Deus Ex

[HappyTree]

Please be good.

[hpmons]

Also, thanks for posting about it. Eidos and SquareEnix have been remarkably nice about the leak, they don't seem to care about people posting impressions of it.

I believe its only a partial leak, it goes maybe a third of the way through the game.  Despite the performance problems I'll probably end up buying it anyway, which I actually wouldn't have considered if it wasn't for the leak.

[Zetetic]

You tipped me over the edge of trying it, and it's certainly convinced me to preorder. There are curious performance problems (like the tutorial videos stutter for me), and issues of polish (not least regarding whether the game thought it was running on a console[nb]Buttons rather than keys are given in help popup[/nb]); based on the belief that these won't be fixed by release (although they might be), it's still a worthwhile purchase.

Spoiler alert

Wonder when you can augment your way out of that sore throat!!!!

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[hpmons]

I presume the console thing was because somehow the person who uploaded it used a Playstation version? I can't imagine that would be in the final release.

Anyway, I played it til the end (of the leak version), where there is a compulsory fight.  Fine on easy mode, very difficult otherwise.  Apart from the tutorial, that's the first compulsory fight though, which is nice.  Didn't finish the side missions though, so I'll replay it.  Also when I first played through it on the first mission I

Spoiler alert

Wandered around the Sarif building for too long, so when I got to the helicopter the hostages were already dead. Lots of different dialogue from Sarif and random police officers if that happens.

[close]

I've already spotted a few little bits (vents and whatnot) I didn't see the first time round though, still not sure if I found all the paths.  Didn't make it drastically different though.

[Zetetic]

I presume the console thing was because somehow the person who uploaded it used a Playstation version?

Nah, it's widely believed to be a version provided to reviewers. For better or worse, the PC porting work isn't being done by Eidos Montreal, but has been outsourced to Nixxes (who have an alright track-record at this sort of thing).

I actually think that the buttons are for a 360 pad (which I'm guessing is supported by the Windows version), and I'm curious what it feels like to play it like that. Stuff like the hacking and speech might be a bit easier - the interfaces there don't seem designed for Kb&M in mind, but they're more than usable.

I can't imagine that would be in the final release.

Oh, ho, ho. But it's not a major issue if it is.

Silly Gripes:

Spoiler alert

Some of the dialogue is clunky. "You'd need an augmentation or something to convince him"

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Spoiler alert

Lots of invented e-books about the invented decade or so. They're not always particularly realistic in tone, and I would've liked to see a bit more in the way of real world literature. However, given what they've said about their influences, relative to the first game, perhaps it's better that they've left that stuff out...

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[Famous Mortimer]

It's out tomorrow.

Anyone who will be getting it on 360 and fancies chumming up with me, please do so. I've completely forgotten my username, annoyingly, but I presume it's in the gamertag thread.

EDIT: Ah, it's "Mortimerx". So, let's play some of this game (I presume there'll be an online component of some sort).

[Zetetic]

(I presume there'll be an online component of some sort).

There better bloody not be.

[MojoJojo]

Surprisingly, I'm hearing some sounds that this might actually be good. Hmmm. It can cover the time until Batman drops to a reasonable price.

[uglybob1986]

I got a call from Blockbuster to tell me my copy is ready to pick up tomorrow. Really glad I've got bugger all else to do until the evening

[Zetetic]

Surprisingly, I'm hearing some sounds that this might actually be good.

May I ask why you're surprised to hear such things? I'd heard nothing but good things during development, from the more competent sections of PC gaming press.

[MojoJojo]

Well, I guess just because I didn't have any interest in it after the second game[nb](I wasn't the biggest fan of the first game either - I thought it was good but not as incredible as a lot of people did)[/nb]. And I do actually ignore pretty much all professional game coverage especially if it's for a game that hasn't been released. I can't remember ever reading pre-release coverage that was anything other than positive.
Actually it's not because I'm so smart, it's because I just don't follow that much game coverage. I look up stuff I hear people say is good and follow franchises I like, Deus Ex didn't fall into that. And I just assumed it was going to be a disappointment.

[micanio]

Got my email from Amazon today - its been dispatched and should be here tomorrow. Yay. Can't wait. Its going to be a good couple of months for gaming what with this, the next Assassins Creed, MW3, and Battlefield 3 coming out over the next few months...

[Zetetic]

^^ Well, that all seems in order. (Tnank you for replying!)

[HappyTree]

Interestingly quirky review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LanZphIrcRI

[Famous Mortimer]

After the first couple of hours, where I've been trying to sneak everywhere, I've really enjoyed it. I think this one is going to be a winner.

[mook]

After the first couple of hours, where I've been trying to sneak everywhere, I've really enjoyed it. I think this one is going to be a winner.

same as that. i'm pretty new to this xbox marlarkey, i only bought the bloody thing to play red dead redemption. most of the shootery type games i've bought since then have left me more than a little bored and i haven't felt arsed to finish them, but this one seems like it's almost worth the effort to keep playing until the end. the enemies are a little too clever for their own good though, either that or i'm just crap. seems good so far though.

[Zetetic]

After the first couple of hours, where I've been trying to sneak everywhere, I've really enjoyed it. I think this one is going to be a winner.

Assuming that there hasn't been much of a change from the beta leak, I'd be interested what you think of

Spoiler alert

your first encounter with an augmented enemy

[close]

(that's not much of a spoiler, but still).

It really does seem a lovely game, and a lovely successor. Niggles of course, but small enough.

Actually one of my bigger niggles with the game is that I'm not sure, based on the beta again, how much one can play it in a non-stealthy manner. Not that I'd want to, but...

[hpmons]

From what I've heard, the compulsory boss fights are a BIG niggle for most people, and even make the game pretty off-putting.  Actually my friend advised me not to buy it, as "every thing that's cool about the demo is repeated ad naseum"

[Zetetic]

I'm seeing that as well, alas. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the demo, and I've heard enough good things about the rest of the game

Spoiler alert

and environments in HK and Singapore

[close]

.

It's available from GetGamesGo for £22. (Registers on Steam, of course.) (Where I've just bought it from.)

[mook]

i've changed my mind - this game is crap, just like every other fucking shooty game.

[Famous Mortimer]

Still enjoying it, although I've spent ages getting my way through the police station without being seen, to get to this office, only to realise I don't have a high enough hacking skill to get into his computer. It's either spend twenty minutes making my way back out, to earn some more experience to buy the hacking skill, or cheat. So I went on gamefaqs and got the password I needed, and don't feel that bad as life's too short.

I've only had one real gunfight so far, with these drug dealers, and it was good fun. It's got a bit of "F.E.A.R." about it, mixed in with the ways of the first game. Zetetic, I haven't managed to do the thing you spoilered yet, but then I did the first set mission then immediately went off on a side-quest, so I've yet to see too much of the game.

I've managed to get to the heart of the police station by sneaking, and I'm enjoying how you can do it in several different ways - if I'd picked strength addons rather than sneaking ones, I'd have presumably had to do some bits quite differently.

[HappyTree]

One potential problem was evoked in a review and I wonder if you find it holds true. You have the choice of how you want to evolve your character, which is familiar territory for any RPG player. I always choose to be the mage and put all my points in magic, for example. I routinely eschew armour and physical prowess in favour of being able to levitate and leech lifeforce from baddies.

In Deus Ex apparently you should put points into stealth and hacking so you can open things up and avoid getting overwhelmed. But the boss fights are apparently quite shooty, so that forces you to pay into that enhancement category. I don't know if I'd like feeling obliged to waste levelling up points on shooting so I can survive boss fights, yet have to spend on other attributes to play the rest of the game in the way I want. How is this system balanced?

[Zetetic]

I believe, and I found this to be true in the single boss fight in the beta at least, that there are generally environmental ways of dealing with bosses that don't rely on massive firepower and being able to absorb massive firepower.

Still, the boss fights really do seem rather out-of-character - both for Deus Ex and this particular game.

[Famous Mortimer]

And now I come to the first problem, a mission that requires you to either talk your way into the police station's morgue or hack your way in. I failed the talking test and I don't have level 3 hacking, so I'm pretty much fucked. I'm not sure what I can do, short of starting again. I do hope these problems don't pop up too many times.

[Zetetic]

Do you need hacking if you do the following:

Spoiler alert

You go past the front of the police station into a (closed) road tunnel.

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Spoiler alert

Off this road tunnel is a service tunnel full of water and sparking.

[close]

Spoiler alert

Using the crate in the service tunnel, and another one in the road tunnel, you can negotiate the service tunnel until about half-way.

[close]

Spoiler alert

After the service tunnel, you can use a fire exit ladder to get into the police station.

[close]

Spoiler alert

Stealth through the police station until you get to the

[close]

Spoiler alert

basement, where the morgue is.

[close]

[Famous Mortimer]

I kept running into people, so I got quite a way into that plan of yours on my own then decided fuck it. Turns out I bought the limited edition version and forgot to put the codes in as well, so I sort of needed to start from the beginning again. I'll save the point I spent on bigger radar (just makes everything confusing) and use it on something else.

[micanio]

I'm currently working my way through the China level. Still haven't killed anyone yet. Except the augmented boss bloke, which I thought was an interesting but tough challenge. Managed to kill him on my second attempt, using various things that were lying around...

So far, this game is superb. Huge depth already and a great storyline. Loving it.

[Slaaaaabs]

I completed it. All stealthy and non-lethal I was, apart from one bloke I killed near the start (so I didn't get the achievement and my e-penis shrunk)

Fucking brilliant it is.

Apparently an announcement coming in half an hour, probably about DLC.

[Famous Mortimer]

I completed it. All stealthy and non-lethal I was, apart from one bloke I killed near the start (so I didn't get the achievement and my e-penis shrunk)

Fucking brilliant it is.

Apparently an announcement coming in half an hour, probably about DLC.

Ah bugger, I killed one gang member about half an hour's worth of game back. But I can't be bothered to start again just for that, but I do think it's fun trying to get through the game without killing anyone.

[Shuggie]

Really enjoying this, have just got back from the Picus mission (how far through am I?). The boss fights have proven pretty easy once you figure out what their weaknesses are so I dont think being tooled up/auged for violence is much of an issue tbh. I think they have completely nailed the atmosphere for what a Deus Ex game should be, the gaming dynamic is very good I'm even liking the third person take down stuff which didnt appeal to me when I first saw it.

There are some gripes though, the aug system seems a bit stingy in terms of how quickly you can level up and in terms of selection, 4 of the aug paths are purely for hacking which is overkill for a minigame mechanic and then you have to waste a bunch of augs just to get a decent inventory capacity, so its turned something that was pure play in the original into a slog just to get some of the essentials.

I've been taking a pragmatic approach in terms of killing, dodgy folk get shot if needed, civilians are avoided or if this proves exceptionally difficult they get a none lethal takedown, my conscious is clear, except for the cop that I stabbed accidentally because I held the takedown key for too long, but thats not murder, merely a clerical error.