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Regulars to my blog will know I’m something of a Deus Ex fan. I’ve mentioned it in loads of posts, and consider it one of the best games of all time, and a major influence on my writing style, among other things (I love a good film noir…)

So, with the next chapter in the series, a prequel: Deus Ex: Human Revolution, due out in August (YAY!) Here’s my top three things I want to see. Also, SPOILER ALERT! For the previous title, Deus Ex.

JC Denton - note the eerie blue of his augmented eyes

Number 5: JC Denton

It would be remiss of the next title in the Deus Ex series not to mention the hero of the first title in the Deus Ex series – JC Denton, augmented messiah of 2052.

Born from a test tube, Denton went on to take down the organisation he was born to serve, and made a choice that went on to change the world. Of course, Human Revolution being set in 2027, 25 years before Deus Ex, JC won’t be there himself, but it would be cool to run into the clone child in a test tube somewhere, even if it has nothing to do with new hero Adam Jensen’s story. Of course, the fact that JC’s voice actor has gone on to star in a huge number of YouTube poop videos is a funny side-effect…

Number 4: The birth of MJ12

One of the many big organisations trying to run the world from the shadows, Majestic 12 (MJ12) is a conglomerate of international corporations, nations and men who have ideas above their station- and by the time of Deus Ex pretty much control everything.

I’ve already got the feeling, judging from the pre-release trailers, that MJ12 will feature in the prequel, but exactly how the group comes together would make for a fantastic addition to the plot, as well as a truly deadly opponent for Jensen and his friends (or are they his friends? Should you trust anyone in the world of Deus Ex?)

Number 3: Ridiculous augmentations

The original Deus Ex was full of ‘augmentations‘ of all shapes and sizes, from a small, remote control spy drone that floated out of a recess in your head, to muscle boosters that let you hurl crates half a mile, hyper-accurate target tracking, and a nano-particle shield that detonated incoming grenades and missiles before they his the user.

I’m hoping this wide selection of ridiculous ‘augs’ will continue into Human Revolution, and early signs are that it will, judging by Jensen’s apparant ability to survive very high falls, see  and punch through walls, carry heavy weights and turn invisible.

This is great news, naturally, as using augs to their full potential is a big part of Deus Ex’s myth.

As a mini top-three, here’s Andy’s Top Three: Deus Ex augmentations:

3:Radar transparency – In later levels, when Deus Ex hurled loads of robots at you, being invisible to said giant robots came in useful. Sure, you weren’t invisible to humans, but that doesn’t matter – they’re far more squidgy.

2: Microfibrial Muscle – As simple an aug as there can be, this little number increased the player’s strength, adding more power to melee attacks, as well as the ability to hurl oil drums around like confetti.

1: Spy Drone – capable of long range recon, and featuring a mini EMP charge for disabling robots, I used the spy drone all the time for checking out an area before infiltrating. A great little toy.

Number 2: A wrist-mounted, multi-ammo crossbow

By far my favourite weapon in Deus Ex was the wrist-mounted crossbow, which could be loaded with any number of EMP, gas knockout or lethal rounds, and fires almost silently. Far easier to use than a silenced pistol, the crossbow was the ideal tool for my stealthy way of playing, and I became quite adept at using it in a pinch, dragging up JC’s arm and spearing an MJ12 soldier in the throat from five paces.

It would be great to see the crossbow make a return, especially as Jensen seems to be a little too happy to use those giant arm-blades of his, and should probably take a leaf out of the JC Denton guide to infiltrating international corporations..

Number 1: Choice

The best thing about Deus Ex? Choice.

From the very start, the game took pains to offer you choices – do you take the big, tank-killing rifle, or the sneaky stun prod? Do you disable the power and pick the lock, or blow the door off its hinges? Do you trust your employer, or investigate its shady dealings?

Through the aspect of choice, the true freedom of Deus Ex shines through – you’re in control, your choices make the difference in the game world, and though many other games have gone on to do this (Mass Effect, for example) Deus Ex was the first game that really left its mark on me.

Here’s hoping that Deus Ex: Human Revolution keeps this element of choice, and thankfully, it seems the developers are aiming to preserve it.

Fingers crossed that the game turns out to be what all the long-time fans like me are hoping for…

 

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