Joystick: “Deus Ex” sequel a welcome revolution

Published 11:48 am Thursday, August 25, 2011

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

4.5/5

Rated M: PC, 360, PS3

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“Deus Ex: Human Revolution” is a triumph, and I’m making the call that it will be a huge success.

DE:HR throws down a challenge to developers looking to recycle old franchises to evolve their thinking when it comes to sequels. It’s a smart, invigorating gaming experience with few flaws and a heck of a reputation to live up to.

This is the third game in a series sparked by Warren Spector in 2000, one of the classic titles that games like “Bioshock” and “Mass Effect” owe their existence to.

DE:HR is set in the near future in a dystopian, Blade Runner-like world. You play as Adam Jensen, former SWAT member and security specialist searching for the people that broke into his corporate employer’s labs and killed his ex-girlfriend.

The game takes an open-world, almost “Metal Gear” approach for its action. Players can choose to be as stealthy or destructive as they want, with a few repercussions. Actions made through talking to NPCs and how Jensen approaches his mission will directly affect your options going through the game and could affect what type of ending you choose.

Needless to say, this game is gorgeous. Half the fun of playing this game is simply wandering through levels and looking at how detailed everything is. There’s a lot of classical influence in this game’s art design, and it shows through character design, expansive environments and even simple things like a door or a crate.

There are a few flaws to DE:HR. You play the game mostly in first-person mode and a few wonky camera angles make things like jumping from ledge to ledge difficult at times. I died at least 20 times trying to jump from one light panel to another in one of the first levels of the game, which makes things a bit frustrating. The third-person cover system works well, although you’ll be punished if you’re not paying attention.

A few camera issues aside, this game is amazing. There’s plenty to love about DE:HR, a refreshing take on a long-standing series that shows developers don’t always have to suck at reviving beloved game franchises.

 

—A smart evolution of beloved series.

—Gorgeous art design enhances solid action gameplay.

—Expansive choices give plenty of replayable options.