Dishonored: First Look

When it comes to video games one might find that they see every single new release hyped up in a manner that is a bit more than acceptable, leading to some pretty bitter disappointments. Dishonored however, seems to be living up to the hype.

Dishonored is a stealth action game developed by Arkane Studios in cooperation with Bethesda Softworks. Arkane studios set out to redefine the concept of freedom in the stealth action genre and Dishonored seems to do just that, boasting an impressive amount of ways for players to accomplish the missions laid out in front of them. Along with this freedom to shape the story, Dishonored also equips the player with a multitude of supernatural abilities including things like short range teleporting, time distortion, and even corporeal possession.

Dishonored has fought for and won my attention in the past year through the use of tantalizing trailers and promises of unparalleled freedom. However, being the ever cautious person I am I didn’t want to overexcite myself and get disappointed by a sub-par finished project.  So, I decided to make playing the exclusive demo of Dishonored at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), a large gaming convention held in Seattle, WA, my top priority.

After several hours of enviously watching my peers get their chances with the game, it was finally my turn. I grasped the controller in my hands and dove into the scenario that had been laid in front of me. As I began to experiment with the controls I took a moment to survey my surroundings. This demo took place in a ruined portion of cityscape with collapsed stonework and disheveled residents wandering to and from my projected point of entry.

As I continued with the demo I shifted through my extensive physical and magical arsenal testing out various powers and weapons as I went, finding what suited me best. This process led me to a realization that made me quite happy, I actually didn’t need to fight any of the enemies in front of me to succeed in the mission I was given. Using a combination of time distortion and teleporting I managed to sneak my way into the primary mission location without inflicting a single casualty along the way.

Graphically, Dishonored is fantastically impressive with its steam punk style dystopian world. It sets a gloomy tone to the story as the main character, Corvo, sets out to clear his name of a crime he did not commit. Corvo is assisted by an enigmatic man known only as “The Outsider” who imparts upon him a seal and the ability to utilize supernatural abilities.

Dishonored brings a lot to the table for both stealth and action fans alike. With the freedom to choose how you’d like to go through the game, players will be able to have a personalized experience, different from their peers. Dishonored is a game that shouldn't be missed! It launches on October 9^th.

Read More

Virtual Reality: A Step Forward? Blog Assignment #1

Alright so one of the things I looked into/tried out at PAX Prime was the virtual reality headset they had up for demo. I was pretty excited going in as it was my first time trying something like this. That initial excitement died fairly quickly as I realized that first off, the game was pretty "meh" and the headset was rather clunky, among other things.

The headset itself was connected to something else through a fairly thick set of cords that were anchored to the back of the headset. What this meant was the person running this booth was constantly trying to adjust this cable so that I wouldn't wrap myself up in it or trip over it. It proved to be a constant annoyance as I was trying to move freely in the game.

I used to see VR as a step forward for gaming but my experiences at PAX felt a tad bit gimmick-y and extremely disorienting (I had to sit down for a bit afterwards to avoid puking). This entire thing seemed a tad premature and I found myself wishing that they had chosen a different game to demo this tech on along with a host who knew what he was doing.

The gentleman hosting this booth was knowledgeable enough about the headset itself but not about the game I was using it for so I spent most of my time wandering around aimlessly which involved a lot of spinning around (which actually required me to physically spin around, thus the disorientation). Needless to say...things could have been better.

Basically what this headset did was disable the right stick (was playing on a 360) so that all camera movement was directed by where I was trying to physically look. This part was pretty cool but it's also quite a bit more difficult than just using the controller which just begs the question, is VR even worth it?

I could see myself using this type of tech for games like Skyrim or other aesthetically pleasing games that I really want to experience on a deeper level. However, the demo I tried at PAX was for a shooter which proved to be a little too hectic at times for me to deal with while trying to aim precisely with the headset. The whole experience was a bit of a turn off but it also may have just been the specific circumstances that led to that feeling.

So! I'd like to know if anyone else has thoughts on VR tech and especially if you've given it a test yourself. But feel free to comment even if you haven't!

Read More