Dishonored 2 (PC) Review

In my opinion the first Dishonored is one of the best single player games ever made. Sequels have a tendency to be not as good as the original, such as Crysis 2, F.E.A.R 2, Doom Eternal, Deus Ex Invisible War etc. I was cautiously optimistic about Dishonored 2

Going into Dishonored 2, I didn't know much about the story or the gameplay changes. I wanted to experience the game without knowing much about it.

I finished Dishonored on Monday, July 1, 2024, at 5:49 AM, and its DLC on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at 7:29 AM. I started Dishonored 2 in 2025 and finished it on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 11:03 PM.

When I started the game, everything felt familiar in a good way. It genuinely felt like I picked up where I left off. The UI was slightly different, but the customization options were just as great.

The gameplay itself felt mostly the same, which is good. But the level design is where Dishonored 2 truly shines and I think its better than the original. This game features one of the best levels I have ever played in a single player game. When I think of great level design, this particular level will always come to mind.

The graphics are noticeably nicer, and the art style benefits from the new setting. The game takes place on a Mediterranean island, which is much different than Dunwall. I've always been partial to this kind of environment. Witcher 3 Blood and Wine, Just Cause 3, Caesar III, Caesar IV are among my favorites.

Dishonored 2 captures both the beauty and the ugliness of Karnaca. The bright coastal areas look incredible, while the dingier districts show the unpleasant side of life. The coastal mansion level in particular is stunning.

In hindsight, I probably should have played as Emily. Her new abilities would have given me something different to experiment with. Playing as Corvo felt familiar, but it also meant I wasn't doing much beyond what I already knew from the first game.

One of the things I've always loved about Dishonored is how unexpected gameplay moments can emerge naturally. For example, I was sneaking through a mansion and encountered a clockwork soldier. I shot its head off, and while it couldn't see anymore, it was still alive and flailing around. That led to a completely unexpected chain of events. In most games, this would have been a fail state. In Dishonored 2, it's just another moment you adapt to.

The PC version had issues at launch, but I played it nine years later on hardware far beyond the recommended specs. I had zero technical problems. The game ran smoothly on ultra settings at 3440x1440.

The story is fine. Within the first 15 minutes, Emily Kaldwin is deposed by her aunt, who claims to be the rightful heir. It feels contrived. There's also the Crown Killer mystery, which is resolved in the most boring way possible. None of this ruins the experience, but I do remember the story being goofy in places. Still, the gameplay more than makes up for it.

Dishonored 2 is a better game than the original, and fans of single player stealth/action games should absolutely play it. It is one of the best games ever made.

This review is written on Amtrak, en route from Austin to Fort Worth, TX and published at Amtrak station 1001 Jones St, Fort Worth, TX 76102 on 3/29/2026 via free Greyhound WiFi.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate (PC) Review

Got this game for free on Uplay. Finished it on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Ubisoft needed a win after the disaster of Unity at launch. Syndicate released the following year, had a smooth launch, and was generally well received. Assassin's Creed purists weren't thrilled because the parkour lacked the depth Unity offered. After watching some videos on YouTube, I agree that Syndicate's parkour is noticeably more simplistic. The grapple hook was a little controversial. I understand why it exists, and it didn't bother me too much, but Unity handled traversal better. Tall structures in Unity had stationary grapples placed in specific spots, which still required effort and gave you a sense of accomplishment when you parkoured your way to the top of Notre Dame.

Syndicate includes all the major London landmarks, but it's possible to breeze through them with almost no resistance. At times, it feels like a noclip mode.

After playing Syndicate, Origins, and Odyssey, I realize how important level traversal really is. Making traversal super easy doesn't automatically make a game better. I don't think Origins or Odyssey are better games just because you can climb any surface like Spider-Man. Compare this to Red Dead Redemption 2, where the player has to think about how to navigate the world, look for pathways, and engage with the environment. In Origins and Odyssey, you just walk up to a wall and start climbing. No thought required.

This is why the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is so much better than almost any AC world (except maybe Black Flag). The developers designed the world so the player is rewarded for exploration, and it actually felt like an accomplishment. In AC Origins, aside from the pyramids, nothing really comes close, and Odyssey was basically easy mode.

Compared to Unity, I didn't enjoy Syndicate as much. The story was boring (Unity's was boring too, but this felt worse). Switching between characters got old fast. I played as Evie because I liked her abilities. In true Ubisoft fashion, they force you to play as the other character for certain missions. Very annoying. Why spend so much time customizing and leveling up a character only to be forced to play as someone I had no interest in? They pulled the same thing in Origins.

I had no trouble running the game at the highest settings at 3440x1440. What's strange is that the game doesn't look as good as Unity. The graphics feel washed out, and this persists throughout the entire playthrough. Unity and Black Flag have vibrant, pleasing colors, while Syndicate looks muted by comparison.

I heard the DLC for this game is really good, but I haven't played it and have no intention of buying it.

I wouldn't buy this game if you haven't played Unity and its DLC. My recommendation is to play Unity first, and if you still want more of the same - but not quite as good - then maybe spend $5 on Syndicate.

This review is written on Amtrak, en route from Austin to Fort Worth, TX and published at Amtrak station 1001 Jones St, Fort Worth, TX 76102 on 3/29/2026 via free Greyhound WiFi.

Life and Gaming Update in 2026

I didn't post anything in 2025. Since starting this blog in 2011, I've rarely gone an entire year without writing something, so it feels strange to see a gap that long.

Games I Played in 2025

• Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
• F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
• Assassin's Creed Syndicate
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Dishonored 2
• Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle

I played this on Xbox Game Pass, which I picked up for $1. I finished it in a few days without doing many side quests. The companion character was predictably annoying and dragged the experience down. The graphics were excellent, but the gameplay had issues and the weapon system felt clunky. Overall, it felt like a $5 game.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

A console-ized version of F.E.A.R. The story is completely insane - anyone who has played it knows what I mean. It's a good game, but nowhere near the league of the first.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

This will probably be the last Assassin's Creed game I play for a while. It's not bad, but it's not as good as Unity. The graphics feel noticeably worse, and switching between characters is a gimmick that didn't add much. The story is boring. Unity was a much better game.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Excellent graphics, but a very boring story. The RPG mechanics feel unnecessary, and I wish they had removed them entirely. My next Tomb Raider game will be Underworld, which I plan to play in 2026.

Dishonored 2

One of the best single-player games I've ever played. I think it's better than the first. I played as Corvo, and it felt like a worthy sequel in every way. It's rare for a sequel to surpass the original across the board, but this one does. An all-time great for me.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

More of the same - in a good way. A very solid game. I didn't understand parts of the story, but the level design is excellent. I'll watch a YouTube breakdown to fill in the gaps.

Life

2025 was a bittersweet year. Some great things happened, and some very sad things happened. A death in the family was difficult to deal with, and life will never be quite the same. I also traveled a bit - Austin, Atlanta, and Chicago. Austin wasn't really a vacation; it was more family-related. Chicago was great, and I plan to return in 2026.

I haven't played many games this year. Battlefield 6 is probably my most-played so far. I'm also playing RoboCop: Rogue City and enjoying it. Gaming feels strange lately - I want to play more, but I'm not finding the time or the motivation. I miss the days when I played games instead of watching YouTube.

I want to stop worrying about the world, the wars, the market, and just enjoy games like I used to. The problem is that every social media platform has turned into a political cesspool. I'm still partial to X (Twitter), but I try to check it only once a day to preserve my sanity. I miss the days when Reddit wasn't what it is now, when forums still existed, and when PC gaming wasn't a rich man's hobby.

When I look back at life between 2014 and 2017, it feels like a real high point - both in life and in gaming. This was the golden age of Battlefield. I played so many great games during that time. My family was doing well, my grandmother and uncle were in good health, and I was planning to visit her soon. I have so many fond memories. We bought a house and paid it off in two years. I was financially well off. I'm not doing badly now - arguably I'm doing better - but I don't feel like life has gotten better.

I want to recapture that feeling again. I want to live more in the moment, work out more, and spend time doing things that make me happy and have a positive influence on my life.

Broadly speaking, I want to get more into Linux, earn a certification and make a career transition, play more games, work out more, eat healthy, and reach $2 million in net worth.

Let's see if I succeed.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PC) Review

I have mixed feelings about the game.

What I Liked

- Quick Save Feature: The ability to quickly save progress is a significant plus. The old save system would have made things worse.

- World Design: The game boasts an impressive world design in terms of visuals, and the vast map to explore.

- Stunning Graphics: The visuals are truly remarkable, better than Assassin's Creed Origins in my opinion.

What I Didn't Like

- Sloppy Gameplay: I encountered moments during the game that showed a total lack of polish. For example, during the final boss battle, a mercenary appeared but was unable to enter the arena due to invisible walls which shows that the game has not been properly play tested.
 
- Goofy Combat Mechanics: The movement system of Assassin's Creed makes some sections of the combat feel awkward and silly.

- Repetitive Gameplay: The game suffers from a lack of variety, with noticeable copy-pasted assets that make exploration feel monotonous.

- Boring Storyline: The narrative failed to engage me, and the acting in the cut scenes was subpar, making it difficult to sit through the cut scenes. I skipped most of them towards the end.

- Disappointing Final Boss Battle: This encounter was poorly designed, featuring a steep difficulty spike and an unnecessarily long cut scene before the fight. The absence of a save point afterward meant that dying would force me to replay the same choices repeatedly.

- Poor Animations: Enemy dodging animations felt rushed and unrealistic, with characters appearing to teleport rather than move fluidly.

- Unsatisfactory Music: The soundtrack did not resonate with me. No where near as good as Black Flag, and even worse than Origins.

I paid $11.99 for this game and feel that I got my money's worth; however, it's clear that it lacks polish. Given my experiences with this title and previous entries like Origins, I will be passing on Assassin's Creed Valhalla, as I suspect it will follow a similar formula that I find increasingly unappealing.

Borderlands (PC) Review

I'm somewhat conflicted about Borderlands. Technically, it's a solid game. It ran smoothly on my setup with a 2560x1440 resolution, an i7-6700k processor, and a GeForce 1080Ti, without any issues.

However, the gameplay feels dated. Movement lacks a sense of weight, and I frequently got stuck on level geometry, especially in densely packed areas. The vehicle controls are also unconventional, using mouse-based turning rather than the standard WASD movement, which took some time to get used to.

While I appreciate the cel-shaded graphics, the environmental design left something to be desired. The heavy use of grey and brown makes sense for a post-apocalyptic setting, but a bit more variety in the visuals would have been nice, even considering the game's era.

The much-touted weapon variety didn't impress me. I found most of the weapons to be underwhelming and felt they lacked significance. I ended up sticking with a few weapons throughout the game.

I played as the Soldier class, which was enjoyable. The gunplay is decent, but the endgame felt dragged out with a series of padded quests that ultimately failed to deliver a satisfying conclusion, leading to some boredom.

I didn't explore the DLCs due to a packed gaming schedule, so I can't comment on their quality.

I cautiously recommend Borderlands, especially if you're a fan of the series and want to experience its origins. For others, it might be worth a pass.

Batman Arkham City (PC) Review

Very solid game. Definitely worth playing. Main story takes about 13 hours to complete. There is a TON of side content.

Combat is the best part of this game and there is a lot to learn. After 13+ hours, I don't think I am anywhere near mastering it. There are parts that are unfair at times, especially when there are a lot of armed guards. Lack of auto-run will get you killed.

I had no technical issues. Worked fine on ultrawide resolution (3440x1440) without any mods. Game looks beautiful and animations are excellent (for the most part).

Game is made for consoles first. Controls are not PC optimized, same with the UX. Its not a big deal, but it would have been a lot better if there were PC specific controls etc. Lack of auto run is painful.

Story didn't make much sense. Its not bad, but it was forgettable.

Boss battles are kind of boring, but they are not overly frustrating, which is great. I typically do not enjoy boss battles in most games because the developers tend to design them in such a way that there is not a lot of player choice. This is true for Arkham City as well, but it was not done in a stupid manner like Tomb Raider Anniversary.

Level design is good, but sewer levels are very boring.

Over all, one of the very best action games ever made. Thoroughly recommended, especially if it is on sale.

Dishonored (PC) Review

Dishonored is one of the best single player games I ever played. It came very close to the original Deux Ex for me. There are so many ways to play this game - pure stealth, pure combat or a combination of both. The game manages to take player decisions into account and change things in subtle and interesting ways. The powers and skills acquired allow different ways to approach mission objectives.

The game has a comic book like art style, and it aged very well. I played it 10+ years after the release, and it still looks great. The world design is top notch. It is one of the most distinctive settings in gaming.

Music and voice acting are fantastic as well.

UI is customizable, and the game works fine on ultra wide resolution (3440x1440). I never experienced any technical issues. It also has quick save, quick load, auto save and manual save. You can experiment and try different strategies to your heart's content. A true PC game.

I highly recommend it.

Doom Eternal (PC) Review

Doom Eternal annoyed me to no end.

Its a very polished game, and it looks great. When the game gets going, its a lot of fun. Its a functional product, and it works as advertised. Soundtrack is excellent, and the action is hectic. Is Doom Eternal a polished game that runs well? Yes. There is nothing technically wrong with the game.

However, I cannot recommend this game, because I did not have fun playing it. For fans of the first game expecting similar gameplay, understand that in certain aspects, Doom Eternal is a VERY different game. My biggest complaint are design decisions that get in the way of me having fun.

Generally, to acquire ammo, you have to kill grunts with the chainsaw, but you have limited amount of ammo you can carry (even with all the upgrades), and because weapons share the same ammo pool, such as double barrel shotgun and combat shotgun, running out of ammo with one weapon means you are out of ammo with the other (this is the same as the first game), but what makes it worse is how you constantly keep running out of ammo, and you have to use the chainsaw to kill a grunt to get some precious ammo, which by the way doesn't always top up the ammo supply AND you have to wait excruciatingly long for chainsaw fuel to auto refill. Its so dumb. Why not let glory kills refill ammo? They had the perfect system all worked out in the last game. Why change it?

To further add to my irritation, there are LONG platforming sections. I don't understand this. Why? Who wanted this? Its so poorly done too, it feels goofy and out of place.

The final levels are an incredible culmination of all the irritating design choices into one perfect package. When I beat the final boss...I stared at the screen for a good 30 seconds, in a state of introspection, thinking to myself, how with some minor tweaks this game could have easily surpassed DOOM (2016) in every respect. Such a pity.

I really wish I enjoyed this game, but I didn't.