The future is everywhere around us. Cars are being developed that require no fuel. Prosthetic limbs are being designed that almost perfectly mimic a real limb. Machines are becoming more prevalent in our daily lives than ever before. In the Deus Ex series, our future is now.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution, a prequel to the series' original entry, focuses on five different "Pillars of Gameplay," consisting of combat, stealth, hacking, exploration, and socialization. While combat generally focuses on firearms, Adam, the protagonist, has biomechanical augmentations that give him superhuman abilities, all of which are usable in battle. Stealth plays out much like one would expect, as the player can sneak around an area and assassinate enemies without a trace, similar to the gameplay of Batman: Arkham Asylum and the Metal Gear Solid series. Hacking is used for several different purposes, ranging from manipulating a machine to lockpicking to access additional items. Exploration involves the player using the environment to his or her advantage, applying knowledge and memory to find the best routes available. Lastly, socialization focuses on interacting with various characters, gaining new information from these characters, and manipulating them to gain their allegiance. These five Pillars will segue into each other throughout the entirety of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, i.e. a conversation can lead to a fight if the "wrong" dialogue is chosen.
A hacked computer that gives access to multiple actions that can be used for great strategic advantage.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution takes place in 2027, 25 years prior to the first game. The story follows Adam Jensen, a security officer working for one of the leading manufacturers in human-enhancing devices. Upon getting critically wounded during an attack on his company, Adam is given multiple biomechanical upgrades that both save his life and enhance his strength beyond natural limitations. Both of Adam's arms have been replaced with biomechanical arms that can be used for a variety of actions that benefit him in combat, including weapon transformation and the previously mentioned boost of strength.
Adam Jensen after his augmentations.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution deals with the idea of "transhumanism," or transcending the limitations of a normal human through the new biomechanical augmentations that are being built. There are countless arguments regarding whether people should augment their abilities. Some crave them for power and convenience, while others believe it will lead to arrogance, cause more wars, and give a false sense of godhood.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution will be released on August 23 in North America and on August 28 in Europe for PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.
Short Version: Deus Ex: Human Revolution is shaping up to be a true successor to the previous two games, allowing for diversity in every playthrough, determined purely by the player's actions.
