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Deus Ex: Human Revolution

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Deus Ex: Human Revolution
File:Dxhr box.jpg
Developer(s)Eidos Montreal
Nixxes Software (co-developed the engine[2] and concurrently developing the game for PC[3][4])
Publisher(s)Square Enix[5]
Designer(s)Jean-François Dugas
Composer(s)Michael McCann[6]
SeriesDeus Ex
EngineModified Crystal Dynamics Crystal engine[7]
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release[1]
Genre(s)Cyberpunk action RPG
Mode(s)Single-player

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (previously Deus Ex 3) will be the third game in the Deus Ex first-person role-playing video game series, and a prequel to the original game.[9] It is being developed by Eidos Montreal.

Gameplay

File:Dx3 newsroom.jpg
Screenshot of protagonist Adam Jensen in the "Picus TV" newsroom

In the Deus Ex games, augmentations are body modifications that allow the user superhuman abilities. While augmentations in the first two games were nanotech, Human Revolution is set prior to both and instead features mechanical augmentations. These will be divided into four types: Combat, Stealth, Technology and Social.[10] Using social skills, social augmentations and stealth a player is able to play through the whole game killing only the bosses.[11]

Every enemy squad will have an identifiable squad leader who will direct the team's actions. If the leader is killed, the squad falls into disarray. Enemies will also react to subtle player decisions, such as a change in behaviour or weapons, etc.[10]

Unlike in Invisible War, weapons will fire distinct ammunition types instead of depleting a unified pool. They can also be upgraded to better suit the player.[9]

Deviating from previous titles in the series, Human Revolution will use a regenerating health model. This change was made because the developers didn't want players to get into a situation where they were unable to progress due to low health, and would be forced to "scrounge for med packs."[9] They see this scrounging behavior as breaking the flow of the game when one retreats to search the entire level for medical supplies. They believe their regenerating health model will still encourage tactical and strategy forming retreats, but not to the extent where the tension and flow of the game is disrupted.[12] Despite using a regenerating health model, the game will still include health restoring consumables, such as food.

Another major change seen in Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the highlighting of objects a player can interact with. This feature can be seen in the game play preview released in March of 2011.[13] However, it was later revealed by the developers that the highlighting of objects can be turned off in the game options.[14]

Human Revolution is primarily a first person game, but will feature a contextual third person viewpoint when using the cover system, certain augmentations, or closeup instant-kill moves.[15]

Setting

The game takes place during the year 2027, 25 years before Deus Ex. Nanotechnological augmentations have yet to be developed and biomechanical augmentations are the current state of the art. The main protagonist, Adam Jensen, is a private security officer with Sarif Industries, a leading company that specializes in human augmentations. After he witnesses a chilling attack on his company which leaves him horrifically injured and forced to undergo augmentation to survive, "the conspiracy begins."[9] The visuals are a combination of cyberpunk and Renaissance aesthetics,[16] resulting in a futuristic-looking Baroque world. Adam Jensen will be voiced by Elias Toufexis.

The player will visit five cities over the course of the game, including Detroit, Shanghai and Montreal.[7] In addition, the protagonist will have his own apartment where he may store his secrets and collected information. The events in the game will lead to the formation of UNATCO from the original game.[10]

Themes

Human Revolution deals with the ethics of transhumanism, and carries an overarching message of humanity's reach exceeding its grasp. "Mankind is using mechanical augmentations," director Jean-Francois Dugas said before the game's release, "but there is still much to be determined in terms of their effect on society and the ultimate direction it will lead us in."[7] The Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus appears in Adam Jensen's dreams as an allegory to this thought, and also—given that both Daedalus and Icarus were the names of artificial intelligences in Deus Ex—an intellectual bridge to the original game.

The pace of technological development is reflected visually by a Renaissance theme.[16] Characters who support the advances of human augmentation dress themselves and decorate their homes in reinterpreted late-medieval Italian style, and the game as a whole has a sepia-tinted colour palette reminiscent of historic manuscripts. In contrast, characters who oppose or are of neutral opinion to augmentations wear clothing that is more or less current-day.[citation needed]

As was the case in Deus Ex, conspiracy theories and immensely powerful corporations feature strongly,[7] but nothing is currently known about them.

Development

Deus Ex 3 was announced on May 17, 2007, in an interview with Patrick Melchior, the director of Eidos France, on the French-Canadian television show M. Net.[17]

An initial teaser trailer was released on November 26, 2007,[18] and around one year later PC Zone Magazine ran a first preview which detailed some of the game's mechanics and setting and provided the first true artwork and screenshots.[9] Several of the design decisions mentioned, most notably the introduction of regenerating health, precipitated an initial backlash amongst many fans of the original Deus Ex.[19]

In November 2009 it was announced that Square Enix was to publish the game, and that the CGI sequences were to be created at its Japanese Visual Works studio with direction from Goldtooth Creative in Canada. The results of this international partnership were first seen in the teaser trailer shown at the 2010 Game Developers Conference (by which point the game's subtitle had changed to Human Revolution and its release pushed back to "early 2011"), which was expanded to a three-minute trailer at E3 2010. E3 2010 also saw a second major preview of the game, this time in PC Gamer UK, which provided engine-rendered screenshots and gameplay details.[15]

At Gamescom 2010 [20], producer David Anfossi told VG247 he was creating DLC for the game, which it says is "an extension of Deus Ex: Human Revolution."

On December 16, 2010, Square Enix announced that the game had been pushed back to their next fiscal year, which begins April 6, 2011.[21]

At the Penny Arcade Expo East in March 2011, it was announced that the game was being released on August 23, 2011 in North America and August 26, 2011 in Europe.

Collector's edition

A collector's edition will be released in select European countries, Australia and New Zealand. It will include a making-of documentary, motion-comic, E3 trailer, animated storyboard, art book, and action figure of Adam Jensen. In-game, the player will receive an additional mission, weapons, and cash.[citation needed]

Reception

Previews of the game have been very positive so far. Most reviewers who had access to the game in February 2011 praised the open-ended experience of the game, similar to the first Deus Ex,[22][23] the importance of conversations in the missions,[24] and also the depth of the storyline.[25]

References

  1. ^ "Square Enix slashes outlook, delays game launch". Reuters. 16 December 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsEcOV8q12Y
  3. ^ http://www.shacknews.com/article/67902/interview-deus-ex-human-revolution-1
  4. ^ http://www.nixxes.com/nixxes/projects/144-deus-ex-human-revolution
  5. ^ Martin, Joe (November 25, 2009). "Deus Ex 3 is Eidos and Square Enix joint effort". bit-tech. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  6. ^ "Deus Ex: Human Revolution Features Cybernoir Score by Composer Michael McCann". IGN.
  7. ^ a b c d Bramwell, Tom (June 4, 2010). "Deus Ex: Human Revolution". Eurogamer.
  8. ^ "Deus Ex: Human Revolution system requirements announced". New Game Network. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 09-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e Robinson, Andy (October 4, 2008). "Deus Ex 3: First Details". PC Zone. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
  10. ^ a b c David Sillmen (2008-11-24). "Deus Ex 3 - do světa kyberpunku a renesance". bonusweb.idnes.cz. bonusweb.idnes.cz. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  11. ^ "Sweet Deus Ex: Human Revolution Screenshots, and Video Footage". Retrieved July 21, 2010.
  12. ^ MyImmortal (16 June 2010). "Deus Ex: Human Revolution FAQs (updated 07/06/2010)". Eidos Forums. Eidos Interactive. Retrieved 20 June 2010. (...) Going with the classic health pack system still forces players to retreat from confrontations and break the flow of the game to look for health packs when they run out of them (...) Overall, the team wants the player to stay in the events surrounding him and experience the tension indefinitely.
  13. ^ "The Latest on Deus Ex: Human Revolution". 25 March 2011.
  14. ^ http://www.destructoid.com/deus-ex-human-revolution-will-offer-highlighting-options-199086.phtml. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ^ a b Francis, Tom (June 3, 2010), "Deus Ex: Human Revolution E3 preview", PC Gamer UK
  16. ^ a b "GDC: Creating Deus Ex 3's Unique Visual Direction". Edge Magazine. March 22, 2010.
  17. ^ Hatfield, Daemon (May 17, 2007). "Eidos Confirms Next Deus Ex". IGN. Retrieved May 18, 2007.
  18. ^ Crecente, Brian (November 26, 2007). "Deus Ex 3 Teaser". Kotaku. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  19. ^ Burnes, Andrew (October 4, 2008). "Deus Ex 3: First Details Make Me Sad". VE3D. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
  20. ^ Eidos Montreal confirms DLC plans for Deus Ex: Human Revolution Johnny Cullen, VG247.com. Last accessed August 18, 2010.
  21. ^ Deus Ex: Human Revolution Delayed Matthew Kato, gameinformer.com. Last accessed February 2, 2011.
  22. ^ "Hands-on: The first mission of Deus Ex: Human Revolution". Destructoid. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-27. It's been a long time since a first-person shooter has presented me with such a challenge that I die over and over. That's the beauty of the Deus Ex series, as it's a role-playing game hiding in a first-person shell. I had to re-wire my play style in order to adapt to the freeing, open-ended experience. I'm interested in seeing just how different I'll be able to play through this game.
  23. ^ "Deus Ex: Human Revolution Impressions Pt. 2". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-27. I could have done better. I could have done it differently. All I wanted was to load up an old save and play it all over again.
  24. ^ "Deus Ex: Human Revolution Extended Hands-On Preview, Part Two". GameSpot. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-27. We won't spoil the story outcome of this first mission, but suffice it to say that after all the engaging in stealth and dragging of bodies, you reach a point where the only weapon you have is your mind and your choice of words--and it's a conversation with at least one life on the line that carries a lasting impact throughout the story. We're excited to see more of this story in the upcoming months as we get closer to Human Revolution's release later this year.
  25. ^ "Deus Ex: Human Revolution". Eurogamer. 2011-02-24. There's a much bigger picture here than the debate between natural and man-made humans: someone, somewhere, is trying to control the destiny of both. Ah, the sweet, sweet smell of conspiracy. The game's afoot. The Deus Ex game's afoot.
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