmosphere created in the game is phenomenal; it drew me into the game's unique story!”
    • “The atmosphere is terrifying in my opinion; it's just purely depressing. There's no sun, no happiness, almost a colorless world.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick and pulls you right in.”
    • “The oppressive atmosphere, marked by an industrial revolution gone awry and a deadly rat plague, immerses players in a world that's both bleak and captivating.”
  • music
    850 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Dishonored" has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its atmospheric and haunting qualities that enhance the game's immersive experience. Composed by Daniel Licht, the soundtrack effectively complements the game's dark, steampunk aesthetic, with standout tracks like the end credits song "Honor for All" leaving a lasting impression on players. While some reviewers noted that the music can be minimal or forgettable at times, the overall consensus highlights its ability to set the mood and elevate the gameplay experience.

    • “One cannot forget that such work was masterfully underscored by the haunting, discordant scores of Daniel Licht, whose music became the very pulse of Dunwall’s streets and Karnaca's avenues.”
    • “The atmosphere is immersive, the gameplay is tight, and the story, characters, and music are all great.”
    • “The soundtrack, composed by Daniel Licht, complements the atmosphere perfectly, whether it's the haunting melodies that underscore stealth or the intense scores during action sequences.”
    • “The music is probably the weakest aspect of the game, simply for the reason that there isn't enough rather than the actual quality.”
    • “The soundtrack is rather forgettable for the most part.”
    • “The music, what there is of it, is not memorable.”
  • emotional
    282 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Dishonored" is widely praised for its ability to evoke strong feelings through its narrative and character interactions, with many players reporting moments of genuine sadness, regret, and attachment, particularly towards the character of Emily. The game's dark, immersive world and the moral choices players face contribute to a rollercoaster of emotions, making it a memorable experience that resonates long after gameplay. However, some critiques mention that certain emotional moments feel underdeveloped or rushed, impacting the overall depth of character connections.

    • “Beyond the gameplay, the story is powerful and emotional.”
    • “From the very start, the emotional rollercoaster pulls you in—your feelings can flip from anger to sorrow to hope in moments, and that’s all part of the game’s darkly beautiful charm.”
    • “Dishonored is a masterpiece that has taken me on an emotional rollercoaster.”
    • “I was looking forward to doing a sadist run where I annihilated everything on the map, but now I just feel burnt out and annoyed with myself for sinking time into a game with cool mechanics but otherwise a terribly boring story.”
    • “A boring story, badly told, that has no momentum or emotional resonance.”
    • “Other than that, the game is rather boring story-wise.”
  • optimization
    277 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely praised for its exceptional optimization, allowing it to run smoothly on a variety of hardware, including low-end PCs and even integrated graphics. Many users report flawless performance, with high frame rates maintained even at maximum settings, and minimal to no performance issues such as stuttering or crashes. Overall, it is considered one of the best-optimized games in its genre, providing a seamless experience across different systems.

    • “It is an extremely well-optimized game.”
    • “Great visual art style, and while it holds up okay for being such an old title, you can get texture mods and it looks beautiful and is so well optimized that even max graphics with upgraded 2k textures it runs over 120fps on my mid-range PC.”
    • “The stylized graphic ages well to this day, and the performance optimization is so amazing that even a potato can run it smoothly.”
    • “Terrible PC optimization.”
    • “Unfortunately, this game is very poorly optimized for low-end devices.”
    • “The game is fun, but the audio is choppy and the lag unbearable; poor optimizations made the game barely playable.”
  • stability
    264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has received mixed feedback from users, with many reporting a range of bugs and glitches, particularly in the Dunwall City Trials DLC, which are described as frustrating and game-breaking. While some players experienced smooth gameplay with minimal issues, others noted frequent crashes and significant technical problems that detracted from their overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable despite its stability issues, with many recommending frequent saving to mitigate the impact of the bugs.

    • “It's aged gracefully and runs great on just about any modern PC.”
    • “Runs great — rare hiccups, smooth experience.”
    • “The game runs great, is a blast to play, has a great art style, interesting story, and is one of those games with a lot of replay value for the price.”
    • “Whenever I try to enter the Golden Cat, regardless of my playstyle, the game freezes and crashes to the desktop.”
    • “The DLC (City Trials) is a buggy, torturous rollercoaster from hell. I suffered so much with glitches causing the trials to go slightly awry and completely ruining my run, making me restart again and again.”
    • “The game can be buggy and the controls can mess up, especially when going for non-lethal takedowns.”
  • humor
    224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players appreciating its dark comedy, quirky character interactions, and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics. Many reviews highlight the amusing ways to eliminate enemies, the funny dialogue from NPCs, and the entertaining ragdoll physics that lead to unexpected and hilarious situations. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its stealth gameplay, making for a uniquely enjoyable experience.

    • “Killing people in hilarious ways, creative ways, and complex ways is very fun.”
    • “The faces the people make as well as their comments are hilarious or scary at some points.”
    • “The positions the guards could end up in were hilarious and will never get old.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
    • “I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
    • “The attempts at comedy just missed the mark entirely.”
  • grinding
    208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and frustrating, particularly when pursuing non-lethal playthroughs or 100% achievements. While some enjoy the challenge and replay value, others feel that the repetitive nature of stealth mechanics and achievement farming detracts from the overall experience, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, players suggest that those who dislike grinding or tedious gameplay may want to approach the game with caution.

    • “Replay value is immense, story never gets old, little to no tediousness here, the game is just genuinely one of the best things Bethesda ever published.”
    • “Enjoyable searches for runes/relics (not tedious/repetitive).”
    • “The game is pretty linear and fast-paced, so no grinding or the need to feel dragged.”
    • “While the game attempts to offer players freedom of choice in how they approach missions and objectives, the reality is a tedious slog of sneaking, stabbing, and stealth kills that quickly grows stale.”
    • “In conclusion, Dishonored, while having fantastic gameplay, is marred down by extremely tedious backtracking, a rather barebones story, and a heavy-handed morality system that punishes the player for using the cool toys the game gives them.”
    • “Unfortunately, playing it non-lethal (necessary for a good ending) can become quite tedious and exhausting, especially compared to just blowing through and murdering everyone in exquisite fashion.”
  • character development
    146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the depth and engagement of main characters like Corvo and Emily, while others criticize the overall lack of meaningful growth and interaction among NPCs. The unique art style and character designs contribute to the game's atmosphere, but opinions vary on their effectiveness, with some finding them exaggerated or off-putting. Overall, while the game excels in world-building and aesthetic appeal, the character development is often seen as either compelling or shallow, depending on individual perspectives.

    • “The story and character development are also very engaging and entertaining, and the game’s world design is stunningly beautiful.”
    • “While the overarching story is compelling, Dishonored truly shines in its character development and the choices players make.”
    • “The character development is well adapted and the characters themselves are likable.”
    • “A little thin on character development, but the replay value is more for the different ways to play rather than figuring out someone's deep-seated emotions.”
    • “While the game attempts to inject some emotional weight into the proceedings with dramatic cutscenes and character interactions, the story ultimately feels shallow and underdeveloped, with little in the way of meaningful character development or narrative depth.”
    • “Dialogue and character development are rather mundane.”
  • monetization
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight a nostalgic appreciation for the game's monetization model, emphasizing its absence of microtransactions and season passes, which contrasts sharply with modern gaming trends dominated by profit-driven practices. Players value the complete, story-driven experience reminiscent of a bygone era, expressing frustration with the industry's shift towards monetization strategies that compromise game quality. Overall, the game is praised as a refreshing alternative to the prevalent cash-grab tactics seen in contemporary titles.

    • “No microtransactions/season pass bs.”
    • “Dishonored is bug free, entertaining, complete, has a solid narrative and tight gameplay, with no microtransactions or mandatory season pass.”
    • “The golden age of offline story-driven games is nearly gone with developers like Arcane being pushed out by megacorps that care more for microtransactions and recycling the same content annually than actually earning your dollar.”
    • “Sick and tired of modern gaming microtransactions, cosmetics, pay-to-win looters, and other gimmicks big gaming companies are coming up with to steal your money?”
    • “If you are tired of microtransactions and cheap base games that feel torn apart in order to ask more money from you, this is an excellent remedy.”
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91%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews
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18h Median play time
46h Average play time
12h Main story
46h Completionist
10-50h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 222 analyzed playthroughs
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Dishonored is a role playing shooter game.

Dishonored is available on PlayStation 4, Steam Deck, Windows, PC and others.

The main story can be completed in around 12 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 46 hours to finish. On average players spend around 46 hours playing Dishonored.

Dishonored was released on October 11, 2012.

Dishonored was developed by Arkane Studios.

Dishonored has received very positive reviews from players and very positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Dishonored is a single player game.

Similar games include Dishonored 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Prey, Mark of the Ninja, Aragami and others.