 Glad to see you guys again. Pretty soon, a new steampunk game called Dishonored 2 will be available on the market. So, I decided to review the first Dishonored game. I'll give a breakdown of the gameplay and plot, along with the pros and cons.
Dishonored takes place in a fictional city called Dunwall, which a dark and gritty dystopian environment. It has many influences from steampunk, including clothing, weapons, architecture, and the overall dystopian component. I don't think Dunwall is part of Victorian England, but it definitely has a lot of similarities. You'll play as Corvo, the Empress's bodyguard. Early in the game, an assassin murders the Empress and frames Corvo for her murder. Corvo escapes from prison and tries to clear his name. Along the way, you'll encounter many enemies, political corruption, and a supernatural entity called the Outsider. This mysterious Outsider probably has a malevolent purpose, but you don't have many allies. He grants Corvo special powers, like the ability to teleport, see through walls, and possess animals for a short period of time. Dunwall is also inflicted with a deadly plague that's devastating the lower classes. Corvo will try to survive his journey and rescue the Empress's daughter. I also noticed everything is running on whale oil instead of steam power. Does this game sound weird enough yet? Overall, Dishonored is a pretty good game, even though it's almost too hard for me to play. The plot is very interesting and it keeps you guessing. Some players will really enjoy the gameplay because you can mix and match stealth with sword fighting. Unlike most games, Dishonored has a lot of versatility with the gameplay. Some people might prefer a stealth approach with fewer kills and confrontations. Others will prefer the more brutal combat that dispatches of Corvo's enemies. I think it's best to use a combination of the two strategies, depending on the scene. The protagonist has awesome weapons. You'll have a sword, pistol, crossbow, and mystical powers that will help Corvo get out of sticky situations. All of these weapons have steampunk elements and that makes the game even cooler. I fell in love with the depressing steampunk environment. The landscape has a lot of Victorian influences and you can tell the city is plunging into chaos. I know that doesn't sound like a good thing, but it's not uncommon in steampunk tales. Dishonored also has the classic dilemma of upper classes ruining lower classes. The wealthy landowners and politicians live a cushy existence while the working classes are suffering from a plague. Don't worry. You'll see justice in the end. Corvo's powers are also a lot of fun to use. I don't want to give away all of them, but you'll pick up new ones along the way and it definitely makes the gameplay easier. You can also save the game any time. If you find a good place to stop, just save the game and come back later. Here are the drawbacks. Some people say this game is easy to play. I don't know what they're talking about. Dishonored is very challenging and primarily tailored for experienced gamers. However, some people would say that's a good thing. I'm not great at stealth gameplay and that definitely makes a difference. Everything works better if your stealth skills are good. You'll also achieve a much better ending with more stealth attacks and fewer kills. I ran into several glitches. It was annoying and I had to restart the game a few times. Corvo has to pick up essentials like ammunition, health, and elixirs that recharge his powers. Unfortunately, all of these items are sparse. Enemies can easily take a lot of your health and using your powers is a draining experience. So, it's easy to run into trouble. I like to use pistols and crossbows, but their ammo is very limited. Pick and choose your kills wisely. The AI is a bit inconsistent. Somehow, enemies were spotting me behind walls, doors, and piles of boxes or rocks. Yet they might not see me in more vulnerable areas. It's important to pick up bone charms and runes to gain more powers. However, they're heavily guarded and hard to obtain. You might find their location, but have difficulty picking them up. Everything is out to get you. In this universe, animals use humans as a food source. Even the rats eat people in this game. I'm also having a hard time wrapping my mind around the whale oil thing. Maybe Dishonored is a commentary about hunting whales. Who on earth is the Outsider? It's never clear. He seems to be an immortal and demonic human who can grant unusual powers to people. The Outsider definitely wants Corvo to succeed, but the motivation remains mysterious. Some people believe the Outsider is a whale deity who's taking on a human disguise. Preposterous, but it might be true. Even though I struggled with this game, it's still a good buy. Steampunk fans should definitely try it out. In fact, anyone who likes dystopian environments would like this game. Players who enjoy sword fighting and stealth modes would also appreciate it. Dishonored is great for people who enjoy challenging gameplay and lots of options. I won't give it away, but wait for the end. Dishonored has three different endings depending on your gameplay style and it's quite exciting. That's pretty much it. Have fun and I'll see you guys next week!
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Hey, guys! I'm glad to be back. This post is going to be a movie review for the remake of Magnificent Seven. As usual, I'm going to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the film. Let's take a look at the details.  First of all, I read several negative reviews for this movie. Don't listen to them. I found quite a few positive elements. Basically, Magnificent Seven caters to people who appreciate westerns with a lot of action. I would say that's the target audience. It has a diverse cast of characters and breaks away from the white washed model of western films. The plot isn't very complex. A corrupt land baron and industrialist named Bartholomew Bogue wants to take over a small town and steal their resources. His thugs kill several members of the community and establish tyrannical control. This event leads to a quest for vengeance and justice. The remake has multiple ethnic groups and I was fine with that element because it's still realistic. Believe it or not, quite a few ethnic groups lived in the Wild West. I thought Denzel Washington was very strong as the warrant officer named Sam Chisolm. Granted, Denzel Washington usually has good performances. He played the role as a hard boiled hero who feels conflicted about his past and duties. Ultimately, Chisolm is the type of guy who wants to do the right thing. Chris Pratt as the gambler Joshua Faraday was entertaining and brought a more humorous element to the movie. Actually, parts of the film are very serious and show a town in dire straights. Some of the action is more dramatic than fun. I have a small spoiler here. A lot of people die in this film, but that makes the situation more realistic. Seven roguish heroes and a small group of townspeople are going to struggle against a wealthy industrialist and his army of mercenaries. I was glad it wasn't a fluffy western that doesn't kill any of the major characters. These townspeople need to earn their happy ending. Despite the drama, the film is very fun and entertaining with gun slinging, explosions, and quite a few actions scenes. The story's pacing is quick and there's plenty of humor. It certainly prompts you to root for the underdog. The film reminds us that determination can help us achieve great things. I definitely can't ignore the negative elements. Fans of the original movie or television series will probably be disappointed. The remake might not stack up against its predecessors. It largely relies on action and humor instead of substance. If you enjoy serious westerns and Clint Eastwood, this probably isn't the right film for you. Some viewers might think the remake has too many action scenes. The trailers looked fun and the film has a PG-13 rating, so I thought it would be appropriate for kids. Not really. I'm pretty sure a lot of kids will think Magnificent Seven is too serious, violent, and depressing. It has humor, but kids probably won't understand the joke. Also, it's just not original. Practically everything in the remake has already been done in several westerns. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of viewers believe this movie is just another disappointing remake. What about the steampunk fans? Quite a few movies blend steampunk elements with the Wild West. Magnificent Seven isn't a steampunk film at all, but fans of the subgenre might like this movie. It has a lot of action and rebellion, which usually appeals to steampunk enthusiasts. Personally, I thought the film was a lot of fun, but lacking some quality. It was still worth the movie ticket. That's all for now. Leave a comment if you want to address more details about the film. I'll be back next week with a brand new post. Best of wishes and enjoy your night at the movies. |
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May 2019
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