Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition

The Good
The strongest feature of this game is contained in this database. Just take a look at all the genres under which Deus Ex is categorized and you'll get a good first impression of what you really ought to be playing if you haven't already.

Some genre-busters feel more like slapdash, incoherent messes. Not this one. Everything is held together thanks to the fact that it relies on the FPS skeleton as its primary play mechanic and that the story is so involving. I never understand why game developers don't pay a little more attention to plot in designing games - after all, electronic entertainment is moving ever more closer to the ideal "interactive novel" with each passing year, and as such developers must pay more and more attention to the craft of creating believable, sympathetic worlds and characters.

As mentioned, the primary structure of Deus Ex is FPS-ish, meaning you'll run around (as the nano-augmented, sunglass-wearing badass J.C. Denton) with something thrust out before you, usually the business end of a firearm. But Deus Ex does so much more with this familiar set of staples by giving you complete freedom to surmount each and every situation that confronts you. At one early point in the game, you will need to rescue some hostages being held by terrorists on a subway platform. If you wanted to, you could charge down the stairs, heavy weapons perforating terrorists in a most satisfying manner. Or, you could be sneaky and open a ventilation grate nearby, allowing you to slip down and behind the terrorists in order to get the drop on them. Or perhaps you'll come up with a completely new approach to solving the same problem.

The real beauty of this design is that it never really punishes you for being the type of player you are. Some players (like me) enjoy the simple, cathartic experience of blowing away terrorists - fine, do it. Or maybe you like tinkering with computer systems in order to turn the terrorists' guided gun turrets back on them. Ok, you can do that too. Your J.C. Denton will develop, skill-wise, in exactly the way you want him too, and you will have exactly the same chance of succeeding so long as you keep your wits about you. You are never forced to "guess" what the game developers want you to do, a problem that crops up all too often in adventure games.

The Bad
The graphics haven't aged as well as the gameplay. I often found myself (perhaps unfairly) comparing Deus Ex to other, prettier FPSes. Hopefully, the sequel will possess all the gorgeous eye candy its revolutionary gameplay deserves.

The Bottom Line
FPS evolved.

The Good
Oh lord, where do I begin?! This game is so good it’s almost creepy. What instantly attracted me to this game was the Thief-style gameplay, whereby you rely on your stealth skills, rather than run-and-gun Quake fragging. They took this, and mixed it together with an RPG-like interface, including stats and having to manually select your statements/questions when conversing with an NPC. Once I heard this, I knew that I had no option other than to simply purchase it (I didn’t even play the demo first, which something I rarely do). It would be futile and nearly impossible for me to list everything I like about this game, otherwise we’d be in for a college essay. I’ll just say that everything about the game is excellent; the graphics, the story, the interface, and the AI. If you’ve grown weary of fragging constantly, do not hesitate to play this game.

The Bad
In my honest opinion, I really can’t say that there is anything bad about this game, other than having to wait so damn long for a sequel (which should be out this year sometime ’03).

The Bottom Line
As I said above, this game is something much different than all other FPSs, where you must rely on stealth to play through. You can run-and-gun if you wish, but I wouldn’t advise until your augmentations are up to par and you’ve got plenty of weaponry; I prefer stealth. Anyway, if you liked the Thief games or the System Shocks, then Deus Ex is right up your ally. Thanks again Warren Spector.

The Good
The story and characters were interesting and dramatic. Despite the FPS appearance and intensity, it wasn't a battle of my dexterity against the computer's processing speed. The ability to explore an environment and devise your own solution to problems really helped make the game world feel real. I don't know how much a real twitch junkie would like this game, but it amazed me with how much fun I was having.

The Bad
The final area still has the rather steep increment in difficulty traditional to the FPS genre. Some of the areas were too obviously laid out with three paths - one for stealth, one for object manipulation, and one for direct combat. Some conversations that boiled down to moral/role-playing decisions only gave two (generally extreme) choices instead of several to cover the moral spectrum

The Bottom Line
The closest thing to world simulation I've seen in an actual game yet. Arguably the best, and certainly one of the ten best, computer games I've ever played - and I've been playing them since the mid-70s.