Bethesda is one of the best game developers in the world, but every time they try their hand at publishing, they fall flat. From “Rogue Warrior” (blegh) and “WET” (slightly better), to last year’s interesting-looking but ultimately unsatisfying “Brink,” they just can’t seem to bet on the right up-and-coming studio. And no, “Fallout: New Vegas” doesn’t count, since that was built on a game they developed.
Now they’ve got a new one in the pipeline, Arkane Studios’ “Dishonored.” It appears to be something like a cross between “Thief” and “Bioshock,” where you play as a supernatural assassin in some kind of alternative Victorian era. Arkane’s vibe is obviously heavily indebted to Looking Glass, and that’s all well and good, but the screens I’m seeing so far don’t really blow me away.
So is this the game that’s gonna break Bethesda’s ignominious publishing record? I say no, for several reasons. Firstly, I don’t see anything in Arkane’s history to suggest they’re anything special. Second, a quick glance at the fact sheet for this title reveals nothing earth-shattering: assassinate targets, choose between stealth or all-out assault, mystical spin on a well-known historical period, blah blah blah. I’ve purchased more than one “Hitman,” “Assassin’s Creed,” “Bioshock,” and “Thief” game in my time, so this is nothing new.
Still, maybe I’m cynical and jaded. What do you think?
_AA
apology is policy
3 Comments
please dont be brink!!
…Yeah. That wound hasn’t healed.
I have seen through this game’s facade since the article I saw of it in GameInformer.
Their game’s general look and feel is thanks to one of the concept artists that worked on HL2… hence the walker enemies… the way the industrial bits look, and the general dystopian eastern european setting.
I’m honestly not the least bit interested.