The Empire of the Isles - the very definition of well realised.
THOUGHTS ON #10: THE IMMERSIVE WORLD OF DISHONOURED
I wrote this a few weeks ago, prior to the rather depressing news that Arkane Austin has been or is in the process of being shut down… It makes the games they managed to develop all the more special. More intelligent and better-informed people have delved into the misery of that story, so I’ll just continue with what I was going to say. While we’re on it though, I recommend reading what Nathan Brown has to say about it.
When Dishonoured came out in 2012, it immediately became one of those games for me which I mildly obsessed over. Much like Deus Ex, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and similar titles, the first Dishonoured was a game that upon completing it I immediately went for another playthrough. The immersive simulation and sandbox nature of the game, combined with the action-based choices meant that there was much value in replaying, experimenting with play styles, and, most importantly, basking in the world - and what a world it is. Much of this is down to the creativity of the game’s Art Designer, Viktor Antonov (who also worked on Half-Life), but obviously there were many minds at work when devising such a well realised and comprehensive universe. Harvey Smith and Recardo Bare (who both worked on as well Deus Ex) were the Creative Directors, and Sebastian Mitton was the Art Director. Some big names there, but there are also the countless developers and artist across the entirety of Arkane who brought this game to life, and we must thank them for it. As I said, the Dishonoured universe is comprehensive, and it’s a rare treat to enter a virtual space that has so much depth to it. The history, the sense of place, the products, furniture, and fashions. The architecture and the culture, myths, legends and religions, the companies, and factions, the people, and the wildlife. The art, the books, the music, and inventions… my god, there is so much to this world, and it’s quite incredible. One might miss some of the nuance in the course of their assassination duties, but if you can take a moment to stop and appreciate the world, there is so much more to gain from the game than just the playing of it.
When Dishonoured 2 came out, I was, of course, beyond excited. I had absolutely nothing to say against the first game, and was desperate for more, the DLC only temporality sating my hunger for more explorations within the Empire of the Isles. When I finally got my hands on it however, I found that my computer just couldn’t quite handle the requirements, and although it ran, it was ever so slightly sluggish, no matter what I did to adjust the settings. I could play, but it just didn’t feel right. This inevitably led me to abandoning the game. I managed to struggle my way through the first few levels, but as I wasn’t enjoying the feel of the game, I eventually (unwillingly) left it by the wayside to join the hundreds of other half-finished games I’ve let go over the years. This wouldn’t do, of course, not for one of my favourite series’, so I had to return, and eventually I did. Shortly after moving in with my wife in 2019, I got a nice chunk of money back from the help to buy scheme we were part of, and I used some of this to build a new computer… it never occurred to me to play the game then though, I had other distractions, and it has taken me well over four years from my last attempt to give the game the focus it deserves. Booting it up a few weeks back, I found that the game ran perfectly smooth, and I was reabsorbed by that wonderful world in an instant. A few play sessions later, and I was well into my 2nd playthrough, guiding Emily on a low chaos run after killing everyone in sight as Corvo.
Getting back to the Dishonoured universe had me rather obsessed again, and as you can imagine, I have been jonesing for every bit of content I can get my hands on. The DLC is next on my list since finishing the Emily run, but after that, I’ve set my sights on the books and comics. Unfortunately, as the aesthetics are what I really appreciate most about the game, I would like to get my hands on a copy of the Dunwall Archives, but hundreds of pounds for an artbook are beyond the means of the sensible and recent events have probably doubled the price of that particular volume. As luck would have it, there is plenty concept art available to look at online, as well as in the (at least when this was published) slightly more affordable Art of Dishonoured 2 book. The recent news of the closure of Arkane Austin really put a dampener on the reigniting of my excitement for the series, and it seems unlikely that a follow-up will emerge any time soon, if ever. Fingers crossed that the Lyon studio can continue things… at least we have what we have. If you haven’t tried the games, I implore you too, and if you’re a fan of concept art, I heartily recommend picking up one of the books, if you can find a reasonably priced one – a wonderful and very inspiring feast for the eyes.
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