The Deus Ex games are
first-person shooter RPGs that let you approach your objectives in a way that
suits you: direct violence if you enjoy it, stealth if you don’t, and throwing
heavy objects around if you like getting caught, beaten and shot. Despite a
sequel in 2003, the first is still considered by me, this magazine, and a lot
of our readers as the best game ever made. Like its predecessor, a large part of
Deus Ex:Human Revolution’s appeal is in its well written, intelligent story. The Deus Ex franchise
has always been a series in the Metal Gear vein, focusing on corrupt shadow
governments and corporate espionage, though its main focus is on Transhumanism,
the ethical concerns raised when man mixes with machine. You may think a robot
arm would be totally badass at first, but when you realize you’ll need an
expensive drug for the rest of your life to keep your body from rejecting it,
you might be more hesitant. There’s also the more philosophical issue of where
humanity ends and machine begins, and how expensive upgrades reinforce the
class system. If this all sounds a little highbrow, well, that’s because it is.
