14 DAY TRIAL // Dishonored, the next first person action game from developers Arkane Studios and publisher Bethesda Software, will allow gamers to get through the entire experience without having to kill anyone, using just stealth and non-lethal weapons.
Harvey Smith, who is best known for working on the original Deus Ex, has told IGN that, “Our goal is to let you ghost the game. No guard ever went ‘Hey, what’s that?’ because you snuck by behind him or you stopped time and no alarm was ever sounded. You can actually complete the game without killing anyone.”
The designer made it clear that most of the players will see taking a completely stealth path as something extreme and would probably make a few kills as they go through the game and, by doing so, generate some Chaos.
Raphael Colantirio, who is the co-creative director working on Dishonored, has also explained the differences between the killing various game characters, saying, “Killing a guard is chaotic, but not very chaotic. Killing a maid, this creates more chaos. Ringing an alarm creates chaos. After some threshold we have consequences.”
Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the recently launched title from Eidos Montreal, also has an Achievement for those who play stealthily and do not kill anyone apart from the four games bosses.
Offering such a non-lethal option, despite the fact that most players will not be able to follow it completely, is a sign that the game has been well designed and is offering real choices and does not just push players down a linear path.
Dishonored will see the player explore a world which combines science and magic, with Gothic motifs and a hero that needs to clear his name after a royal assassination.
Dishonored is set to be launched at some point during 2012 and will be playable on the PC, the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.