BY VINCENT JAMES

Bethesda Softworks is considered one of the foremost in the video game industry. They are a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media and are behind two of the best-selling video game franchises in history: The Fallout Series and the Elder Scrolls series. Its latest game, Dishonored, received a number of awards at E3, the premier gaming expo. It had high anticipation and has been flying off the shelves since its release.

Dishonored follows Corvo, a legendary bodyguard for the Empress of Dunwall, and his exploits. When the Empress is murdered, however, Corvo is framed and sentenced to death by the real murderers, malevolent politicians seeking the throne. Before the execution, though, a group of your strong supporters break you out of prison and equip you to set out on your task of seeking revenge.

Dishonored is set in Dunwall, an industrial city based on Victorian-eraLondon. Dunwall, however, has certain technological advancements that make it different from any other setting. Most of these advancements are set in place to deter you, such as the Wall of Light, a doorway of electricity designed to stop you from entering certain locations. Luckily, there are many ways to get around them.

Another large part of the setting is the plague, a rat born ailment that has brought Dunwall to its knees. Because of the plague, security has been set up around the town to mitigate the spread of the plague. Unfortunately, these security measures make it much harder for you to complete your objective. Don’t worry, though. The toughness of the game only adds to the fun.

Like many other of Bethesda’s games, Dishonored features a “play it your way” play style. While there is a main objective, it is up to you on how you wish to complete the objective. There are countless ways to go about this, which makes the game constantly fast paced and there is always fun to be had, even if you’ve already played through the game a certain way.

I find that the game play is extremely well rounded. The creators, Arkane Studios, added “The Gift of the Outsider,” mystical abilities that make Dishonored different from any other assassin-based game. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed is one of the better known assassin games. While they are both based upon stealth and are similar in theory, having played both I can safely say that they are very different games.

One of the things that is different and you have to get used to is the graphics. While they aren’t low quality, they are different and fit the Victorian setting. They almost seem painted, and while they are something to get used to at the beginning, you soon forget about and it doesn’t affect the game at all.

I certainly recommend this game to anyone that enjoys fantasy violence, as there as there is a lot of it. I give Dishonored a 9 out of 10 for its semi-open world and faced paced adventure with a great plot. It certainly satisfies the ninja in all of us and remember, “Revenge solves everything.”