Dishonored®: Death of the Outsider™ Review Summary

Excellent level design: The game features well-designed, compact, and engaging levels that maintain Arkane's high standards. Players appreciate the atmospheric worlds and thoughtful level design that make the missions enjoyable and fun to explore.

Satisfying story conclusion: The game provides a satisfying and stylish conclusion to the series, with a well-crafted story that ties up loose ends and offers a worthy ending to the trilogy.

Engaging gameplay mechanics: The gameplay is dynamic, enjoyable, and varied, with good mechanics and a satisfying loop. It introduces new features and improvements that keep the experience fresh and interesting.

New abilities and powers: The introduction of new abilities and powers is well-received. These abilities are seen as interesting, fun, and powerful, adding to the gameplay experience.

Billie Lurk as protagonist: Playing as Billie Lurk is a highlight for many players. She is seen as an interesting and fresh character with unique abilities, offering a different perspective and adding depth to the game.

Weak and short story: The game's story is criticized for being weak, short, and containing plot holes. Players have noted that the plot is vague and confusing, with an unsatisfactory ending.

Shorter than previous games: The game is significantly shorter compared to other Dishonored games, with only five missions and a total playtime of around 15 hours, which is half the size of the previous game. This has led to criticism about the game's length and content quantity.

Feels like DLC: Many players feel that the game should have been released as DLC for Dishonored 2 rather than a standalone game. The content and scope are perceived as more akin to DLC than a full-fledged game.

Reused assets and levels: The game has been criticized for reusing assets and levels from previous titles. Some levels are reportedly the same map with minor changes, and certain phases and scenarios are recycled.

Fewer gameplay options: The game offers fewer options and less variety in terms of powers and alternative paths. This has resulted in a simpler and more linear gameplay experience, which some players find less engaging.

Interesting new abilities: The game introduces new and unique abilities for the main character, including supernatural powers. These abilities add more possibilities for level completion and are visually appealing.

Similar to Dishonored 2: The gameplay is similar to previous Dishonored games, particularly Dishonored 2. It uses the same engine and shares many gameplay and technical aspects with its predecessor.

Diverse level design: The game features compact, well-designed levels with multiple routes and solutions. Players appreciate the open-world and linear mission designs, highlighting the high-quality and top-level design.

Dynamic and flexible gameplay: The gameplay is described as dynamic, exceptional, and story-driven. Players enjoy the freedom in gameplay and the variety of approaches to tackle encounters.

Enhanced stealth mechanics: The game features improved stealth mechanics, allowing for a stealth-based gameplay experience. Players can use stealth and combat mechanics, including magic, to navigate through the game.

Stable and optimized performance: The game runs smoothly with stable framerates and optimized performance. Players report it runs better than previous titles like Dishonored 2.

Launch and compatibility issues: Some players experience issues with launching the game, especially with AMD and Nvidia systems. Specific fixes like downloading the latest version of amd_ags_x64.dll are mentioned.

Frequent crashes: The game tends to crash randomly, with some players reporting crashes after an hour or two of gameplay, and others experiencing crashes every few minutes in specific scenarios.

Numerous bugs: Players encounter various bugs throughout the gameplay, including issues with character dialogue volume and general instability.

Smooth controls and fast load times: The game features smooth controls and faster load times, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Recommended for Dishonored fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of the Dishonored series. Reviewers suggest that if you enjoyed previous Dishonored games, you will likely enjoy this one as well.

Buy on sale for better value: Many reviewers suggest purchasing the game during a sale to get the best value for money. It is often recommended to buy it at a discount, preferably at $4.99 or less.

General recommendation: The game is generally recommended by many reviewers. It is suggested as a worthwhile purchase for various types of players, including those who enjoy stealth and adventure games.

Worth playing for lore: The game is worth playing for those interested in the Dishonored lore. It provides a deeper dive into the story and is recommended for fans looking to extend their experience.

Recommendations for specific player types: The game is recommended for specific types of players, such as those who enjoy games like 'Assassin’s Creed' or 'Thief' and fans of stealth games.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 12.0h.

Story completion: 7.5h.

The game starts off slow and may feel tedious initially, but it becomes more enjoyable as players progress and discover engaging elements like specific powers and gadgets.

Reported time to anchor: 1h.

Friction: Repetitive animations; Tedious stealth mechanics; Slow pacing.

Unlock drivers: Hook mine; New powers; Progression and customization system.

Franchise Fan: Varied, depending on the mission and desired outcomes. Motivation: Experience more of the beloved series. Stance: sale.

Completionist: Thorough and exhaustive, ensuring all aspects of the game are explored and completed. Motivation: Achieve all in-game accomplishments. Stance: sale.

Explorer: Exploratory and curious, aiming to discover all aspects of the game world. Motivation: Uncover all hidden secrets and details in the game. Stance: sale.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback for the Steam Deck experience reveals significant issues with launching the game, which requires additional steps such as replacing DLL files. This indicates a high level of friction for users. However, there are also positive reports about the game's performance on the Steam Deck, suggesting that once the game is running, it can provide an enjoyable experience. Mixed reviews highlight that while some aspects of the game are well-received, others like the story ending and price-performance ratio need improvement.

Monetization: The game is criticized for feeling like overpriced DLC content rather than a standalone game. Many users believe it should have been included as part of the main game or sold at a lower price point. The perception of the game being overpriced and lacking in content is a significant issue affecting user satisfaction.