There are a lot of games out there that promise a great deal of player agency and choice, but it's rare to find a shooter that seems to seize on that notion as effectively as Dishonored, the upcoming first-person stealth-action game by Arkane Studios. Most who saw the dual demos for the game at E3--one focused on stealth, and one on action--came away quite impressed with the variety of approaches the player can take, and how those approaches actually have narrative and gameplay implications as the game progresses.

Both of those E3 demo videos have since been released into the wild, so that you can get a closer look at how different styles will allow players to approach each area as they see fit.

If, like me, you're a fan of series like Deus Ex, Half-Life, and Thief, you'll likely find a ton of things to like about these walkthroughs, which show off an exceptionally strong sense of atmosphere. It doesn't hurt that there seem to be a huge number of powers and abilities on tap, a sample of which can be seen in action in the videos. Short distance teleportation--via the 'Blink' ability--the ability to stop time look like fun abilities to use, as do the powers that allow you to possess different animals or humans, or summon a horde bloodthirsty rats.

One thing's for sure, Dishonored's October 9 release on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 is one I'll be looking forward to with much anticipation.

Dishonored E3 2012 walkthrough - Stealth

Dishonored E3 2012 walkthrough - Action