Lycanthrope
New member
Finished DX:HR early this morning. Incredibly enjoyable gameplay, interesting story and beautiful visuals.
There may be (light) spoilers.
Gameplay is entirely non-linear (multiple solutions to missions) which is fantastic and gives an excellent incentive to stealth characters to explore and find different solutions.
The narrative (story) however, I found blatantly linear. There doesn't seem to be any tangible choices or consequences that affect future events or the conclusion of the story. In fact, the way the "Push a button to decide your ending" bit was just utterly lolwtf-worthy and majorly disappointing. Even then, I think it would be more accurate to say that it's more of a Button-of Profundity (trademark pending) than a conclusion or proper ending to the game.
I also miss the small things, like little robots cleaning; the little atmospheric details that make you feel like wow, I would never have thought of that.
Also, some of the augmentations are really just pointless/stupid, whereas others are all but vital for some of the boss-fights. I love cloaking and doing non-lethal take-downs, but find it utterly frustrating that only ONE battery charges and then you have to nom chocolates to keep going. The very idea of it is amusing (cloak > nom chocolate > take-down an enemy > nom choccie > take down another > repeat) and feels like Popeye gone cyborg.
Regarding the boss-fights, I can't help but feel that they take a lot out of the immersion. Specifically in that you level your character a certain way (let's say a stealth/cloak/non-lethal build) but then you get into a boss-fight which forces your character to play in a different way--can't take down, because they kill you if you get too close, can't tranq/stun/neutralise them for whatever reason, so you have to kill them.
The way the game ended also just leaves a lot to be desired, it's like the story just suddenly took an epic change just for the hell of it (can you say Left 4 Dead zombies meets augs?).
I would've liked to delve deeper into the conspiracy theories, the different organisations, see inside them and sort of deepen the mysteries.
Also, the AI. In the first game an AI was still very much something that shouldn't be unleashed or exist because of all the dangers it represents so finding one was a MAJOR "oooh... aaaaah..." kind of event where you knew you were dealing with major moral and ethical questions. However, in DE:HR, you stumble on an AI and it's like, "Oh, yeah, this shit happens all the time."
All-in-all, it's a game I felt was a brilliant successor to Deus Ex but at the same time, the narrative falls short of the otherwise BRILLIANT gameplay. I feel the narrative really lets it down.
There may be (light) spoilers.
Gameplay is entirely non-linear (multiple solutions to missions) which is fantastic and gives an excellent incentive to stealth characters to explore and find different solutions.
The narrative (story) however, I found blatantly linear. There doesn't seem to be any tangible choices or consequences that affect future events or the conclusion of the story. In fact, the way the "Push a button to decide your ending" bit was just utterly lolwtf-worthy and majorly disappointing. Even then, I think it would be more accurate to say that it's more of a Button-of Profundity (trademark pending) than a conclusion or proper ending to the game.
I also miss the small things, like little robots cleaning; the little atmospheric details that make you feel like wow, I would never have thought of that.
Also, some of the augmentations are really just pointless/stupid, whereas others are all but vital for some of the boss-fights. I love cloaking and doing non-lethal take-downs, but find it utterly frustrating that only ONE battery charges and then you have to nom chocolates to keep going. The very idea of it is amusing (cloak > nom chocolate > take-down an enemy > nom choccie > take down another > repeat) and feels like Popeye gone cyborg.
Regarding the boss-fights, I can't help but feel that they take a lot out of the immersion. Specifically in that you level your character a certain way (let's say a stealth/cloak/non-lethal build) but then you get into a boss-fight which forces your character to play in a different way--can't take down, because they kill you if you get too close, can't tranq/stun/neutralise them for whatever reason, so you have to kill them.
The way the game ended also just leaves a lot to be desired, it's like the story just suddenly took an epic change just for the hell of it (can you say Left 4 Dead zombies meets augs?).
I would've liked to delve deeper into the conspiracy theories, the different organisations, see inside them and sort of deepen the mysteries.
Also, the AI. In the first game an AI was still very much something that shouldn't be unleashed or exist because of all the dangers it represents so finding one was a MAJOR "oooh... aaaaah..." kind of event where you knew you were dealing with major moral and ethical questions. However, in DE:HR, you stumble on an AI and it's like, "Oh, yeah, this shit happens all the time."
All-in-all, it's a game I felt was a brilliant successor to Deus Ex but at the same time, the narrative falls short of the otherwise BRILLIANT gameplay. I feel the narrative really lets it down.
i have not played this game yet.. but il prob get it in the near future... 
). 
), Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, Dead Island (which I've pre-ordered on Steam) and the Darkness 2.