Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex: Human Revolution came out a week or so ago to XBox360, PS3, and PC. Being lazy, I decided to download it off Steam after hearing a handful of positive reviews from people I largely trust. Buying a new PC game is something I rarely do, so I was worried I wouldn't be interested, especially since it takes place in first person. There's been VERY few games I've really enjoyed that are first person, and none have been shooters, which this game appears to approach much more than the others (those being Portal and Portal 2, a pair of wonderful puzzle games, and Mirror's Edge, a deeply flawed, but gorgeous and fun first person action game). Also as a disclaimer, I haven't played the original or its much-hated sequel, so I can't make any comparisons to those.

After the download was completed, I started playing, and pretty much didn't stop for another six hours. That's something I haven't done in ages. I tweeted that it's the most into a game I've been since Mass Effect 2, and that's accurate. The comparison is actually pretty appropriate too: they're both story-driven western RPGs, they both have a cover-based shooting mechanic (ME2 being in third person), and they both have a science fiction feel. They're not identical by any stretch, of course. ME2 is set in the far future and follows a story with consequences that affect the entire galaxy. Deus Ex, by contrast, is a much more intimate cyberpunk story set in 2027 with consequences that might affect a single, fledgling company. You play as Adam Jensen, the head of security for biotech company that's developed a number of cybernetic augmentations, a fairly new industry that's under attack from all sides. After an attack on the company, Jensen is put through a series of surgeries and given a number of augmentations to save his life, which is where the story really begins (the attack serves as a short combat tutorial for the most part).

At this point, you're dropped into the actual game. The world of 2027 is dirty, grimy and shows an obvious class separation that would makes today look like we're all on an even footing. Augmented humans have a large amount of prejudice against them, derogatorily called "augs," with a number of groups trying to get augmentation banned and a growing "pure human" movement. So far, the game has taken me to two locations, both of which are about as described. You're dropped into an environment with a mission to carry out, but without much in the way of a time limit, so exploration is rewarded with some experience points, and loot (guns, ammo, upgrade points, etc.), and talking to the right people can trigger side missions away from the main ones.

Combat occurs every so often, but the game seems to push you towards a more stealthy approach: nonlethal methods of taking down enemies give bonus experience, and there's an achievement for completing the game without killing any non-boss enemies (bosses have to be killed, in one of the most common complaints), as well as one for not triggering any alarms. The fights are pretty typical cover-shooter fights, although the enemy AI is not the best. Basically, enemies in the area will move towards you, and that's about as complex as it gets. Which is fine, and it may be intentional to push players to the stealthy approach. Between combat sequences, there's often parts that require talking to characters to gather information or just get something done. These often require remembering what you've seen and done recently, and certain augments can make this a lot easier. One gives you the option to release pheromones to influence other characters. I usually try to do without just for the added challenge. Conversation trees are somewhat like Mass Effect, but there's no morality component to it, and they only seem to directly affect the conversation you're in.

Graphically, it's not the best game I've seen, but not the worst either. Character models are unique and interestingly designed. Facial animations are pretty good, although not always synced with the voice acting. Speaking of which, it's all over the place. Jensen speaks with a low, gravelly voice that rarely conveys any emotion. It fits with the tone of the game, and is well-voiced, but I'm still not sure it was the best choice. Other characters aren't so good. It's clear that many of the voice actors, if nothing else, don't speak English as much as French (it was developed in Montreal, Canada) and sometimes inflections are off as a result. Still, it's good enough.

All in all, I'm loving the game, and have been playing it as much as I can find time for. I totally recommend it, especially to those who prefer slower games to twitch action games.