The Dishonored Series as Environmental and Social Commentary
The Dishonored series explores the complexity of these issues , centered on the intersection between the ruined environment and ruined lives of the destitute and oppressed , while never pretending the solutions to these issues will come easily or are even wanted by those who may otherwise claim to be advocates of both . Jennifer Calkins asserts ,
While the symbolic nature of other animals is a common focus of literary criticism , the examination of the animal “ other ” as a true embodied character is rare . However , the recent emergence of animal studies into the academy is resulting in an increasing number of studies investigating how texts are able to embody animal others . ( 32 )
When taken in its totality , the game series spans approximately sixty hours of storytelling and features just such an embodied character via The Outsider . Although he also functions as a god and chooses to appear in the form of a human male , his close and deep association with the whales and their slaughter underscores the important narrative underpinnings of the games and their contribution to a discussion about the modern-day environment . 2
Across the series ’ main games and downloadable content ( DLC ), focus remains on the intersection of poverty , disease , oppression , and , importantly , The Outsider ’ s role as he watches these inequities unfold . However , the game ’ s mechanical elements join with its fictional story elements to form a cohesive whole whereby the player ’ s choices and actions fundamentally shape the fictive space of the narra-
2 The nature of The Outsider and his narrative purpose are discussed indepth further on .
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