Dishonored is so absolutely fun that any shortcomings it might have go unnoticed.
Dishonored is simple in it's setup and kicks off almost immediately. You are Corvo, bodyguard to the Empress of Dunwall. When she is murdered, you are framed for said murder and sentenced to death. Soon, you are helped to break out of prison and given aid by a group that seeks to bring down the newly throned government bad guys, seeking out your revenge. To aid you are special powers bestowed upon by The Outsider. These powers grant you the ability to either decimate your enemy or stay out of sight, all the while seeking your revenge on those who wronged you.
Dishonored isn't so huge on story. It's a typical revenge story that sets in motion the ability to have extreme amounts of fun utilizing a combination of powers and other gameplay, from sword fighting to geographical traversing. The powers you get are certainly a highlight, and abilities like Blink, which grant you the power to make small warp jumps from area to area, are endless amounts of fun. Being able to warp around enemies without them detecting you and then drop down for a silent kill makes you feel like a true badass. Among the other abilities are the power to swarm enemies with rats, use a powerful gust of wind against your enemies, and my personal favorite (besides Blink) is the ability to possess other creatures, rats and other animals early on and later other humans. the combination of abilities and play style makes for hours and hours of exploration and customization in play style.
The key to the game is choice. Much like the aforementioned Deus Ex, here you are faced with making different decisions in how to tackle your mission. You are welcome to stay out of sight and find a non-lethal solution to your problem, or run in guns....errr, sword and crossbow ablazing. Or, if you really want to play it up, you can become adaptive and just take things as the situation calls for. Either way, you don't run out of options, and each mission area provides for a great deal of exploration and examination as you figure out how to overcome your target. One thing I am a big fan of is having multiple choice gameplay that allows me to replay and make new discoveries. For those that enjoy the same, Dishonored is a playground of style choices and gameplay exploration.
This would be all great even without everything else, but adding to this is a truly unique environment to play in. The Half Life 2 influence is evident, as is the BioShock, but this is a new and refreshing place to play in and of itself. Dunwall most closely represents a steampunk style industrial revolution England, but this is played with at large and is given a slightly more modern feel, with vehicles and tech that you'd expect to see today. It also does go heavy on steampunk style, from the clothing to the walker bipedal weapons. What all this results in is a very unique setting for a game that is almost wholly unexpected. Another thing I absolutely love. That being fun, unique environments that encourage exploration and experimentation.
Overall, I can really only say good things about the game, although it does seem a bit like it's length may be a bit short for a game such as this. Still, it's an absolute blast and the kind of game you only see once in a while. I highly recommend this from someone who wants to get their hands on something new and different.