Prepare to make friends with the "Continue" screen.
Deus Ex set the bar high when it sent ripples through the gaming world back in 2000. It helped to forge a new genre of mixed shooter and RPG that paved the way for games like Borderlands and Mass Effect. In the process, the title earned a deserved following and critical acclaim, setting the bar high for any future sequels.
Here we are 11 years later with the third installment of the si-fi series, set as a prequel 25 years before Deux Ex in the year 2027. You assume the role of Adam Jensen (the strong silent type). But when he does speak he sounds like he needs a cough drop. He's a security officer for a company that leads the way in developing human augmentation. After the company is attacked, you are forced by your employer to start piecing together a complex story that boarders on political and morally driven agendas.
The story is very deep, but I do feel that the story is one of the flaws of this title. It seems, at times, like you lack an emotional connection to the characters or missions. Don't get me wrong, there are very interesting turns the plot takes, and it doesn't ever derail, but when something shocking happens to the main character, I felt my self shrugging my sholders instead of standing on my couch and yelling in disbelief.
Getting my one big gripe out of the way, the gameplay itself is solid. The menus are friendly to those unfamiliar and returning gamers alike. The buttons are mapped out well, and the shooting feels more like a first person shooter than an RPG, which is a big plus. Sneaking, which is a large part of the game, is fairly straight forward. But a combination of taking cover and moving silently will make or break you at times.
This game pushes subtly on you, punishing you for not thinking and rewarding you for being
ninja-like. A big part of the game and the deciding factor on who would enjoy this game is that the sneaking, hacking into security, and avoiding the alarms is made enjoyable. At times it can feel tedious, but finding the right trick(computer to hack, air vent to go down) can feel gratifying. Your survival depends heavily on this aspect of the game.
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I was blown away by how rich the environments and architecture is. It feels like Eidos dropped you in the middle of Blade Runner, from the cyber punk allies, Adam's apartment, and massive office complexes. The little touches really go over the top; you can pick up a tablet style electronic newspaper off a cubical with headlines scrolling across it, paper thin neon signs scroll information in hotel lobbies and billboards offer information about limb replacement. The inside of the buildings is the star though, you may find your self looking around the room your in like its something out of a design magazine. The characters are a little disproportionate with oversized noggins, but look fine overall and the few robots you run across are amazing looking.
When you fire off your gun you know it, the sound is really punchy no matter what your sporting. The voice acting on the other hand isn't that great, at times its a bit goofy. Music wise, it works, its very forgettable though sometimes it tries to put you to sleep with techno like elevator tunes. All that aside the important sounds are fine, explosions sound explody and guns sound painful.
The reason people will play this game is, its very deep. when the RPG element kicks in your able to gain experience and purchase augmentations for your character which is where the game really starts. You can spend time making your player harder to track while sneaking, make hacking easier , unlock special moves or even something as simple as making your inventory bigger so you can tote around more guns. Its not only the reason you start playing the game but its what drives you to do the missions, i mean who hasnt wanted to be able to punch through walls?
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Deus Ex: Human Revolution, is a great title and a fine addition to the series. It has its flaws, and can feel a bit tedious at times but overall is enjoyable to the end. I dont think its for everyone, the learning curve along with RPG elements may steer FPS purists away. The total package is visually gripping oozing style, smart, and intuitive. The lack of character development, sometimes stale missions leave this game shy from meeting its full potential.
Whats it all mean?
4/5
Buy if: your heavily into Si-fi, like complex deep games, or are a fan of the series.
Rent if: you need a change of pace from the average game.
Avoid if: you hate RPGs, big learning curves or having sneak.
-Wes
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