by Jacob Angellotti
The third Deus Ex game came out a few months ago and after the disappointment that was the second game I was excited to get my hands on it. Due to a much needed break I was able to play a great deal of it. I will admit that I had some worries considering the second game was about as good as a food you found in the back of your fridge that has been there so long you can’t remember making it, and the fact that Square Enix picked it up. From what I played though this turned out not to be the case, I really enjoyed the time I spent with the game.
STORY: 16 years in the future the story focuses on and is experienced through the eyes of a walking personification of badass known as Adam Jensen. You work for a massive augmentation company as head of security. The company gets attacked, the labs wrecked, and Adam winds up in desperate need of a new set of arms…and legs…and several internal organs. Lucky for him his employers are able to help him out on this front and turn him into Robocop: The Walking Swiss Army Knife. This sets up the RPG and story elements for the rest of the game. The story then continues on with political and moral intrigue and a splash of conspiracy as Detective Shades tries to figure out what exactly is going on. You visit the landfill that is Detroit which somehow manages to look worse than it is now, Shanghai that’s so overcrowded they had to create an artificial second level for the rich people to live and look down on everyone, and a few other interesting locations.
GAMEPLAY: Overall the game takes place in a hub-type setting where you can run around and complete missions, whether it is main story missions or random side missions. A great deal of the game is taken up by talking to people and reading emails if you choose said route. The conversation system is well designed. You are offered different types of responses and when you hover over one it will give you a preview of that response. This allows players to be able to confidently choose which type of response they prefer. Being more machine than man you have several tools at your disposal. From wicked foot long blades stored in your arms to the ability to pick up and crush enemies’ skulls with dumpsters, the game gives you variety on how you want to approach most situations. Bodies seem to react appropriately when hit with a bullet or a metal fist, or even vending machines, giving you a satisfying reaction to each kill. The problem though is the enemies, including armed humans, turrets, and even robots, have unbelievable aim so you’ll probably find that taking the stealth route is optimal most of the time. Also, the boss fights are mandatory and require lethal force so if you’re aiming for a non-lethal play through you’re out of luck. The quick inventory is also flawed in that several times I would try and switch weapons and instead Adam would munch down on an energy bar, destroying the stash I had been saving for a time of need.
PRESENTATION: I was forced to play the console version unfortunately so the graphics weren’t as good as they could have been. That’s not to say they were bad they just weren’t anything special. The aesthetics on the other hand are beautiful, completely fulfilling my cyberpunk needs. All of the locations you visit seem to fit right in from the slums of Detroit to the impossibly tall skyscrapers of Shanghai.
SOUND: The cities seem to pulse and hum with energy. The soundtrack fits right in with electronic music being the main focus. The soundtrack doesn’t stand out and fits right into the background where it belongs, meeting the probable intended effect. The voice acting is excellent on Adam and the other main and secondary characters but the people on the streets spout the same lines over and over. Adam Jensen’s voice actor in particular fits the role perfectly having a voice seemingly born out of a life and smoking cigars, drinking whisky, and eating sandpaper.
STORY: 8
GAMEPLAY: 8
PRESENTATION: 8
SOUND: 8
TOTAL: 8.0
dare2play 