Deus Ex™ GOTY Edition

As the only RPG in the Immersive Sim subgenre, Deus Ex is the greatest PC game of all time. Period. You can beat everything that makes Deus Ex great individually except its ideas. You can never beat it in its totality. All classics are greater than the sum of their parts, and Deus Ex is the greatest of all sums.

Ion Storm accomplished something truly special here. You take the role as JC Denton, a super soldier who finds himself entangled in a deep global conspiracy. Travel the world and uncover the invisible hands that pull the world's strings. There are plenty of games and films with dystopian near-future settings, but Deus Ex presents a vast wealth of lore, characters and world building that is rare to find in a single entry. Plus, whether it's politics, technology, or philosophy, everything is presented in a relatable and plausible way. For example, the first mission gives you opportunity to capture a terrorist leader alive; he then makes some valid points grounded in real-life history. Everything in the game has a familiar basis, which saves things from devolving from overly-futuristic fantasy. This presentation is extremely compelling, as you find yourself questioning the motives of the powers-that-be right alongside JC. Also, the sheer amount of content means you will return to Deus Ex time and time again, finding something new with each playthrough. The world is intricately designed, and you are often rewarded for going off the beaten path. The immersive world and story stand strong despite a dated visual presentation. While perfectly serviceable, the characters are blocky and stiff even by the standards of when this game was originally released. The environment geometry tends to be simple but captures a strong mood thanks to good use of lighting and shadow. The music is absolutely gorgeous and, at times, haunting. Gameplay-wise, it's an RPG at heart with skills and inventory to manage. You can invest in your desired playstyle, which can be anything from a pure-stealth, non-lethal approach to a walking tank equipped with rocket launchers and flamethrowers. Though, expect clunky combat unless you invest accordingly. The game features "augmentations" which give you superhuman abilities and an additional level of customization. Overall, a must play.

One of the best games ever made. Has retro futuristic vibes from the 90s to it. The sound track is epic, especially NYC Streets, UNESCO HQ, Paris Conversation and all. makes me feel like it is the 90s. even though the game came out in early 20s.

I have to be fair. Sometime in 2000, I downloaded the demo using my workplace's T1 line .I went out the next night and bought the game. So much atmosphere, perfect mood music, and pretty much anything you can think of, the game has already thought of it....but I have to be fair. New players are going to be irritated over a few things much like I was when I first played. First off, the crossbow. It doesn't work instantaneously. Stealth is iffy, enemy hitboxes aren't that accurate, and the fact you are playing a super agent and couldn't shoot the ground due to your low ability in firearms. Makes no sense. As alluded to before, the real fun in Deus Ex is seeing if the devs "took that into consideration" or "thought of that". Try it yourself.

I ... I ... I ... I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GEP GUN!!!!