Deus Ex: Human Revolution Preview

An informative two-part preview of Eidos Montreal’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution can be found on Cheat Code Central today, the contents of which are based on firsthand demonstrations given to the author during recent press events (including E3). From part one:

By creating an original story taking place prior to previous games in the Deus Ex universe, Eidos Montreal has effectively carved out their own niche, creating one of the most suitably fascinating permutations of cyberpunk I’ve ever come across: a high-tech mixture of Blade Runner’s brooding atmosphere and aesthetic motifs inspired by the architecture and fashion of the Renaissance. Yes, that’s right, I said the Renaissance as in the European age of reason where figures like Da Vinci contributed to one of the greatest collectives of artistic, scientific and technological advancement in recorded history. This hybrid is no mistake: augmentation stems from what Human Revolution’s lead game designer, Jean-Francois Dugat, refers to as “transhumanism,” an evolutionary take-off of sorts on the Renaissance’s philosophic humanist movement. Using this as a basis, Human Revolution’s look blends the typically cold, mechanical neo-noir world of cyberpunk with the warmer tones of Renaissance art, while injecting fashion and interior design with a dose of period flair. So if you’re expecting a blue-toned, unfeeling world of machinery, you’re going to be in for quite a surprise. Atmospheric light filters tint Human Revolution’s world in a brilliant array of golds and oranges (there’s more than a few hints of Danny Boyle’s underrated sci-fi film Sunshine here); offices and laboratories are covered in decorative “spider-web” patterned overhead lighting; apartments and building facades are modeled in hard angles and interesting geometric shapes, with dominant natural elements such as wood or stone pillars negotiating the open interior design.

And a little something from part two:

Beyond the front desk, there was a guard that warned Jensen that the rest of the station was a restricted area. Barging through anyway, every cop in the place suddenly drew their arms, and what followed was a series of shootouts that showcased some of Jensen’s offensive augmentation abilities. One of the most useful (and innovative) moves Jensen could use was moving heavy objects during a shootout and strategically arranging them to provide cover. It may not sound like much, but using movable cover was actually an effective defensive strategy, and certainly not one seen in most other games (at least outside of using riot shields). After killing everyone in the station, Jensen was able to easily nab the brain chip from the corpse and make his escape.

The second scenario involved a different approach: as it turns out, the desk clerk at the station used to be Jensen’s old partner, who was demoted after an incident involving the fatal shooting of an augmented fifteen-year old boy. Using social skills, Jensen gets the poor sap to open up about the incident, where it’s revealed that he actually took the fall, after Jensen refused to follow orders to fire on the boy. His partner wasn’t so lucky, and has been playing desk jockey ever since. Although you have the option to simply demand your ex-partner allow you to roam through the police station at will, he did not seem keen on the idea during the demo session. However, by talking through his past with him (and the promise of helping him out of his situation as best he can), Jensen was able to gain access to the rest of the station.