Deus Ex
- March 29, 2007
- Ion Storm
- 17h median play time
Get on Steam"Deus Ex" is a single-player mystery shooter game set in a chaotic 2052 world, filled with terrorist threats and economic collapse. The game offers real role-playing from a 3D, first-person perspective, with immersive locations and characters. It features skill development, augmentations, weapon selection, and multiple problem-solving approaches, creating an engaging and empathetic gaming experience.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Gog Com
Linux
Reviews
- story3,546 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of *Deus Ex* is widely praised for its depth and complexity, weaving together themes of conspiracy, transhumanism, and societal issues that remain relevant today. Players navigate a richly detailed world as JC Denton, making choices that significantly impact the narrative and character interactions, leading to multiple endings. Despite its dated graphics and mechanics, the game's storytelling and immersive atmosphere continue to resonate with players, making it a timeless classic in the RPG genre.
“The story is highly engaging, like a very good novel.”
“The story adapts to the choices you make, with decisions cascading into consequences down the line.”
“The story is profound, with many plot twists, while providing observations of themes such as social class divisions, capitalism, transhumanism, and conspiracy theories.”
“The story had me repeatedly caught and lost like a greasy fishing hook: some parts had me turning up to work late the next morning, while others just had me plain confused.”
“Sometimes, it felt like the team had come up with this incredible, detailed and diabolical world, and then had to quickly write and shove a story that somewhat worked into it.”
“The story is a bit hard to follow, and the obsession with passwords hidden in obscure places to link up with non-sequitur computers halfway across a mazelike map is definitely from an era where gamers had weird ideas about what 'fun' was.”
- gameplay2,023 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Deus Ex* is widely praised for its innovative blend of first-person shooter mechanics and role-playing elements, allowing players to approach objectives in multiple ways—whether through stealth, hacking, or direct combat. While some mechanics feel dated and clunky by modern standards, the game's depth, player choice, and engaging narrative continue to resonate with players, making it a classic that stands the test of time. Many recommend using mods to enhance the experience, particularly for graphics and gameplay improvements.
“The sheer level of gameplay you can experiment with here is, frankly, insane.”
“Deus Ex stands the test of time thanks to its excellent story, music, and gameplay design.”
“The gameplay allows you to approach nearly any situation in nearly any way you wish and the levels are so damn big and well designed that you will often find all sorts of alternate ways to do things each time you play.”
“Deus Ex has a breathtaking amount of serious issues with its core gameplay that I need to go over as part of a 'modern perspective' review.”
“Despite the fact that the graphics are not good, the storyline and gameplay are remarkable!!!”
“The gameplay is very clunky, as the game isn't sure whether it wants to be an RPG, a shooter, or a stealth action, making every play style equally hard to enjoy.”
- graphics1,636 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of *Deus Ex* are widely regarded as outdated, even for its time, with many players noting their blocky and simplistic nature. However, despite these visual shortcomings, the game's atmosphere, storytelling, and gameplay mechanics are praised for their depth and engagement, often overshadowing the graphical limitations. Players recommend using mods to enhance the visuals, which can significantly improve the experience while still appreciating the game's original charm.
“With graphics that have their retro charm and a narrative depth that draws you into a richly woven universe, Deus Ex is the kind of game that deserves to be explored, dissected, and appreciated at its true value.”
“Despite its dated graphics, the depth of its storytelling and gameplay make it a timeless classic.”
“The graphics may not match the fidelity of modern games, but its distinctive art style and atmospheric presentation have stood the test of time.”
“Don’t let the dated visuals, archaic gameplay, and frankly prehistoric writing push you away.”
“The graphics may be outdated, but the storytelling is awesome.”
“The graphics are dated, so you'll likely want to install an HD texture mod.”
- music754 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in *Deus Ex* is widely praised for its exceptional quality and atmospheric contribution to the game, with many reviewers highlighting the iconic soundtrack composed by Alexander Brandon. Players appreciate how the music enhances the immersive experience, adapting to different gameplay scenarios and environments, from ambient exploration to intense combat. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features of the game, often described as unforgettable and integral to its lasting appeal.
“The visual style and atmospheric soundtrack are an intricate part of the experience as we explore the various environments offered.”
“What really stands out for me is how the music changes with the story progression and difficulty of the game; I believe that the composers and developers spent a lot of time to make the right music for each moment.”
“The music is absolutely incredible and is an absolute must-listen for everyone who is a fan of video game music.”
“The game didn't grab me from the beginning, not with its story, atmosphere, or music - I had to force myself to continue playing it in certain parts.”
“A rather unremarkable soundtrack with no astounding moments of art direction to really speak of; there is great detail in its real estate, but other than that, one could not find the common constituents of 'game atmosphere' to draw in through naturalistic ways.”
“The music is the weakest asset of the game.”
- atmosphere306 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich, immersive environments, particularly in urban settings like Hong Kong and Hell's Kitchen, which effectively capture a gritty cyberpunk aesthetic. The combination of atmospheric visuals, intricate level design, and a memorable soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making players feel deeply engaged in the narrative and world-building. Despite its dated graphics, the game's atmosphere remains compelling and is often regarded as one of its standout features, contributing to its status as a classic in the genre.
“The visual style and atmospheric soundtrack are an intricate part of the experience as we explore the various environments offered.”
“The atmosphere feels like what cyberpunk should be (not just an endless neon nightclub scene).”
“The atmosphere the game creates is pretty convincing and fits very much with the overall story.”
“The game didn't grab me from the beginning, not with its story, atmosphere, or music - I had to force myself to continue playing it in certain parts.”
“A rather unremarkable soundtrack with no astounding moments of art direction to really speak of; there is great detail in its real estate, but other than that, one could not find the common constituents of 'game atmosphere' to draw in through naturalistic ways.”
“Despite the graphical limitations, the game has more atmosphere than some do today.”
- replayability190 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its multiple playstyles, branching narratives, and various endings that encourage players to explore different approaches in each playthrough. The extensive character customization and skill upgrade options further enhance replay value, allowing for unique experiences with every run. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers an impressive level of replayability, making it a timeless classic in the immersive sim genre.
“The gameplay and mechanics of the game are balanced and provide for a very enjoyable time, with mods like Shifter adding even more replayability.”
“The three different possible endings, in combination with the four difficulty modes and the possibility to develop your character’s abilities differently with every playthrough, offer a comparatively high replay value, similar to that of System Shock 2.”
“No matter how many times you play Deus Ex, you will always find something new, be it a new way to complete a mission or just a fun easter egg, and this makes the replay value extremely high.”
“The replayability is somewhat limited in that the levels are the same, with only your choices and character build changing.”
“But even with those problems, Deus Ex can offer a lot of enjoyment and content with its long campaign, with a lot of replay value simply because of how much you can do in it.”
“Replayability is somewhat limited in that the levels are the same, with only your choices and character build changing.”
- humor180 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark, absurd, and deadpan elements that create a unique comedic experience. Players appreciate the clever writing, memorable one-liners from the protagonist, and the unintentionally hilarious voice acting, which often adds charm despite its flaws. Overall, the game balances serious themes with moments of levity, making it both engaging and entertaining.
“J.C.'s deadpan voice and one-liners are hilarious.”
“The writing is gloriously deranged, funny, real, and deep all at the same time.”
“The story is engaging, the characters are interesting, and the voice acting can be particularly hilarious.”
“Much of the dialogue is quite rude and, if not funny, kills some of the serious atmosphere.”
“It may just be me, but the presentation kind of dumbs down the story elements, making the game seem like it's supposed to be funny instead of serious.”
“The gameplay is good, if not funny at times, with some of the physics.”
- optimization89 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on modern systems. While some users report that the game can run smoothly with the help of various community mods and patches, others experience severe frame drops and stuttering, especially in specific scenarios like water interactions. Overall, players recommend investing time in modding to enhance performance and improve the gaming experience.
“Although this game was primarily designed for keyboard and mouse, I managed, with a lot of tinkering, to get the game playable on handheld.”
“If you've been curious about this game for a while, but you're worried about trying to play an old game, get yourself the GMDX mod for an overall smoother experience, and most importantly, various fixes to the game's lighting and performance.”
“Protip: install the Deus Exe mod, it's just a performance mod of the vanilla game (without changing the gameplay at all) so you can play in full HD on modern systems without any issues, it's painless to install and it works perfectly with the Steam version.”
“The optimization is f***ing suck, game drops to 5 fps after seeing water in the tutorial level.”
“It's unoptimized to the point of unplayability on modern machines; I cannot even get through the tutorial level because I had a whopping 2 fps.”
“The greatest slap to the face is that Deus Ex is terribly optimized for modern PCs; you have to download a third-party patch to make sure this game looks decently lit.”
- stability82 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, graphical glitches, and AI issues that disrupt gameplay. While some players manage to enjoy the experience through mods and tweaks, many still encounter frequent crashes and soft locks, making it a challenging play, especially on modern systems. Overall, the game is considered very buggy, often requiring significant troubleshooting to achieve a smoother experience.
“I do recommend the 'new vision mod' available on ModDB since this version might give you compatibility issues on modern hardware. After downloading that, I had no problem and was able to enjoy this cult classic, bug-free.”
“The game featured impeccable level and game design, one of the best dystopic cyberpunk atmospheres I have ever seen in a game, and it also runs flawlessly, bug-free, with better graphics and 4K support on new systems/Windows 10 by utilizing the GMDX (Give Me Deus Ex) mod with version 9.”
“Awesome, runs great on newer machines.”
“Collision issues, glitches, and script errors can sometimes interrupt the flow of the game.”
“Very buggy, the game softlocked me frequently.”
“It is incredibly buggy and I could only run it with mods installed.”
- character development26 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and integration with the story, allowing players to shape their experience through meaningful choices and skill progression. Many reviews highlight the unique branching paths and the impact of exploration on character growth, while some critiques note inconsistencies in the effectiveness of certain skills. Overall, the game is celebrated for its rich storytelling and the freedom it offers players in customizing their characters.
“Fantastically deep character development with a terrific story containing multiple branching paths that, played differently, can yield not only multiple endings, but truly unique experiences throughout each playthrough.”
“Deus Ex is a classic cyberpunk FPS/RPG hybrid giving the player excellent choice over character development, playstyle, and story progression.”
“I've long held it above the others, for its rich layered storytelling, full-fledged character development, and sheer depth.”
“Character development is a joke when only one third of any of your skills and upgrades have any use, and stealth is not an option when you can't even tell if you're properly hidden from line of sight, let alone when you need half a game's worth of experience to develop anything resembling decent stealth stats.”
“There really isn't a lot of character development; a character starts and ends the game acting similarly (you could argue the protagonist, JC Denton, gets development, but he could act wildly depending on your actions).”
“The storyline and character development was ok.”
- emotional25 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its complex narrative, memorable characters, and impactful moral dilemmas that resonate deeply with players, often evoking strong feelings and nostalgia. While some critiques mention a lack of emotional depth in certain characters, the overall experience is enriched by a captivating soundtrack and a story that engages players on both intellectual and emotional levels, leaving a lasting impression. Many reviewers express that the game’s themes and emotional moments create a profound connection, making it a significant experience for them.
“10/10 emotional writing, brought tears to my eyes.”
“Its complex plot, filled with memorable characters, multiple factions, and moral dilemmas, engages players on intellectual and emotional levels, leaving a lasting impression that extends beyond the final credits.”
“Very beautiful, and it made me very emotional at the ending.”
- grinding25 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- -8 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with many citing repetitive gameplay, clunky mechanics, and a lack of engaging progression as key issues. While some appreciate the pacing and the absence of excessive grind, the general consensus leans towards frustration with the game's combat and stealth elements, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite some redeeming qualities, the tedious nature of certain gameplay elements significantly impacts enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
“I will say however, towards the end the game started feeling a bit tedious, since if you explore thoroughly in the early parts of the game, there isn't much incentive in doing so in the later stages.”
“Unfortunately, playing it is a tedious chore that is sometimes actually painful, and never fun.”
“Overall the clunky gameplay, questionable stealth mechanics, and somewhat tedious pacing hold this game back.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many users expressing disdain for microtransactions and perceived cash grabs, particularly in the context of remasters and sequels. Reviewers feel that these practices detract from the gaming experience, labeling them as exploitative and indicative of a focus on profit over quality storytelling. Overall, there is a strong sentiment against the current monetization strategies, which are seen as detrimental to the integrity of the franchise.
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
“I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without requiring additional purchases, making it accessible for everyone.”
“The in-game purchases are optional and don't hinder the overall experience, which is a refreshing change from many other titles.”
“Instead we have cinematic slop, microtransactions, and all curated for low IQ audiences to consume.”
“I tend to think remasters are cash grabs and a disservice to gamers, but I would love to see a remastered version of this game so I can share the franchise with friends who never got a chance to start the story from the beginning.”
“None..yet I would argue they should consider making more sequels instead of jumping off board because their latest microtransactions-filled, graphics-rich, story-lacking title didn't generate the billions of transactions they were expecting.”
