Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review

*Source of Review: PC Version

Packaging

If u pre-order via Steam, you probably know about the exclusive gear for Team Fortress 2. Retail been delay by 1 week due to Hari Raya celebration. There are 2 edition release by publisher, but only the standard retail edition available to us Malaysian (according to Software Boutique). However the Augmented Edition are available for console and PC digital download. The game also powered by Steamwork for PC, which mean if you brought retail, you got to install the steam client first.

Augmented Edition content
- Exclusive 40-page artbook.
- 44 minute making of chronicling the trials and tribulations of the Eidos- Montreal team
- Motion comic based on the first issue of the DC Comics adaptation
- Game soundtrack
(All are in digital form of course)

More info on these item click here

Gameplay

The first impression is that the world is very yellowish and dark, and you won't be seeing any daylight. The game also very similar to Metal Gear Solid/ Splinter Cell with a little bit of RPG elements. The RPG elements I mention is inventory managing, you won't be able to carry every weapon, ammo or upgrades you found. Secondly is you able to get side quest by talking to the right person through out the city, the city itself is an open city, you can kill civilian, hack every door, safe and PC everywhere. Lastly is consequences of your choice, like help or ignore it, kill or not to kill, it will all effect how the outcome was. The cutscene are recorded from in-game into a video instead of CGI cutscene or scripted in-game cutscene, which I say is a very big let down as you in game in Hi-Res suddenly drop to Low-Res in the cutscene.

Limited space, meaning constant decision on which item to keep and whats not.

There are alot ways to play the game, either gun blazing throughout the mission or use stealth to evade enemy, knock them out. Successful using stealth (without enemy notice you), you will get a "ghost" title which entitle you get some extra experience points. Get enough experience points and it will grant you a praxis that can be use to upgrade you augment part of your body. PC and pocket secretary (kind like digital notes) sometime gives you password to open nearby terminal door, safe or even security laser.

 These upgrade merely help on achieving your mission, doesn't effect the story outcome.

Storyline

The storyline is well crafted. In our distant future (not that far actually) human beginning to replacing their body part with robotic part and implant to enhance and maximize human potential. Another hand we got a group of pure human who against it. Adam Jensen who work in Sarif Industry as a Head of Security becoming Augmented after the HQ "incident". I probably will let you guys uncover the story and no more spoiling.

Graphic and Sound

The game was powered by ATI/AMD graphic, surely it will cause some problem to competitor graphic card Nvidia, as well the game that powered by another way around. The game graphics are very good taken away that a small artifact/white or black dot appearing on NPC during early of the game (weird that it doesn't occur later on the game). There also a small graphical glitch where the enemy stand too near to wall and when you knocking him out, he was actually inside the wall. Rest assure that these glitch and bug is very small. As for the sound its was powered by Dolby Digital, its fully use 5.1 channel in game and it sound good as well as the NPC voice acting, especially at China where the voice acting are actually genuine Chinese slang.

Verdict

Storyline is good, gameplay is good, graphic and sound is also good, need I say more? Anybody who love Metal Gear Solid series shall not miss this game. Fully recommended by KGM. This game most probably the best action espionage game up to date. Another thing is this game is not short (not too long either), depending on how you play it. Average should be around 30+ hours.

Rating: 9 out of 10 star