Dishonoured: Killing when you have an option not to.

[The Wykydtron]

Yeah, the guards obviously don't deserve death. One of the very first guards openly states that he liked the empress, and (since he thinks I/Corvo killed her), he's happy that I was going to be executed. These guys aren't even guilty of the "we're just taking orders" excuse; they're really being misled to believe that I murdered the empress.

The overseers are a bit less likable, but as far as I can tell, their main agenda is combating the Outsider, which is a position I can totally understand after reading some of the diaries of people who've been in contact with the Outsider.

I even spared some of the people responsible for the Empress' murder if I felt the non lethal option was in fact a better was to punish them. Sometimes it just felt better to just shove a knife up their throat though.

I actually tried starting a violent playthrough after my mostly pacifist run, but I couldn't go through with it >_>

This one just throws you into a basement and dedicates a shrine to you. What happened to the good old days where your stalker saves your life a few times then bolts you to a chair and drugs the shit out of you?

Is that really what he does? I couldn't figure out what exactly he planned to do with her, but I figured it beat dying D:

Dude! The creepy stalker vibes are too strong! You can't hand his stalkee over to him, that's madness!

Course i'm only speculating but I know, deep down I know that's what he does. It's just too obvious.

Oh and I beat Dishonoured at its own game. Ha.

I knocked her out in her room, threw her in the bathtub and tried to leave the tap running so she'd drown in a "tragic accident." The game never thought of that though and it doesn't let you keep it running. So my absolutely fucked up murder plan never got going... Seriously that's dark even for me

 

[dyre]

Yeah, the guards obviously don't deserve death. One of the very first guards openly states that he liked the empress, and (since he thinks I/Corvo killed her), he's happy that I was going to be executed. These guys aren't even guilty of the "we're just taking orders" excuse; they're really being misled to believe that I murdered the empress.

The overseers are a bit less likable, but as far as I can tell, their main agenda is combating the Outsider, which is a position I can totally understand after reading some of the diaries of people who've been in contact with the Outsider.

I even spared some of the people responsible for the Empress' murder if I felt the non lethal option was in fact a better was to punish them. Sometimes it just felt better to just shove a knife up their throat though.

I actually tried starting a violent playthrough after my mostly pacifist run, but I couldn't go through with it >_>

This one just throws you into a basement and dedicates a shrine to you. What happened to the good old days where your stalker saves your life a few times then bolts you to a chair and drugs the shit out of you?

Is that really what he does? I couldn't figure out what exactly he planned to do with her, but I figured it beat dying D:

Dude! The creepy stalker vibes are too strong! You can't hand his stalkee over to him, that's madness!

Course i'm only speculating but I know, deep down I know that's what he does. It's just too obvious.

Oh and I beat Dishonoured at its own game. Ha.

I knocked her out in her room, threw her in the bathtub and tried to leave the tap running so she'd drown in a "tragic accident." The game never thought of that though and it doesn't let you keep it running. So my absolutely fucked up murder plan never got going... Seriously that's dark even for me

But..but...maybe he'd just keep her locked in a comfortable castle with lots of servants and a nice view

And yeah, that's pretty dark. She's not even that bad a person! I was hoping to just kidnap her temporarily until the whole crisis ended, but I guess the likes of Havelock wouldn't approve of that.

 

[Hazy]

I see death as an easy way out. Killing the men responsible means that they will never have to pay for their crimes. I was more than happy to deliver some justice while staying my killing hand.

 

[ZehMadScientist]

Oh man, this game was immersive as hell.

I just finished my first playthrough, which was a 'The end justifies the means' run. I did try to sneak my way past the guards as much as possible, but I wouldn't hesitate to stab a few guys if it would make my infiltration significantly easier (I LOVE Shadow Kill). You get in my way, you die.

But in the mission where you abduct Sokolov, whilst sneaking around on the rooftops, I overheard a conversation between two guards. One of the guards was genuinely expressing concern for the civilians, while the other, senior officer regarded these civilians as little more trash and implored the other to do so as well. The other guard complied out of fear and lied that the senior was right.

It made me realise, some of these guards were puppy-kicking evil, while others were just doing their jobs, happy that they won't get the plague. I actually went out of my way to render the concerned guard unconscious and to murder the assholian one.

I did end up with high chaos though (The brothel mission went really awry in particular.) Going for a stealthy, low chaos ghost run this time around =D

 

[Nicolairigel]

Might be because I always try for the "good guy" route, but I too went mainly non-lethal.

But the combat is so awesome and satisfying, nothing beats the adrenaline rush from blinking behind a guys about to shoot me and stabbing him in the back. I normally end up killing everyone on the level then reloading for real-zies just to get it out of my system

Not to mention the non-lethal route is much more satisfying and rewarding. Sneaking into a party and eliminating the target without a single death just makes me feel like such a steam-punk ninja.

 

[King of Wei]

I generally avoid killing for the same reasons as the OP. They're mostly just guards doing their job and that if I were actually infiltrating these places I wouldn't go on a bloodthirsty murder-spree. Generally I only killed someone if I was on the verge of being spotted, like when they recoil back in surprise when they see you, I'd blink over to them and slit their throat before they got the alarm off. Didn't have a problem butchering the enemies in the flooded district though, I killed every last one of them.

 

[Zenn3k]

I find myself not wanting to kill much in Dishonored either, which kinda sucks in a way that a LOT of the powers are related to killing and only killing.

I find the idea of "sneak in, sneak out, undetected" a much more fun gaming experience than "hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter".

I got out of my way to make sure I don't kill, if I'm caught and a lot of guards come at me...I either blink away and try and hide, or if that doesn't work, reload a save.

 

[WashAran]

As of right now, I only killed the targets, but 3 or 4 people died because of rats or some other health hazard.

 

[Woodsey]

Although I prefer stealthy playthroughs, it's difficult to ignore all the toys DishonoUred puts in front of you to tear people apart (Lisa!!!). After a while I was just getting caught on purpose as an excuse to go nuts on them.

[sub]Also, you should all check out my review: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.391371-Woodsey-Weviews-DishonoUred[/sub]

Also... CAN WE STOP WITH THE FUCKING SPOILERS!!!??? THE GAME JUST CAME OUT FOR FUCKS SAKE!

Rule of thumb: if you haven't finished it, don't click on threads about it.

I find the idea of "sneak in, sneak out, undetected" a much more fun gaming experience than "hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter".

You're seriously underestimating the power combinations if that's your view of combat. Whack it up to hard or (preferably) very hard and be imaginative. Shit gets cray cray.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I do different approaches on different playthrus. I finished it once using stealth, levelling up blink -> DV -> Bend Time -> Possession and agility and only killed the targets and no one else, except for one with whom I took the non-lethal approach. I made it a point to knock out every single guard and disable every device too. I also sided with the gangster over the old lady toward the end. It was fun, I got the "best"/low-chaos ending and had a challenge and blast doing it.

Current playthru (just finished party level) I'm killing every single guard and target (except for the pair at the Golden Cat who I opted for non-lethal just to see what difference it made). The combat dynamic isn't as satisfying as the stealth approach. Both seem a little "easy" to be honest, particularly once Corvo gets the upgraded Boots. While one can make mistakes, the game is far too forgiving and the diverse powers/gear at Corvo's disposal really do put him in a league well above in three guards at once, even on the hardest setting. I'm not enjoying it quite so much, the game is much shorter (as there's no patiently waiting around or routes to plan) but my chaos level is very high so I'm looking forward to seeing the flip-side of Dunwall post-Corvo

To clarify though, even going for the low chaos approach, taking the non-lethal approach isn't necessary always. Corvo can kill I believe 3 guardsmen without effect for example, his targets also. Killing citizens or weepers however does have an adverse effect. Neither approach makes any different to the story and the ending is only changed by the overall/cumulative level of chaos at the end of the game.

There's much less challenge in the lethal approach and it takes a little of the "stealth" out of the stealth game but it's cool to actually use the gun and grenades at his disposal. Not to mention zoom sniping guards with the crossbow with the "bodies turn to ash" upgrade while their colleagues backs are momentarily turned. With every approach just as valid, one can pick and do as they will and have no consequences attached to it.

 

[TilMorrow]

Well in my playthrough for Dishonored (finished it two days ago) I tried to do a pacifist run but the game literally forced me into having to kill to survive at certain points (such as the prison escape) but generally I tried to use sleeping darts but there seemed to be a large shortage of those. Also the fact that there isn't a quicksave button that I can tap before I do something dangerous is troublesome. All my main target assassinations were non-lethal though and I have to say my top three favourite 'assassinations' had to be:

Spoiler: Assassinations and Deaths await in here.

1. Lady Boyle's last party. I was debating how to do the non-lethal option and realised that I had enough whale bone charms for slow time. So I unlock the power, choke Lady Lydia Boyle into submission in the music room and proceed to carry her body into the party and popping off slow time as I leave the room. It was pretty strange then waeving amongst people in this frozen world making my way towards the kitchens and eventually to the boat where the stalker/Lydia obsessed noble was and hand her over. At least it was better than being dead. Though when I walked back into the Kitchens everyone was cool with me being there even though I had been barred entrance moments before.

2. Campbell's assassination was less fun but more strange. Before I went into the study I had proceed to drop down from the rafters and knock out all the guards patrolling the rooms on the first floor and hide them on a metal pipe or similar high place. Then as I entered the study I ripped a painting off the wall and proceeded to jump on a bookshelf only for Campbell and the general to come running into the room with swords drawn then run immediately out the door I had come in whilst I sat with a 0_0 wondering what had happened. The General then proceeded to survive the encounter and I had to sneak down to Campbell's private room in order to find him where he was muttering about stuff being stolen. I then picked him up and brought him back to the interrogation room to give a satisfying brand on the side of his face. Then later on in the last second last mission I found him as a weeper in the Whale Oil Factory and decided to drop kick him off the top of the building after I knocked him out. Though that counted as a mercy killing...

3. The Lord Regent. Nothing was more satisfying than playing the Lord Regent's confession on tape for everyone to hear and then watching two guards escorting him on the way to coldridge prison... only for them to walk him straight into a reprogrammed Wall of Light. Made me laugh like crazy when I realised what happened. Though the moment of confusion when the Target Neutralised changed to Target Killed and I got both Steam achievements was pretty funny too.

I only thing I didn't really like about the game was the ending (whut you mean High Chaos? I didn't kill enough innocent people for that) and the fact that Corvo as a character is, plain-speaking, weird. I know the developers opted to have him as a silent protagonist so that we can project ourselves onto him however there were too many moments in the game that made me think "He should be saying words here" and made him feel really out of place. Also his relationship with Emily is hard to understand since he doesn't actually respond to her. Additionally, the fact he doesn't have a shadow or doesn't affect movable objects when he walks into them makes me think that Corvo is a spector.

Off-topic: Anyone know if passive powers can be bought if a blink only active run is attempted for the lols and achievement?

 

[ShindoL Shill]

I find the idea of "sneak in, sneak out, undetected" a much more fun gaming experience than "hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter".

What about 'Double Jump, Blink, Turn, Backstab' or 'Bend Time, Springrazor, Watch'?
Or even a simple 'Enemy Fires, Bend Time, Possession, Step in Front of Bullet, Un-Possess, Watch'.

 

[Zenn3k]

I find the idea of "sneak in, sneak out, undetected" a much more fun gaming experience than "hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter".

What about 'Double Jump, Blink, Turn, Backstab' or 'Bend Time, Springrazor, Watch'?
Or even a simple 'Enemy Fires, Bend Time, Possession, Step in Front of Bullet, Un-Possess, Watch'.

A: I'm not that far along yet

B: How in the world do you have enough mana to do all that? Doesn't bend time use like 80% of it alone?

 

[TilMorrow]

I find the idea of "sneak in, sneak out, undetected" a much more fun gaming experience than "hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter, hold RB, counter".

What about 'Double Jump, Blink, Turn, Backstab' or 'Bend Time, Springrazor, Watch'?
Or even a simple 'Enemy Fires, Bend Time, Possession, Step in Front of Bullet, Un-Possess, Watch'.

I can't believe how stupid I am to have not tried that throughout my first playthrough. And I thought walking guards into big lakes was the only way to get them to suicide as apparently everyone, apart from Corvo, doesn't know how to swim. Now to do this and more 'Bend Time, throw five grenades'.

 

[Patrick Buck]

If I get the chance to kill, most of the time I do. I'm just a pycho like that. HOWEVER, reading some of the stuff on here, I imagine I would try to aviod it in this game (I haven't actually got the thing yet).
I have enough guilt in reality, I don't need more Virtual guilt.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

A: I'm not that far along yet

B: How in the world do you have enough mana to do all that? Doesn't bend time use like 80% of it alone?

If you get all of the runes in the first assassination mission, you can get Bend Time 1 and Double Jump then (there are 7). And I have the bone charm for extra mana (and the one for getting mana from taps) and I stockpile mana potions for emergencies.

 

[IFS]

Do others find this; that they don't just run around killing everyone. It is also how I see corvo's character, he doesn't seem like a blood thirsty socio path, so killing undiscriminatly pulls me from the immersion, as I don't believe he, as a character, would be doing that.

That is pretty much how I see his character. I'm doing a pacifist run on very hard just for the challenge, but I generally think he'd kill some or all of his main targets since he's not just getting revenge for himself but also for the empress.

Don't know whether you ran across it, but there's a nice little touch in the game regarding overseers: they get their little moment of humanity too if you're in the right place at the right time.

Spoiler

As Corvo is escaping after dealing with Campbell, there's a little moment in one of the warehouses on the docks where one junior overseer/acolyte asks another to kill him because he knows he's got the plague and doesn't want to bleed from his eyes and lose his mind...and he also really doesn't want to infect anyone else. His friend doesn't want to believe him and tries to give him his own ration of elixir instead, but the guy knows he's terminal. His friend makes it as quick as possible, but he's really broken up about it.

Interestingly enough I've seen that conversation play out two ways, the one that you described (on a low chaos run) and on my high chaos/murder/death run I got a different scene:

Instead he was begging for his life, insisting that he was fine, just a bit of a cough, and the others were insisting that he was infected and going to give them all the plague if they didn't do anything, at which point they draw their swords and one of them runs him through from behind, then they started discussing how to dispose of the body, at which point I lobbed a grenade at them.

The overseers are still interesting, because from reading some of the in-game books you learn that they are chosen while they are children and either make it through the training or are executed.

 

[Godhead]

Like a lot of people here I only killed who I thought deserved it. Except for the big boys (or at least most of them). I would rather make their lives hell instead of killing them. Especially the Pendleton brothers. Fuck those guys.

 

[WanderingFool]

Guess it depends on how hard he took the Empress' assassination and his six months of torture.

This . Kill everyone . No mercy . Payback tenfold .

Having just finished my first playthrough (I rented the gamne to try it out, didnt think I would be done with it in less than three days!), this was my train of thought. I didnt kill everyone, but I sure didnt spare people that got in my way.