Review: Deus Ex: Human Revolution – the next evolution in gaming?
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the highly anticipated prequel to the original game released over a decade ago. The franchise has garnered a cult following for employing some gameplay mechanics ahead of its time.
The original Deus Ex game won positive acclaim for its open-style gameplay. Players could achieve goals in a number of different ways and engage in conversations with NPCs, where the next outcome could be impacted by what you say. In addition, the original title also had RPG elements that allowed players to level up and obtain special augmentations or abilities.
Story
In a similar vein, Eidos Montreal has crafted Human Revolution to keep many of the core mechanics intact while managing to enhance and build upon them. Players will be able to augment their character with new abilities over time and dramatically change the course of the story with each decision. While the original game focused around nano-augmentation, Human Revolution focuses on mechanical (cybernetic) augmentation as it takes place 25 years prior to the original game.
The game starts you off as Adam Jensen, a former defunct SWAT commander, now working as a security specialist at Sarif Industries. The year is 2027, and it is a time of great innovation that rivals that of the renaissance period. Cybernetic augmentations have reached new heights with the achievement of seamless fusion of machine and the human body.
You take control of Jensen in Sarif Industries’ Detroit office, where a break-in occurs resulting in many casualties including ex-girlfriend, Megan Reed. Jensen is left for dead with major injuries sustained requiring him to loose his limbs. Sarif Industries rebuilds Jensen with the latest tech in augmentation with a purpose in mind.
Without giving too much of the plot away, Jensen recovers and starts to investigate the break-in. He stumbles upon a shocking conspiracy that will span across multiple countries.
With Ion Storm no more, Eidos Montreal took on a very ambitious project when deciding to do a prequel to the highly acclaimed Deus Ex. Similarly to the original, Human Revolution has a very deep and satisfying story with a healthy dose of conspiracy. The story is definitely one of the strongest aspects to the game as it weaves a complex web where player interaction impacts how NPCs respond to you and in turn can alter the course of the mission.
Gameplay/Design/Visuals
The open design of the game is astonishing as players can literally pick and choose multiple paths to achieving their goals. If you can’t talk your way into a building because your conversation augmentation is to low, find an alternative route through a vent or sewer. If you need to hack into a computer and there are NPCs keeping an eye on you, pick up a vending machine and block the doorway so they can’t see you. The possibilities are endless as the environment allows you to manipulate objects around you to alter NPC behavior.
I actually played through Deus Ex: Human Revolution twice to get a sense of how the game holds up with different play styles. I finished the game using stealth tactics during the first playthrough. This was extremely rewarding when completing an objective undetected. As I progressed through the game, the augmentations I decided to upgrade were based on my play style. I focused on augmentations such as the ability to see through walls and lift heavy objects to create new paths. The augmentations can be unlocked by spending praxis points, which can be earned by every XP gained throughout the game. These points are precious as the game is stingy when it comes to handing these out.
Another augmentation that goes well with stealth tactics is the Stealth Helper augmentation, which allows you to see the radius of the sounds you make. In addition there is an aug that allows you to see the vision radius of enemies on the minimap. These augs definitely helped enhance my stealth gameplay style.
In my second playthrough, I decided to play aggressively engaging in firefights often by run and gunning. I did make good use of the cover system, which takes you out of the first person view and into the third person view. At first this may be jarring, but for those familiar with the Rainbow Six games, this should be very natural. When playing the game as an action shooter there are augs to help stabilize aiming as well as offer new abilities such as the Typhoon Explosive System, which emits a devastating area-of-effect attack.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution takes an open approach in carving out a class as you can build your abilities to suit your play style. The level style is a mix of linear and open world environments. Once you reach major cities, you have the option to explore taking on side missions along the way.
Everything from a game design perspective is detailed from the regular news reports and e-books laying around to the addictive mini-hacking game. The mini-hacking game is engrossing and surprisingly deep as it allows you to pick up abilities and level up using the praxis points.
While there is so much to love about Deus Ex: Human Revolution, there are still some major issues that can be difficult to overlook. The enemy AI is extremely poor. At times enemies will behave like they can’t see you despite being near by, or fire off their guns at something else all together which can break immersion. The boss fights are disappointing as well as it appears that instead of coming up with creative battles, the studio took the easy way out and decided to make them stronger.
While the game has a beautiful black and gold art tone, at times textures can look pretty rough, which can be jarring when switching back and forth from the beautifully rendered CGI cutscenes. The animation can be horrendous at times as characters such as Malik, moves like she is either having a seizure or doing the Mr. Roboto dance. While these issues can break immersion from time-to-time, by no means are they game breakers.
Wrap-up
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is definitely an ambitious game and one could argue that its lofty goals may make it impossible to reach perfection. However, the game’s complex branching paths, excellent story and immersive player interaction help overshadow some of the flaws in the game. While the studio struggled with some of the minor technical challenges, Eidos Montreal has clearly captured the essence and vision of the first Deus Ex.
This is definitely a fantastic start in revisiting one of gaming’s most cherished IPs. I am sure that if there is another Deus Ex game, Eidos Montreal will be asking Square Enix to build them a mo-cap studio to do their animations.
I highly recommend that all gamers give Deus Ex: Human Revolution a play.
Score
4.5/5
Related Posts:
36 Responses to “Review: Deus Ex: Human Revolution – the next evolution in gaming?”
Leave a Reply:
You must be logged in to post a comment. Don't have an account? Register today!
September 9th, 2011
This game definately is a must-play for me
September 9th, 2011
I really want this game….ill be getting a new game in the next few weeks but i cant decide whether to get deus ex or resistance 3.
September 9th, 2011
Liquid,
Well, at least you can’t go wrong either game you choose. They are both good games. I picked them both up.
September 9th, 2011
Deus Ex has the higher review scores but I suppose it depends what kind of game you’re in the mood for.
September 9th, 2011
I picked up both of them…but I’ve decided to return Deus Ex and get it later when it’s cheaper and when I actually have time for it..the reason I return it was becasue I won’t have time for it and it’s a single player only game. I’ve also never played a Deus Ex game so I’m in no rush to play this game while I’m have been a huge fan of the Resistance universe and I like what they have done with the new game.
Here is a quick review and list of improvements:
-Story is dark and nothing is over-the-top anymore. Everything feels realistic and you’re just trying to survive (and protect your family) in a world where human kind is near extinction. It feels like a action oriented Fallout 3 in some ways.
-Cool new weapons
-Upgreadeable weapons
-Weapon wheel is back
-Great and Epic bosses
-Split-screen co-op (support 2nd PSN ID login)
-Online co-op through the whole SP mode
-Online MP
September 9th, 2011
@Roca
That’s why I’m waiting on Batman.
September 9th, 2011
“Microsoft’s plan to raise the price of an Xbox Live Gold membership by $10 to $60 a year as of this November has once again reignited the long debate of its value. Many have dismissed it as a token increase to keep pace with inflations, or pointed at the many features that have been added for Live members over the years. And there is little question that the online gameplay experience provided by Live is superior to Sony’s. To the lay person this may seem a good value, even at the new, higher price.
But there is a problem if you actually know how Live works. When you understand what is happening behind the scenes it is hard to ignore how little of the cost for all those features Microsoft is actually paying for. Here is a quick rundown of Xbox Live Gold’s features and who actually pays the bills to run them.
1. Multiplayer Games: To Microsoft’s credit, they are actually matchmaking for games you play online through Xbox Live. But that is a fairly quick process that can be quickly executed. And frequently Publishers who want to, handle this themselves; something they do for free on PS3 and PC. MS does not host any of the actual games themselves. You do, or at least one of the Xbox owners you are playing with or against does. All games on Xbox Live are peer-hosted. The game decides which player has the fastest and most stable internet connection and that person’s Xbox becomes the server. So in essence, Gold member are paying for the right to use the hardware they bought to host games over the internet connection they also pay for. Peer hosting also limits the design of multiplayer games because it has to work on a consumer-grade broadband connection and the amount of memory and processing required must be small enough not to impact the experience of person playing on the host machine. Hard limits are placed on the number of players in a single match and the size of maps that can be practically accomplished.
2. Twitter, Facebook, LastFM: These are all free, web-based services for which Microsoft has built custom dashboard applications and then placed behind a paid gate. Sony didn’t make a big deal about them at an E3 press conference because the PS3 and PSP have web browsers built in. Microsoft could just create a web browser for the 360, too, but that would interfere with their ability to charge for access to any future web services that catch fire.
3. Netflix, ESPN3: In this case you are paying to use services you are already paying for. You must have a Netflix membership that includes Instant Streaming and for ESPN3, you can’t access that content unless it is included in your ISP’s package that you also pay for. Microsoft might argue they paid to develop custom dashboard applications to justify restricting them to Gold members, but Netflix seemed more than happy to develop applications themselves for the PS3 and Wii. And make no mistake; MS is not involved in streaming any of the content. Netflix and ESPN handle that themselves. Xbox Live Marketplace: It is not widely known, but last year it was reported by the MTV Multiplayer Blog that Sony was charging publishers for hosting demos, DLC and full games on PSN. Microsoft does not. In a lot a quarters this was spun as some kind of black eye for Sony, but that interpretation ignores the fact that instead of passing those costs on to the publishers, Microsoft subsidizes those expenses with their revenue from Xbox Live Gold members. In essence, Xbox Live Gold members are also paying to host files that are marketing materials or that they’ve bought. Over the last fifteen years lot of publishers may have gotten used to being able to foist hosting costs for demos and betas onto third parties thanks to arrangements with sites like FilePlanet and FileShack, but it does not seem unreasonable to make them responsible for the expenses associated with promoting and distributing their own games. And that is aside from the fact that many demos can only be downloaded by Gold members for the first week.
What should be clear by now is that the Xbox Live Gold service is, for Microsoft, a license to print money. Their costs are extremely low and the entire system is designed to place as little burden on them as possible. Their “value added” services like Netflix streaming access are actually “value subtracted” from their free Silver membership. In fact, the more you look at it the more it seems like they must spend a lot of money thinking up creative ways to place something simple, like Twitter, behind a pay wall. And it makes very little sense to deny a Silver member who already pays for Neflix every month the ability to stream through their 360, something that literally costs MS nothing.
Further, as MS has so many revenue streams available to them thanks to Xbox Live-dashboard ads, XBLA, DLC and avatar items-it is simply inconceivable that the service doesn’t pay for itself. Now, this doesn’t change the fact that for any 360 owner with any interest in gaming online a Gold membership is indispensable. What it does illustrate is the fact that a Gold membership cannot be described as a good value.
I will leave you with this observation: The fact that you are paying isn’t what makes Xbox Live better than PSN. It is better because it was better planned and better implemented by Microsoft. In practical terms, it should not cost any more to operate than PSN and all its advantages derive from smart decisions made as far back as Live’s launch for the original Xbox.”
http://bitmob.com/articles/xbox-live-gold-the-indispensable-rip-off
It’s old news, but so many people seem to forget that they’re paying for nothing so now seemed like a good enough time to remind…
September 9th, 2011
All the facts we have been telling the Xbots for years. $60/year gets you nothing.
CarlB was honest enough to admit it and abandon XBL for good.
September 9th, 2011
Thank you sir may I have another
September 9th, 2011
^ LOL
@Phranc
I understand why you’re waiting on Batman…but I liked the first Batman game enough that not having an online mode wouldn’t impact my decision of buying as soon as it releases. Infamous 2 comes to mind.
Also, even if a game has online play I only play online games with some of my friends, so even if a game has online mode I wouldn’t bother with it unless my friends have the game and are willing to play. I liked MAG but I stopped playing after a while since most of my friends didn’t get the game. I belive you’re not big on MP mode just like me.
September 9th, 2011
“I belive you’re not big on MP mode just like me.”
Not as much anymore. I used to be into competitive MP. Thinking of getting back into it and BF3 looks to be the game to do that.
It would have been Twisted Metal if that wasn’t pushed back to Feb.
On Batman.
I bought the first one about a year after release which came out free with Amazon credits. I figure, I can enjoy it anytime. AC:revelations is also going on the back burner.
September 9th, 2011
Oh btw.
I’m now a PS+ member. RE4HD 50% discount and Plants vs Zombies was too much to pass up.
September 9th, 2011
@ Roca its $35 at toys r us this week.
September 9th, 2011
From 9/11-9/17.
September 9th, 2011
PTP sucks. The host gets a huge unfair advantage. We tested it with far cry 2 on our LAN. Who ever hosted won by a longshot.
So we set up a host pc to make it fair.
September 9th, 2011
@k12online1
“Roca its $35 at toys r us this week”
Toys’r US doesn’t exist in Boston anymore. there used to be a few of them (one located 10mins away from my house) but they all close down.
@Phranc
The are offering great content this month. I already have PvZ (cost me $5 w/PSN+ discount) but 50% on both RE4HD and RE:CVXHD are pretty good deals…especially on release day.
Too bad none of these Capcom HD remakes have platinum trophies.
September 9th, 2011
@Roca Yeah there’s only one left here ( doing pretty good tho ), amazon will probably match the price soon. Also I beat Resistance 3 last night it was freaking awesome. Want to play coop when you get on?
September 9th, 2011
I paid off God Of War Origins and pre-ordered the collector’s edition of Uncharted 3. God Of War Origins is selling for cheaper then I expected it to be. I decided to go ahead and pick up the Dead Island game because of recommendations from some people I know. I was actually able to get a special edition of this game for the same price as the standard. I also picked up Xmen First Class, Hanna, and the Scarface steelbook edition blu ray movie as well.
September 9th, 2011
@k12online1
I probably won’t get on until later tonight. I going to the movies after work today. If you see me on just hit me up.
I was planning to play co-op after I beat the campaign because I like to take me time exploring, looking for the journals, experimenting with the weapons etc.
@Twilight
do you print your own money?
September 9th, 2011
“Too bad none of these Capcom HD remakes have platinum trophies.”
Well that’s BS.
So far I must say. Sony remastered HD collections destroy all others in quality and content.
TR trilogy is well done but there’s not MSAA, just up rezed graphics.
Prince of Persia keeps all the bugs from the PS2 version. Splinter Cell is being ripped apart for lack of features other other games had (MP), and not RE games not having a platinum. Geeze..
September 9th, 2011
I believe RR4HD has only 12 stupid trophies…hopefully one of those doesn’t require you to play the SP mode a second time.
lazy move by Capcom.
September 9th, 2011
Roca,
Lol. Absolutely not. I am just blessed with a job that pays extremely well. You need to keep in mind that I don’t have any responsibilties except for me and the usual bills that everyone else in the world has. Also, most of you guys live up North. The standard costs of living are higher up North then down South.
September 9th, 2011
What is the rent on a trailer these days?
Lmao jk
September 9th, 2011
I spend a lot on the family but I still manage to get a few toys.
If I made this money when I was single I would have almost every good release. But I wouldn’t trade my life with the kids for bill gates money.
Enjoy it while you can twilight.
September 9th, 2011
@Roca Ok I will. @twilight add me to dead island coop
. ( k12online1 is my psn too )
September 9th, 2011
Ncaissie,
Having a family is wonderful. I would like to get married and have a family some day as well.
As far as the trailer thing goes, there are actually quite a few of them down South. I personally would never live in one though.
September 9th, 2011
@ twilight: I seen you on Dead Nation, what do you think of it? I tried inviting you to my game but had no idea how to go about it lol.
September 9th, 2011
I have to say that I really wish I could be playing Dead Island right now. The game looks friggin sweet.
OH well I will just have to settle for Gran Turismo 5 and Fallout New Vegas for the time being.
Also Gears of War 2 is having a 20x XP weekend right now (and 25x next weekend) so I might put some MP hours in this weekend.
September 9th, 2011
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1193490p2.html
September 10th, 2011
“All the facts we have been telling the Xbots for years. $60/year gets you nothing.
CarlB was honest enough to admit it and abandon XBL for good.”
Fact is PS3 didn’t have 360′s features for years until PS3 fans started demanding them (like trophies), and XBLG used to be had for $30/year. The thing is M$ has let it’s success go to it’s head, with price hikes and not offering anything extra over the competition, in fact less now.
They have enough forward momentum from the beginning of this gen that it won’t hurt them greatly by the end, and I’m sure they already surpassed their goals as far as taking Sony’s marketshare and relatively succeeding this gen compared to last in sales(not saying much).
I would have stayed with them if they managed to adapt XBLG to PSN Plus last year, but that didn’t happen. That’s fine, because Sony was still behind last year, and I was happy to switch for the added value they were willing to include with PSN Plus in order to be more competitive.
If M$ offers significantly more next gen a year ahead of the competition like they did this gen, I’ll probably still won’t bite because of their shoddy practices this gen.
September 10th, 2011
What MS NEEDS to do is add a basic level to gold. Like $20/30 a year just for most of the old/standard gold stuff before they started adding shit like espn and netflix. I would rather pay $20-30 a year for the standard shit than pay $60 for everything and I don’t even use most of the features (netflix, espn, facebook access)
September 10th, 2011
Fahkin, while that would be an improvement, it isn’t even close to what PSN plus offers now.
If they want to quit losing customers like me to Playstation (or, novel idea, bring us back), they need to match PSN AND PSN plus feature (multiplayer free) for feature (games with subscription), price (free) to price. Not to mention bringing more exclusives and dropping the bullshit timed exclusive/dlc exclusive crap. I mean, it’s not like Kinect needs that much focus or effort if 360 people think Fruit Ninja is the bees knees. What does take effort is making a healthy library of various AAA exclusives and adapting to the competition’s value added, and PS3 has had M$ severely outmatched in both departments for over a year now.
September 10th, 2011
Amen to that, Carl!
Hallelujah! Praise his name! Lol
Seriously though you’re right in what you’re saying.
September 10th, 2011
Oldie,
So far, the game is about what I expected. I think it’s a fun game. What do you about the game? We’ll figure the online thing out.
K12online1,
Will do.
FahKinSuPah,
Are you a Psn plus member?
September 10th, 2011
I’ve only put an hour into it. Bought too many games this month lol. So far, so good though.
September 11th, 2011
“they started adding shit like espn and netflix”
Lmao they chagre you to use a service you are already paying for.