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DEUS EX
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The calm after the (Ion) Storm
By WILLIAM BARKER
Agent JC Denton. Not an ordinary bloke, not by
a long shot. Replete with nano-technology and sophisticated augmentations,
your alter-ego in Deus Ex is far from stock-standard. Like that gnarly
CBR600 you saw hacking by down the freeway on the back wheel, this fella
lives on the edge, both literally and figuratively. From the creators
of System Shock and Ultima Underworld comes one of this year's most promising
RPGs.
An insidious disease nick named 'Grey Death' has been claiming victims
the world over. Your first objective in Deus Ex is to retrieve a quantity
of Ambrosia, a flavoursome and nutritious substance that is known to stabilise
the plague and give users a mild buzz too.
The game begins in New York, but as a highly
regarded UNATCO agent, you'll travel to the furthest reaches of the globe
to blow open one of most cleverly crafted conspiracies seen in gaming
lore. Ion Storm has used the story to great effect, with every action
you carry out having some sort of real-world impact, whether large or
small.
The game falls into the RPG category because
your character will evolve through the course of the game. You might decide
to train yourself up in the arts of computer hacking (like me - remember
the Love Bug?) or alternatively follow the path of the stealthy
sniper. Whenever you complete something of consequence, such as finding
a secret area, or killing a particularly tough terrorist, you are rewarded
with skill points. When you have accumulated enough, you can spend them
at any time on a number of skills such as swimming, lock-picking, weapons
proficiencies, electronics and more. Add to this a number of augmentations
that, as the name subtly suggests, boost you both physically and mentally.
You begin the game with a nano-augmentation that allows you to communicate
with HQ in complete silence - a mental microphone, you might say. You
also have a level two proficiency in pistol weaponry, allowing you more
damage and steady aim with pistols. Augmentation canisters give players
two choices, and whether you choose the ability to lift heavy objects
instead of stronger melee combat will make much difference throughout
the game.
Strategies in Deus Ex do not really relate to those that work wonders
in games like Half-Life et al. There'll be no 10 kills in 10 seconds here.
To even get a one-shot kill is very difficult, and the game favours Thief-like
stealth to progress, as opposed to Quake-like button-mashing and reflexes.
It is better to lob a gas grenade into a trio of terrorists than risk
taking fire as you try to gun them down, Rambo-style.
The game is very non-linear - a boon to be sure - as players will be able
to solve problems in myriad ways. More than what Messiah offered players,
Deus Ex really allows players to be creative. There are always one or
two obvious paths to take, but clever players will revel in the opportunities
available to them.
Visually Deux Ex parallels its magical gameplay. The first time you see
the protecto-bots meandering along, complete with multiple realigning
servos, you will gasp with sheer joy. The weapons all look very stylised
and fit in with the cyber-punk theme very well and the environments are
chock-full of interactive goodness to boot. Imagine trying to get into
a fortress, with the only visible entrance being a solid steel door. From
here your options are varied. You could a) use lock-picks on the door;
b) use a rocket launcher on the door (my favourite)or; c) jump into the
water and swim through a broken sewerage tunnel. You can also hack into
computer systems, take full control of turrets, cameras and, of course,
unlock doors.
Whenever you're sneaking through an enemy bunker or trying to infiltrate
a weapons cache you are constantly reminded that Ion Storm didn't skimp
on the visuals. Little touches like flaming barrels and tramps sleeping
on park benches bring a lot of charm to the title. The dark setting also
helps create an atmosphere of brilliant suspense - can that robo-sentry
see me in these shadows?
The audio aspect of the game is quite a treat too - there will be no bleeding
eardrums here. The light techno-suspense score is linked to what is happening
on-screen. If you encounter a troupe of laser-wielding maniacs, the music
will increase in tempo and, as your heart beats faster, you desperately
try to find a retreat.
At the end of the day, you'll still be playing this engrossing neo-RPG.
It's smooth, suave, fun and the difficulty levels are just right too.
A finely balanced game that can be played over and over again, given its
non-linear approach. From Daikatana to this, Ion Storm has certainly got
a little explaining to do.
ORIGINALITY 85%
SOUND/GRAPHICS 90%
PLAYABILITY 85%
ADDICTION 95%
ENJOYMENT 90%
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