Great video, I still think the first Dishonored managed to do better than the sequel, it's practically timeless. A selfish personal request, I would love to see you do a video essay on Mass Effect Andromeda, that game is so painfully underrated it hurts. I totally understand the response from fans on release as it was much buggier and had a lot of weird dialogue choices to meme on, but the hate bandwagon grew so large it completely overshadowed the good parts of that game and killed it's DLC in the crib. ME:A has perfected the combat ME3 sought to refine, it feels like a genuine 3rd person action RPG and not just a 3rd person shooter with some rpg mechanics like ME2. There really is a lot to like in this game and I think it got a very raw deal on release, so I'd love to see it covered.
@@histhoryk2648 i'm playing the sequel right now, and it's an ok game, i still wish they fixed their stealth mechanics to be more realistic using darkness and it actually being worth a shit lol, i truly thought they would fix this in the next game, but no, it's the exact same as the last one in this regard, but they also fixed a lot of other things in the gameplay that make the game good.
Dishonored is one of those games that define gaming in general for me. Arcane Studios nailed pretty much everything. It's an unique experience that got me into steampunk genre and stealth games
Daud is the best character in the franchise, and that only sunk in for me when I played the DLC and realized: he saves Emily from being condemned to stand by and watch as an insane witch takes over her body and pushes a broken empire deeper into chaos. He doesn't throw it on Corvo's face, though, as if it made up for murdering Jessamine. He knows it doesn't, so all he does is beg for his life, and then, should Corvo spare him, Daud only reacts with bafflement. He says something similar to "you choose mercy, unbelievable"
The level design and the atmosphere of the new DLC missions is unmatched too imo. All the new areas introduced felt so unique and vibrant. The slaughterhouse shows how inhumane the practices of gaining whale oil are. Making it all the more interesting how whale oil is the foundation of industry in Dishonored. The legal district just reeks corruption, fitting for the main target of the mission, an even more corrupt barrister. Drapers Ward is a good showcase of gang warfare and how powerful gangs are in the city. And the Brigmore Manor has this magestic yet menacing atmosphere paralleling Delilah’s ‘charming’ personality yet cruel nature. I also love the contrast in the repeated level with the main game and how Corvo’s and Daud’s actions affect the game in both stories. We see Daud’s men captured by Overseers and in disarray whereas Corvo sees them organised again. It also explains the overseer corpses in the flooded district mission in the main game. And Coleridge is now completely secured down after Corvo’s escape. I love the touch of the guards draining the water under the bridge to show that Daud’s story is happening alongside Corvo’s. I also feel that the high chaos and low chaos options in the DLC aren’t nearly as bad as they are in the main game. And of course the best and most complex playable character, Daud is the one you play as.
@@ARR409 atmospheric and vibrant? That's where I have to disagree. The new levels have much superior design for gameplay, but doesn't feel as lively as the base game. Not as detailed or beautiful.
I'm glad to know im not the only one who thought this. I loved my first playthrough of D1 and after buying the DLC I got so hooked on KoD because of Daud, I really would have never expected him to be such an engaging character and you can feel the regret he has from killing the Empress throughout both DLCs. Brigmore Witches wasn't as good imo (and D2 reusing Delilah pissed me off) but the ending still goes hard no matter what.
@@davidsplooge14 I get your point. The base game has some amazing levels like Lady Boyle’s last party and the flooded district. But I think some of the atmosphere is kinda mid in missions like Kingsparrow Island and the Golden Cat. Whereas for me, the slaughterhouse mission and the Brigmore Manor have some of the best atmosphere that reflects the target of the mission also.
A thing that blew my mind was that if you froze time and fired a crossbow bolt at a tight crowd you could attach a spring razor to the bolt and if you angled it right you could kill the entire crowd with the spring razor as the bolt got close to them.
you can get similar results in a much louder fashion by shooting a frag with pistol. a personal favorite thing for me is blocking bullets with bottles or body parts
Whats better is that StealthGamerBR and Volound do this in their already insane kills. Highly recommend watching them to any stealth game fans. Edit: I also recommend Clockner 👍🏻
I hope they make an animated series set in the Dishonored universe , like they did for Arcane. The setting , characters and lore make it such a good candidate
apparently a dishonored series was picked up by netflix about 2 years ago but with how they've handled recent shows I wouldn't be surprised if it had been cancelled
45:07 Samuel does have some notable differences in High and Low chaos. In his little outdoor camp, at some point in the game, he has a salvaged audio recorder where he can state his thoughts on the previous mission.
Between the sequels and Death Loop, I find Dishonored 1 has been massively neglected in any games discourse. Seeing this in my sub box having you analyse it for a full hour genuinely put a smile on my face! Keep up the fantastic work, Aqua!
Interesting. We must watch very different channels because this game is brought up so often in gaming circles that I frequent. Glad Aqua is covering it regardless since it's an incredible game.
I agree that the series is rather underrated as a whole, but if there's any one game in the franchise that gets brought up with extreme frequency, it's definitely D1. If anything, I'd say that the immediate sequel is the one talked about the least, considering the first game is considered a Magnum Opus and Death of the Outsider gets surrounded by controversy.
@@Kageravager it isn't underrated at all though. It may not be very popular, or even close to it, but most people who actually played it couldn't rate it higher. Same with most other Arkane games. If anything, I'd say its perfectly rated by the people who matter.
I would venture to say, with the nature of the game being about empathy and choice, that not having a lot of "fun" options for non-lethal play is intentional. Toying the player with all of the power they cannot use, either to coax them into abusing that power by killing, or having the player learn restraint by not doing so.
Yeah I get that but I would've still liked to see what non lethal options there could've been. Especially how creative the non lethal endings for your targets were.
I seriously doubt it, as that is a dumb way to design a video game you intend on selling to people... Maybe something you're giving away for free. But I think it was just a design oversight...the simplest answer is often the safest and all that.
@@KoylTrane that's without saying that with MGS3 the stealth system became a lot more sophisticated than just "stay out of sight' allowing for more interesting and dynamic gameplay.
The reason why it said you failed to help kill The Geezer is because you're meant to kill him so he will tell you the code for door to get the engine coil. You do this by removing the whale oil tank from his life support and then he tells you the code (or the first two numbers before dying). If you abruptly kill him he doesn't tell you the code, so even though you killed him, you failed the objective of getting the code.
The fucking exhilaration of sneakin around, barely avoiding being caught, only killing when absolutely necessary, and blinking behind guards with their back turned, waiting the 3ish seconds it takes to knock an enemy out while playing low chaos is the most fun I’ve had in any game ever. High octane combat is exhilarating, but the feeling sneaking in this game gave me while barely avoiding enemies, blinking past crowds is somethin different.
Has always been and will always be my all-time favorite game, not even Dishonored 2 (which is also a masterpiece) managed to dethrone the original for me, the atmosphere and world-building in Dishonored 1 is simply unmatched.
@@latima123ify Crack in the slab is honestly a masterclass in level design, and I'm still in awe of how much the entire mission outcome can change based on your actions.
@@Largentina. Death of the Outsider is usually seen as the third game despite being an expansion to 2, since it's standalone and concludes the narrative arc of the first two games.
2 reused too much, including villains ffs. Also the canonical choices for the first game make little sense. Corvo kills guards in 2's opening, but spares Daud? Lol ok
The non-lethal takedown of Jindosh in Dishonored 2 felt soul-shattering to me. I found myself trying to walk away without finishing the job, hoping it will be enough to count, even knowing what evil things he did
I embarassed him by never being seen by him, until I killed his sentries in his room and beat him up in open combat until his frustrated dialogue started looping. Then I burnt him alive
OG Dishonored will always have a very special place in my heart...It's still to this day one of the greatest stealth games ever made and frankly one of the greatest video games ever made. Just like Deadspace, the absolute masterclass in game design stands a test of time even after so many years!
Just saying, F5 and F9 for quicksave and quickload respectively is not just a Bethesda thing, it is a very common thing among PC games in general. At the very least, F5 for quicksave is rather common.
@@ElizabethRS Iirc, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory uses F5 for Quicksave and F8 for Quickload. Rebound it to F9 though since I was so used to it from Dishonored and Fallout: New Vegas.
@@ElizabethRS ugh the old days when you'd accidentally quickload and destroyed your progress. That's why 5 and 9 started to happen, the keys weren't right next to each other.
Hey Aqua, I've seen just about every Dishonored review ever made and I really appreciate how in depth you go with all your reviews. Your effort and attention to detail really shine through with these.
For anyone who doesn't know, Daud's voice-actor is Michael Madsen, who is known for Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs and Budd in the Kill Bill series, among other things.
God damn. I'm only halfway done but the wordplay, the jokes, and occasional alliteration set a new bar for your channel. Great script, this video absolutely rips
This is my favorite game of all-time. The sequel is also incredible but the first game just has something special about it that nothing else has ever been able to capture. The freedom of playstyle, the level design, the excellent stealth, and the lore that I have been addicted to and lost in ever since the game originally released all clicked for me in a way few other games ever have. I think it's a masterpiece and I recommend it to everyone.
I remember when this game came out, I had no interest whatsoever. I eventually got it free through Xbox, and for some reason I was mildly annoyed about getting it instead of some other free game I missed. So I played it haphazardly and half-assed (unintentionally playing right into a high chaos run), barely bothering to stealth or find non-lethal options, instead just doing mad dashes and killing guards in the open. I blasted through it "taking the piss" for most of the game, until about half way through, I realized that I wasnt "fighting with" the game by playing it that way-- they had totally accounted for me playing it that way. NPCs started to act afraid of me, they saw me as an uncaring murderer, and the world was becoming darker and more chaotic around me. It wasn't "just another stealth game," like I had thought, it was a game about making choices through your actions. The gears shifted in my head and I slowly realized how AMAZING the game really was. Flash forward to now, it's an all-time favorite of mine, along with the sequels. There are genuinely few games with as much attention to detail and ambition in their gameplay.
2:39 One of my only complaints about this game is the fact that we couldn’t use tallboy incendiary bows while inside their head. Mana is pretty hard to come by and possession is brief so it wouldn’t have been overpowered. Oh well,a man can dream.
I mean we get plenty of explosives on our own. The first mission is the overseer house and they are generally equipped with nades. Incendiary arrow are slightly harder to come by but you can find them in secret trapped areas.
Uhhhh, whoa. You're missing alot of amazing things that can be done in this game then. I know you said it's your favorite game but I really think that if you tried more of the games mechanics that you'd love it even more than you already do.
@@Largentina. Dishonored is about how your actions change Dunwall. It's not about using powers to kill people, it's about what happens with the world around you when you do that. That is what separates it from another FPS action game. He's not missing a lot from not using powers. Powers are just an option in this game and, being honest, combat in Dishonored 1 is not that deep and fun. Sure has a high skill ceiling but not that much in terms of pure fun. Killing people while ignoring the atmosphere around feels like a crime to me in this game.
@@Largentina. typically when I play I go low chaos, stealth, and pacifist. So I just never found a use for the powers really I prefer the challenge of limited options.
41:40 Dishonored was actually Arkane's third game, if I'm not mistaken. Actually, it's kind of interesting, as almost all of Arkane's games is in some way an answer to one of Looking Glass's titles. Arx Fatalis (an answer to Ultima Underworld), and Dark Messiah (possibly a reimagining at Dark Camelot, the original idea for Thief . . . maybe this is a stretch) both released prior to Dishonored (their answer to Thief). Either way, great video. I just figured I would chime in.
What made me change the way i was playing morally, was seeing how Emily's drawings changed. And it made me sit back and think about how my dark actions would effect a child, and how the beloved empress, (hinted at being your lover) would not be happy or proud of the unnecessary killings. Because one of the first things you hear her say is, "They are my citizens, and I will save them from the plague if I can." Leading me to think she would be ashamed at how things were unfolding. Excellent storytelling concept, that makes the player question their actions. Its beautiful
My all time favorite game. Have it in my library rn and just seeing this makes me want to play again. Thanks for the vid Aqua, hope you're doing well :)
Dishonored was incredible. I only just played it this year, and I can't believe I hadn't earlier. The world captured my attention, I felt compelled to continue playing the uncover this story. It's simple but I wanted to keep going. The DLC was a cherry on top for sure and I thought the verticality in the levels added a lot to freshen up the game. Likewise, Dishonored 2 I found quite fun. Dishonored 2 maybe wasn't as compelling, but the additions were nice and there are two masterpieces in level design that just might be the most incredibly unique and imaginative game spaces I've ever had the privilege to play. Clockwork Mansion and Crack in the Slab. I genuinely can't wait to replay both once I've finished up some other games.
I do not understand why ppl tend to put caveats on praise for Dishonored 2. I've been the biggest fan of the original Dishonored since it released and Dishonored 2 is absolutely as good as the first game, mechanically improved and expanded, visually stunning, and has some of the best levels in the entire series (between Dishonored 1 & 2, the Daud DLCs, and Death of the Outsider). A Dishonored Greatest Hits compilation would include like half of Dishonored 2.
To justify Piero. There is a piece of dialoge with the heart where it says that hes dying and that he doesnt have much time left, which is true. Piero is dying of cancer or something similiar and has little to no time left before he dies, maybe a couple years. He's a lonely genious who went trough his whole life unappreciated for his efforts, even kicked out of the academy, overshadowed by Sokolov, he's 40 and still a virgin, because he never had the time to care about women or such, because he was too shy and couldn't build up the courage to speak to them. The voice you hear is the voice of a lonely, dying, sad man.
The mission where you go to eliminate the high regent, if you shoot the general while he’s talking to him, it will trigger a line of dialogue from the LR and he’ll be like “hello? General? Is anyone there?” It was a nice touch especially when I thought about if they thought of that and sure enough they did, you could even talk to the regent through the tv and have guards sent after you
Going through the entire games without killing a single person is one of the best gaming experiences. Every stealth game has killing, a violent playthrough, while still fun, just isn't as unique as a pacifist. Also the level designs are amazing. Linear but yet free to do what you want in each
When the developers mentioned someone used the powers creatively to traverse an area and they revised their design to support this, I knew this would be great. One of my favorite stealth games ever, played it a ton of times.
i think the slow-time weapon wheel is genius because it makes switching to any gadget or power from any other feel fast and natural, or at least more immersive/fluid than scrolling around a hotbar like other games. I also think the combat is cool because you'd die against a crowd of people if you didn't use gadgets and powers, I feel that switching between them aggressively and circumstantially is encouraged, that the sword is your primary weapon but that it is not usually enough
also I didn't "get" Piero either until i discovered that the lady he was spying on actually DID like him but found him to be socially inept and his actions questionable so she keeps shrugging him off. The Heart also mentions some things about him having fucked up health since childhood and constant nightly visions of the outsider. I think at surface level he's just a jerk but if you poke around I think he's just a little fucked up or confused. Running around pointing the heart at anyone and everyone has some really cool dialogue
Arkane Studios is one of those studios, that when you play a game they made once, you INSTANTLY recognize all of their games even if blindfolded. They have this unique flair to them. It draws HEAVY inspiration from French architecture (no wonder, IIRC Arkane Lyon is French) which just bleeds into their games, making them so recognizable and iconic. I played Deathloop when it came out and I instantly knew from the FIRST level that this was an Arkane production. It had that same flair, the same style, and art style that makes their games pop, which made me love the game so much. After finishing the game, it made me go back to Dishonored 2, which is where I remembered why I love their games so much. Dishonored 2 was released in 2016, but the art style just does not get old. The game still looks absolutely breathtaking. It reminds me of AC: Unity in a way. A game, that if you get past the jank it came with on release (and the jank the PC port STILL has to this day), you find an expertly crafted, close to a masterpiece game, with the atmosphere to fill an entire planet with. The world of Dishonored feels so alive, so vibrant yet so depressing. They nail that balance of portraying a world ruled by a bunch of aristocrats who have no clue as to how their people are actually doing and who honestly could not care less. Karnaca is a great example of this. The whole level feels so vibrant and so alive, but you can still see the devastation and feel the hurt that the Duke caused by being a literal sociopath who cares about nothing else than his own wealth and status. It also helps that the level is so well designed. It flows so well from one place to another, for example how you get from the bridge to the Duke's mansion and the plethora of ways when inside on how to get to the Duke and how to deal with him. But I think the most iconic level and to this day the most breathtaking example of why I think Arcane houses some of the most talented developers and artists, is for sure the Clockwork Mansion level. That one level is pure work of art. From how the level flows with you fiddling with the moving parts of the room, finding secret back-alleyways, and figuring out the best way to deal with the Clockwork soldiers, that level is just a pure *chef's kiss*. I know that this video is about the original Dishonored and I do have a lot to say about that game too, that game was seriously ahead of its time when it comes to pure gameplay mechanics, the art style which again, does not seem to age at all, but I feel that people have missed out on Dishonored 2. I have a couple of friends who hold Dishonored 1 very dear to their hearts and a couple of them have not even tried Dishonored 2 and I can't seem to understand why. They said the game just went under their radar and that they just never got around to playing it, which is why I want it known to EVERYONE who has played the original Dishonored, loved it but didn't start the second one; Do yourself a favor, and play Dishonored 2. It's a work of art.
God I wish I could. I have a really old PC and it can't even boot Dishonored 2. I used to wanna play it so bad I'd literally see myself playing it in my dreams.
Dishonored 2 is the best looking game ever made for me. Im not talking about graphical fidelity of course. Game world looks incredible, all the interiors, streets etc etc. true feast to eyes.
What I like about the player and world interactions is the guest book at the party of Lady Boyle, where Corvo can sign it and later read a letter where it is mentioned to Hiram iirc
I presented a paper at a literary conference on this exact kind of thing a few years ago. All about agency in video games and used dishonored as one of the larger examples of how its shown. Very impressive video essay and glad to see these kinds of readings and philosophical inquiries are being built upon!
I first played dishonored 2 on a friends older brothers Xbox and it drew me in so much he told me to get off because I just wanted to keep going. Went home and bought dishonored 1 played through it in 2 days and got the high chaos ending. Then bought dishonored 2 because I wanted to keep going on the story and finished it in about the same amount of time going for multiple endings. It truly is a franchise that showed me what a ‘free’ and open world can be while still telling a complex and cohesive story that makes you want to keep playing to find out that next tidbit of information. Great vid man really made me reminisce and verbalized why this game was so damn good!
Dishonoured and dishonoured 2 have little things like conversations about people who have died, or how people just got choked out. The more ruthless you are the more people get jumpy at dark corners. People committing suicide around the worlds. People being kind to each other if you aren’t terrible. And the heart makes me sad if I do bad
I am so glad this game is getting the praise it deserves. I too played it almost ten years after it’s release. I had always seen it and thought it looked very interesting but just never got around to playing it. It’s up there with my favorite games now, it’s just such a cool and distinct experience, such a perfect and beautiful setting, with such detail and intricacy in design, characters, and story alike. Love this game.
17:23 I would love it if stealth games didn't rely so much on the save system. My solution would be to give the player the ability to rewind a few seconds in case you made a mistake.
IMO this is the greatest immersive sim ever created. Sure the greats that came before it were more defining and revolutionary, but the sheer gameplay freedom, the impeccable level of polish in production and panache in worldbuilding elevate this above even those giants.
There is one particular place i love the most in Dishonored: It's the workshop on the Campbel level just before you would exit the mission near the shore. That place is full of love and care. If i remember correctly there is a key in a jar, that opens a chest. You have to break the jar in order to get the key, there is a bone charm or rune closed in a clamp, and some other cool stuff scattered around. These are sure simple stuff, but this kind of creative level design you dont see in many games. Dishonored uses its environment pretty well basically with physics and the opportunity to grab objects, and this area is swimming in character and it uses these mechanics so joyfuly.
I have played Dishonored for 210 hours. I just learned that if you kill the radio broadcaster, a female broadcaster takes over (and that her voice is Carrie Fisher in the OG version). Incredible.
Was I the only one in this game who quick saved and tried to kill the NPC allies in the hub world in the most creative ways possible before the "game over" screen in an infinite loop? Anyone?
Amazing video Aqua! I usually tend to do other stuff while watching even a 20min video but you got me captivated there for a full hour without even the feeling of need to do smt on the side
This is one of the best analyses I’ve seen of one of my favorite games of all time. Loved the video. And yes, Daud was definitely the best character in the original and Michael Madsen killed that role. Also: one of the funniest favours Daud can access happens in the very last mission. Daud can contact one of the witches for something (I forgot what), but if you kill ANY of her sisters, the deal is off and she refuses to collaborate. Small thing, but it added a lot of flavor
Fun fact: the nonlethal/low chaos options are the canonical decisions for all 3 games. This is based on recordings, journals, speeches, etc. For example, in the first Karnaca mission, the overseers talk about Campbell bearing the brand, and in Death of the Outsider ~~Megan~~ Billie has her arm and eyeball restored, which only happens if Emily spares the miner guy from seeing the void.
Dishonored was way ahead of it's time! Up till now I still find it more enjoyable than most games nowadays despite it's lack of graphics. Hope it'll have a remaster on dishonored 1 or a sequel covering the dark continent pandyssia! (probably a backstory on the outsider or granny rags)
Its possible Dunwall city trials is canonically Corvo's dreams, judging by the content and the fact that it all seemingly takes place in the void, much like Corvo's first meeting with the outsider. I know its kinda a stretch but I think its possible. regardless, its part of my headcanon
As an avid fan of Dishonored and Arkane since 2012, this is a great video. Not only did you recognize the intricacies of what the game offers, you made your own suggestions that I think would have been amazing to see. Keep up the great work, Aqua.
19:00 funny thing, if your system has low enough specs that it cant handle going at blink speeds, it instead slows down the game massively. This gives it more of a feeling of a glide to where you are going while everything is in slowmotion.
Having less gameplay mechanics for non-lethal makes sense. Because no matter what doing the good thing is always harder than doing the bad thing. It's so easy to kill every target and guard you see, but it's so much more effort and difficulty to not kill them. It's great.
41:42 But, Dishonored is Arkane's 4th game? [2002] Arx Fatalis, [2006] Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, in 2009 they did a mobile game KarmaStar, [2012] Dishonored. Arkane also did support work on COD: World at War and Bioshock 2. (They additionally had multiple canceled games; Half-Life: Ravenhold canceled by Valve late in development, The crossing, which was canceled to focus on LMNO for EA and Steven Spielberg, which EA later canceled) You also mention later that they are a small team, and by Ubisoft standards, that's true, but they still had two studios and over a hundred employees by Dishonored's release.
I played the Witcher 3, both new god of war games, both red dead redemption games , modded skyrim on pc, the last of us, fallout 3 and 4 and so many others beautiful games .... but dishonored is still my favourite and i dont know why. There is something special about this game.
One of my favourite things I've seen someone do on dishonoured was my younger sister, she beat the game and got the achievement for never upgrading or purchasing any powers through the whole game. Now this confused her a lot, mainly because she managed to beat the game without realising you COULD upgrade and buy powers. Like literally had no idea she could until she read the description of the achievement at the end of the game. I've never been more simultaneously proud and concerned at her for getting an achievement in any game 🤣
I remember being obsessed with the lore, the outsider fascinated me as well as the history of the empire of the isles and the pandyssian continent, one of my favourite games of all time.
My second favorite game of all time. From gameplay to Lore to Atmosphere to themes to art style. I've played it more times than I can count and have no doubt put hundreds of hours in it. What a beautiful piece of Art.
Thank you aqua for making a dishonored video. Dishonored has been my all time favourite game because it have a great world building, weapon, powers, plot twist, replay value and damn what a story it has (and when you combine all the three game story damn it's like heaven) That's again for making my wish come true
the first time I payed dishonored was 4 years ago and I have to admit, I love this game to this day. I only did 3 play thorughs, but the reason for that is, because dishonored 2 is even better. Everything which was amazing in the first part, is even better in the second. Part 2 goes so much deeper into mechanics, choices, realistic AI, art style, lore and so much more.
“So many games market themselves to play your way but fail to deliver on it. When I hear the words, I think great - I get to play in stealth or guns blazing. Whoopty shit” lmaoooo
Awesome video, glad to see you tackle dishonored. A couple small corrections though. 1. Rat Swarm is not a sustainable (as far as mana goes) power. 2. The game doesn't really make a distinction between rechargeable and non rechargeable mana. It always recharges the same percent of mana, some moves just use more than the amount recharged, but that amount still gets recharged, which is why the expensive moves still have a few more uses than you might expect. 3. Blink is silent, or at least is meant to be. Perhaps sometimes there are bugs or maybe you blink close enough to touch your target, but in terms of sound blink alone does not alert the enemy 4. The stasis ability in the beginning of the game literally is pull, corvo is just silent so it seems a little different, but both through in game text and just common sense you can tell that pull is being used, idk why this one's in here.
Dishonored 1 and 2 are basically Thief 2 with better combat, teleportation, and better graphics……how could people not love it? They even used the same voice actor for Corvo that also voiced Garret from Thief 1-3.
I just replayed this game 5 days ago for my 10th or so time since I got it at lunch. Saw this video and though “neat I’ll watch this”. And boy aren’t I glad I did, cuz somewhere at the 20 minute mark you shook my entire pre existing knowledge of this game. You pointed out something I’ve never known in the 10 years this games been out…you can upgrade the abilities. I…I just don’t know how I never knew this😂I’ve always used all of the abilities completely stock, super short range blink and all. How, how have I done every ending. How have I done a 0 kill run and a 100% kill run WITHOUT CLOCKING THAT YOU CAN DOUBLE JUMP! Wtf. Do you have any idea how painful it was doing a 0 kill not detected lady Boyle mission clearance. THE TEARS I WEPT. Well, time for another run
I just recently replayed this game to do a lot of the side missions I ignored on my first few runs. I'm still blown away with how detailed and well crafted this game is and how you're actions effect it. This may sound weird but Granny Rags was a stand out for me, I ignored her the first few playthroughs. She fits in so well with the themes of decay and the sinister things that seep through the cracks. This once noble babbling old woman who only gets scarier the deeper you dig. I wish she was more plot important as she's our intro to witches and one of the few marked by the outsider, along with Corvo, Daud, and Delilah.
I have played this game a ton of times, but only recently have I been searching every level head to toe, and it's great! But unfortunately for the people of dunwall my fun is derived from high body counts
I clicked the video because it seemed legit without looking too deep. I see it's over an hour in length and I'm so freaking grateful that this will last me 1 or 2 nights for bed listening
With the recent sale on steam, I got these games. I previously played on PlayStation, so it wasn't a new experience but I was reminded of just how absolutely fantastic this series is. Having a video talk about it for an hour scratches an itch of wanting to talk about this game so much.
I like that the low or high chaos choices you make end up being reflected on Emily, to me it´s poetic in a way, because it says that the choices the adults make end up affecting children the most
I'll never forget the dishonored games. Till this day i struggle to think of an immersive sim (that's not prey or thief) that can transport me into a character's headspace so vivdly through primarily the gameplay. There's a moment when everything clicks, and it's just brilliant when you realise you've been reacting before you think.
@@JC.Denton.. with Blade being announced from Arkane Lyon it’s not looking too likely. Sometimes it’s best if great stories end before they become parody…or at least that’s what I’ll tell myself in this situation,haha.
Earlier this year i replayed and decided to 100% the series. Truly a work of art. The hours ive spent in the first dishonored is truly countless, the the dlc only grew that time further. Releasing if for the Xbox one. Just pushed it further beyond. the emotions this game brings in me. I grew up constantly replaying the game. The amount of conversations I've had with the game, discussions I've written. Truly a game that ages like a fine wine.
If you enjoyed this video then I’d appreciate your support on Patreon www.patreon.com/thatboyaqua
Great video, I still think the first Dishonored managed to do better than the sequel, it's practically timeless. A selfish personal request, I would love to see you do a video essay on Mass Effect Andromeda, that game is so painfully underrated it hurts. I totally understand the response from fans on release as it was much buggier and had a lot of weird dialogue choices to meme on, but the hate bandwagon grew so large it completely overshadowed the good parts of that game and killed it's DLC in the crib. ME:A has perfected the combat ME3 sought to refine, it feels like a genuine 3rd person action RPG and not just a 3rd person shooter with some rpg mechanics like ME2. There really is a lot to like in this game and I think it got a very raw deal on release, so I'd love to see it covered.
so wait, this is all from the first game?
Now, we're waiting for sequel
@@histhoryk2648
i'm playing the sequel right now, and it's an ok game, i still wish they fixed their stealth mechanics to be more realistic using darkness and it actually being worth a shit lol, i truly thought they would fix this in the next game, but no, it's the exact same as the last one in this regard, but they also fixed a lot of other things in the gameplay that make the game good.
This is really cool, I'm excited to see what you do with this!
Dishonored is one of those games that define gaming in general for me. Arcane Studios nailed pretty much everything. It's an unique experience that got me into steampunk genre and stealth games
No doubt. still holds up today, I wish more people appreciated this game.
@@that1akwardguy Wanna gather for whiskey and cigars tonight?
@Whyyoumadatfacts? 🤷♂️ any reason why? personally i dislike the reused animations in the dlcs
@@TemmieContingenC Indeed, I believe so.
It’s actually WHALEPUNK. Get it right. Whale oil, not steam. I can’t believe you.
Daud is the best character in the franchise, and that only sunk in for me when I played the DLC and realized: he saves Emily from being condemned to stand by and watch as an insane witch takes over her body and pushes a broken empire deeper into chaos. He doesn't throw it on Corvo's face, though, as if it made up for murdering Jessamine. He knows it doesn't, so all he does is beg for his life, and then, should Corvo spare him, Daud only reacts with bafflement. He says something similar to "you choose mercy, unbelievable"
The level design and the atmosphere of the new DLC missions is unmatched too imo. All the new areas introduced felt so unique and vibrant.
The slaughterhouse shows how inhumane the practices of gaining whale oil are. Making it all the more interesting how whale oil is the foundation of industry in Dishonored.
The legal district just reeks corruption, fitting for the main target of the mission, an even more corrupt barrister.
Drapers Ward is a good showcase of gang warfare and how powerful gangs are in the city.
And the Brigmore Manor has this magestic yet menacing atmosphere paralleling Delilah’s ‘charming’ personality yet cruel nature.
I also love the contrast in the repeated level with the main game and how Corvo’s and Daud’s actions affect the game in both stories. We see Daud’s men captured by Overseers and in disarray whereas Corvo sees them organised again. It also explains the overseer corpses in the flooded district mission in the main game.
And Coleridge is now completely secured down after Corvo’s escape. I love the touch of the guards draining the water under the bridge to show that Daud’s story is happening alongside Corvo’s.
I also feel that the high chaos and low chaos options in the DLC aren’t nearly as bad as they are in the main game.
And of course the best and most complex playable character, Daud is the one you play as.
@@ARR409 atmospheric and vibrant? That's where I have to disagree. The new levels have much superior design for gameplay, but doesn't feel as lively as the base game. Not as detailed or beautiful.
I'm glad to know im not the only one who thought this. I loved my first playthrough of D1 and after buying the DLC I got so hooked on KoD because of Daud, I really would have never expected him to be such an engaging character and you can feel the regret he has from killing the Empress throughout both DLCs. Brigmore Witches wasn't as good imo (and D2 reusing Delilah pissed me off) but the ending still goes hard no matter what.
@@davidsplooge14 I get your point. The base game has some amazing levels like Lady Boyle’s last party and the flooded district. But I think some of the atmosphere is kinda mid in missions like Kingsparrow Island and the Golden Cat. Whereas for me, the slaughterhouse mission and the Brigmore Manor have some of the best atmosphere that reflects the target of the mission also.
"Extraordinary." The way he says that and just jumps away is always a highlight.
A thing that blew my mind was that if you froze time and fired a crossbow bolt at a tight crowd you could attach a spring razor to the bolt and if you angled it right you could kill the entire crowd with the spring razor as the bolt got close to them.
Wow, didn't know that
you can get similar results in a much louder fashion by shooting a frag with pistol. a personal favorite thing for me is blocking bullets with bottles or body parts
Whats better is that StealthGamerBR and Volound do this in their already insane kills. Highly recommend watching them to any stealth game fans.
Edit: I also recommend Clockner 👍🏻
I need to try that 😂
You can attach a springrazor to a bottle and use it as a silent grenade too.
I hope they make an animated series set in the Dishonored universe , like they did for Arcane. The setting , characters and lore make it such a good candidate
yes but made by riot games
@@xexeed1363 fuck no
apparently a dishonored series was picked up by netflix about 2 years ago but with how they've handled recent shows I wouldn't be surprised if it had been cancelled
@@Schminkerdoodle the story about netflix developing a dishonored show is almost exactly a year old, so there's a chance
@@l99minaty there's a pirate animated short in a similar bart style on season 2 love, death and robots.
45:07 Samuel does have some notable differences in High and Low chaos. In his little outdoor camp, at some point in the game, he has a salvaged audio recorder where he can state his thoughts on the previous mission.
Between the sequels and Death Loop, I find Dishonored 1 has been massively neglected in any games discourse. Seeing this in my sub box having you analyse it for a full hour genuinely put a smile on my face! Keep up the fantastic work, Aqua!
Interesting. We must watch very different channels because this game is brought up so often in gaming circles that I frequent. Glad Aqua is covering it regardless since it's an incredible game.
I agree that the series is rather underrated as a whole, but if there's any one game in the franchise that gets brought up with extreme frequency, it's definitely D1.
If anything, I'd say that the immediate sequel is the one talked about the least, considering the first game is considered a Magnum Opus and Death of the Outsider gets surrounded by controversy.
@@Kageravager it isn't underrated at all though. It may not be very popular, or even close to it, but most people who actually played it couldn't rate it higher. Same with most other Arkane games. If anything, I'd say its perfectly rated by the people who matter.
@@lucascarracedo7421 so like I said. Underrated by the masses. Moving on
And dishonored 1 is the best of all of them
I would venture to say, with the nature of the game being about empathy and choice, that not having a lot of "fun" options for non-lethal play is intentional. Toying the player with all of the power they cannot use, either to coax them into abusing that power by killing, or having the player learn restraint by not doing so.
Yeah I get that but I would've still liked to see what non lethal options there could've been. Especially how creative the non lethal endings for your targets were.
I seriously doubt it, as that is a dumb way to design a video game you intend on selling to people...
Maybe something you're giving away for free. But I think it was just a design oversight...the simplest answer is often the safest and all that.
Metal Gear Solid games had enough fun tools and conveyed "killing bad" without turning the game into chocking simulator
@@KoylTrane that's without saying that with MGS3 the stealth system became a lot more sophisticated than just "stay out of sight' allowing for more interesting and dynamic gameplay.
Basically, you're Batman with superpowers
The reason why it said you failed to help kill The Geezer is because you're meant to kill him so he will tell you the code for door to get the engine coil. You do this by removing the whale oil tank from his life support and then he tells you the code (or the first two numbers before dying). If you abruptly kill him he doesn't tell you the code, so even though you killed him, you failed the objective of getting the code.
Ah ok thank you for explaining!
@@ThatBoyAqua No worries. Loved the video!
you don't have to kill him. You do the job that his nurse says and you can get the code from the nurse when you return.
@@cygna1237 theres multiple ways to get it, who would've thought that dishonored has multiple ways to complete objectives
The fucking exhilaration of sneakin around, barely avoiding being caught, only killing when absolutely necessary, and blinking behind guards with their back turned, waiting the 3ish seconds it takes to knock an enemy out while playing low chaos is the most fun I’ve had in any game ever.
High octane combat is exhilarating, but the feeling sneaking in this game gave me while barely avoiding enemies, blinking past crowds is somethin different.
Has always been and will always be my all-time favorite game, not even Dishonored 2 (which is also a masterpiece) managed to dethrone the original for me, the atmosphere and world-building in Dishonored 1 is simply unmatched.
Dishonored 2 has my favorite mission of the 3 games easily , a crack in the slab is masterful.
@@latima123ify There's 3 Dishonored games?
@@latima123ify Crack in the slab is honestly a masterclass in level design, and I'm still in awe of how much the entire mission outcome can change based on your actions.
@@Largentina. Death of the Outsider is usually seen as the third game despite being an expansion to 2, since it's standalone and concludes the narrative arc of the first two games.
2 reused too much, including villains ffs. Also the canonical choices for the first game make little sense. Corvo kills guards in 2's opening, but spares Daud? Lol ok
This might be the most well written video essay on the original Dishonored I’ve seen yet. Kudos to you sir! Great job!
The non-lethal takedown of Jindosh in Dishonored 2 felt soul-shattering to me. I found myself trying to walk away without finishing the job, hoping it will be enough to count, even knowing what evil things he did
I embarassed him by never being seen by him, until I killed his sentries in his room and beat him up in open combat until his frustrated dialogue started looping. Then I burnt him alive
Oh god right? You take the greatest mind of the age and microwave his noodle till hes a jibbering idiot
Giving him dementia was far worse than just stabbing him.
Why are there 3 replies here hidden lol?
I didn't feel bad knowing it was something he had made. I'm simply helping him test his lobotomy machine
OG Dishonored will always have a very special place in my heart...It's still to this day one of the greatest stealth games ever made and frankly one of the greatest video games ever made. Just like Deadspace, the absolute masterclass in game design stands a test of time even after so many years!
One of the most fun games I ever played and personally one of my favorites.
Just saying, F5 and F9 for quicksave and quickload respectively is not just a Bethesda thing, it is a very common thing among PC games in general. At the very least, F5 for quicksave is rather common.
Yep. Even the original Half-Life used f5 for quick save.
@@dr.3998 I believe even the original Tomb Raider games used F5 for quicksave and F6 for quickload
@@ElizabethRS Iirc, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory uses F5 for Quicksave and F8 for Quickload. Rebound it to F9 though since I was so used to it from Dishonored and Fallout: New Vegas.
@@ElizabethRS ugh the old days when you'd accidentally quickload and destroyed your progress. That's why 5 and 9 started to happen, the keys weren't right next to each other.
It's this way at least since Half Life.
Hey Aqua, I've seen just about every Dishonored review ever made and I really appreciate how in depth you go with all your reviews. Your effort and attention to detail really shine through with these.
I play through this game at least once every 8 months, such a masterpiece.
Should we gather for whisky and cigars tonight?
@@vinnie830 Indeed, I believe so.
@AaLsEE Blow off, choffer.
literally every time i sit to play games i think of dishonored. its literally spoiled me ❤
It takes like 5-10 hours for one playthrough yet i have 150 hours playtime :D
For anyone who doesn't know, Daud's voice-actor is Michael Madsen, who is known for Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs and Budd in the Kill Bill series, among other things.
God damn. I'm only halfway done but the wordplay, the jokes, and occasional alliteration set a new bar for your channel. Great script, this video absolutely rips
This is my favorite game of all-time. The sequel is also incredible but the first game just has something special about it that nothing else has ever been able to capture. The freedom of playstyle, the level design, the excellent stealth, and the lore that I have been addicted to and lost in ever since the game originally released all clicked for me in a way few other games ever have. I think it's a masterpiece and I recommend it to everyone.
I remember when this game came out, I had no interest whatsoever. I eventually got it free through Xbox, and for some reason I was mildly annoyed about getting it instead of some other free game I missed. So I played it haphazardly and half-assed (unintentionally playing right into a high chaos run), barely bothering to stealth or find non-lethal options, instead just doing mad dashes and killing guards in the open. I blasted through it "taking the piss" for most of the game, until about half way through, I realized that I wasnt "fighting with" the game by playing it that way-- they had totally accounted for me playing it that way. NPCs started to act afraid of me, they saw me as an uncaring murderer, and the world was becoming darker and more chaotic around me. It wasn't "just another stealth game," like I had thought, it was a game about making choices through your actions. The gears shifted in my head and I slowly realized how AMAZING the game really was.
Flash forward to now, it's an all-time favorite of mine, along with the sequels. There are genuinely few games with as much attention to detail and ambition in their gameplay.
2:39 One of my only complaints about this game is the fact that we couldn’t use tallboy incendiary bows while inside their head. Mana is pretty hard to come by and possession is brief so it wouldn’t have been overpowered. Oh well,a man can dream.
That admittedly made sense though. The possession was clumsy: all you could do with a human host is stagger around without motor control.
I mean we get plenty of explosives on our own. The first mission is the overseer house and they are generally equipped with nades. Incendiary arrow are slightly harder to come by but you can find them in secret trapped areas.
This is my favorite game of all time and I can honestly say that I've never really used any of the powers other than blink and night eye
Uhhhh, whoa. You're missing alot of amazing things that can be done in this game then. I know you said it's your favorite game but I really think that if you tried more of the games mechanics that you'd love it even more than you already do.
@@Largentina. Dishonored is about how your actions change Dunwall. It's not about using powers to kill people, it's about what happens with the world around you when you do that. That is what separates it from another FPS action game. He's not missing a lot from not using powers. Powers are just an option in this game and, being honest, combat in Dishonored 1 is not that deep and fun. Sure has a high skill ceiling but not that much in terms of pure fun. Killing people while ignoring the atmosphere around feels like a crime to me in this game.
@@Largentina. typically when I play I go low chaos, stealth, and pacifist. So I just never found a use for the powers really I prefer the challenge of limited options.
You haven't played dishonored if you haven't killed every target with devouring swarm 🤣 that shit is too funny man
@@marcoaurelio6311 It's just a game, use the powers and don't overthink about it!!
I REALLY loved the fact that you can finish the entire game without killing anyone.
Makes for a great replayability.
The most overlooked or most forgotten good game. I can't believe I ignored it for 10 years...
41:40 Dishonored was actually Arkane's third game, if I'm not mistaken. Actually, it's kind of interesting, as almost all of Arkane's games is in some way an answer to one of Looking Glass's titles. Arx Fatalis (an answer to Ultima Underworld), and Dark Messiah (possibly a reimagining at Dark Camelot, the original idea for Thief . . . maybe this is a stretch) both released prior to Dishonored (their answer to Thief). Either way, great video. I just figured I would chime in.
The Dark Camelot one is definitely a stretch but I agree with your overall point and think it's awesome. What a cool studio.
IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO SINCE I FOUND YOUR CHANNEL
What made me change the way i was playing morally, was seeing how Emily's drawings changed. And it made me sit back and think about how my dark actions would effect a child, and how the beloved empress, (hinted at being your lover) would not be happy or proud of the unnecessary killings. Because one of the first things you hear her say is, "They are my citizens, and I will save them from the plague if I can."
Leading me to think she would be ashamed at how things were unfolding.
Excellent storytelling concept, that makes the player question their actions. Its beautiful
My all time favorite game. Have it in my library rn and just seeing this makes me want to play again. Thanks for the vid Aqua, hope you're doing well :)
Well yeah I would hope that your favorite game is in your library. I feel like most people own their favorite games.
Dishonored was incredible. I only just played it this year, and I can't believe I hadn't earlier. The world captured my attention, I felt compelled to continue playing the uncover this story. It's simple but I wanted to keep going. The DLC was a cherry on top for sure and I thought the verticality in the levels added a lot to freshen up the game.
Likewise, Dishonored 2 I found quite fun. Dishonored 2 maybe wasn't as compelling, but the additions were nice and there are two masterpieces in level design that just might be the most incredibly unique and imaginative game spaces I've ever had the privilege to play. Clockwork Mansion and Crack in the Slab.
I genuinely can't wait to replay both once I've finished up some other games.
I do not understand why ppl tend to put caveats on praise for Dishonored 2. I've been the biggest fan of the original Dishonored since it released and Dishonored 2 is absolutely as good as the first game, mechanically improved and expanded, visually stunning, and has some of the best levels in the entire series (between Dishonored 1 & 2, the Daud DLCs, and Death of the Outsider). A Dishonored Greatest Hits compilation would include like half of Dishonored 2.
Finally a good, hour long video on one of my favorite games of all time. Welp, time to relax and watch ☕️
If you enjoyed this video I'd highly recommend this as well FYI: ua-cam.com/video/qYFtDGpV-z4/v-deo.html
To justify Piero. There is a piece of dialoge with the heart where it says that hes dying and that he doesnt have much time left, which is true. Piero is dying of cancer or something similiar and has little to no time left before he dies, maybe a couple years. He's a lonely genious who went trough his whole life unappreciated for his efforts, even kicked out of the academy, overshadowed by Sokolov, he's 40 and still a virgin, because he never had the time to care about women or such, because he was too shy and couldn't build up the courage to speak to them. The voice you hear is the voice of a lonely, dying, sad man.
The mission where you go to eliminate the high regent, if you shoot the general while he’s talking to him, it will trigger a line of dialogue from the LR and he’ll be like “hello? General? Is anyone there?”
It was a nice touch especially when I thought about if they thought of that and sure enough they did, you could even talk to the regent through the tv and have guards sent after you
Going through the entire games without killing a single person is one of the best gaming experiences. Every stealth game has killing, a violent playthrough, while still fun, just isn't as unique as a pacifist.
Also the level designs are amazing. Linear but yet free to do what you want in each
When the developers mentioned someone used the powers creatively to traverse an area and they revised their design to support this, I knew this would be great. One of my favorite stealth games ever, played it a ton of times.
i think the slow-time weapon wheel is genius because it makes switching to any gadget or power from any other feel fast and natural, or at least more immersive/fluid than scrolling around a hotbar like other games. I also think the combat is cool because you'd die against a crowd of people if you didn't use gadgets and powers, I feel that switching between them aggressively and circumstantially is encouraged, that the sword is your primary weapon but that it is not usually enough
also I didn't "get" Piero either until i discovered that the lady he was spying on actually DID like him but found him to be socially inept and his actions questionable so she keeps shrugging him off. The Heart also mentions some things about him having fucked up health since childhood and constant nightly visions of the outsider. I think at surface level he's just a jerk but if you poke around I think he's just a little fucked up or confused. Running around pointing the heart at anyone and everyone has some really cool dialogue
Arkane Studios is one of those studios, that when you play a game they made once, you INSTANTLY recognize all of their games even if blindfolded. They have this unique flair to them. It draws HEAVY inspiration from French architecture (no wonder, IIRC Arkane Lyon is French) which just bleeds into their games, making them so recognizable and iconic.
I played Deathloop when it came out and I instantly knew from the FIRST level that this was an Arkane production. It had that same flair, the same style, and art style that makes their games pop, which made me love the game so much. After finishing the game, it made me go back to Dishonored 2, which is where I remembered why I love their games so much. Dishonored 2 was released in 2016, but the art style just does not get old. The game still looks absolutely breathtaking. It reminds me of AC: Unity in a way. A game, that if you get past the jank it came with on release (and the jank the PC port STILL has to this day), you find an expertly crafted, close to a masterpiece game, with the atmosphere to fill an entire planet with. The world of Dishonored feels so alive, so vibrant yet so depressing. They nail that balance of portraying a world ruled by a bunch of aristocrats who have no clue as to how their people are actually doing and who honestly could not care less.
Karnaca is a great example of this. The whole level feels so vibrant and so alive, but you can still see the devastation and feel the hurt that the Duke caused by being a literal sociopath who cares about nothing else than his own wealth and status. It also helps that the level is so well designed. It flows so well from one place to another, for example how you get from the bridge to the Duke's mansion and the plethora of ways when inside on how to get to the Duke and how to deal with him.
But I think the most iconic level and to this day the most breathtaking example of why I think Arcane houses some of the most talented developers and artists, is for sure the Clockwork Mansion level. That one level is pure work of art. From how the level flows with you fiddling with the moving parts of the room, finding secret back-alleyways, and figuring out the best way to deal with the Clockwork soldiers, that level is just a pure *chef's kiss*.
I know that this video is about the original Dishonored and I do have a lot to say about that game too, that game was seriously ahead of its time when it comes to pure gameplay mechanics, the art style which again, does not seem to age at all, but I feel that people have missed out on Dishonored 2. I have a couple of friends who hold Dishonored 1 very dear to their hearts and a couple of them have not even tried Dishonored 2 and I can't seem to understand why. They said the game just went under their radar and that they just never got around to playing it, which is why I want it known to EVERYONE who has played the original Dishonored, loved it but didn't start the second one;
Do yourself a favor, and play Dishonored 2. It's a work of art.
If not for the performance and engine issues, the game would be the absolute best of all time. Simply Dishonored 1 but greater.
God I wish I could. I have a really old PC and it can't even boot Dishonored 2. I used to wanna play it so bad I'd literally see myself playing it in my dreams.
another arkane masterpiece is prey. so overlooked that its painful. prey is one of the most amazing games ive played in my life
Dishonored 2 is the best looking game ever made for me. Im not talking about graphical fidelity of course. Game world looks incredible, all the interiors, streets etc etc. true feast to eyes.
What I like about the player and world interactions is the guest book at the party of Lady Boyle, where Corvo can sign it and later read a letter where it is mentioned to Hiram iirc
I believe in the books it is stated that lady Boyle kills lord Brisby and lives well with his fortune.
I presented a paper at a literary conference on this exact kind of thing a few years ago. All about agency in video games and used dishonored as one of the larger examples of how its shown. Very impressive video essay and glad to see these kinds of readings and philosophical inquiries are being built upon!
Dishonored is one of those games that makes you feel warm and cozy
I first played dishonored 2 on a friends older brothers Xbox and it drew me in so much he told me to get off because I just wanted to keep going.
Went home and bought dishonored 1 played through it in 2 days and got the high chaos ending. Then bought dishonored 2 because I wanted to keep going on the story and finished it in about the same amount of time going for multiple endings. It truly is a franchise that showed me what a ‘free’ and open world can be while still telling a complex and cohesive story that makes you want to keep playing to find out that next tidbit of information. Great vid man really made me reminisce and verbalized why this game was so damn good!
we are blessed today with another great retrospective
That ”daddy-comment” really came out of nowhere. A literal laugh-out-loud-moment. Brilliant. Loved the video!
For me it was the setting, it was just so vibrant and interesting and none of the other Dishonored games seemed to nail the vibes of the first one.
Dishonoured and dishonoured 2 have little things like conversations about people who have died, or how people just got choked out. The more ruthless you are the more people get jumpy at dark corners. People committing suicide around the worlds. People being kind to each other if you aren’t terrible.
And the heart makes me sad if I do bad
I am so glad this game is getting the praise it deserves. I too played it almost ten years after it’s release. I had always seen it and thought it looked very interesting but just never got around to playing it. It’s up there with my favorite games now, it’s just such a cool and distinct experience, such a perfect and beautiful setting, with such detail and intricacy in design, characters, and story alike. Love this game.
17:23 I would love it if stealth games didn't rely so much on the save system. My solution would be to give the player the ability to rewind a few seconds in case you made a mistake.
amazingly incredible video and quality effort into these as always, they all shine Aqua!!
Oh my god, I absolutely love your idea for what the epilogue could've been. That would have been so beautiful.
Dishonored is one of the games that has a Special place in my heart ❤️ beating it with 0 kills was so satisfying
41:45 this wasn't arkane's first game, they made arx fatalis and dark messiah of might and magic before this.
IMO this is the greatest immersive sim ever created. Sure the greats that came before it were more defining and revolutionary, but the sheer gameplay freedom, the impeccable level of polish in production and panache in worldbuilding elevate this above even those giants.
There is one particular place i love the most in Dishonored:
It's the workshop on the Campbel level just before you would exit the mission near the shore. That place is full of love and care. If i remember correctly there is a key in a jar, that opens a chest. You have to break the jar in order to get the key, there is a bone charm or rune closed in a clamp, and some other cool stuff scattered around. These are sure simple stuff, but this kind of creative level design you dont see in many games. Dishonored uses its environment pretty well basically with physics and the opportunity to grab objects, and this area is swimming in character and it uses these mechanics so joyfuly.
Great atmosphere. Satisfying combat. Great lore. Choices. Great gameplay.
I have played Dishonored for 210 hours. I just learned that if you kill the radio broadcaster, a female broadcaster takes over (and that her voice is Carrie Fisher in the OG version). Incredible.
Was I the only one in this game who quick saved and tried to kill the NPC allies in the hub world in the most creative ways possible before the "game over" screen in an infinite loop? Anyone?
Murder just feels to good in this game, I always kill Samuel before and after each mission as well, it became tradition by this point.
Amazing video Aqua! I usually tend to do other stuff while watching even a 20min video but you got me captivated there for a full hour without even the feeling of need to do smt on the side
This is one of the best analyses I’ve seen of one of my favorite games of all time. Loved the video. And yes, Daud was definitely the best character in the original and Michael Madsen killed that role.
Also: one of the funniest favours Daud can access happens in the very last mission. Daud can contact one of the witches for something (I forgot what), but if you kill ANY of her sisters, the deal is off and she refuses to collaborate. Small thing, but it added a lot of flavor
Fun fact: the nonlethal/low chaos options are the canonical decisions for all 3 games. This is based on recordings, journals, speeches, etc. For example, in the first Karnaca mission, the overseers talk about Campbell bearing the brand, and in Death of the Outsider ~~Megan~~ Billie has her arm and eyeball restored, which only happens if Emily spares the miner guy from seeing the void.
Dishonored was way ahead of it's time! Up till now I still find it more enjoyable than most games nowadays despite it's lack of graphics. Hope it'll have a remaster on dishonored 1 or a sequel covering the dark continent pandyssia! (probably a backstory on the outsider or granny rags)
Have you played the Dishonored 2 DLC?
Its possible Dunwall city trials is canonically Corvo's dreams, judging by the content and the fact that it all seemingly takes place in the void, much like Corvo's first meeting with the outsider. I know its kinda a stretch but I think its possible. regardless, its part of my headcanon
Yesss, played Dishonored 1 and the Dishonored 2 for my first time like 6 months ago, such great games, lots of fun. Great review👍🏻
I'm still mad that Dishonored 2 doesn't have a native 60 fps boost on the Xbox or PlayStation. Do you think you might be interested in DotO?
@@Kageravager DotO?
@@glmn.visuals Death of the Outsider
@@Ewbie Havent played it yet tbh, is it any good?
@@glmn.visuals As expansions go, even a standalone one, it's great! Definitely recommend if you're craving more Dishonored
As an avid fan of Dishonored and Arkane since 2012, this is a great video. Not only did you recognize the intricacies of what the game offers, you made your own suggestions that I think would have been amazing to see. Keep up the great work, Aqua.
19:00 funny thing, if your system has low enough specs that it cant handle going at blink speeds, it instead slows down the game massively. This gives it more of a feeling of a glide to where you are going while everything is in slowmotion.
Me, playing it back in the day on a compaq laptop with terrible specs
Having less gameplay mechanics for non-lethal makes sense. Because no matter what doing the good thing is always harder than doing the bad thing. It's so easy to kill every target and guard you see, but it's so much more effort and difficulty to not kill them. It's great.
41:42 But, Dishonored is Arkane's 4th game?
[2002] Arx Fatalis, [2006] Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, in 2009 they did a mobile game KarmaStar, [2012] Dishonored. Arkane also did support work on COD: World at War and Bioshock 2.
(They additionally had multiple canceled games; Half-Life: Ravenhold canceled by Valve late in development, The crossing, which was canceled to focus on LMNO for EA and Steven Spielberg, which EA later canceled)
You also mention later that they are a small team, and by Ubisoft standards, that's true, but they still had two studios and over a hundred employees by Dishonored's release.
I'm so glad Dishonored getting atttention even 10 years later. It's been one of my favorite games of all time for a decade now.
Make a Dishonored 2 video. You killed this video! Awesome
I played the Witcher 3, both new god of war games, both red dead redemption games , modded skyrim on pc, the last of us, fallout 3 and 4 and so many others beautiful games .... but dishonored is still my favourite and i dont know why. There is something special about this game.
One of my favourite things I've seen someone do on dishonoured was my younger sister, she beat the game and got the achievement for never upgrading or purchasing any powers through the whole game. Now this confused her a lot, mainly because she managed to beat the game without realising you COULD upgrade and buy powers. Like literally had no idea she could until she read the description of the achievement at the end of the game.
I've never been more simultaneously proud and concerned at her for getting an achievement in any game 🤣
guess tht would give her reason to give another playthrough but still thts impressive
Very well made video essay, you deserve more attention.
I remember being obsessed with the lore, the outsider fascinated me as well as the history of the empire of the isles and the pandyssian continent, one of my favourite games of all time.
My second favorite game of all time. From gameplay to Lore to Atmosphere to themes to art style. I've played it more times than I can count and have no doubt put hundreds of hours in it. What a beautiful piece of Art.
So glad he coverd this been waiting for it lol such a good game
Thank you aqua for making a dishonored video.
Dishonored has been my all time favourite game because it have a great world building, weapon, powers, plot twist, replay value and damn what a story it has (and when you combine all the three game story damn it's like heaven)
That's again for making my wish come true
the first time I payed dishonored was 4 years ago and I have to admit, I love this game to this day. I only did 3 play thorughs, but the reason for that is, because dishonored 2 is even better. Everything which was amazing in the first part, is even better in the second. Part 2 goes so much deeper into mechanics, choices, realistic AI, art style, lore and so much more.
“So many games market themselves to play your way but fail to deliver on it. When I hear the words, I think great - I get to play in stealth or guns blazing. Whoopty shit” lmaoooo
at 41:45 you state that dishonored is Arkane studios first game which is false, their first game was Arx Fatalis.
Played it about 3-4 months ago and been my fav game of all time, have been recommending this to my friends.
Awesome video, glad to see you tackle dishonored. A couple small corrections though.
1. Rat Swarm is not a sustainable (as far as mana goes) power.
2. The game doesn't really make a distinction between rechargeable and non rechargeable mana. It always recharges the same percent of mana, some moves just use more than the amount recharged, but that amount still gets recharged, which is why the expensive moves still have a few more uses than you might expect.
3. Blink is silent, or at least is meant to be. Perhaps sometimes there are bugs or maybe you blink close enough to touch your target, but in terms of sound blink alone does not alert the enemy
4. The stasis ability in the beginning of the game literally is pull, corvo is just silent so it seems a little different, but both through in game text and just common sense you can tell that pull is being used, idk why this one's in here.
Dishonored 1 and 2 are basically Thief 2 with better combat, teleportation, and better graphics……how could people not love it? They even used the same voice actor for Corvo that also voiced Garret from Thief 1-3.
I just replayed this game 5 days ago for my 10th or so time since I got it at lunch. Saw this video and though “neat I’ll watch this”. And boy aren’t I glad I did, cuz somewhere at the 20 minute mark you shook my entire pre existing knowledge of this game. You pointed out something I’ve never known in the 10 years this games been out…you can upgrade the abilities.
I…I just don’t know how I never knew this😂I’ve always used all of the abilities completely stock, super short range blink and all. How, how have I done every ending. How have I done a 0 kill run and a 100% kill run WITHOUT CLOCKING THAT YOU CAN DOUBLE JUMP! Wtf.
Do you have any idea how painful it was doing a 0 kill not detected lady Boyle mission clearance. THE TEARS I WEPT.
Well, time for another run
Hilarious😂
How many times you opened the skill menu, it was always there, one glance or even misselection away.
This just randomly showed up in my feed and i have to say i'm impressed, this is a very well constructed review.
I just recently replayed this game to do a lot of the side missions I ignored on my first few runs. I'm still blown away with how detailed and well crafted this game is and how you're actions effect it. This may sound weird but Granny Rags was a stand out for me, I ignored her the first few playthroughs. She fits in so well with the themes of decay and the sinister things that seep through the cracks. This once noble babbling old woman who only gets scarier the deeper you dig. I wish she was more plot important as she's our intro to witches and one of the few marked by the outsider, along with Corvo, Daud, and Delilah.
I have played this game a ton of times, but only recently have I been searching every level head to toe, and it's great! But unfortunately for the people of dunwall my fun is derived from high body counts
I clicked the video because it seemed legit without looking too deep. I see it's over an hour in length and I'm so freaking grateful that this will last me 1 or 2 nights for bed listening
With the recent sale on steam, I got these games. I previously played on PlayStation, so it wasn't a new experience but I was reminded of just how absolutely fantastic this series is. Having a video talk about it for an hour scratches an itch of wanting to talk about this game so much.
Oh boy, a 1 hour Aqua video of my favorite game, we're going wild tonight
i love how Billy jump scares everyone who plays the dlc, and this video is perfection same with the rest of the channel
I like that the low or high chaos choices you make end up being reflected on Emily, to me it´s poetic in a way, because it says that the choices the adults make end up affecting children the most
I was so upset when I was a kid that I got the bad ending for simply murdering everyone i came across.
The design in this game is just marvelous, especially on some levels. I'd want to visit Karnaca and enjoy the scenery.
I'll never forget the dishonored games. Till this day i struggle to think of an immersive sim (that's not prey or thief) that can transport me into a character's headspace so vivdly through primarily the gameplay. There's a moment when everything clicks, and it's just brilliant when you realise you've been reacting before you think.
funny enough prey was made by arkane studios
@@marcoaurelio6311 yeah, i know.
Been a while since I've been this hyped for a video
Just finished Dishonored in 2024, and heading to the DLC/Dishonored 2.
Game is a masterpiece !
It is, heard rumors obout onother title , hope we get one
@@JC.Denton.. with Blade being announced from Arkane Lyon it’s not looking too likely. Sometimes it’s best if great stories end before they become parody…or at least that’s what I’ll tell myself in this situation,haha.
I was excited to hear at the end that you hold Deus Ex in high regards for it's stealth. Would love to see you do a long form video on that game.
The Dishonored series are my favorite games of all time so I'm always up for watching an hour-long video essay about it
Earlier this year i replayed and decided to 100% the series. Truly a work of art. The hours ive spent in the first dishonored is truly countless, the the dlc only grew that time further. Releasing if for the Xbox one. Just pushed it further beyond. the emotions this game brings in me. I grew up constantly replaying the game. The amount of conversations I've had with the game, discussions I've written. Truly a game that ages like a fine wine.