Dishonored PC Games

Released on 12-Oct-2012

• The very honourable Dishonored...

  The very honourable Dishonored...

  Dishonored, the new first-person action title from Bethesda, puts you in the role of a supernatural assassin in an atmospheric steampunk city powered by whale oil. And it's looking ace!

  Coming from the talented team at Arkane Studios, this game features a distinctive 'moving painting' look with the quality and detail you'd expect from the likes of co-Creative Directors Raf Colantonio and Harvey Smith, who is known for his work on Deus Ex. And at E3, Raf and Harvey introduced their demo session by saying that this is the game they've always wanted to do.

  Every play-through is different. You can play stealthily and avoid killing anyone but your targets or you can choose to kill everyone in sight. You can lean around things to study the situation ahead. Use Dark Vision to see through walls. Bend time, possess another being, conjure up a devouring swarm of rats and oh so much more! The kills are amazing - and humorous - and you can't not admit that it's really quite satisfying to embed a grenade in a enemy and then watch them explode!

  

  After the demo we get a few minutes with the game's Executive Producer, Julien Roby.
  

  Hi Julien! Can you tell me a bit about your role on this game?
  "I am working as the Executive Producer of Dishonored at Arkane Studios. I've been at Arkane Studios for 11 years now.

  This is the first time we have been working with Bethesda on a game. The publisher you work with does make a difference and Bethesda are very supportive of the kind of game we are making. They understand what is needed to make this sort of game and have been able to help us push it forward."

  What would you say makes Dishonored different to what's out there in videogames?
  "What gives Dishonored the edge is that generally you decide to approach an objective the way you want based on the equipment you have and all that so you're creating your own little story.

  We tested the game and talked to those gamers about what they did and we were always astonished that what they did was always different from what the other guys did. So I think that what gives the game an edge is having the choice to play your own game."

  On the subject of playing your own game, we've seen demos where you turned into a rat to spy on someone or a fish to swim into a building through a water outlet. There are a lot of things you wouldn't normally think to do that are available in this game.

  "Yes, I think with Dishonored it's a lot about experimenting and trying things rather than just going forward and shooting. We don't like to put things in face of the player, we want them to try things out."

  What elements of the game are you most proud of ?
  "Two things. I would say the visuals first. The art direction is very strong. Like when you look at a picture from Dishonored, it is very Dishonored, you can recognise the game immediately, which also makes it very fresh compared to some other games that we've seen.

  And also another thing of which I'm very proud is the gameplay. The way the player can move, they are very in control. And the way you can combine powers - this power here and this gadget over here, this kind of stuff."

  How have you found the reaction here at E3? And what are people commenting on most?
  "So far the reaction has been pretty positive actually. When people play, they really like it. A lot are commenting about how there are so many ways you can do things on the little map that we give them to test. And they come back to try things another way. So we are really excited about that.

  People really get the game when they play and really understand it, so I'm pretty happy. And they get the cultural reference and appreciate that, so it's pretty cool."

  Published: 08/06/2012

• Editor's Choice - Best of E3 2012

  
  

  

  Best of E3 2012

  Alas, there weren't any signs of the next-gen Xbox or PlayStation at this year's E3 - but fret not because there was still plenty on show to tempt us into spending yet more hours hunched in front of our tellies, causing pile-ups, roasting Redcoats and possessing, erm, murderous rodents:

  

  Watch Dogs

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  None of us were expecting it so we shouldn't have been surprised when Ubisoft's new IP duly brought the roof down at E3 with a 10-minute gameplay walkthrough of its astonishing third-person open world game. Players stalk the streets, able to manipulate and hack into all things 'connected' - from traffic lights and surveillance cameras to the personal details of city residents - with the aim of taking down the bad guys (whoever they may be...). With gorgeous graphics, incredible detailing and some genuinely original gameplay, this looks like a grown-up cyberpunk action thriller to die for.
  When's It Out? 2013

  Quick Mention: Xbox 360-exclusive Forza Horizon promises open-world racing mated to the outstanding physics and handling of the world-class racing series.

  

  Dishonored

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  This game's fresh, original setting sees you taking on the role of a betrayed assassin in a striking steampunk world. Labelling it as a 'stealth-based first-person shooter' doesn't quite cover it though because the amazing variety of tools and ways of offing the enemy is like nothing you've quite seen before. From possessing rats to stopping time and teleporting, the imaginative scope of Dishonored's gameplay means a title stinking rich with nefarious ways to murder and maim.
  When's It Out? 12th October

  Quick Mention: Go mental on a tropical island in the first-person sequel, Far Cry 3, whose trailer raised eyebrows at E3 because of its explosive, violent and explicit content. But based on the series' previous form, we know this latest entry will have the gaming chops to back up the sensationalism... fingers crossed.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  Out goes moody Ezio and in slips, err, moody Connor, a Native American with a mission to rip the scalps off the British army and Templars infesting the 18th Century US frontier. What this means for fans of the series is a distinct change in location and action with our killer hunting wildlife, slicing up wolves, leaping from tree to tree (as well as buildings) and clambering up cliff faces to toast enemy bases. Incredibly, the action demoed at E3 looked even more fluid than in previous franchise outings, and with its new setting, mechanics and hero, Assassin's Creed III could well be the best entry yet.
  When's It Out? October

  Quick Mention: Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last Of Us for the PS3 continues to show huge promise, boasting fantastic visuals and story-lead gameplay that features some seriously brutal action.

  Don't worry, Nintendo fans, we haven't forgotten you! We'll be focusing on the Nintendo Wii U games revealed at E3 next week.

  Published: 14/06/2012

• Dishonored will take "12 to 14 hours" to finish, depending on how you play

  Bethesda has thrown down the gauntlet to speedrunners everywhere, declaring that its upcoming steampunk action RPG Dishonored can be completed in between 12 and 14 hours providing players are "very direct". For those who prefer to take their time, explore and listen in to what's happening in the dynamic gameworld, you can expect something closer to thirty hours of play.

  The revelation came in a posting on the Bethesda Blog by the game's directors, Harvey Smith and Raphael Colantonio. "Play-style matters a lot," they explained. "Very direct players will probably get through the game in 12 or 14 hours. Explorers who eavesdrop a lot will take twice as long."

  Dishonored casts you as a bodyguard framed for the murder of the Empress in a Victorian-style steampunk world. You must use technology and supernatural abilities to prove your innocence, and the game is designed to offer multiple solutions depending on how you like to play.

  It's also being put together by a supergroup of developers, with Smith renowned for his work on the original Deus Ex, while Colantonio has Arx Fatalis and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic on his CV. Viktor Antonov, who created Half Life 2's iconic City 17 landscapes, is on hand in the design department.

  Dishonored is already shaping up to be one of the best games of the year, and we'll be able to sample its dark delights on October 12th when it launches for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
  

• Dishonored - Preview

  
  

  

  In a market dominated by sequels, it's always a joy to see an original game storm onto the scene - especially when it looks as thrilling as Dishonored does. A stealthy first-person powerhouse, it charts the murky footsteps of a supernatural royal-bodyguard-turned-hitman called Corvo Atano as he despatches enemies using a mix of magical powers and extreme violence. It's already being compared to big hitters like Deus Ex, Thief and BioShock, and with BioShock Infinite now delayed until 2013, Dishonored's debut in October couldn't be timed any sweeter...

  Whereas BioShock was set in an underwater city based on 1920s and 30s Art Deco design, Dishonored ventures down the Victorian steampunk path set by literary masters Jules Verne and HG Wells. The game offers its own unique look that mixes painterly visuals, dark, comic-book humour and foggy Jack The Ripper terror. And set against the backdrop of a plague, it can get pretty bleak at times, although thankfully, not overly depressing.

  

  Killer Powers

  Yet remarkably it's not just the visuals that have got us most excited - the gameplay seems pretty awesome, too. And brutal too! Unlike the assassins of Assassin's Creed or the Hitman franchise, Corvo has some pretty weird powers. In one scene demoed to us at E3, we tried to outwit some guards by using a short-range teleportation power, which allows us to pop up in all sorts of places. In this case, we accidentally materialised right in front of our adversaries, forcing us to kill one of them with our bare hands, while the other fell victim to a horde of magical rats. Nice!

  You can possess things, too. A popular pass-time at E3 was to launch yourself off a building and quickly transfer yourself into the body of another character, just before your previous host splatters onto the nearby ground. In another example, we took over the mind of a fish and swum up a drainage system in order to infiltrate a previously inaccessible house. If that doesn't sound original to you, then what does? Dishonored offers all kinds of emergent gameplay where you can mix powers and weapons to unusual and stunning effect.

  

  Strangely Familiar

  Because the game moves at such an incredible and seamless pace, the stealthy parts where you're creeping around the amazing locales, never get boring. There is also so much choice and freedom in how you play it, with many new ways of combining your supernatural abilities to make even scarier ones.

  Sure some of the things look strangely familiar - the Tall Boy characters, which are essentially men on robotic stilts, recall the terrifying horror-legged Striders of the seminal shooter Half-Life 2, which isn't too surprising considering that both games share the same artist.

  With a development team that also includes former programmers from the likes of Deus Ex and Thief: Deadly Shadows, there is a lot to be intrigued about in Dishonored. It may not be a sequel to a big name blockbuster, but you can probably bet that this is just the beginning of an epic series and eventually it will spawn a few sequels of its own.
  

  Published: 28/06/2012

• Your body count will affect the ending in Dishonored

  Players of upcoming steampunk stealth-action-RPG hybrid Dishonored will need to keep their murderous impulses in check if they want a happy ending, developer Arkane Studios has revealed.

  It'll be possible to storm through the story in around thirteen hours, if you play it like a traditional first-person shooter, but the game will sniffily judge you for your animal urges and reflect its disappointment in the ending it hands out for your efforts.

  "Obviously, playing this way has consequences," co-creative director Raphael Colantonio explains in a new video walkthrough, in which he tackles one of the game's missions as violently as possible. "Some of them are that we track the number of deaths and innocents that the player kills, and this derives the ending - and also derives some of the little story bits all along the [way]."

  The mission involves infiltrating the Golden Cat brothel and assassinating two politicians inside. After speeding through it in a flurry of magic powers and gore, a separate video shows the more rewarding stealthy approach - including a priceless moment in which the player possesses a fish in order to proceed.

  Created by a team with experience on both the original Deus Ex and Half Life 2, Dishonored popped up on the radar last summer and quickly became one of the most hotly tipped games of 2012. It'll arrive on October 12th, possibly in the form of a fish, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
  

• How Dishonored balances being a badass with a worthwhile challenge

  The creative team behind upcoming stealth-role-playing action adventure Dishonored have revealed a little more about how they've balanced the gameplay to accommodate the multiple ways each player can approach the missions.

  "It was a hard paradox for us to get right in the game design," co-creative director Raphael Colantonio said in an interview with Joystiq, "because we wanted to give you very strong powers, to make you really a badass, but at the same time we didn't want the game to be too easy. So it took awhile to get it right, and some of it is just obvious tuning. Every power has a duration, cost of mana, and some other tunable properties ... So even if your power is incredibly strong, you can mitigate it by saying 'Well, it only lasts three seconds.'"

  "As much as possible we try to say 'yes' to the player and enable the cool combinations and powers that they put together," added project lead Ricardo Bare, "but it's really hard sometimes... The way that we've got the game balanced right now, our intention is: If it feels too easy, increase the difficulty. That's the way I play. If I feel like, 'Wow, I've got a really crazy power combination, this is really easy,' then the game gets more fun for me when I ramp up the difficulty and suddenly everything gets very lethal and super tense."

  Dishonored is an open-ended game, set in a steampunk world, in which you play a disgraced bodyguard who must clear his name after being framed as an assassin. You'll be able to be as sneaky or violent as you like, and the game won't judge your actions as good or bad. It will simply record how much chaos you cause in the world, and leave you to work out how you feel about the outcomes created.

  It's out for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC from October 12th.

  Published: 07/08/2012

• Gamers ready for new titles, not sequels, says Dishonored developer

  Earlier in September, top EA executive Frank Gibeau told insider website GamesIndustry.biz that the reason there are so many sequels around these days is that there's no point launching a new game series this late in a console generation. Such games, he reckons, end up "doing OK, but not really breaking through."

  Needless to say, Arkane, the developer behind Dishonored, a new game launching at the end of the console generation, disagrees. "I think as long as the game is good, whether it's a new IP or not, if the game is good, it gets a good review and it's marketed properly people will want to look at it," executive producer Julien Roby told IGN.

  "Specifically now because it's been a few years where we've only got sequels of sequels of sequels of sequels," he added. "I think people are getting tired of just playing the same thing over and over. So I hope that they're going to try Dishonored for the fact that it's trying to do something a little different that those other games."

  His confidence is well founded. Dishonored is an ambitious first-person role-playing game, set in a steampunk world with a tantalisingly flexible approach to player progression. You'll be able to approach every mission as an all-out killing machine or as a stealthy ninja-type.

  Dishonored is out on October 12th for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

  Published: 10/09/2012

• Dishonored - Preview

  
  

  

  Something Special

  First-person stealth/action adventure game Dishonored piqued our interest the moment it was announced. Due to be published by Elder Scrolls and Fallout maker Bethesda, it has been developed by French outfit Arkane Studios, which counts among its staff some serious talent. The title was helmed by co-creative directors Raphael Colantonio and Harvey Smith, who were lead designers on Arx Fatalis and the original Deus Ex respectively. Viktor Antonov, the man who designed Half-Life 2's iconic City 17, also served as art lead on Dishonored.

  The game's set in the dystopian steampunk world of Dunwall, which is torn apart by plague and oppressed by a government armed with strange new technologies. Players take on the role of royal bodyguard Corvo Atano, who is framed for the murder of the beloved Empress. As Corvo languishes in his cell he's approached by an otherworldly being called The Outsider, who aids his escape by granting him access to supernatural abilities that are upgradeable throughout the game.

  

  Corvo then sets off to begin unravelling the conspiracy behind the assassination and his betrayal in a dark tale of magic, murder and revenge. While you play as an assassin, it should be pointed out that you don't have to kill anyone; in fact you can finish the game without taking a single life. You might cause some deaths along the way, but you never have to actually pull the trigger yourself. That's because Arkane's goal has been to empower players by giving them the freedom to complete the game the way they want.

  Freedom Of Choice

  You can slink your way through levels, moving like a ghost and resisting corruption to make the death of your mark look like an unfortunate accident, or you can steamroller your way through the front door and overwhelm your target, showing no mercy and leaving a path of destruction in your wake. The choice is yours, as we found out when we were tasked with a mission requiring us to move from street level up through a guarded distillery and onto a rooftop garden to retrieve a man named Sokolov before making our way to an extraction point by a river.

  

  The objective could be achieved stealthily by blending sneaking and jumping with the ability to pause time and perform short range teleportation to bypass guards. Alternatively we could use the power of possession to reach our target by entering the body of a rat, then a fish, then a maid, and finally a guard. Or we could spend our time laying traps for enemies and rewiring alarms so that they registered us as a friendly and our foes as hostiles. Tried and trusted violence worked just as well with a deadly cocktail of pistol, sword, razor-wire grenades and crossbow bolts.

  It's clear that Arkane has taken inspiration from classics like the original Deus Ex and Thief, and there are elements of Hitman and BioShock thrown in for good measure too. The scope of options available to players is perhaps unrivalled in the first person genre, and if every mission in Dishonored is as rich, detailed and varied as the one we were shown, this could be the most exciting, original game of the year.

  Published: 04/10/2012

• GAME goes to the Eurogamer Expo

  
  

  

  Last week, the GAME online team took a trip to the Eurogamer Expo in London's Earls Court to get our many hands-on some of the top games that we'll all be playing over the coming months.

  The atmosphere at the event was a buzzing and bustling as ever, with gamers coming from far and wide to get their first goes at everything from the Wii U to Assassin's Creed III to Dishonored - which alone had people queuing for over an hour to play!

  With plenty of the team there, we were able to get a chance to play quite a few games. Here's what we thought...

  

  Aliens Colonial Marines

  Tom
  Colonial Marines has been a long time coming. It was announced 4 years ago, and from the time we had during the Eurogamer Expo, for us the wait has been entirely worth it.

  We got to go hands on with the multiplayer side of the game. Taking up arms as the Marines, we strode into the dilapidated area of the complex on LV 426. It is clear, especially with this level, that attention to balancing the levels is key to how the multiplayer will work.

  There were plenty of places to fight back-to-back and funnel the Xenos through giving the marines a sporting chance, but also plenty of narrow corridors for Xenos to get up close, making guns useless, and dark areas for Xenos to avoid detection and hide patiently.

  The weapons for the Colonial Marines are taken from, and inspired by, the film Aliens. Set just 17 days after the events of the film Gearbox haven't taken liberty with the groundwork laid down by the 1986 film, Pulse Rifles sound and look like their movie counterparts, the shotguns have a similar look to the pulse Rifles, not everyone packs a sawn off in space for close encounters!

  And then there is the Motion Tracker, taken straight from the film, this will be your most used tool if separated from team mates. The Motion Tracker will detect movement around you and give the classic beep when an enemy is close by. Only problem here is that you cannot wield a weapon when tracking your foes, and if they stop moving they don't get picked up.

  You'd think that the marines, with guns and motion trackers, would be superior to the Aliens. This really isn't the case! The Aliens are quick, agile and can crawl through ducts and up walls to avoid gunfire or sneak up on unsuspecting prey. On more than one occasion during our playtime in ACM, we'd have aliens attacking from the front whilst a few craftier players crept up behind us and attacked with tails and inner jaws.

  Gearbox has done a great job with Aliens Colonial Marines by using sounds and files from the film to create an authentic "sequel" to Aliens.

  Marc
  The only Alien game I have enjoyed before was Aliens vs. Predator on the Atari Jaguar - the others have always disappointed. I approached with some caution, and, I'm very happy to say this didn't let me down!

  I also played the multiplayer map very much based on LV 426. We had to play as the Marines against the Gearbox team as the Aliens, and first of all we had to pick the arsenal that we wanted to use. There was a choice of five classes, one of which had the infamous radar on the assault rifle with a shotgun. I didn't find this straight away but when I did I was rocking and rolling.

  The sound effects were fantastic and sounded just like the film, and the screams of the Aliens were cool too. If I had been at home I would even have partaken in a bit of Hudson shouting" you want some too..." at the point when my screen was awash with my Alien bloodbath.

  But for me, the best thing was that we were told that whoever managed to the score highest would win a t- shirt. As a team, we had lost against the Aliens... but I won that infamous t-shirt! After walking away I listened to customers and their thoughts, and it seemed pretty unanimous that it would definitely be on our radar.

  XCOM: Enemy Unknown

  Damien
  Fans of the original 90s X-COM games needn't worry that this reboot would be moving too far from the RTS traditions. This is still very much a turn-based strategy game, but one that now shines with enhanced visuals and animation to realise the alien-infested world and the XCOM team tasked with protecting it.

  The mission I got to try out was short and sweet, ideal for the pace of turn-based combat, which in turn makes it ideal for RTS fans. The isometric view works great for moving and controlling your team, intercut with closer angles during firefights and to reveal key evidence.

  The pace may be a little slow for those alien (pardon the pun) to turn-based strategy games, but if you are a fan of the genre, this game will surely be a delight.

  

  Rayman Legends

  Robyn
  I Played this in co-op mode with Kirsten. I had control of the GamePad, which mostly showed a replica of the main screen with prompts to guide me what to press/drag/swish etc. I played the supporting role as Murfy while Kirsten took the lead character using the Classic Controller.
  
  It reminded me a bit of Super Mario Galaxy where player two takes a supporting role of collecting stars while player one gets all the key action, but much more interactive and a greater sense of involvement and contribution. We had a great laugh. It was my first time using Wii U but I think I got the hang of it ok! It was hard to sync up our actions and we gave up completing the level in the time we had, but I could imagine my 10yr old LOVING it - this is definitely one for the kids.

  PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

  Damien
  Fast, furious and utterly bonkers, PS AS BR was another addictive treat. Four of us played together and just had huge amounts of fun trying out the different characters and levels where skill very much took a back seat!

  The four-player scramble battles were very much the best way to showcase this game, and the choice of characters and fighting styles made it so much more entertaining than a standard beat 'em up. Dante, Kratos and Cole McGrath proved to be the most powerful, but the real fun was to be had with the likes of Nathan Drake and Sweet Tooth, who take the infinitely fun choice of shooting their opponents.

  With the interactive environment as likely to take you out as the other players, and a kill vs death ratio determining the winner, this takes the best of beat 'em up battles, multiplayer mayhem and SONY's excellent cast of characters to form a game that will keep you grinning every time you play.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  Robyn
  I'd never played an Assassin's Creed title before, despite my friends' insistence.
  I was lucky enough to have a go at both the demos - first up, Naval Combat. Starting slowly (and that's being very generous!), I had a darn good go at taking control of the ship and unloading several rounds of cannon balls onto my target. Well, most went in the sea, but I got the gist in the end... just as my ship rubbed up against the rocks for the last time. Next time...

  It was such a unique experience with fantastic movement that was so fluid on the water. I didn't think about it at the time but when I think back, I got a sense of being on the ship and movement up and down with the waves, a sense of slowness and heaviness. Very exciting and different, I'd really love to have another go, but perhaps without a queue of not so novice gamers stood behind me whilst I batter the heck out of the ship!

  After this, I had a chance to play the 'On Foot' mission demo where I had to make my character climb a cliff face to carry out his stealth mission and assassinate three enemies. I managed to get to two of them but unfortunately my time ran out before I could get number three. Again, next time...

  I was knocked out by the gameplay and the the quality of the graphics and scenery was breathtaking. As someone far more at home with 2D platforms or racing games, I can't wait to have another go.

  Need for Speed Most Wanted

  Tom
  Most Wanted by name, Burnout Paradise by nature, and 20 Years of Convention out of the Window!

  Most Wanted sees you getting behind the wheels of some of the sexiest cars in the world to then throw them around the City of Fairhaven and the best part, most of the cars are unlocked as soon as you put the disc in, you just need to find them. Driving in Most Wanted is similar to Burnout Paradise, but the cars have a more defined sense of handling, acceleration and speed since they are based on real cars, and they look stunning.

  As you blitz through Fairhaven with up to 7 friends, Autolog will document everything you do so that you can send challenges to your friends for almost anything you do.

  

  Far Cry 3

  Damien
  Bright. Warm. Totally immersive. This first-person sequel has crisp graphics and gameplay that really make you feel like you're on the island, with everything from the effects of the breeze blowing to making your way through leaves and branches moving and reacting realistically. This is a game that truly gives you a sense of being in the first person - and one that really should be played on a high-end PC!

  As one of the more popular games I was only able to get about 10 minutes playing, but during that time I was able to take several different turns and explore several different parts of the island. From lookout posts, to knife-throwing challenges, to hang-gliding and some very vicious guard dogs, the choices of location and action all within mere moments of the respawn point were massive. If the world was this open in just 10 minutes of playing, I can't wait to see what hours of gameplay can offer.

  Plus it was fun to do a first-person game with a bow and arrow for a change!

  

  ZombiU

  Robyn
  First person + dark moody screens + jumpy horror = too creepy for me!

  I declined to play this as I could easily predict I'd upset Nintendo when I launched the GamePad in panic! (I know this as I did exactly that when I first held a real mouse. Ok I was 5, but..)

  So I was happy to watch Kirsten, and I did actually squeal when she was suddenly rushed by Zombies coming swiftly out of the water. She'd been distracted looking at her inventory (as instructed by the game moments earlier), and I can deduce from this that you need to become familiar with the GamePad and get used to referring back and forth swiftly or you'll not survive long.

  I'd like to have a go at playing this in the safety of my own home... if I'm lucky enough for the big fellow in red to drop a black Wii U down my chimney this Christmas. Or at least invite someone with a stomach so I can sit behind the sofa with my cushion and watch them through my fingers!

  God of War: Ascension

  Marc
  Looked fantastic, and played fantastically well, too. It was easy to get to grips with, even for a player who has never played one before. Fast, frenetic and with satisfying button bashing - just what you want in a hack and slash game! The executions were as satisfying as ever and the bosses were amazing - a must for all PS3 owners.

  F1 Race Stars

  Damien
  It's very difficult to talk about this game without comparing it to Mario Kart. many karting games have tried to fill the gap for non-Nintendo gamers, but this may be the surprise title to pull it off.

  F1 Race Stars offers classic karting gameplay, with simple controls and all the fun, charm and addictiveness you'd want - they even manage to throw in the bonus boosts, invincibility and throwing-stuff-at-other-drivers that makes it more than just a racing game. The F1 roots are still on show - get hit too many times or push your car too hard, and you'll need to quickly drive through a pit lane to get back to full working order.

  The drivers and cars may lack the individuality you'd normally get in a game like this, but the tracks - cartoony courses that are like crazy golf interpretations of the real F1 tracks - more than make up for it.

  All in all, this is a fun, addictive karting game that has raced to the top of my must-have list this year. The surprise treat of the day!

  

  Dishonored

  Marc
  The most impressive game at the show for me was Dishonored. Great graphics and gameplay. The multiple ways to complete a level is a great idea, but it was the diversity in how you can go about those multiple ways that I loved the most. it's not just open-world levels, it's open-choice gameplay.
  Everybody walking away from playing it were talking about how good it was, too.

  Robyn
  I really liked the look of this - great visuals giving a real sense of place and intrigue. Watching the others play it, I wanted to get my hands on it too! The swimming was really realistic, and , the effects of the sun in the water as age tried to swim up wowed me, felt errr swimmy! But I wasn't expecting to see Corvo get eaten by a fish in the river!

  Damien
  As well as getting the chance to play games, the developer talks gave us a chance to learn a bit more about the games. For Dishonored, Arkane Studios' Christophe Carrier (Lead Level Designer & Audio Director) and Dinga Bakaba (Assistant Producer & Game Designer) took to the stage to provide a bit of background about the game, and to show that there really are two ways to play it.

  

  In their introduction, Christophe and Dinga told us that Dishonored came out of a love of the first-person game and its combination of stealth and action, and a desire to push the genre further. Gone is the rail-like direction of each level, replaced with a series of open-world levels, designed in a steampunky-style and inspired by plague-era London.

  But the biggest point of the game is the choice is gives the player. You can play it stealthily, hiding in the shadows, using your supernatural abilities for minimal combat and fatalities. Or you can go all-out action, with brutal kills and make use of a brand new arsenal of weapons.

  They proceeded to demonstrate this with the same level we'd played on the floor, with heor Corvo out to kidnap the Royal Physician (described as part da Vinci, part Rasputin) . First it was done with stealth, using back passages and rooftops, and possessing people rather than elimintating them. Or at least that was the theory - one mistake and the whole place was alerted to Corvo's presence and bit more force was needed than originally planned.

  The level was then played in full-on brutal fashion, where no guard was left undamaged (heck, even the maid got it!) and all skills were on display. Decapitation, hacking people limb-from-limb, setting razor mines and stopping time to avoid being shot and take your enemy out were all shown to bloody effect - and rapturous applause in places.

  A few extra tidbits came out of the Q and A session at the end of the demo - it is possible to complete the game without a single kill (except bosses). And, most tantalisingly of all - in the later levels, you'll find out that you're not the only one in Dunwall with supernatural abilities...

  Everything we see makes Dishonored more and more tantalising. Cannot wait to play it!

  Published: 05/10/2012

• Dishonored writer takes aim at 'creepy' Gordon Freeman

  Austin Grossman, writer of fantastic new stealthy assassin game Dishonored, has performed a brutal hit all of his own on beloved 1998 FPS classic Half Life and Gordon Freeman, the mute scientist turned action hero protagonist of Valve's seminal game.

  "I find it incredibly awkward and really creepy," Grossman told Kotaku, pulling no punches. "I find Gordon Freeman creepy as hell. It's people talking at him, about him and sometimes even for him. He just happens to be in the middle of this whole thing."

  Needless to say, Grossman believes that although Corvo, the anti-hero of Dishonored, is equally silent throughout his adventure, the story is more closely tied to him and therefore more successful. "The difference between Dishonored and how it works in Half-Life 2 is that it's a lot more personal," he explains. "I think you get that involvement because the character has personal relationships with people from the beginning... I'm biased, of course, but I think Dishonored grips you much more viscerally, more emotionally."

  Dishonored, out this week for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, is set in a gloomy steampunk city, stricken with plague and infestations of rats. You play as the bodyguard to the Empress, framed for her murder and on a mission of revenge to bring the conspirators to justice. It's quite brilliant. But is it better than the mighty Half Life?

  Published: 10/10/2012

• Dishonored - Review

  
  

  

  Royal Mission

  Dishonored places you in the role of Corvo Attano, royal protector to the Empress of Dunwall, who sees her slain before his eyes by her consort before being framed for the murder. Her assassin kidnaps the heir to the throne in order to seize power for themselves and you're left top rot in prison for a crime you didn't commit. Thankfully it's not long before you're broken out of captivity by an eclectic group of activists who are united by their desire to overthrow the rogue government with your help.

  Dunwall is an immaculately detailed, 19th century London-inspired steampunk vision that incorporates modern technologies and fantastic contraptions. It plays home to an upper class which revels in greed, crime and debauchery, and an oppressed underclass which has been ravaged by plague. Art lead Viktor Antonov, famed for designing Half-Life 2's iconic City 17, paints a grim picture but one that's realised with a richness few games have matched.

  To achieve your goals you'll need to visit Dunwall's various districts to incapacitate key members of the ruling force using a great combination of natural abilities and magical ones, both of which are upgradeable throughout the adventure. Supernatural powers enable you to teleport to a nearby point, see enemies through walls, possess animals (and later humans), slow (and later stop) time, summon a blast of wind to send foes flying, or conjure swarms of carnivorous rats.

  

  Corvo is no slouch with conventional weaponry either. His flintlock pistol is as loud and powerful as a shotgun, and best suited to close range combat, while his blade is perfect for more subtle kills. A crossbow is his weapon of choice for ranged attacks with either tranquiliser darts or standard bolts, while he also has grenades and mines packed with coiled razor wire at his disposal. The controls are effortlessly smooth, enabling you to combine weapons and magic to devastating and satisfying effect.

  Pure Class

  In the early stages at least, the action stealth game does a great job of limiting your resources so as not to overpower you, and it's actually a more enjoyable experience if you take time to approach missions thoughtfully rather than simply going in all guns blazing. Corvo's abilities are equally suited to slaughter or stealth and the world changes around you based on your humane or merciless approach to objectives. Your chosen play style even has an impact on the ending you receive.

  

  This freedom of choice is reflected in some fabulous level design. You could risk braving a guarded front door, or attempt to scale a building's walls and sneak in via a window or rooftop. Alternatively you could take the form of a fish in a nearby canal and use it to swim through an underwater grate, or enter via a vent as a possessed rodent. The world is alive with possibilities only uncovered through exploration and experimentation, and the obvious solution is always the least satisfying approach.

  From the story to the city and the gameplay, everything in Dishonored feels fresh and is a delight to explore, ensuring that the single player-only adventure lends itself perfectly to multiple replays. There may be plenty of ways to approach objectives, making it ideal for stealth and action fans alike, but whichever way you look at it Dishonored is one of the most exciting, original title of this console generation and is well in the running for the game of the year crown.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good:

  • Great freedom of choice.
  • A wonderfully realised setting.
  • Plenty of replay value.

  The Bad:

  • The ending feels a little abrupt.
  • A couple of graphical hiccups.
  • NPC dialogue is sometimes repeated.

  Published: 11/10/2012

• Dishonored sequel looks likely as Bethesda hails 'new franchise'

  Publisher Bethesda, the company behind such hits as Fallout: New Vegas and Skyrim, is very happy with Dishonored.

  "I can tell you that Dishonored is far exceeding our sales expectations," Bethesda's PR man Pete Hines told Destructoid, "which is especially cool considering it's new IP facing a host of well-established franchises this quarter."

  The game not only flew off the shelves when it was launched back in October, but it still selling well today, especially with Americans cramming into shops for the post-Thanksgiving "Black Friday" sales. "We did terrific numbers again this past weekend, where Dishonored was listed as the number one selling title over the holiday weekend," Hines continued. "And Dishonored has really sold well overseas. So, we're very pleased and appreciate all the fans that have supported Dishonored and [developer] Arkane. We clearly have a new franchise."

  The game's development team has been coy about sequel plans previously. "Part of me would love to see future games leverage this world," co-director Harvey Smith has said. "And part of me would love it if the vault door was just closed and that's it."

  The first scenario is now far more likely to happen, which is great news for everyone loved this dark and wonderful stealth adventure. And if you haven't played it yet, what's keeping you?

  Dishonored is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
  

  Published: 28/11/2012

• The Best of 2012: PC

  
  

  If 2012 deserves to be remembered for anything - apart from the imminent Mayan apocalypse of course - it's as the year when people finally stopped bleating about the PC being a dying games platform. The past twelve months saw an astonishing run of top quality games for PC, as indie studios turned out fresh ideas by the dozen while mainstream developers fell back in love with the idea of pushing the flexible hardware a PC offers to the absolute limit. Here's our round up of the top PC titles that helped define the year.

  

  What's perhaps most noticeable is that some of 2012's biggest releases were PC exclusive, not just PC versions of hit console games. Blizzard's Diablo 3, for example, was arguably one of the most important games of the year, yet talk of a console version is still shrouded in rumour. Arriving a mere 12 years after the release of Diablo 2, it's fair to say that fans were absolutely desperate to get their hands on Blizzard's fast-paced tactical action RPG. Always a series driven by frantic combat and furious loot-grabbing, Diablo 3 streamlined many of the processes involved without making the gameplay itself shallow. Whether playing online with friends, or hacking your way through the horde alone, it's still one of the year's most frighteningly addictive games. If you get it for Christmas, be careful - you may emerge from your first session to discover you've missed New Year's Eve.

  

  But then this was a year for great RPG revivals on the PC. Fans of NCSoft's massive online role-player Guild Wars didn't have to wait quite as long as the Diablo faithful - a mere seven years separates Guild Wars 2 from its 2005 original - but the wait was still more than worth it. A rare MMO that requires no monthly subscription, Guild Wars 2 innovated in other areas as well, not least the fresh approach to quest design which allowed more fluid storylines to emerge based on player actions rather than strictly define dungeon encounters. With 400,000 players filling out its rich fantasy world, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to try out an online RPG.

  

  Or, of course, you could turn to the top dog of the genre. World of Warcraft continued to dominate in 2012, with the release of the latest expansion, Mists of Pandaria. This not only introduces a whole new land to explore, it adds a deeper pet battling system, a new character class and a new playable race - the Pandaren, a monastic order of martial arts mammals that look suspiciously like a certain popular animated movie character. Don't mention that though. The fans get very upset.

  

  The best games of 2012 weren't only exclusive to PC, of course, but many of them were clearly designed with the platform in mind. Dishonored, the astonishing and compelling stealth adventure from the co-creator of Deus Ex, was a hit on consoles but a more perfect fit for PC. A game of painstaking plotting and careful progression, its dark and deliberate pace feels right at home on a keyboard and mouse, as you take control of supernatural assassin Corvus and set about unravelling a conspiracy in a steampunk world filled with detail and story.

  

  Similarly indebted to the PC was the superb strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown, in which you manage a global agency tasked with investigating and repelling alien invasions. A remake of the 1991 classic, it retained the methodical turn-based structure but brought it bang up to date with nailbiting extra-terrestrial encounters and a satisfying web of upgrades and abilities with which to arm your brave, loyal and very often horribly doomed soldiers.

  

  In certain cases, this shift back towards more PC-flavoured gameplay was especially useful. Far Cry 3 was great on consoles, but it pushed their fixed hardware to the limit. On PC, the tropical island setting is in full bloom, stretching into the distance in extraordinary beautiful detail even as you're prowling its open world, stealth-killing murderous bandits and trying not to be mauled by leopards.

  An excellent year for PC players then, and a trend that will only continue in 2013. It might be a good idea to put some of those Christmas spends towards that new graphics card you've been promising yourself...
  

  Published: 20/12/2012

• Dishonored takes home Best Game BAFTA

  The BAFTA Video Game Awards took place last night, with 53 games nominated for prestigious prizes across 17 categories. The winners are an eclectic bunch as well, handily illustrating the variety and scope of games as a creative medium.

  Bethesda's rich and rewarding steampunk stealth-em-up Dishonored walked away with the evening's most coveted prize, voted Best Game by the BAFTA panel, but the big winner was Sony's digital gem Journey, nominated in eight categories. Jenova Chen's chilled out game of exploration and contemplation won five of the awards, getting the nod for game design, artistic achievement, audio achievement, original music and, in one of the evening's nicest surprises, online multiplayer.

  Journey allows two players to explore together, but partners are placed together at random, cannot speak directly to each other and have no idea who they're playing with. For such a bold approach to co-operative play to snatch the multiplayer prize from the likes of Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed raised more than a few eyebrows.

  Telltale's gripping episodic Walking Dead adventure also dominated the event, winning two of the seven awards it was up for, winning for Best Story and Best Mobile or Handheld game. Far Cry 3 was crowned Best Action Game, while XCOM: Enemy Unknown won for Best Strategy. Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes claimed the prize for Best Family Game.

  Published: 06/03/2013

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