Quick Look: Throwback: Deus Ex

First time I played this I got really pissed off at first level, went back a few weeks later got past that and it became  one of my all time favourite games

When the guys talk about a game that I'm at all familiar with, they're often mistaken but still speak with complete self-assurance. It makes me wonder how much I should trust their knowledge about games I DON'T know much about. I don't mind them not knowing everything, so long as they make it clear when they are completely making things up or rampantly guessing.

Fuck yeah! Deus Ex!

@Hashbrowns: I listen to quite a number of video game podcasts, and I feel confident saying the GB crew is the most consistently and most broadly knowledgeable. But of course in casual conversation people can misspeak or remember things a bit wrong. (Jeff saying no day/night cycle in Crackdown 1 jumps to mind.) But I still agree that fact checking will ruin podcasts. ;)

A couple of the guys over at Epic Battleaxe and Invisible Walls meanwhile are a constant source of facepalming for how much they just aren't aware of things or get mixed up. I spend maybe 6-10 hours a week keeping up on the industry and games I haven't played. When I'm more aware about something I'm not particularly interested in, than someone who has devoted at least part of their career to this industry, sure it's a bit disconcerting.

To be fair when EBC and IW make a spoken mistake they often correct it in the video overlay, so it's not as though mea culpas don't happen. Mistakes and mistaken opinions are to be expected. Anywhere. Replace "the guys" in your comment with "random forum posts" and I think it rings just as true.

I took a crowbar to an explosive barrel and blew myself up in the first level. It was then that I fell deeply in love with the game. I loved the freedom it offered and all the stupid shit you could do, like breaking a chair while an npc was sitting in it or beating a corpse until it explodes.

If you actually like a game, you should not make a video of yourself playing the game poorly and making it look bad.

Brad's "time to crate" comment was the best! I wish other people knew about that :(

I like Klepek playing games, he has a Vinny-feel to it where he just messes around with games rather than playing them straight.

I herd you need to disable the other cpu cores and limit the fps so the dialog doesn't skip

@Brackynews: Fair enough. I really only notice these things because I listen to the GB guys so much, and I don't mean to imply they are an exception to misspeaking in video game journalism/commentary. Still, on the whole, they might want to just hold their tongue when they are anything other than certain about what they are speaking about. But heck, that advice goes to all of us.

To paraphrase an old saying: Don't believe everything you hear, particularly from 30-somethings that cover video games for a living.

One of the people Brad described who couldn't get past the first level and quit lol. Think I'll go back and try it again.

Excellent. More QL Throwbacks are always appreciated. This brings back some good memories since I love this game a lot. I wasn't even a hater of the second one although it clearly was a very different game.

It's gonna be interesting to see what they do with the upcoming installment but I'm still very sceptical from what I've seen so far.

I burnt out during the airfield. Definitely going back in, though. It was mentioned... and I am now reinstalling it.

Major kudos to Patrick for being all up ons the mod scene. It's taken a long time but New Vision seems well worth the wait.

Wow, these graphics are horrendous, even for 2001. I dont know why these guys are talking like this still holds up in any way. And Conker's Bad Fur Day came out in 2001 and had far more sophisticated mouth syncing animation stuff, so this was not the first. In fact Conkers Bad Fur Day's graphics in general still hold up today. Compare this game to that game, and im not even sure why this game has recognition at all.

Payed Deus ex last month, just can't do it.
After spending a couple hours finding and installing just a couple very basic mods to make the game playable from a visual standpoint and then fighting with the awkward keyboard layout of the controls for the first two mission I quite out.

"40 oz, in case you're curious"

...thanks, Brad?

I love the throw backs, it would be great to have more
Maybe a look at an old zelda game before Skyward Sword?

Wow, this looks incredible.

I totally burned out on the first mission. I plan to go back at some point but I've been putting it off.

Wow, these graphics are horrendous, even for 2001. I dont know why these guys are talking like this still holds up in any way. And Conker's Bad Fur Day came out in 2001 and had far more sophisticated mouth syncing animation stuff, so this was not the first. In fact Conkers Bad Fur Day's graphics in general still hold up today. Compare this game to that game, and im not even sure why this game has recognition at all.

God I fucking love this game. Not even Giant Bomb's poor play can make it look bad!

fair amount of comments here by people who should just straight up give up gaming, its sad that the market caters for you lot I wish you would piss off back to sport or where ever else you want to go and the games industry can go back to making real games like deus ex, as apposed to 'shiny'.  
 
I never got much past the 1st level myself, but damn this is the direction I wish priorities in games had been headed for in the last decade; immersion, story, choice, variety.... gameplay! not graphics and mindless button presses to make stuff happen that looks cool..
 
/internet tut.

I love the throw backs, it would be great to have more Maybe a look at an old zelda game before Skyward Sword?

Hate to say it but never played this one.

@Hashbrowns: 'Tis true. Young Men Recklessly Self-Assured About Their Own Opinions is my Nirvana tribute band. ;)

Brad was right, I was never able to get past that first mission.
Maybe I'll go back now, this looks really cool. I have the PS2 version sitting around, though I might just go and get it from Steam.

You can kill the NSF commander??? Fuck!

Oh my god, such a good quick-look. I downloaded it and threw it on my PS3 thinking it would be an easy thing to watch while doing some work... NOPE. Hilarious and nostalgic! Dave was a great addition, and classic Brad and Vinny team for anything PC.

the inventory system in this game is totally like a built in puzzle game i remember sitting there for 5 minutes trying to think of the proper way to order everything (what to drop and what to keep get rid of the crowbar which is 2 slots but keep a knife which is 1 slot to break open boxes) so i could pick up a GEP gun (8 slots 4 on top 4 on bottom) without having to drop my sniper rifle (4 slots all in the same row) and my assault rifle (4 slots 2 on top 2 on bottom)

Brad: "I feel if this game were made today, there'd be 3 preset classes, and you couldn't change a thing."
 
When I hear "evolution in WRPG design", I laugh heartily, then sigh as if my very soul aches.

More throwbacks!

Cyberpunk never died! Billy Idol just decided to shit the bed for everyone and made a really ill-conceived album....

I'm liking the idea of these throwbacks. Keep up the good work guys!

I love Deus Ex, this video has given me an interesting insight on why this franchise has not been more successful.

What a shame

What a shame

Great video. Really makes me want to play this game.

I always loved the concept of Deus Ex. the fact that I have the choice of stealth, assault or the combination of both still makes me wish more videogames use that concept.

@Xtrememuffinman said:

Brad was right, I was never able to get past that first mission. Maybe I'll go back now, this looks really cool. I have the PS2 version sitting around, though I might just go and get it from Steam.

If you have the option, definitely play it on PC with the New Vision mod instead of the PS2. There were like 3 times as many loading zones in the PS2 remake.

I installed this the other day and the HD textures, too bad no one has taken it upon themselves to update the models lol
 
And I have Deus Ex: HR ready to go on Steam :D WOOOO

I never played this, and actually bought it for the PS2  a month or two ago. But, it was really hard to get through the training level. This quick look makes me think I should try again, even though I'll be playing it on he inferior version.

Love the throw-back quick looks... loved this game when it came out. But am I the only one who wants them to turn up the brightness on this?

I really should play this.  
 
Did you know you can kill a kid in this game. Also the in game fiction says terrorists blew up the twin towers like a year before it actually happened. Crazy.

Well, seeing as how my crappy laptop can run this, I might as well try it out.

again, if you're too lazy to read previous comments: watch THIS video while listening to the GB-Duders ... who had trouble choosing the right renderer and download the HD & D3D DX 10 update from the link under the video there.

The first level has more gameplay, variety and content than many full retail games today?

You can also download and play a 2-level demo - keeping you busy for hours. (googlebing yourselves).

And remember: trust no one, Agent Denton!

Fuck. No. No. NO. I can't keep watching this now, I'm 16 hours into Human Revolution. I wanna finish that before I reinstall Deus Ex.

I forgot how much fucking fun Deus Ex was... I reinstalled it and am LOVING it!