Deus Ex: Human Revolution Reviews

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Written by WorstUsernameEver on September 3rd, 2011

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The reason for the original Deus Ex's success was the interesting universe and open-ended nature of the game. Eidos Montreal recognized that and did its best to replicate the proven formula with Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The result is a 25-30 hour action-RPG with an engaging story, wonderful stealth gameplay mechanics, and a refreshing emphasis on player choice. This is the game Deus Ex fans have been waiting for and one of the year's best.

After the dismal Deus Ex: The Invisible War, this is the sequel the original game really deserved. It streamlines the gameplay in the right places while retaining most of the depth and ingenuity of the classic that inspired it. It respects its past, yet points to the future. It is the best game of the year so far.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution raises the bar on what a RPG should be, with constant excitement and story development whilst putting the main character in your hands to play your way.

But despite the narrative's grandiose scope, the actual game world itself isn't that big and some of the cut-scenes feel cheap and ­cheerless post LA Noire.

Worse still are times when the game design doesn't outstrip its ­inspiration. Handy vents are almost always hidden behind large boxes, for example, and the boss battles feel out of place.

These are minor quibbles, though, as ultimately, this is a triumph.

Big questions where does (humanity) end, and what defines it? nestle within a familiar techno-conspiracy narrative. DX:HR eschews a mortal judgment system, but choice remains a core philosophy. Players aren't castigated or rewarded based on specific actions; objectively (bad) actions can provide useful bonuses. Translate that core philosophy to (freedom,) and Deus Ex: Human Revolution becomes the rare game in which theme and gameplay harmonize.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a big, satisfying game with tons of replayability, a solid score, unique art direction, tremdendously fun and challenging gameplay, and an intriguing story. Eidos Montreal have done the seemingly impossible: created a game virtually unaffected by the silly trappings of modern game design that's not only true to a classic, but superior to it in some respects.

It's not quite perfect: the soundtrack could be more memorable instead of hiding in the background most of the time, boss fights are often just trial and error methodology applied in the most frustrating way possible (though very satisfying when you do eventually win out), graphics could be better, more open areas would be welcome, hacking is a bit excessive, there are a few serious quest bugs, and animations are somewhat stiff. But in the end, it's petty griping compared to everything else it has to offer.

Games this deep, unique, and thrilling are rare; if Eidos pulls off Thief 4 in the same vein, they'll be well on their way to cementing themselves as a masterful revivalist of classic franchises.

While "Human Revolution" may fall a little on the short side, particularly for an RPG, it boasts near infinite replay value. When choice is your weapon, you have the power to shape the world around you. Completing "Human Revolution" once grants great satisfaction, but also plants the itch to dive back into that shadowy world and explore every corner, every alley and every choice.

Tellingly, many of DX:HR's augmentations increase the player's access to information, rather than upgrading game statistics like accuracy, damage, and hit points. The best augments expand capacity, not ability; you find yourself making better-informed choices, rather than simply insisting on the same old moves with augmented force. Even upgrades with a more immediately useful application--cloaking, say--subtly transform the ground between you and your target into (for example) a frantic relay race of energy recharges and takedowns. The enduring appeal of Deus Ex: Human Revolution isn't that it lets you play the character you want to play--plenty of games, and roleplaying games especially, already allow for that. The key to DX's success is that it allows you to play the game you want to play.

My prior thoughts still stand, so let me reiterate:

Love Deus Ex, and it will love you right back.

Unfortunately, like many of the motives driving the philosophical arguments, the experience isn't without flaws. Middling graphics left me lusting for a little more lustre, and the cities we explored often suffered from confusing, nonsensical architecture, making it easy to get lost.

But these issues seem of less consequence in light of the game's accomplishments. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a decidedly grown-up game for mature players, the kind that legitimizes the medium as a platform for both evocative storytelling and challenging entertainment.

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