Dishonored is devloped by Arkane Studios, most notably Harvey Smith, an ex-Looking Glass Studios developer, as well as one of the minds behind Deus Ex. Arkane is made up of a lot of former LGS devs. Dishonored looks to be a spiritual successor to their last game, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic. This is an analytical video, analyzing the latest gameplay trailer.
The analysis is intended to help achieve a better understanding of the content of the game. Themes present in the story, gameplay, design, characterization and appreciating the detailed aspects of the experience. This is primarily a response to the people who feel that the trailer didn't really show anything at all. Excuse the generally unorganized approach, I intended this to be in video form with voice over, but currently I can't produce my ideal video.
The trailer opens with the song "Druken Sailor".note how the lyrics are changed to drunken whaler, as opposed to sailor., first shots are of harbors & bays, ships, etc. Whale oil was detailed as the power source for everything in the Dishonored universe in earlier interviews.
In these shots we can see a captured whale on the ship being escorted to somewhere (most likely a processing facility). It is the same ship featured in the following scenes at several times of the day.
Next is a shot of the city, Dunwall. This panorama is intended to establish the theme of the city using simple shapes reminscent of its victorian/old English arechitecture. On the bridge in the middle we see two figures, one of which swinging a sword at the other. It is likely the sword bearer is a member of the authority and the victim a citizen, dystopian themes have been present in all of Dishonored's coverage so far.
In the next clip we see have a panning scene, on the right we notice posters, wanted, propaganda and otherwise. Among the wanted posters is Corvo Attano, the protagonist and player's avatar in to Dishonored. As well, two more wanted posters seeking out two unknown assailants wanted for murder. In the top right we see another poster titled "Greaves Lightning", a pun based off the term greased lightning. We can assume this is either the whaling ship's name, or the company responsible for the majority of the whaling (perhaps all of it, monopolies are awfully dystopian, right)? Greased lightning is an idiom expressing the speediness of movement, a greave is a piece of armor used to protect the shin, making it the name of an armored ship used for whaling not too far out there.
On the other half of the shot, we have a sunrise/sunset overlooking a bay (as indicated by a bridge, and what I believe to be a ship around the corner). There is also most notably a large weapon near the ledge, while hard to say for certain, it looks like a mounted harpoon gun. Other than that we see a nice display of the games HDR and godray lighting. Pretty.
The next shot is detailing a wrecked harbor & bridge, next to a facility labled '22' with Dunwall overlooking it all in the distance. The only definite thing determined in this shot is the wreckage is reminiscent of a conflict. Could whales be sentient in Dishonored? Maybe.
The same ship is seen here, closer up, during late morning/noon/evening. As if it isn't obvious, it's an important piece of the world of Dishonored.
Next is one of the most telling scenes yet. A young girl is giving her hand to Corvo. They are both standing near a harbor, surrounded by what appears to be some wreckage of some of Dunwall's technology which is colored in cobalt, the color of Dunwall's authorities.
It's easy to say the girl is a key to the plot who will likely guide Corvo around and provide motivation at key points in the story. The girl is dressed up in all white, white is often significant of virginity [of a bride], in this case it implies purity. Clearly enough the white dressed little girl is a pure, innocent individual in a city full of cobalts, blues, browns and greys. A stark contrast from almost everyone else, everything about her characters standing is made clear in this shot, from her taking Corvo's hand to her clothing and expression. Also note the warmth of her skin. She then looks & presumably turns away from the player.
Next is a quick series of images, first of featuring a guard. A poof of material and particles appears behind him as he walks, possibly Corvo preforming a skill to aid in a stealth attack. Possibly the ability which allows you to take over NPC's bodies. Next is a few shots of assasinations, from women in power to prostitutes, it transfers to the next scene suddenly, featuring barbed wire fence, with flood lights illuminating the area blow. Barred doors and walls makes this look like a prison.
A second shot of what is clearly a prison. After that two important figures & two guards on the left and right sides of the image in an area overlooking the front yard of a castle grounds. The guards are targeting the viewer (in this case likely the player). I like the guards mustache on the left. Note their dark clothing (cobalt colored), and the people in the distance sinister looks. It's obvious enough they are antagonistic. Jump to an interrogation room with some blood detailing the floor. A bust, most probably of an important figure sits above the room. The bench on the side makes me wonder if its normal to have lines of prisoners waiting to be interrogated. 6 frames (I counted it) of a bald, uniformed man with a scowling look. Most likely the same, pale individual from that outdoors shot just moments ago (as indicated by the uniform). Aspects of this room indicate it as a scene where a beating took place. This is likely a foyer, as the doorways imply, with the picture of who I assume to be the warden at this point (same baldy from before). Note how the painting towers over the room, clearly stating the warden's dominance over the prison. A sign that says 'Order Shall Prevail', they aren't being subtle when it comes to the dystopian society. Rats swarming around a floor (rats are a recurring theme in both gameplay and story, representing Corvo's anger, his lust for revenge, as well as a tool used to kill and possibly distract NPCs.). A tray with a key, and maybe a note. Someone doesn't want Corvo jailed. Shadows cast over a room with a guard swinging his sword at the player. Corvo is being beaten while held up and/or hanged. Some propaganda posters decorate the floor. Another shot of the warden and who I assume to be his assitant. Notice the green lamp in the middle? Same lamp as in the foyer. Safe to say it's the same place, Corvo was the victim of the beating in that other shot.
The authority are given the title of City Watch as another wanted poster clearly displays Corvo 'still at large' for the murder of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin. Women clearly have some power in Dishonored. Note the no citizens allowed road block sign, expect to see more of these in the game itself. The player is atop a bridge over a bay. The poster also details what the Empress looks like. Note that white collar. The scene of the crime, the Empresses' body, bloodstained. Corvo's reason for being jailed are likely the murder of the Empress, whether or not he did it is to be seen at a later time.
Corvo stabs someone, likely a guard, producing a lovely spray of blood. The guards sword clips through the guards body, physics for it are likely not calculated to save system resources for the weaker platforms.
Corvo grabs someone from behind in the darkness around their neck in the prison. Most probably a guard.
A shot of the harbor at night, leading us in to the city of Dunwall. We see dead bodies wrapped up in sheets and tied together with rope. Their faces are bloodied, probably victims of the state. Corvo approaches an injured man in a canal. The wrapped up bodies are explained by a plague. The deceased are clearly victims of it. A sign in the top left requires citizens to report signs of the plague or be killed.
A guard aims his firearm at Corvo. The next shot the player overlooks a walker, with two more in the distance.
Next is a train. In the following clip it dumps bodies in to what is probably the canal, the bodies, are likely victims of both plague and the watch. A character is seen pulling a body from the mounds of deceased. The shot expands twice, where we can see the quantities of the deceased. The plague and city watch claim a high kill count.
Jump to a slummy, industrial section of Dunwall.
The viewer sees the back of a guard. The screen flashes with a filter of distorted color. This seems to be a psychic attack skill. We see the guard move from a slump to standing upright as the camera pans back in to Corvo, the guard slumps over.
City watch dumps plague victims in to the harbor.
Rats swarm the streets in a group past one of the guards in a walker. Flares go off in the background.
Rats are seen attacking guards in what is probably the brothel that was featured in an earlier preview. This is one of Corvo's abilities, the rats probably also spread the plague. Corvo lunges from above by the water, ambushing a guard. This is the exact same location that the little girl was at, holding Corvo's hand, indicating that the cobalt machines aren't wreckage but tools, one being a boat of sorts. A dog, attacks corvo. A new enemy type is introduced. Corvo engages a woman (while being attacked from the left side, as told by the indicator). Corvo peeks through a key hole, previewing a room before entering. One of the stealth gameplay mechanics. Corvo uses a skill to reflect a projectile explosive back to a walker. The player parries a sword strike from a masked attacker, then stabs the attacker.
The next scene pans towards a light, a sign on the right side says 'closed due to curfew'. A curfew is not surprising considering the state of affairs.
Jump to a tower in construction, with large floodlights overlooking below. Jump to another scene, showing a painting of the completed tower.
The player tosses a grenade at a walker, detonating after latching itself to its target. In the next scene, the player slows time down, moving freely to his advantage, another one of Corvo's skills. A crossbow is in corvo's left hand, while he wields his sword in his right. The crossbow fires off an electric charge (using the prod sound from Deus Ex, to all you careful listeners), which disentigrates the players target.
A walker struts along, showing off more nice lighting.
A lighthouse structure has its light panning across the scene. Lightning flashes and we jump to a castle's courtyard. and ultimately to the dead Empress once more. Clearly enough she is a central character to the events in the game.
Corvo is seen preforming a backstab attack on a guard, likely unsuspecting of it. A montage of death and murder continues, exhibiting, stabs, slayings, slittings and plain, brutal displays of gore and blood. Note the expressions of the victims, quite detailed and interesting. An NPC is burned to death aswe jump to our pure little girl. We get a clear view of her outfit now, as Corvo follows her in an outdoor area.
Jump to the interior of a government building, the building is decorated with gold, marble, art and a lovely glass ceiling. Guards are present.
Corvo approaches a masked woman, an unsheaths his sword (similar to a butterfly knife sheath). He covers her mouth and stabs her. Her masked assistant likely engages with Corvo.
Next we have the Empress and the girl in white, safe to say it is her daughter. A man who is not Corvo is seen killing the empress. Corvo has long hair, meaning his dishonorers framed him for her murder, leading to a plot thick in conspiracy.
The little girl is seen reading in what is probably her room, as we jump to the logo and tagline.