Deus Ex: Human Revolution Interview

With four months left in development, AtomicGamer interviews Deus Ex: Human Revolution lead designer Jean-Francois Dugas, though they admit the interviewed kept his cards closer to his chest than they would’ve liked.

AG: Some hardcore Deus Ex fans have already dismissed Human Revolution after reading about the third-person cover system and regenerating health. Do you feel like you can successfully bring these old-school fans back from the brink to give Human Revolution a try, and if so, how?

JD: If we’re successful at making a great game and this is our goal, I think the fans will want to play it. And I’m confident that they will judge the game as a whole, for what it is regardless of some different personal preferences which I totally respect.

AG: Deus Ex essentially had an experience point system, without levels, that allowed you to spend the points to rank up JC’s skills in a variety of areas from swimming to computer hacking to melee attacks. Do you plan on messing with that formula at all, and if so, how?

JD: We have an experience point system that allows you to unlock your character’s augmentations. So, there are no skills per se, they’re part of the augmentation system.

AG: The art style in Human Revolution is of particular interest to many gamers who have an eye for art and design; the combination of Renaissance fashion with a Blade Runner-esque “dirty” science fiction future is a very alluring one. But the E3 trailer and demo also showed us a more sterile and spartan future in some scenes, complete with sleek, high-tech weaponry and corporate espionage all around. How do these themes combine?

JD: The Cyber-Renaissance art style is our main angle. It helps support the story, characters, the game’s themes and to give our own flavor. Since it’s used as a mean to convey something very specific, it can’t be all over the place otherwise it would dilute its power, its message. Still, even when it’s not as present, there is, most part of the time, a very subtle presence that can be felt on different degrees. So, the underlying visual driving force is constant through the game making it look homogenous.