Deus Ex: Human Revolution

First off, this is a great game. I'd categorize it as an FPS RPG (First person shooter role playing game). It's very tactical and you will want to play this game over repeatedly to explore all the possible ways of playing the game, as well as its variety of endings. The great thing about this game is there is A LOT of variety... You can choose to be lethal or non-lethal, as well employing a wide range of strategies such as stealth and commando tactics (and more) to progress through the game. The story is alright, but it more or less focuses on Adam Jensens' character (watch after credits for my favorite part of game!)The voices, music, and sound effects are also well done and certainly add to the "cyber-punk" atmosphere of the game. In addition the cutscene animations are some of the best i've ever seen in terms of mimicry and lip syncing... I was able to find a new copy of this game for $35 a while back, i've also purchased the DLC Missing Link (which although good - isn't essential, but only 10$ if you want something more after you get through the game). At that price (35$) I can quite easily and conservatively rate this a 9 out of 10, However knowing others may pay more - it's a solid 8 ;-)

Back in 2010, I remember being captivated by the CGI trailer for *Deus Ex: Human Revolution*. At first, I actually thought Christian Bale was the main character! Regardless, I knew right then that this game was going to be for me. I pre-ordered it without a second thought, ignoring the reviews-it was that kind of game that just resonated with me.

And I'm happy to say, I was absolutely right! *Deus Ex: Human Revolution* is a fantastic semi-open world RPG, blending stealth and action elements effortlessly. The game is set in an alternate, semi-futuristic Detroit in the year 2027, where prosthetic limbs have become commonplace-not out of necessity, but as a way to enhance everyday life. However, these enhancements come with the catch of being dependent on an addictive drug, adding layers to the narrative filled with conspiracy and intrigue.

You play as a private investigator working for a major prosthetic company. When your workplace is attacked and your ex-wife goes missing, you find yourself in a precarious situation that leads to a major transformation-literally. It's a gripping setup, and without giving too much away, it sets the stage for an engaging storyline.

The gameplay revolves around exploring various streets in Detroit and some additional locales, where you can interact with NPCs to gather information or take on side quests. You have the freedom to approach missions through stealth or direct action, allowing for a personalized experience based on your play style. As you progress, you earn experience points, which help you enhance various abilities, including some that improve dialogue and persuasion-definitely a feature worth exploring.

The side quests are truly noteworthy. Each has its unique story, and they contribute significantly to the overall world-building. Completing these quests wasn't just about leveling up; I found myself genuinely engrossed in the narratives they provided.

Character interactions are rich and varied in this cyberpunk universe. The voice acting is top-notch, particularly from the protagonist, who helped elevate the overall experience. It's impressive how well the characters fit into this intricately crafted world.

The soundtrack deserves a mention as well. The ambient music enhances the atmosphere beautifully and has become a favorite of mine even when not gaming.

While the graphics are from 2011, they still hold up reasonably well, which is commendable. The weapons are interesting, offering a nice selection of sci-fi gadgets. Although there's debate on whether you need to upgrade them-especially if you prefer stealth-you'll find a blend of options that cater to different play styles. The boss fights, though met with some critique, added a nostalgic touch for me; I found them to be an enjoyable challenge.

One minor issue I had was with the last level. It felt somewhat designed to limit your resources and powers in a way that made the final confrontation a bit more difficult than it needed to be. However, this did not diminish my overall enjoyment of the game.

In summary, *Deus Ex: Human Revolution* offers an incredible experience, rich with storytelling, character depth, and engaging gameplay. I truly hope to see a sequel to continue this remarkable journey. It's an experience I wholeheartedly recommend, and I'm giving it a solid 9/10!

I picked up Deus Ex: Human Revolution a year after its release, But even then it still blew me away. The story line is very detailed and brilliant and the characters each have their own story to tell. The graphics are very realistic and the game play itself is very fun and sometimes quite challenging. There are a few flaws here and there such as when your speaking to someone they do the same animation over and over for the duration of that conversation, but it definitely does not spoil the experience. The game play mainly focuses on stealth and requires real strategy to pull off some of the games more challenging areas, but after doing it using your surrounding (such as hacking computers to shut down robots or stealthily taking down each guard one by one without getting caught)you get a very satisfying feeling. Overall, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is an amazing game with a great story line and i would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great stealth game.

2027(25 years before the original Deus Ex). Adam Jensen is just on the job as Security Chief at Sarif Industries, when they are attacked. He is thrown through a window, leaving his body destroyed, and passes out. He is later told that the soldier-types went on to kill his ex-wife and other scientists working there. The only way to save his life is to give him augmentations - mechanical and electronic replacements of limbs that can enable you to do things that your original ones would not(the goons mentioned had these, hence why they couldn't be stopped). Thus, we get into the ethics of this integral aspect of the franchise, and this presents good arguments for both sides, not picking one(that's up to you - and this offers more than one ending for you to choose from, as expected by now), getting into themes of xenophobia(like I said, this is not the Nanite-based ones of the other games, this is the beginning of this technology - the Half-Life-reminiscent opening(just showing up at work, nothing happening yet) has you see several people who have all black or white, plastic-y hands, or scars at their temples where their skull was opened for the surgery - and it's just seen as normal, because to them, it is, they've had it for a while... and to you, it's new and a little unsettling, because you, and our lead(one and the same), are not used to it yet), discrimination, class warfare and power struggles... in addition to giving you really cool special abilities(that, by the way, are all explained scientifically(this is highly realistic in all respects), to where it feels like these could exist in the not-too-distant future, which this really does come off as... the "alphabet agencies" are mentioned early on, and people still get "Nigerian Prince" scam spam emails, and you can find ignorant, loud-mouthed talk radio, nosy gossip magazines and nightclubs). And thankfully, they've now come up with a lot of new ones, instead of just using the same ones. You can punch through a wall and do in the guy on the other side(if there is one), completing the RoboCop analogy, slow your fall with electromagnetism(and use that to knock back and daze anyone within the blast radius, if you'd like), see through walls, turn invisible(and note that you may not be the only one who can do so...), etc. Unfortunately, they continue to combine that category with what used to be the Skills one, so some of them are upgrades to doing something that isn't inherently beyond what humans can do(like using rifles well). Also, there are "too few" of the Praxis Points that allow you to unlock them(you can do this at any time, not only at specific healing places, taking away a lot of the specialness of it), not meaning that you can't get enough of the different ones(in fact, the opposite, over the course of this, I found having way more than I had the need for(cost is the only limiting factor)... that should not happen!), but that choices are too simple(in System Shock 2, you may get 12 of the PP equivalent for a task, and for that, you can get a level 1 thing... but if you save up until you have 50 of them, you can get a #5 one, and that one may help you more, forcing you to make decisions that have consequences... as it ought to be! You're meant to do several playthroughs if you want to try the various ways to solve problems, and hey, if people today are too lazy for that - don't reward that! Let the rest of us get the full experience, and work for it). There is a ton of freedom in this, however. The several dialog options let you craft the personality of our protagonist, whose voice acting, as the rest in this, is fantastic. He talks in the "determined, unemotional action hero" manner that we expect today, still, there is just enough room for him to express emotion at times, and he does it quite convincingly, it makes it feel very "spy"-like, compartmentalizing, though there's not much that will bring him to express concern or the like, he's still human. The plot is taut, political and provocative, with so many twists that it's always moving, without being impossible to follow(think Christopher Nolan). This revamps the series, something much-needed after the second one. It provides a sleak new look and approach to this whilst maintaining the core elements, such as the paranoid mood of conspiracy(helped by the evocative score), and the game-play is smoothed out, not completely different(there is some unfortunate streamlining - then again, there are positives to that, such as the minimal controls setup being easier to keep track of). You have to get into an area and accomplish an objective, getting past guards(some of them patrolling!), cameras, robots and turrets(the last three can be hacked, or dealt with by EMP(one of the types of grenades... the others being Concussion(flashbang), Frag and Gas(highly effective at quietly and non-lethally dealing with a full room!))... sadly, the latter two thus become too weak, and are also so rare, that they don't hold anywhere near the same threat as they used to). Are you going to go in guns blazing(facing the very smart AI squad tactics), sneak past(using the excellent, intuitive cover-system, second only to that of Splinter Cell: Conviction, and one of the couple of places where it, thankfully(much more helpful that way), goes into a third person perspective, for the cinematic feel, out of the immersive FPS view... thus getting the best of both worlds) or some combination thereof? The graphics are true to life, as are the environments. Playing it as a perfectionist, this took me 69 hours(!). Hacking is addictive, tense. There is a lot of bloody violence and disturbing content, some moderate to strong language and a little sexuality in this. I recommend this to any fan of these games. 8/10

A fantastic blend of action, stealth, and RPG elements set in a cyberpunk world! In this game, you step into the shoes of Adam Jensen, a security chief who gets severely injured in a corporate attack and then undergoes some intense cybernetic enhancements. The world is rich with a gritty narrative, exploring themes like transhumanism, corporate greed, and societal divides. Basically, it raises those big "what it means to be human" questions while you're sneaking around or blasting your way through enemies. The gameplay is where it really shines. You can choose your playstyle, go in guns blazing, stealth your way past enemies, or hack into systems and manipulate your surroundings. The world is beautifully designed and has a lot of side quests and lore to dive into, making every corner of the game feel alive and immersive. Plus, those upgrades are super satisfying!

I did find some parts of the combat a bit clunky and the boss fights can be frustratingly one-dimensional compared to the more creative approaches you can take in other areas of the game. But overall, the engaging story and the moral choices you face really keep you invested.