Arkane craft one of the finest stealth games ever made with a hypnotic steampunk Dunwall and a toolset that begs for creativity. Every mission opens a thousand ways to act, and picking your path is sheer delight.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player18+
Description
Action-adventure by Arkane Studios and Bethesda, October 2012. Lord Protector-turned-banned assassin Corvo Attano avenges the murdered empress and frees the heir to the throne in a Victorian steampunk city. Combinable magic powers - Blink, Possession, Devouring Swarm - and lethal and non-lethal weapon arsenal based on approach. One of the finest games of its generation with immense creative freedoms.
Dishonored review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
An industrial city with the look of a painting, stylised Victorian architecture and sickly light: Dunwall composes a grimy steampunk of rare coherence. The almost pictorial line of the settings gives a strong, singular identity. This art direction, dense and inspired, stands as a benchmark of auteur level design.
An Arkane stealth game offering rare freedom of approach in a plague-ridden steampunk city, blending supernatural powers and consequential morality. Widely distributed in the West, its appeal lies in this status as an acclaimed auteur work rather than scarcity, its run staying accessible. A prime piece for fans of the immersive sim and player freedom.
A cult cover
Corvo's mask, half machine, half skull, stares at the player from an industrial gloom of soot and oil. The coldness of the masked gaze and the steampunk atmosphere convey revenge and supernatural power. Elegant and threatening, it sets up a world of conspiracy and plague.
A questionable morality
Armed with supernatural powers and a well-honed blade, you move through a corrupt city in the name of justice and revenge. Yet the game tallies your “chaos” with every throat you cut, as if to quietly remind you that the man in the shadows mostly leaves a trail of corpses behind. Saving the rightful heir by piling up murders: the contradiction is good for a smile.
Is Dishonored still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2012 on Xbox 360, Arkane Studios' Dishonored builds an immersive action game of remarkable freedom, where each target can be neutralised through stealth, supernatural powers or brutal violence. A betrayed and wrongly accused bodyguard, Corvo moves through the city of Dunwall, eaten by plague and industry, thanks to the Blink that revolutionises movement. The chaos system, where lethality changes the world and the ending, rewards consistency. The inspired art direction and the impeccable level design still fascinate. For fans of immersive games and creative stealth, this classic stays essential today.
