With the 2011 release of Deus Ex: Human Revolution looming ever closer I decided it was time to sit down and play through one of the greatest action role playing games ever created, the original Deus Ex. Deus Ex changed the gaming industry forever by proving that the insane idea of adding rpg elements to a fps was actually a good one. Since it's release Deus Ex has sold over 1 million copies. So obviously it was a pretty epic game, but ten years later is it still a good game?
Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first, the graphics in Deus Ex suck, and the AI isn't much better. However keep in mind that there are plenty of mods out there to improve the graphics, so if you are a major graphics whore slap on one of those mods and play away. Unfortunately there are no mods for the AI so you'll have to make do.
Unlike the graphics and AI, the game play in Deus Ex withstood the test of time quite well. In many cases it is better then most modern day games. For example unlike many modern day shooters Dues Ex actually gives you options regarding how to handle a situation. You can use heavy weapons to blast your way through opposing forces, equip a dart gun and silently take down those who oppose you (you can use lethal or non-lethal darts), or even crawl through the vents and avoid enemies all together. Of course there are a few flaws, alarms and loud noises do not always alert units that are well within hearing range and no matter how you take out opposing forces the main story is not altered (in some cases it is painfully clear it should be).
The story line in Deus Ex much like the game play is pretty good, if you only compare it to modern day shooters. But since Deus Ex is a fps/rpg you must compare the story line to rpgs as well which puts it well below par. Don't get me wrong I love that there are options as to how to answer a question during a cut scene, or which character to kill. But the choices you make have no effect on the game, n fact within about a minute of making a choice the consequences faced due to that choice are dealt with and you are back on an unchangeable story line. The only exception to this is that you face a decision, near the end, which affects the ending cut scene (this decision is actually a pretty tough one).
Besides for not having a dynamic storyline the story midway through the game starts to fall apart, and unfortunately it doesn't manage to recover until the very end of the game. The main reason the story fell apart is because just about anyone who has seen, read, or played a few conspiracy movies, novels, or games could figure out what's going to happen next. It is almost as if the creators of this game googled conspiracy theories and decided to make a game by combining the most popular ones.
Fortunately the games atmosphere makes up for the story's lack of originality. In fact it is one of the best cyberpunk atmospheres I have seen in a game. Everything from the streets of Hong Kong and New York, to the underground hideouts which various groups call home is done perfectly. Even the police dressed in riot gear give the player a subtle hint that the world around them is falling into chaos.
In fact despite not comparing well to modern day games in many categories I would urge people to play through Deus Ex simply because of the atmosphere. It is that freakin good! Also given that the game only costs a few bucks it is probably a good money saver too. So all in all Deus Ex isn't the best game out there, but it still has more then enough awesomeness behind it to motivate a play through.
Tokyo is not in Deus Ex; you mean Hong Kong.
ReplyDeleteYea I did mean to say Hong Kong, thanks for pointing that out.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great article, I am currently trying out the revision mod for this spectacular game, makes the game feel refreshingly different.
ReplyDeleteCool, glad to hear it. Thanks for the feedback!
ReplyDeleteCan somebody sale me his copy of deus ex cause my copy got damaged when they broke in to my house during a chase so now i cant copy sound and music files if you got pliz contact me on +27763687154 phillip joburg,southafrica
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteDude...
Just download...
A few points, mainly I must disagree with your view of the story as even in the trailer for the game (way back when it was new), the video implied that it was about conspiracy theories. If you research deus ex - specifically the names of the organizations you'll find very interesting facts. MJ12 for example was an organization started by president truman to investigate the Rosswell occurences. When you come in contact with the Greys and learn how they were monkeys altered by Versalife. Of course because they are conspiracy theories the must be taken with a grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteSecret societies bent on world domination...
The graphics - you need to take into account how old the game is, and that when it was new it was top of the line.
The story - a mix of actual history and popular theories; if you play the game and read all the books you find, many have great relevance - such as The Man Who Was Thursday.
Great care was taken to ensure that everything in the game had its own relevance - a connection between actual fact and the obvious fiction.
Aside from these points if you go the route of the spy instead of the assassin, at various times NPC's will comment positivley or negatively. Navarre will either applaud your deadliness or complain that you were 'too easy on the enemy'. Paul Denton will remark early on how you handle situations - if you are a killing machine he will advise you to use less force on the next mission. There are other moments between various NPC's (Carter, UNATCO troops, etc) that practically high five you for a job well done. These decisions sometimes have effects on character dialoge that sometimes spans multiple missions, or even change meetings near the end of the game.
While these changes might not last throughout the entire game unlike other games, they serve as a means to ground your the way you play. If you kill every NSF on Liberty Island, Paul will tell you next mission to ease up and use Minimal force - a choice which may or may not influence your play style.
Freedom of choice, while it may not alter the main story it may change your approach while playing it.
After so many years, even after I've finished this game a dozen times I still much rather play Deus Ex over new titles. New games take a single day to complete, while Deus Ex takes a whole MONTH to complete. :)
A few points, mainly I must disagree with your view of the story as even in the trailer for the game (way back when it was new), the video implied that it was about conspiracy theories. If you research deus ex - specifically the names of the organizations you'll find very interesting facts. MJ12 for example was an organization started by president truman to investigate the Rosswell occurences. When you come in contact with the Greys and learn how they were monkeys altered by Versalife. Of course because they are conspiracy theories the must be taken with a grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteSecret societies bent on world domination...
The graphics - you need to take into account how old the game is, and that when it was new it was top of the line.
The story - a mix of actual history and popular theories; if you play the game and read all the books you find, many have great relevance - such as The Man Who Was Thursday.
Great care was taken to ensure that everything in the game had its own relevance - a connection between actual fact and the obvious fiction.
Aside from these points if you go the route of the spy instead of the assassin, at various times NPC's will comment positivley or negatively. Navarre will either applaud your deadliness or complain that you were 'too easy on the enemy'. Paul Denton will remark early on how you handle situations - if you are a killing machine he will advise you to use less force on the next mission. There are other moments between various NPC's (Carter, UNATCO troops, etc) that practically high five you for a job well done. These decisions sometimes have effects on character dialoge that sometimes spans multiple missions, or even change meetings near the end of the game.
While these changes might not last throughout the entire game unlike other games, they serve as a means to ground your the way you play. If you kill every NSF on Liberty Island, Paul will tell you next mission to ease up and use Minimal force - a choice which may or may not influence your play style.
Freedom of choice, while it may not alter the main story it may change your approach while playing it.
After so many years, even after I've finished this game a dozen times I still much rather play Deus Ex over new titles. New games take a single day to complete, while Deus Ex takes a whole MONTH to complete. :)
A few points, mainly I must disagree with your view of the story as even in the trailer for the game (way back when it was new), the video implied that it was about conspiracy theories. If you research deus ex - specifically the names of the organizations you'll find very interesting facts. MJ12 for example was an organization started by president truman to investigate the Rosswell occurences. When you come in contact with the Greys and learn how they were monkeys altered by Versalife. Of course because they are conspiracy theories the must be taken with a grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteSecret societies bent on world domination...
The graphics - you need to take into account how old the game is, and that when it was new it was top of the line.
The story - a mix of actual history and popular theories; if you play the game and read all the books you find, many have great relevance - such as The Man Who Was Thursday.
Great care was taken to ensure that everything in the game had its own relevance - a connection between actual fact and the obvious fiction.
CONT -
ReplyDeleteAside from these points if you go the route of the spy instead of the assassin, at various times NPC's will comment positivley or negatively. Navarre will either applaud your deadliness or complain that you were 'too easy on the enemy'. Paul Denton will remark early on how you handle situations - if you are a killing machine he will advise you to use less force on the next mission. There are other moments between various NPC's (Carter, UNATCO troops, etc) that practically high five you for a job well done. These decisions sometimes have effects on character dialoge that sometimes spans multiple missions, or even change meetings near the end of the game.
While these changes might not last throughout the entire game unlike other games, they serve as a means to ground your the way you play. If you kill every NSF on Liberty Island, Paul will tell you next mission to ease up and use Minimal force - a choice which may or may not influence your play style.
Freedom of choice, while it may not alter the main story it may change your approach while playing it.
After so many years, even after I've finished this game a dozen times I still much rather play Deus Ex over new titles. New games take a single day to complete, while Deus Ex takes a whole MONTH to complete. :)
I apologise for the multiple postings, the server said the post was too long to be published so I tried again, and cut it in half not knowing it worked the first time.
ReplyDeleteNo problem
ReplyDeleteI liked that review a lot. It made me realize how I put in memory as godly is in fact very good. However, this change if you put in back historically.
ReplyDeleteI wish there would be other action games that the primary concern is the RPG.
On another matter, this make me think about sandbox RPGs that NPCs should talk together (well they do but they don't retain it, just like talking to a plant), especially in bars and while commuting together but it always seem that everyone is ignorant until everyone is knowledgeable.
"But the choices you make have no effect on the game, n fact within about a minute of making a choice the consequences faced due to that choice are dealt with and you are back on an unchangeable story line. "
ReplyDeleteThere was one time in Paris about half way of the game, before you leave in the helo. If you go without doing anything the helicopter pilot dies at the end of the game. If you question the helicopter Mechanic though you discover a sabotage get the explosive out and at the end he won't die. (weeks later in real life gaming).
""But the choices you make have no effect on the game, n fact within about a minute of making a choice the consequences faced due to that choice are dealt with and you are back on an unchangeable story line.""
ReplyDeleteYou are soo very wrong on this point that I'm wondering if you played the right game?.
Lots of choices you make earlier in the game have consequences later on. That was one of the most incredible things about this game, there are SOO many possibilities that the mind just boggles how on earth they found the time to implement them all.
Whether its the helicopter, having to fight Agents Navara & Hermann, or if you managed to find out their kill switches earlier, you simply say that to them and they explode. Or how about saving your brother at the hotel (very difficult but possible without cheating), he then shows up later in Hong Kong and talks to you sometimes. Soo many beautiful little touches like this. Every time I've played it I see and hear new things.
The attention to detail, the vastness of the game, but above all else, the sense that it is NOT on-rails like every other game and you feel like it is you that is exploring to find things out, that is what makes it the best game of all time imho.
Todays games are soo scripted, when you play them again its exactly the same experience. Not with Deus Ex 1.