Deus Ex: Human Revolution

This isn't really Deus Ex. I've dipped into this wayward IP several times since the original game captivated me, and I could never really grasp why none of these games felt quite as gripping as Deus Ex. It was difficult to pinpoint because Adam Jensen's story is absolutely substantial and well-written. The gameplay is certainly excellent in its own right, with a respectable balance between thorough stealth and open combat intensity. And the music also paints the world with an air fitting this dark and pragmatic environment. But I think I'm beginning to understand that these are not defining hallmarks of Deus Ex. Watching through the Making Of video included in the extras of this game, I've found that they highlighted the exact departures that have guided this franchise to its grave for the second time. Deus Ex is meant to be total free reign play, guided by conspiracy theory and sci-fi fantasy, a world that is serious but doesn't carry itself seriously, and leaning into the imagination of the player to unravel the lore of the world while giving them a playground to explore in their own way. This game was more than just a prequel leading into the original, it was a reboot that redefined what Deus Ex is meant to be. And that destroyed the IP. Human Revolution sacrificed all the defining features of Deus Ex to create something new, something that fits into the same universe perhaps but leaves behind everything that made Deus Ex a truly excellent game. If you want Deus Ex, this isn't it. But it is a great dystopian cyberpunk game nonetheless, and the only substantial negatives are that is fails to capture the legacy of Deus Ex. The world in this game discusses transhumanism quite extensively, and frequently grapples with the ethics of transcendence and the definion of humanity throughout. The dystopian state of the environment is very tangible. This game tells a very personal story however of someone who is trapped in this world and recreated by it, rather than one which explores the broader topics. And while several of the characters have strong presence and distinct personality, they're seemingly designed with a particular moody factor that grounds them in unlikeability. This game is dark and pragmatic and holds back no punches in giving you a thorough cyberpunk simulation. A solid experience in its own right, and a game worth playing if you like this genre. It just isn't the Deus Ex that it was supposed to be, and ended up being another scar on the legacy of a very different and deeply tarnished universe that could have been better.

Childhood classic. No lethal gun needed but a pistol for walls.