Thirteen years following the release of Eidos-Montréal’s 2011 reboot of Deus Ex, Human Revolution, my admiration for this cyberpunk immersive sim has only grown stronger over time, as I’m certain it has for numerous gamers worldwide.
With Human Revolution, Eidos-Montréal bravely ventured into the universe of the iconic original Deus Ex, despite the previous game in the series, Invisible War, facing criticism from many quarters and performing poorly in sales (a sentiment I believe is unjust). The Deus Ex series was at a standstill. Thus, the fact that Human Revolution earned an impressive 94% score from reviewers underscores the exceptional work done by its developers.
After revisiting Human Revolution and its sequel, Mankind Divided, in light of the unfortunate news that the highly anticipated third installment in the series is now officially canceled, I can attest that these games remain a delight to experience.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution received a Director’s Cut edition (which, in my opinion, represents the definitive version, addressing nearly every minor flaw in the original), and this version is currently available at GOG with a substantial 85% discount. This means that you can acquire the game, along with its sequel, for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. The details are as follows:
If you already have Human Revolution in your gaming library or wish to double your Deus Ex enjoyment, the sequel, Mankind Divided, is also on sale at GOG with the same hefty 85% discount. While the sequel may offer a slightly less memorable narrative, it elevates the potential of immersive sims to new heights, featuring intricate environments that allow for creative problem-solving in most missions. Moreover, there are new augmentations and weapons to explore.
In terms of performance on my own setup (Nvidia RTX 3090 Ti, 32GB RAM DDR4, AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, ASRock B450M Pro4), both games run flawlessly with smooth framerates. Although they retain their visual appeal, these are older titles that should run smoothly on any decent gaming rig.
In my view, both of these games are essential experiences for fans of immersive sims, a sentiment supported by the Director’s Cut version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution amassing over 22,500 ‘Very Positive’ reviews from gamers on Steam. This release has resonated strongly with PC gamers and continues to do so.
The only disappointment in diving into the adventures of protagonist Adam Jensen in these two remarkable games is the unresolved cliffhanger at the conclusion of Mankind Divided. Elias Toufexis, who voices Jensen with great skill, has expressed his long-held optimism for a third game in the series. Unfortunately, it now appears unlikely, with Embracer (the current owner of the Deus Ex IP) canceling its work on a new game and terminating the developers involved. The Deus Ex series currently finds itself in a state of limbo, a situation that is truly disheartening.
For more detailed insights into both Deus Ex: Human Revolution and its sequel, I recommend checking out reviews from various sources, including our own evaluations of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.