You are Adam Jensen, a security specialist, handpicked to oversee the defence of one of America's most experimental biotechnology firms. But when a black ops team breaks in and kills the scientists you were hired to protect, everything you thought you knew about your job changes. At a time when scientific advancements are routinely turning athletes, soldiers and spies into super-enhanced beings, someone is working very hard to ensure mankind's evolution follows a particular path. You need to discover why - because the decisions you take and the choices you make will be the only things that can determine mankind's future...

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the third game in the Deus Ex series, following on from Deus Ex (2000) and Deus Ex: Invisible War (2003). This is a first person shooter (FPS) / role-playing game (RPG) set in the year 2057 where cybernetically augmented humans are treated with fear and suspicion by the majority of the population. You play as Adam Jensen, a man who has been cybernetically augmented against his will, in a bid to save his life, after he was almost killed in a terrorist attack on the biotech company he worked for. Now, with new powers (which can be unlocked as the game progresses), Adam is charged with finding out who attacked his old lab killing his co-workers and girlfriend.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game that rewards the gamer the more they effort they put in. If you're the sort of person who hates to use their brain whilst playing, then you'll not enjoy this game at all. However, if the thought of a free roaming gaming style, where you can tackle different quests simultaneously and every single one of your actions has consequences excites you... well, you'll absolutely love this.

The FPS segments of the game are not unlike the Metal Gear Solid games, in that you can creep around areas and knock out / kill guards; avoid security cameras; and tread lightly so that your enemy don't know you're there. Then there are the RPG segments which progress the story and allow you the opportunity to use your augmented abilities in order to help a situation go in your favour. For example, in one section you have to talk an old police colleague into helping you. If you succeed then you gain access to a locked down police facility, but if you fail then you have to gain access another way (and believe me that's way more trouble than it's worth).

This is one game where you really need to study the manual in order to fully understand your options for upgrades. If you spend your credits on the wrong upgrade at the wrong time then it makes it a lot harder to progress through the game.

The main storyline is deep and engaging, and the missions are pretty impressive - it's almost a fine art in being able to read a situation before you answer a question or move forward with any action.

The game play on the FPS segments isn't as fluid as they could be and the graphics appear a little dated, but then these parts are designed as additional game play to the real meat of the game - the RPG elements, There's also fun to be had hacking into computer terminals to access computers, open locked doors and gain control of CCTV cameras or enemy sentry gun turrets. This is one of the hardest, and most nail biting hacking elements I've seen in a game.

As well as the main missions, you can pick up numerous side missions, which can be tackled as and when you like. But again, be warned, if you don't know what you're doing you can spend a lot of time running around without accomplishing anything.

For those who are looking for something with longevity, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game that you'll come back to time and time again.

9

Darren Rea