The ‘Deus Ex’ franchise began in the year 2000 with the release of ‘Deus Ex’. The first game was known for its conspiracy theory plot and cyberpunk aesthetics. For many players, however, the retro graphics and obtuse game mechanics may be unfavorable. Thankfully, there’s a prequel to the original titled ‘Deus Ex: Human Revolution’ (HR).

HR is a first-person shooter that uses roleplaying elements while borrowing innovative interactivity from its predecessors. HR was released in 2011 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. The story takes place in the year 2027 in a world where humans enhance themselves with cybernetics. Despite being in its infancy, this technology advances faster than society is ready for, becoming a major point of controversy. Many view it as the next step in human evolution; others view it as a sacrifice of their humanity. On top of that, the cybernetics industry has just hit its first major boom, and the corporations that manufacture cybernetics get more powerful as a result.

The player is put in the shoes of Adam Jensen, a former Detroit SWAT officer turned head of security for Sarif Industries, one of the many corporations that manufactures cybernetics. One night, the company is attacked by augmented soldiers while Jensen is on shift, and he’s gravely injured in the attack. His ex-girlfriend and coworker, Megan Reed, is kidnapped in the process. Due to the severity of Jensen’s injuries, the CEO of Sarif Industries, David Sarif, ordered extensive augmentation surgeries for Jensen against his will, saving his life. From this point on, having lost what he sees as his humanity, Jensen is left a jaded man. Initially, the story sees Jensen investigate the nature of the attack on Sarif, but he then learns that there’s more beneath the surface.

The gameplay of HR revolves around a semi-open world structure with several small, self-contained open worlds. Within these open worlds, the player talks to NPCs to receive both side and main missions. The main missions typically happen on a more linear level. Although the open areas aren’t as expansive as many modern open-world titles, they make up for it in their level of detail. The open worlds tie into the game thematically through environmental storytelling. For example, the player has to go to a “limb clinic” to buy “praxis kits”, allowing the player to make upgrades and buy new augmentations. 

Exploration plays a major role in HR. Ammo and praxis kits are hidden both in the open world and linear sections of the game. Some areas are only accessible through the use of certain augments. For instance, some secrets require augmented arms that allow the player to punch through weakened walls. Also, certain lines of dialogue are only possible to get with the social enhancement chip, which displays personality readings for NPCs and allows the player make decisions about dialogue and unlock unique voice lines.

HR also includes some aspects of resource management, forcing the player to think carefully about their play style and how they want to invest their points. The player’s inventory is a grid occupied by useful items and utilities. Similarly to the augments, the player needs to carefully consider and plan what items are brought and how many.

‘Deus Ex: Human Revolution’ is an underrated gem. It came out the same year as titles like ‘Minecraft’ and ‘Skyrim’, which makes it easy to overlook. The storytelling, both in dialogue and in gameplay, make it extremely memorable. Many of its themes seem to become more relevant every year, furthering how well it’s aged. The story, paired with open ended gameplay, makes for a title that shouldn’t be skipped out on.

Grade: A

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Directors Cut) – $19.99 – Steam 

Deus Ex: Human Revolution- $14.99 –  Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S / PlayStation 3