“The Revolution will not be televised, because you’ll be playing it”

Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Developer: Eidos Interactive
Console: PlayStation 3
Other Platforms: Xbox 360, PC
Release Date: August 23, 2011

This is the first time I have ever played a Deus Ex game and it won’t be the last. My friends used to play it all the time and now I know why. This game is just that great and as you read my review you will find out why. Enjoy!

Single Player

The single player Deus Ex is very well done. It’s almost to the point where I forget I’m playing a first person shooter. You play the game as Adam Jensen ex-swat turned security agent for David Sariff of Sariff Industries. The overview of the story is this: Megan who works for Sariff Industries finds potential within human DNA. Now rival corporations are out to get her research and stop it  for their own use.

The single player story gives you great flexibility to do whatever you please and everything that you do has an effect later on in the story. People you murder in the game will not disappear but rather their bodies will stay on the ground no matter where you go.

There are a ton of side quests for you to do in the game.  Your exploration is greatly rewarded with experience points  that unlocks praxius points.  These points are important because they allow the player to purchase augmentation upgrades.

You have the option to complete missions without killing anyone or you can become a murdering maniac. It comes down to you choosing the easy way or the hard way to complete your objective, the choice is yours. I’m a completionist myself, so I tried to do everything stealthily and reloaded the checkpoint every time I messed up. The game is a lot of fun when you try to do everything stealthily.

Controls

Controls in the game are simple to use and fun. I have no gripes about the cover system. The cover system in this game was probably the most surprising feature to me. Most games especially first person shooters have enemies that will find ways to shoot you while in cover. I have to say that once you are in cover, you are in cover for good. You can peak out, shoot enemies and also blind fire while in the cover position.

Melee attacks are done by sneaking up or getting close to enemies. Holding circle will execute a kill move, while tapping it will knock out enemies. You will want to hide the bodies however, because if any other enemy sees the body, it will alert them of your presence. There are different ways to handle situations with different outcomes. You can handle a situation with hostility, empathy, or by absolving it. You can also use Augmentations to persuade your opponents in certain situations. The game allows you to customize the character to your liking.

As you progress on through the game you will unlock praxius points that are used to unlock upgrades for your augmentations. Upgrades include better hacking, social persuasion, jumping, and better targeting to name a few.

Presentation

The graphics are some of the best I have seen in a first person shooter in a long time. The only problem I had is at some points the game appears too dark and things don’t appear like they normally would. The characters are very well done, the city is very reminiscent of a future industrial Detroit City. NPC’s look great and the atmosphere really helps to maintain the dark omnious theme that is portrayed throughout the game.

One thing I noticed, was that it is very dark and yellow without any sunlight. You live and walk through the slums with bums and hobos and female workers roaming the streets.

Sound

The sound in the game is actually not that bad. There aren’t any tracks that will make you go out and buy a soundtrack for the game or anything, but it fits the theme. When you walk by NPC’s (Non playable characters) you can ease drop on some conversations. I have to say some of the conversations are absolutely ear jerking.

You will see and hear things that will make you appreciate the hard work they have done in the game, I know I have. Cut scenes in the game help to portray the story that is being told. I suggest making a healthy snack like yogurt so that you can enjoy the game and be told a great story all in one.

Cons

• Frame rate in the game has a tendency to slow down at times when loading or saving in certain areas. It’s not serious, but definitely noticeable.
• There is a lack of melee attacks other than the stealth and special kill attacks. What I mean here is that there are no disarming or regular melee punches. You will need energy to do melee attacks and I felt that an augmented person should be able to do more.

Pros

• Graphics are great some of the best in a FPS Game, the level designs show a very futuristic dark Detroit motor city.
• The cover system works very well and a lot better than most first person shooters.
• Create the Adam Jensen of your dreams. Augmentations make this possible as you customize your character to your liking to complete missions the way you want to. I’m really impressed by the way there showing a science drama unfold before my eyes. The story is great.
• Sidequests , different endings, and trophies that require players to do insane tasks provide a TON of replay value to the game.
• You can flush toilets and interact with the environments. Hey, when you gotta go you gotta go.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, Deus Ex:  Human Revolution is an excellent game. If you’re into Sci-Fi action dramas with a good storyline then this is the game for you. This is a great take on a futuristic spy action drama. The revolution will not be televised, because you’re going to be playing it. Great job Eidos, keep em coming.

Final Score