Action · October 8, 2012
Dishonored (2012)
Dishonored is an immersive first-person action game that casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. With Dishonored’s flexible combat system, creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets at your disposal. Pursue your enemies under the cover of darkness or ruthlessly attack them head on with weapons drawn. The outcome of each mission plays out based on the choices you make. Story: Dishonored is set in Dunwall, an industrial whaling city where strange steampunk- inspired technology and otherworldly forces coexist in the shadows. You are the once-trusted bodyguard of the beloved Empress. Framed for her murder, you become an infamous assassin, known only by the disturbing mask that has become your calling card. In a time of uncertainty, when the city is besieged by plague and ruled by a corrupt government armed with industrial technologies, dark forces conspire to bestow upon you abilities beyond those of any common man – but at what cost? The truth behind your betrayal is as murky as the waters surrounding the city, and the life you once had is gone forever. Key features: Improvise and Innovate Approach each assassination with your own style of play. Use shadow and sound to your advantage to make your way silently through levels unseen by foes, or attack enemies head-on as they respond to your aggression. The flexible combat system allows you to creatively combine your abilities, supernatural powers and gadgets as you make your way through the levels and dispatch your targets. Improvise and innovate to define your play style. Action with Meaning The world of Dishonored reacts to how you play. Move like a ghost and resist corruption, or show no mercy and leave a path of destruction in your wake. Decide your approach for each mission, and the outcomes will change as a result. Supernatural Abilities Teleport for stealth approaches, possess any living creature, or stop time itself to orchestrate unearthly executions! Combining your suite of supernatural abilities and weapons opens up even more ways to overcome obstacles and eliminate targets. The game’s upgrade system allows for the mastery of deadly new abilities and devious gadgets. A City Unlike Any Other Enter an original world envisioned by Half-Life 2 art director Viktor Antonov. Arkane and Bethesda bring you a steampunk city where industry and the supernatural collide, creating an atmosphere thick with intrigue. The world is yours to discover.
Action releases from 2012
71 Action titles launched in 2012 — top 6 by review volume.
Position in Action
| Metric | This title | Genre position |
|---|---|---|
| Review volume | 82.4k Steam reviews | Top 8% in Action |
| Positive rating | 98% positive | Genre average: 83% — this title sits in top 3% |
| Metacritic | 91/100 | Genre average 77 — top 3% of Action titles |
| Concurrent peak | 288 players | Top 20% in Action by live player count |
| Engagement hours | 16 h average | Top 31% for session depth among Action |
Community Tag Signals
Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.
- Stealth · 2.8k
- First-Person · 1.8k
- Assassin · 1.7k
- Action · 1.6k
- Steampunk · 1.6k
- Singleplayer · 1.5k
- Atmospheric · 1.3k
- Story Rich · 1.1k
- Multiple Endings · 996
- Adventure · 956
- Dark · 914
- Magic · 866
- Dystopian · 772
- FPS · 628
- RPG · 593
Peer Action titles
Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.
Reception Metrics
Steam community
98%Overwhelmingly Positive · 82.4k reviews
80.7k positive · 1.6k negative
Metacritic
91/100 critic aggregate
Metacritic user score
8.5/10
Curator recommendations
64.0k
Peak concurrent players
288
Features & Capabilities
Community
- Steam Achievements
- Steam Cloud
- Remote Play on Tablet
- Remote Play on TV
Accessibility
- Color Alternatives
- Adjustable Difficulty
- Playable without Timed Input
Input & Comfort
- Stereo Sound
- Surround Sound
- Partial Controller Support
Other
- Single-player
- Family Sharing
Localization Coverage
Interface / Subtitles (5)
- English volume_up
- German volume_up
- French volume_up
- Italian volume_up
- Spanish - Spain volume_up
Full audio (5)
- English
- German
- French
- Italian
- Spanish - Spain
Press Quotes
“A big, shiny example of so much we keep asking for in games, but rarely get” Editor's Choice - PC Gamer “Nothing short of a masterpiece” - Kotaku “A joy to play” “Engrossing from start to finish” 9.2/10 – IGN “It will blow you away” 5 out of 5 stars - The Escapist “Bold, original and brilliant” 9/10 – Destructoid
More from Arkane Studios
Arkane Studios has 7 titles indexed — top 6 by review volume below.
Engagement Profile
All-time avg
16h
moderate (15–40 hours)
Median
9h
Typical completion time
2-week avg
2h
Current engagement
Achievements
80
Steam unlocks available
Release & Availability
| Release date | Oct 8, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Arkane Studios |
| Publisher | Bethesda Softworks |
| Base price | $2.49 -75% |
| Required age | 17+ |
| DLC / Add-ons | 5 released |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Estimated owners | 1M–10M |
| External links | Official site · Metacritic page · Support |
Editions & Packages
Buy Dishonored

















