Warren Specter is one of the most celebrated game developers in the industry today. But it wasn’t until 2000 and the release of Deus Ex that he left his mark on the industry. Considered to be one of the best games of all time, Deus Ex is one of the first games that gave players an option to play as they wanted–to be stealthy or go in guns blazing.
A sequel released in 2003, Deus Ex: Invisible War, offered players the same great experience, but allowed player dialogue choices to shape and impact the story. Though its features are common by today’s standards, Deus Ex helped pave the way for the modern western RPG.
On August 23rd, 2011, Square Enix and Eidos Montreal released Deus Ex: Human Revolution, a prequel to the original Deus Ex. Deus Ex: Human Revolution stars Adam Jensen, head of security for Sarif Industries,a leading corporation in the manufacturing of cybernetic augmentations. When an attack on Sarif Industries leaves Adam Jensen in critical condition, he is forced through an augmentation procedure to save his life. With over 90 percent of his body augmented, Adam Jensen sets out to find the group that attacked Sarif Industries and kidnapped his ex-girlfriend, lead scientist Megan Reed. What starts as a hostage rescue quickly spins out of control as Adam uncovers corporate conspiracies, the Illuminati, and a plot to control the fate of the world.
Keeping true to its roots, Deus Ex: Human Revolution allows players to play though the game stealthily, allowing Adam to use stealth camouflage, hack cameras and security systems, and knock enemies out and hide their bodies. In contrast,Adam is also able to augment his hand-to-hand execution kills allowing him to take down multiple enemies at once and upgrade his augmentations to allow him to snipe better and shoot guns with less recoil. When not on story-specific missions, Adam is allowed to explore a few blocks of Detroit and Hengsha. While exploring Adam is able to pick up side quests from pedestrians and learn more about current events, the effect of Neuropozyne (a drug that prevents the human body from rejecting augmentations), and the ethics of transhumanism and the problems it is causing with the Humanity Front, an organization set to stop humanity from playing God.
The game’s environmental design is a cyberpunk future wracked with poverty, unemployment, and a dependence on drugs, with gangs running the streets and police military trying to keep the peace. The unique design choice of using a golden hue in the lighting system gives the game a unique look and adds to the cyberpunk feel. Composed by Michael McCann, the game’s soundtrack matches the mood of the game perfectly. The techno punk mixture is a perfect accompaniment to sneaking through air ducts, infiltrating police stations, and shootouts with guards and mercenaries.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution has an average of 85/100 on Metacritic;the game was nominated and won Best Original Music from the BAFTA Awards. PSU gave Deus Ex: Human Revolution a 9.0, with an average user score of 9.3.
The original Deus Ex is hailed as one of the best games of all time, so living up to that pedigreeis no easy feat, but Deus Ex: Human Revolution delivers in more ways than one. Building on what its predecessors created, Human Revolution delivered a strong story, an open-ended approach to its gameplay, and a soundtrack that pulls you into its world. CBS Films has announced that a film adaptation of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is in development, but no release date has been announced.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is certainly one of the best games of the generation, but stay tuned to PSU as we showcase more of what we consider the best on PS3. If you agree or disagree with Human Revolution’s selection, let us know in the forums or comments below.