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Their CGI trailer is still one of the best trailers I've seen for a video game [0]. When I saw it, I really felt a sense of futuristic wonder, thinking what it'd be like to augment our bodies in the near future.
The color scheme is gold because it was a "golden age of human augmentation," highlighting how people saw the new technology for its endless possibilities. Its sequel was not gold because, predictably, people used such technologies for selfish ends. I often think of other such real-world technologies paralleled in the same light, like how the Internet evolved, and even those of centuries past; the trailer's Renaissance and Icarus comparisons are apt.
I think it was more because players complained about the 'piss filter' ;) (the HR Director's Cut had already removed the filter)
I remember that around 2010 there was a number of AAA games where the visual designers just seemed to have discovered the color yellow as their game's "main theme". It soon vanished again, just like overdone lens flare or god ray effects before.
Remember when bumpmaps and specular were the thing and all things in games looked like actionfigures for one release cycle?
It made me very angry that there wasn't even an option to turn it back on.
I’m so glad to see such appreciation for the game. While it’s not the original and may have been on rails, there are few games in which I was so immersed in the art and design.
The original was fairly railroaded as well, outside of a few hubs. Which is exactly like DXHR, come to think of it.
The direction of the story was railroaded in the original, but the player's flexibility in how they approached each mission was definitely not.
HBomberguy did a whole video about how DXHR failed to achieve the same level of freedom of problem-solving that the original did. It's quite good, but also very long. Worth it, IMO.
He's absolutely correct on comparing it to the first game, but he may even be a little too warm towards some aspects of it. I also enjoy this video by Ross of "Freeman's Mind" [0]
love all Ross videos, Ross gaming dungeon is the first video game reviewer I had patience for
3.5 hours – what a treat!
there's a GDC talk on Youtube where Warren Spector makes that point explicitly. The original was narratively linear but had freedom within the mission gameplay. He considered that vital for the tension of the story. This is also why HR succeeded for me in contrast to Mankind Divided. The 'open world' like approach of the latter sidelined the main story which seemed almost tangential. Which is a problem in many games these days.
I agree. I'm a fan of the gameplay and honestly quite bizarre design, it's distinctive in a way a lot of games aren't.
But the plot...oh man, I wish they had spent some time on the plot.
are you talking about HR or MD?
I didn't play the latter, but I do recall HR had rather good plot and writing. not mind-blowing, but definitely above average
Deus Ex HR was the only single player game that managed to really touch me. Not talking about "immersion" - as a multiplayer guy, I don't identify with characters, nor do I care for them in any way. And yet the combination of world building, music, narrative, and gameplay really appealed to me.
Visiting Jensen's apartment touched my soul. A single player game touched me! A guy with 30 years of multiplayer adventures. That hadn't happened till then, nor has it since. Prague wasn't nearly as depressing as Detroit.
Frankly, these guys would be better off using Unreal engine and stick to the formula. My only "RPG" love.
I really hope Embracer lets them finish the Jensen Arc. DX:MD was actually incredible.
It really was incredible. I am disappointed they did not finish the story arcs they set up for the main story, they had such great insidious plots brewing (Orchid?!) and in the end it was just a bomb at a convention. Human Revolution had a larger than life plot that only such a series can support, and they were almost getting there for MD as well but stopped short.
I hope that was just setting up a sequel.
I ignored the game at launch and only had time to play recently. To me, it felt like a complete game given how fleshed out the sidequests were. The narrative seemed to be setting up for an absolute spike of a third game.
Admittedly, the other two deus ex games have stakes that ramp up low>medium>high through the game, but at the expense of sidequests and exploration. I figured the follow-up to MD would be able to hit the ground running and have plenty of space to be wildly high stakes the whole time. Maybe even get as wacky as the first did, but in a "plausibly serious" way.
I got both Deus Ex and Deus Ex Human Revolution recently on discount, and both games are amazing. My only complaint with Human Revolution is that it didn't feel as "deep" as the original story-wise, but it still felt leagues beyond other games.
I am going to play Mankind Divided, but everything I have heard is that Mankind Divided was disappointing so I am bracing myself.
I played the original Deus Ex back when it was new, also DX:HR and DX:MD. Of the two new ones, I find myself going back to replay DX:MD more. To me the biggest problem with MD was it's third act sort of fizzles out, but I enjoy the rest of it enough and the side quests enough to come back to it. Also, the really refined the gameplay to make it more fun.
It's all-around a better game except:
A. The locations don't get as 'crazy'
B. The story ends when it seems like it's getting going.
The near future Prague shown in MD is one of my favorite game spaces. The blend of futuristic, functional and historical just gives it a sense of place not many games manage.
For anyone else wondering:
https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1587515910046220288...
Same, I would really like a third Jensen game. DX:HR and DX:MD were great followups to the original and incredible games in their own right. I do understand the criticism of MD as unfinished in the sense that it clearly felt like it was designed with one more big level in it. But everything that was in the game was great and I think MD had the best side quests of the series. Prague was a stunning hub with some of the best in-game architecture I've seen.
I also feel like both Jensen games hit a really good balance with Jensen as the protagonist. He's a defined character with his own history and personality, but you get to choose just enough dialogue as well.
The part that was finished was indeed incredible. Unfortunately there wasn't that much of it. Whereas DXHR was more of a consistent good throughout.
Man I hope he does Jensens apartment. I love the architecture and all the details. The lab one is incredible.
The atmosphere in the apartments are so good. Almost a cosy dystopia. The first Deus Ex was my first experience with a "safe zone" and "hub world" in gaming and I remember it changed my entire outlook on what games could be. I didn't have to be fighting to exist in the world, and calmly exploring the space and the story was so refreshing.
Probably why I enjoy "walking simulators" so much.
As a fan of both DXHR and Deus Ex Mankind Divided, I love this! Such a great series.
If your lifestyle supports it, I highly recommend watching this THREE AND A HALF HOUR (yes) video that touches upon both games and the original Deus Ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgJazjz9ZsA
That probably sounds like a big ask, but I assure you it's worth it. Think of it less than one video rather than a multi-episode documentary on it.
I hope you've played the original too! It is worse in some aspects of gameplay, but it's significantly more immersive and the plot is fantastic (and aged a little too well).
Played through the first one once, it was amazing, skipped the next one then played through HR and MD three times each. It'd be great to see a Redux of the original.
I’ve heard all good things but I’m hesitant as it might feel too old. I’d jump on a remake right away though.
If it at all persuades you, I was barely home from the hospital when the original came out. I played it a couple of years ago as I love DX:HR and DX:MD. It takes a couple hours to get immersed past the technical limitations, but once you are in, it still holds up. I even chose not to use any modern patches to get the original experience. It can be a little wonky especially with 20 years of game development hindsight, but still worth a play through.
But I can completely understand if some people can't get through it (I'm like that with a lot of older games)
I am somewhat of a Deus Ex fanatic (played through the original at least 50 times since it was released, the last playthrough was just a couple of months ago), and I probably wouldn't recommend it to those unfamiliar with it. The AI is too clunky, it feels like you're playing against toddlers: it quickly forgets about you if you stop moving, doesn't care about their comrades' bodies that have appeared out of nowhere (whom they had also been talking to just a minute before), and so on.
Although you could try the unofficial Revision remake (which is free), it has some very significant differences in level design, but the levels themselves are very nice and detailed, so it looks much better. The AI is still stupid by today's measures though.
I would play it anyway. I played it for the first time this spring and while the controls are clunky, the level design is still unmatched. The narrative it pushes, things like the homogenization of culture, the tyranny of bureaucracy, corruption of politicians, etc. all feel super relevant. More relevant than when it came out, certainly. It frequently goes on sale on GOG and Steam for about 3 dollars. I recommend the GOG version because its easier to apply Kentie's Launcher which updates the code to work with modern graphics cards better.
I played the original the first time as lockdowns hit.
A. You'll get over the clunkiness, it takes a lot of gameplay ideas way further than HR or MD. You will understand why some say HR & MD don't hold up, even though most think they're impeccable.
B. Hoo Boy, this[0[ was a lot the day lockdowns started to hit.
It will feel old and clunky in many ways, but that doesn’t detract from the great music, writing, plot and atmosphere.
The art direction of that game is probably the best I've ever seen. It's incredibly cohesive and very, very deep. Everything from the architecture, to clothing, lighting and colour palettes is in perfect harmony.
Dishonored gives it a run for its money. Thief 2 as well IMO, but that might be more controversial.
If the TLD didn’t already somewhat give it away, the fact that one of the panoramas is titled „Buero of David Sarif“ is just so very “German” – confidently using the entirely wrong expression.
Recently played DX:MD for the 2nd time (having played DX and DX:HR at least 3 times each), it’s such a great series.
And as the pictures here show, the new games look gorgeous.
DXMD’s DLCs are also great. I especially liked the prison arc.
Yeah, got it for the replay