The complex controls and ability usage made it a little frustrating at first, but that was easily compensated by the beautiful level design and the free exploration and flexible approach to completing your mission. In this game, you play the princess' bodyguard, who sets out to avenge those who killed the princess and framed you. The story follows on and progresses fast but it can be easily categorized as cliche. You know what is going to happen next. Yet, still knowing this, the game sucks you in the beautiful world devastated by plague and infested by rats and traitors. The enemy designs are very inspiring. Especially the tall boys that can only be taken out with a specific method of dropping on them from a height. Once you learn to evade, kill and hunt down enemies in this game you feel at home and yearn for more of the adventure that the game superbly provides.
For the most part, you will be using your various skills from silent take downs to using your gun. The magical power upgrades that you can do are quite satisfying. Especially force knocking back someone and calling in a swarm of rate to attack your enemies is very invigorating. Weapons purchase and upgrades are also available. The last levels of the game are truly imposing with tall towers in front that the game makes you infiltrate with the swarm of enemies and tallboys patrolling around it. Moreover there is no single approach to gaining entry at a certain level. For the most part, the game provides you with alternative routes which you can explore for a different approach.
This game somehow made me feel vaguely similar to Vampires: Masquerade Bloodlines, wherein a healthy mix of stealth, action and magic is used. Magic like freezing your enemies to possessing their bodies for a short amount of period is a great new way to cross through levels. Dishonored is a refreshing change from the run of the mill games that come out everyday.