Bethesda's Big Reveal: First Dishonored Trailer

Bethesda revealed the big news they were teasing for today. No, they didn't announce Skyrim DLC. Instead, they released the debut CGI trailer for their assassination game Dishonored.

"Dishonored casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge," explains Bethesda. "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 being besieged by plague and ruled by an oppressive government armed with strange technologies, dark forces conspire to bestow upon you abilities beyond those of any common man."

Players are given choices as to how they assassinate their targets. They can use a combination of gadgets, weapons and supernatural powers to eliminate foes. Players can also choose to be either stealthy or aggressive. The non-linear gameplay seems similar to Deus Ex, which is fitting because Dishonored co-designer Harvey Smith served as designer on the first two DX games.

In the trailer, we get to watch the hero take out a target from a first-person perspective. It sets up the gritty world that he inhabits, as well. I suppose you could characterize it as "steampunk."

Dishonored will be released later this year on the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. It's in development at Bethesda subsidiary Arkane Studios.