Deus Ex: Human Revolution Previews

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Written by Brother None on February 25th, 2011

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On the helicopter ride to the warehouse, you're able to chat with Sarif and get better idea of what's about to go down. The boss lets you know that it's entirely up to you to decide whether you want to use lethal or nonlethal means. The conversation system plays out like most Western role-playing games, with a list of options to choose from at certain breaks in the dialogue. Using this conversation system, we informed Sarif that we intended to approach the situation using nonlethal tactics. He then told us what to expect from the warehouse's layout and asked whether we'd prefer to go with the long-range tranquilizer rifle or the short-range stun gun. Rifle, please.

I was also given 6 Praxis points, level-up currency you'd never normally have this early in the game. It costs 2 points to get a new aug, 1 point to upgrade an existing one with a new feature. Most tempting: Strength upgrade to lift and throw heavy objects, Awareness aug to highlight hostiles on my minimap, Landing System to negate fall damage, Lungs to sprint longer and survive that toxic gas I discovered earlier, or Legs. The Leg aug is so good I considered putting all my points into it: the upgrades respectively let you jump higher, sprint faster, move silently, sprint silently, then jump and sprint silently.

In the end I went for Strength, Cloak, and Legs with silent movement. The walk softly and carry a big box approach. Immediately, I regretted not getting the Landing System you start on a rooftop, and it would be beyond badass to leap off it to start the mission. But once I got down the human way after fumbling with a ladder and falling to my death once I found the starting area an aug playground.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution's combat is, at its heart, a cover-based shooter. Hitting the L1 button would place Jensen up against the wall or box and zoom the camera out into a third-person view. From here, it was only a matter of popping up by pushing the left analog stick upward and shooting anyone in my line of sight with the R1 trigger. Combat felt good, but later on, in more confined spaces, the camera would freak out and zoom in on Jensen when taking cover, keeping me from seeing the action around.

Before the pair reach the elevator, we learn that Dr. Reed is on her way to testify before Congress, though she doesn't share the specifics with Adam. There's also a duality to Sarif Industries: the tech on display there seems to be a combination of both weapon-based and helpful, life-improving augmentations. Adam seems conflicted about his employer. When Dr. Reed notes that Sarif Industry's tech is available to everyone, Adam reminds her that much of the clientele is "DOD" [Department of Defense]. Furthermore, some recent history (and tension) between Jensen and Dr.Reed is hinted at - they used to live together - but is not deeply explored.

But what a monster. A first peek at the abilities his augs offer suggests a far more elaborate skill tree than either of the prior DXes. His skills are divided roughly by body part - cranium, torso, arms, legs and skin. Within each of these categories are a clutch of sub-powers, which essentially allow you to build Jensen into the action hero you want him to be. An invisible, silent spy? A juggernaut able to move and kill at incredible speeds, even able to fire explosives from his chest? A hacker, a sniper, an athlete, an explorer, a double-hard bastard with radars for eyes? It's gratifyingly elaborate, a grand hit of the tactical thinking that lies ahead.

How's this for a surprise: Deus Ex: Human Revolution has some of the finest stealth I've enjoyed in years. It's a side effect of being an immersive sim. The world feels so weighty, dangerous and plausible that slipping past a man (or many mans) unseen is an incredible thrill. The minimap in the lower right corner of your hud is generous, but believable given the other cyberpunk tools at your disposal, and makes the stealth enjoyable rather than easy.

Shortly after you part ways, mercenaries break in, bust up the joint, grab Meg and leave you for dead. You're repaired, Six Million Dollar Man-style, and six months later return to work - coincidentally right before Sarif is due to go back to Washington. (You also seem to have healed awfully quickly. How very interesting.) Your boss wants you to meet him on the helipad, but it's worth poking around HQ a bit first. A bit of surreptitious email hacking and straight-up eavesdropping reveals that someone's been stealing drugs, and your nemesis, head nerd Francis Pritchard wants to discredit you by finding the culprit before you do. There are some doors just begging to be opened, too, but you don't have much time to muck about before Sarif is in your ear bugging you to get to the choppa with all due speed. It turns out that "purists" have raided the Serif factory that's making the Typhoon (an augment that launches mini explosives in a 360-degree arc), and taken a bunch of employees working overtime as hostages. Sarif wants you to go in and secure the Typhoon before SWAT gets sent in. Why? Interesting question. As for the hostages, if you can save them, so much the better, but if not ... it'll be time for a few more memorials at Sarif Industries.

First up let's touch on the graphics of the game. The graphics in DEHR stand out above some of the best games out there. The cut scenes do seem a little dated graphically but that does not show while playing the game. The environment is constantly moving and the graphics keep up without the slightest hesitation. After a couple of the cut scenes I was a little worried about the graphics in the game itself, but as I played on the graphics remained outstanding even with the different textures and fast movement of Adam Jensen.

Heading up to Pritchard's office is like walking into a buzz saw. He does a quick adjustment of Jensen's augs, fixing his flickering heads-up display, and then baits him into an argument about Jensen's inability to protect the people of Sarif Industries. The conversation branches some here, as most major interactions in Deus Ex do, and I have the opportunity to make some decisions either ignore Pritchard, or get angry and threaten him. When he mentions how Jensen failed Megan, I decide such abuse cannot stand, and threaten the pencil neck with bodily harm. He backs down, but reluctantly.

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