They Could Have Done So Much More...
Variety is strangely the basis and necessity for Deus Ex: Human Revolution's format. What the game sets out to achieve is in fact achieved, but at the cost of creativity for every level following the first. It sticks to the concept set out initially, but doesn't try to alter those roots in enough interesting ways. What's left is a solid game. The problem? It could have been among the greatest of all-time.
Narrative
Deus Ex: Human Revolution follows a setting that is a cross between worlds found in films Blade Runner and I, Robot. In true cyberpunk fashion, it takes place in the near-future that is 2027. Mankind has the ability to add augmentations to fellow human beings, which on-paper translates to the fact that they are significantly superior to their earlier fully-human form. In true I, Robot terms, the various ethics around transhumanism then arise. Our protagonist, Adam Jensen, is an ex-SWAT turned security expert for Sarif Industries who unwillingly undergoes augmentations of his own, following a life-threatening attack from a rival biotech company. His former love-interest, Megan, supposedly was in development of fully unlocking the potential through these augmentations. However, with her now pronounced dead, Jensen sets out to discover the origin of the attack; only to discover conspiracies he would never anticipate. The story here is competent. Honestly, there's not much more to say than that. What you see is what you get, and it works. I always to know what was happening next, but the story never "hooked me" or reached a moment of memorable revelation. None of the characters are particularly flat, but again, none are very memorable either. There is by all means levels of depth here, and provides more story the more time you put into it through various e-mails and side-quests. However, the material behind that depth is not as interesting as you would presume. There is definitely something to lure some people in and engross them the entire way through this game, but the narrative is never extended to the lengths it could have. It's a satisfying story, but that is unfortunately about all I can deem it worthy of.
Level Design
Deus Ex: Human Revolution revolves around the gameplay option of choice. The extent of the levels are usually presented with giving you two specific options: going full-on action like a regular FPS, or using stealth to "ghost" your way through each level. The twist on this formula is that you're given the opportunity to perform further augmentations, adding more enhancements to gameplay. Let me first say, that this upgrade system is nothing short of fantastic. Quite possibly the best I've ever experienced in a game. The interface is intuitive, and every aspect of it is noticeably incorporated into the gameplay. These augmentations provide what expands upon the basic mechanics of FPS vs. stealth. Going the FPS route? Then increase your aim stability for gunplay. Going the stealth route? Then increase your stats for cloaking. Failing a lot at the hacking mini-games? Then increase your hacking skills to make it easier for you. Failing the various social battles? Then increase your speaking skills for better options. From there, the alternative paths may depend on your skills you've augmented. If you've upgrade your falling stability, you can jump down for a possible shortcut. If you've upgraded your strength, you may be able to lift a heavy box, and find an air duct that will let you skip a group of enemies. It all makes the initial level of Deus Ex: Human Revolution a great sense of variety upon reflection. Now, did you really like that first level? Good, because now, every single level afterwards will be exactly the same. And that's the greatest downfall of Deus Ex: Human Revolution; they created a layout that was great, but constantly repeated it for a 15+ hour playthrough. There was always an air duct. There was always a door to hack. There was always a wall to break. Rinse and repeating for almost the entirety of the game. There was so much room for creativity here that they just never took advantage of. I'm not saying that they should have altered any game mechanics, but for a game based upon the topic of variety, this aspect feels hypocritical to me. It just seems like there's so much wasted potential in this department, it's just a shame. On top of all that, every environment looks almost identical to the last. From Detroit to Montreal, each city utilizes the same color palette, which was intriguing at first, but became rather dull quickly. On one last note, the bosses in this game are nothing short of horrendous. It removes any gameplay option of choice, and contains nothing but bullet-soaking villains. The final boss, however, was at least fun and entertaining, but even that cannot act as a saving grace for the others. The farther I got in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the more frustrating and monotonous it became. The overall level design in the game is good, but having to adhere to repetition with the gravity this game has, loses any fun to be had rather frequently.
Technical Quality
I'll say it right up front: play Deus Ex: Human Revolution on a PC. I played it on a PS3; something I immediately regretted, despite obtaining it for free. The load times on consoles are unbearable and among the worst I have ever experienced. The controller on consoles is surprisingly well-fitting, despite the game's origins with a mouse. However, the frame rate still drops and the performance isn't always what is intended on a PC. In short, buy this game on a PC; even if you see it in a bargain bin. That aside, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a visually appealing video game, despite its now-three year dated graphics. The world is portrayed well, and these visuals only aid to that claim, along with the music. The soundtrack of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is outstanding, and the holder of some very memorable tracks. This music adds a sense of atmosphere that adds to the experience. The only notable downfall on the technical side of Deus Ex: Human Revolution on all platforms is the AI. Sometimes, when on a stealth playthrough, the enemy sight seemed unfair. Yet, when detected, hiding behind a piece of cover right in front of them usually makes them confused, and thus returns to their patrols. It's bewildering and immersion breaking, but not at all the heart of the game's true issues. Some other insignificant aspects include, but limited to, outdated animations and occasionally weak voice-acting. The overall presentation here is solid, and most of what is attempted to perform, is achieved; albeit there being a few missteps along the way.
Final Assessment
I never played the original Deus Ex, so I have never had a particular attachment to this series before. Deus Ex: Human Revolution isn't a disappointment to me because of any nostalgia for the original; I'm disappointed because it contains such an expansive idea that wasn't elaborated more on. The augmentation upgrade system is near-perfect, and the sheer idea of multiple paths is ingenious, but the game is starved for more variety than what's established at the first level. There are moments and aspects of Deus Ex: Human Revolution that I feel are absolutely worth seeing by everyone; for instance, the entire climax and finale is nothing short of amazing. That final level goes against the earlier repetition and provides enough new variety that the rest of the game could have benefited to have more of. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a good game, but there was potential here to create a masterpiece.
