I've played through Dishonored on the X360 as a full fledged assassin killing mostly everything in my path. I moved on to play through roughly 1/4 of the game on the PC as a ghost (no kills and no detection). It is one of my favorite games of the year, if not the best.
My opinion on the differences between the two consoles and play experiences. First the technical: The Xbox version looks pretty darn wonderful considering the aging hardware that's powering it but the lovely art style,
thoughtful and interesting level desgin, smooth & expressive animations and overall Steampunk aesthetic makes it one of the best looking console games I've played. There were a few cutscenes (in-game scripted sequences) where
the frame rate dropped a bit, but not that I can recall during gameplay. The PC version is absolutely and clearly the better looking of the two (if you have the horsepower to push it) and supports gamepad and KB&M excellently.
It's honestly a really gorgeous game on the PC, but not in the Crysis omg-post-processing sort of way, more like everything comes together to create an awesome world to explore kind of way.
The assassin route is incredibly rewarding once you've unlocked several skills, particularly when you get really good at combining them. There is nothing like calculating a deadly strike through a room filled with guards using these powers. For example, several times I would use Dark Vision to plot out the attack, Bend Time to render them motionless, Blink to skip around the room knifing them in the back, Shadow Kill (turns kills into dust) making their bodies disappear. Ghosting a level is more challenging and requires more patience, but man it's fun.
I'm still working on my full review for my blog, however here are some notes I'd like to share...in reply
* Blink is my new favorite mechanic. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Blink. I want IT in every game now. I want it in the new Mario so I can Blink over to the flag pole. I want Blink in the new NFS. I want it in the new XCOM. I WANT IT EVERYWHERE!
* It's Steampunk, but it doesn't hit you over the head with it.
* The sneaking just feels right. It's velvety smooth, and the transition of movement are sure-footed and graceful feeling.
* The tutorial system is elegant and mostly unobtrusive.
* End of mission stats--which display kills, alarms rung, chaos level, or if you went undetected (ghost)--is interesting in a gaming sort of way however I found that it sort of killed momentum (like ME2's Mission Complete screens). It just feels unnecessary.
* Voice acting is excellent.
* The attention to detail is there, look for it! In one scene a prominent character began to smoke and I wanted the process and he actually (seems to) to inhale and then exhale the smoke from his mouth. It sounds odd, but I mean it. Take your time with this game--never rush or you'll miss something.
* The hubs or maps are cool, but I think they could have been bigger.
* There are a lot more books to read than I anticipated--not too long to read--that are sprinkled about, allowing you to indulge in the world's lore. I suggest you gobble them up.
* Save anywhere is great. Wish the console version had a dedicated quick save button a la Mass Effect 3. Also it would be helpful if the menu system would close itself out (a la Skyrim) after the save process. Backing out after each save got old.
* Optional goals (like assisting a needy NPC) usually unlocks something beneficial for the player. You'll come across cool stuff like a note someone left someone else about a secret meeting spot, or hidden stash.
* No map in inventory makes things a little confusing at first, but then you'll find a map posted on a wall somewhere in the level. Besides the hubs/maps are not that big anyway.
* Assisting some people can lead to access to new gadgets, ammo and gear.
* You do revisit some of the maps, but it's not annoying and/or repetitive.
* Chaos--a transparent system that's adjusted by your actions in the world--affects the city. A high number of assassinations results in more rats, more weepers (think zombies), different reactions from allies and a darker final outcome.
* I was afraid Dark Vision (see through walls and vision cones) would feel like cheating, but it turned out to be a blast to use.
* The story is interesting but ultimately predicting...and, well, video games.
* The game thoughtfully eases you into the story and the world. Two hours in and it ramps up, so I suggest having some patience and let the game wash over you.
* Blink is so finely woven into the fabric of Dishonored's gameplay, again it was a pleasure using it.
* Rats seem to have their own life. They wander, devour dead bodies and sometimes will sneak up on you. Seriously, it's really gross, disturbing and fascinating to watch them work.
* Overall the game is thoughtful in its design to help foster a multi-pathway experience of equal enjoyment and reward.
* The art direction & animations save 360 version. Both of these aspects are so beneficial they offer a friendly distraction from sometimes low resolution texture pop-in.
* when returning from mission NPCs tend to notice if you've been violent or not. Sometimes though this process can seem a bit convoluted.
* Before completing a mission the player is always offered the choice to free roam back through the level to complete optional stuff.
* There are blueprints to find throughout the game to unlock additional upgrades and abilities.
* The rewards creativity. One time I was in a pickle. I saved the game right before a guard discovered me. So after dying I reloaded the game and instantly froze time, possessed the guard who discovers me before he could alert anyone else, walked him near two other guards, unloaded him, killed him turning him to ashes, then killed the guard in front of him (from behind) and then crept outside and killed the 3rd guard. It was exciting, rewarding, and I felt like a total badass.
* Once I got the mechanics down, the flow of combat and discovery turned into Blink, sneak, knife, spin, jump, knife, blink, knife, and they're dead. Awesome!
* Drop assassinations (death from above)--if you can pull it off--stop your fall.
It's a wonderful wonderful game. Go get it!
