Dishonored: Dunwall City Trials Review for PC

System: PC*, PS3, Xbox 360
Dev: Arkane Studios
Pub: Bethesda Softworks
Release: December 10, 2012
Players: 1
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

Dunwall City Trials will particularly appeal to players who felt the main Dishonored campaign was too easy. There's no way to save progress in the Trials, so save skimming is right out. There's also no way to scavenge and stockpile potions, and you'll be working with a limited skillset in each challenge, so there are fewer opportunities to game the system and become an unstoppable god of death. There are even unlockable expert modes for many of the Trials. High scores for each trial are recorded in online leaderboards, for players who enjoy competing against the rest of the world.

Dishonored: Dunwall City Trials Screenshot

For such bite-sized pieces of gameplay, some of the Dunwall City Trials do a good job preserving the game's freedom of choice element. Mystery Foe, Burglar, Back Alley Brawl, Bend Time, and Kill Chain in particular encourage the use of many different strategies in order to successfully complete them. The more arcadey parts of the Trials, like Oil Drop and the speed challenges, are less appealing in their rigid structure, as there are far better arcade challenges out there. Dishonored's developers should definitely stick with the game's strengths instead of attempting to wrap the game's systems around challenges to which they aren't suited.

The Dunwall City Trials are a bit like the Disneyland version of Dishonored. They've cut out some of the most compelling parts of the game, such as exploring the expansive levels and learning the secrets of Dunwall's citizens. There are no interesting moral choices to make and no lore-filled books to read, but there are some fun challenges that remain true to the spirit of the game. While not all the Dunwall Trials are of equal quality, at the price at which they're offered the better Trials provide an entertaining afternoon or two of guilt-free assassination fun.

By
Becky Cunningham
Lead Contributor
Date: December 13, 2012

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.3

Graphics
The same gorgeous graphics from the original, but without the same impressively-designed open world levels.

3.4

Control
Several of the Trials rely on speed elements that simply don't mesh well with the game's movement and skill selection systems.

3.5

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The sound effects are fine, but there's less personality in the things the player can overhear.

3.3

Play Value
Some Trials have good replay value, but others have very little. The bargain price helps make up for that.

3.4

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

Experience Dishonored’s flexible combat system, stealth gameplay, and distinct settings in a whole new way as you make your way through timed and scored challenges in Dunwall City Trials. Put your assassination skills to the test as you combine your supernatural powers and gadgets to eliminate your enemies and collect clues to identify and dispatch your target. Try your hand in non-lethal challenges as you shoot down whale oil tanks raining from the sky or infiltrate a mansion to collect the loot unseen by your foes.

Your high scores and rank for each trial will be recorded and displayed in a global online leaderboard. Every point and every second counts when going up against the best of the best.

In addition to a brand new set of achievements and trophies, an image gallery filled with original concept art and other surprises can be unlocked as you complete each trial and meet each of its various objectives.