Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Immersive"

"Perfection", we all strive for it and yet in all truth, none of us will really ever achieve it because alas, we are human. However, in the not too distant future, humanity might just be a phase in our lives and perfection might be just a LIMB clinic away. Human enhancement will definitely be the biggest discovery in modern day science and will no doubt change the definition of humanity forever. With great power though comes great responsibility and the question that remains to be answered is "Is humankind responsible enough to wield such power?". We find out the answer to this question for ourselves in Deus Ex: Human Revolution

You are Adam Jensen, an ex-SWAT officer who's now the Head of Security in one of the world's leading augmentation companies -Sarif Industries. Following an attack on the company and the murder of Meagan Reed, one of Sarif's foremost scientists, and a group of her colleagues, Adam is left with the task of finding out who exactly was behind the attack and why Sarif's scientists were targeted. To uncover these truths however, Adam must follow leads around the globe; roaming city streets, apartment buildings, rooftops and sewers(yes, sewers), forging alliances and undoubtedly making enemies in his pursuit.

I honestly haven't enjoyed a first person shooter this much in a while. Even though the superior AI in this game makes playing it quite daunting, the cover mechanic is well designed and highly responsive with cover-to-cover movement and cover orientation options whose mastery prove vital in many areas of play, especially combat and stealth. The melee takedown system is also very novel. It's a satisfying way to get rid of lone opponents and rarely disappoints with its multiple cut scene animations .There is no single way of getting through sections. You may choose stealth or head-on gunplay depending on your skill, the number of hostiles, availability of cover, ammunition or general gaming-style.

Each style has its perks and shortcomings though. Even though stealth might help you avoid lengthy firefights and encounters with higher class opponents, timing enemy movements is quite tedious and exploration is limited(I mean there can only be so many weakened walls and air vents). Head-on gunplay offers free exploration afterwards but may also require precision shooting to preserve ammo(a rare commodity in this game) especially when heavily outnumbered. A blend of both is probably your best bet , remaining hidden where possible and resorting to gunplay when necessary. Decision-making is also key in this game, from conversations to augmentation upgrades. Every choice you make has an impact on the game and on other character's disposition towards you.

Graphically, Deus Ex isn't the most beautiful game you'll ever see but the attention to detail is still quite commendable. Environment interaction was definitely the focus with your character being able to interact with most things in the environment in one way or the other. The game's physics are outstanding and the ambient background music in the more quiet areas is a soothing delight as is it's fast-paced counterpart in hot-blooded firefights and intense periods of play.

With a great storyline filled with twists and turns to the very end, addictive gameplay backed by mechanics that actually work and a fully interactive world to explore, Deus Ex is every gamer's dream. The mix of combat, stealth, dialogue and decision-making will keep you wide awake right to the very end while playing through this enthralling first-person shooter. It also promises at least 30 hours of campaign gameplay alone depended on your skill level, a definite addition to any true gamer's personal favourites.