Dishonoring Dishonored?

I started playing Dishonored DE last week. After a few hours in, I just wasn't hooked. I'm not necessarily saying it was the game as it could have been any number of factors (thinking about work, thinking about the GiantBomb news, etc). After taking a break over the weekend, I decided to switch it up and play Shadowrun: Dragonfall instead. Already I am more excited about sitting down and playing.

My question: Should I return to Dishonored after finishing Shadowrun? It's a widely acclaimed game that maybe I just didn't give enough of a chance. Thoughts?

I've played through Dishonored and Dishonored 2 three times each and adore them both, so I'm obviously going to say you should come back to it/them (I'd also glowingly recommend Prey while I'm at it). However, if that "immersive sim" style isn't your type of game, or if you don't like stealth games, or if you're purely in it for the story (Prey's is good, Dishonored and Dishonored 2 are okay, IMO), I'm not sure it will ever really hook you. I guess my advice would be, give it another go, but if it isn't clicking it isn't clicking. Never need to force it. I've been trying to play Nier: Automata for literally years now and still can't seem to get into it, for example. At this point I'm not sure I'll ever get there.

Dragonfall is awesome, btw. I hope you enjoy it. My favorite of those games (although I also really enjoyed Hong Kong as well).

Dishonored is critically acclaimed because of its large but well-designed intuitive levels and open-ended approach to gameplay design. In other words, there's always more than one way to do something and no way is more valid than the others.

Weirdly enough, Dishonored's story and themes largely encourage the stealthy peaceful route but the actual game is more fun if you try to be murderous Batman instead of technical pacifist Batman. Sleep darts and dragging bodies away just stops being fun at some point.

Dishonored 2 has some of the best goddamn level design I've ever seen. It's also got some great world-building, though the story itself isn't all that interesting, but I don't care when those levels are just so incredibly cool and fun to run around in. There are two standout levels in that game, but all of them are great.

So yes, I do recommend giving it another shot. Perhaps start with 2, if you think 1 isn't all that interesting.

In any case, Arkane's other 8th gen game, Prey, is also fantastic. It's more of a System Shock/Bioshock-esque thing, what with it being on a space station and you fighting aliens and all, and generally has a different vibe from Dishonored. It's also a little bloated and its final act introduces a gameplay element that I really didn't like, the infinitely-spawning floating murder-bots, but in general I think Prey is also well-worth a shot.

At the end of the day, though, if you don't like it you don't like it. Don't force yourself to play something that everyone else seems to think is amazing.

I loved Dishonored when I played it a long time ago, it's a fascinating world and at the time it had very good stealth gameplay. But if you already spent a few hours on it and still don't like it, yeah probably just skip it.

I couldn't get into Dishonored 2 the first two times I tried to play it some time ago. I just recently tried again and finished the game in a few days. I did not enjoy my time with Dishonered 2 nearly as much as I did with 1, probably because the structure of the story was apparent from the get go, and Hitman 3 has spoiled me on how a stealth game can be built.

I kind of rushed through Dishonored 2, which also does it a disservice because if you're not exploring the levels to get runes, you're not unlocking any powers and the gameplay kind of stagnates throughout the game. So probably don't play these games if you're impatient to get through them :)

Thanks to all for the feedback! I'll evaluate again maybe after a few more games I've been wanting to play for a while (gotta love the backlog). I'll keep what you wrote in mind. Maybe another shot in a different mindset will bring a new result.

Don't forget to play the DLC for the original Dishonored (Knife of Dunwall and Brigmore Witches) which is essentially Dishonored 1.5 It's extremely good on its own anyway, but is effectively the bridging story between 1 and 2.

I love Dishonored for many of the reasons listed above but if it doesn't click with you then maybe it's just not for you. I got that new Shadowrun because of all the praise and I put a solid 5-7 hours into it and absolutely did not like any part of it, least of all the writing. So go figure you know, no point in forcing it.

@humanity: Dunno if you got Dragon fall or just Shadow run Returns, but if it was the latter, that game is just not good, IMO. Both sequels are light-years better. If you did play Dragonfall and hated it then, yeah, no point forcing it.

I want to echo these thoughts.

I tried starting Dishonored 1 at the start of the lockdowns last year and just wasn't feeling it. About 6 months later I came back to it and had a good (but not great) time. I tend to want to play these games completely stealthily/non-violent, looking into every corner and collecting every object, and I don't think that approach does Dishonored any favors. So go nuts and play loose and murder-y and I think you'll have more fun. This is a game that's more about the gameplay than the story anyway, so don't sweat not getting "the good ending".

The Dishonored 1 DLC has some characters in it that play into the sequel, so it might be worth playing.

Dishonored 2 is mostly more Dishonored. I just played it in the last few months and while it's probably objectively speaking a "better" game I wouldn't say it's a slam dunk. As was mentioned above though, there are 2 really, REALLY awesome levels that almost single handedly make the game worth playing.

I haven't played Death of the Outsider yet, so I can't comment on that one.

I have the first Dishonored and Dragonfall, but have yet to start either one. Reading the comments here makes me want to play both at the same time, but I still need to finish Mirror's Edge Catalyst.

Ahh, first-world problems.

It's a lot like Hitman in that you need to make your own fun. I don't like how a lot of the lore is gated behind notes and I think a lot of the world-building is limited by design, but if, like me, you stop caring about the consequences and just try to have fun with your playstyle, it's a decent enough time.

Despite being a fan of first person games and stealth i just didn't like Dishonored, it's been nearly 8 years since i played through it so i don't remember specifics, but i didn't like the characters, the story, Arkane's signature art style and bad animations, the surface level environments and the mechanics... so basically a bit of everything, it didn't feel very rewarding as a stealth game and the combat outside of stealth wasn't that good either, i remember the ending being pretty dull too.
I know this post has no substance but i really don't remember much, i haven't seen Arkane evolve their game design in any of their games since, i was really bummed they did Prey, just something about their games really turns me off.

If you don't like it, you don't like it. Stealth-heavy games like Dishonored are definitely an acquired taste.

Do you think you gave it enough of a chance?

"After a few hours in, I just wasn't hooked."

"It's a widely acclaimed game that maybe I just didn't give enough of a chance."

Sounds to me like you don't but only you can answer that. If you feel like you did, that's all anyone can really ask of you and it's totally fine to move on.

@cikame: Both Dishonored 2 and Prey were evolutions of the original Dishonored and of the immersive sim genre as a whole. Prey especially has a ton of really interesting ideas and multiple-approach problem solving that blows most other games out there out of the water. Dishonored 2 has two of the most impressive levels I've seen in any game period. It might not be your cup of tea and thats absolutely fine but to say that it's all bland and hasn't evolved is a bit of a stretch.

@judaspete: Mirror's Edge Catalyst, definitely an overlooked game. Not great, has some flaws, but there's an immense amount of freedom. And jumping around roof tops and between buildings...not sure any other game has made my feet sweat.

@warpr: Interesting, I also had a really hard time clicking with Dishonored 2 despite really enjoying the first one. I think my issue was that I simply didn't enjoy the level design in 2, for reasons I don't really remember now. Maybe some other reasons I have since forgotten. But I do remember running out of steam fairly quickly. I have this vague memory of feeling like the game was actively trying to keep me from enjoying it.

I loved Dishonored 1 and the DLC story extras, but fell off pretty quickly on Dishonored 2. Mainly, because I was trying to stealth DH2 and didn't find it as fun as the original game, because the levels weren't as well design for stealth. I plan to give the game another try, however, to see if I judged it too harshly at the time.

@daemonofthewood: I beat Dishonored 1, gave up on 2. Something about the feel of these games is just off for me. It's so so up my alley that I can't understand what it is about D1, D2, and Prey that I can't get into.

@daemonofthewood: Yeah, Catalyst is a strange beast. It takes about an equal number at steps forward as it does back compared to the first. Ultimately though, both are worth playing.

If you don't enjoy the stealth with the upgraded blink ability, then stop it.

To the ones who don't recommend Dishonored 2: You're crazy. I completely agree, play Dishonored 1 on the light/good side, but for Dishonored 2, the evil path was just overall so much more enjoyable, from abilities to story - all of it. It beats Dishonored 1 on every level by miles (except maybe performance and optimization on PC for 60fps+ gameplay -> in that aspect the release version was pretty awful).

Ediit: And of course you like Shadowrun Dragonfall more! It's one of the Top3 games of last gen :)

@daemonofthewood: Dishonored gets better as you get more powers. It's not fun cause you don't have the tools yet. Get a save file with the powers. Also, play Dishonored 2's clockwork mansion. You owe it to yourself to see one of the most overlooked best-level designs. Or just look it up. The story of the guy who gives you powers is fun. Play the DLC if you want a taste of what the game is about. The DLC will give you powers quicker though it's a bit hard. Definitely on the side of forcing yourself. I know people hate that idea but the constant giving up on games that are universally acclaimed screams to me that you'd become that guy the guy who hears others talk about a good game and says...eh I hate that one, then when asked did you play this ____ part or what didn't you like you'll give the answer bounced off at the start...trust me most if not all games take some level of push, you have to engage them as much as they engage you. I hated the new hitman and kept hearing how good it was and how GB loved it. How it was perfect stealth done right etc. I'm a big stealth guy and found the hitman game too boring as well. Pushed myself and got the game for free on ps plus etc. Finally found a way to play it and enjoy it. Took time but I'd be sad if I missed out cause of a small bad impression. Not every game starts running out the gate, their short games so give it or the DLC a try and if your like me, do pure stealth, ignore the others and leave all that action and getting spotted for an action game.

How can this be boring: some of yall need an adrenaline boost playing games XD.

@topcyclist: Thanks for the feedback. I'm keeping Dishonored on the list to return to after Shadowrun. Maybe I just needed a different game for now. If I find I like Dishonored, then Dishonored 2 will go on the list for later (maybe before my Game Pass PC runs out). I certainly think it's worth pushing a little to get further in the game. I think Vinny C said the same thing about Dishonored when he played recently, that it felt better as he got more powers to use on the missions.