Intro Welcome to the skilled channel and today we're
talking about Deus Ex Mankind Divided. The previous game, Human Revolution, brought a
new design with some very heavy moral themes about society. Mankind Divided takes this
even further. Deus Ex has been one of the most realistic cyberpunk future depictions
and we're excited to see how this new game turns out. So let's take a look at Deus Ex
Mankind Divided in this preview.
Story In Deus Ex, mechanical augmentation is a reality.
It involves the use of cybernetics in order to improve or replace certain human body parts.
It allows machinery and robotics to interface directly with the central nervous system.
This basically allows people to become superhuman which caused great controversy within the
world and it's the main conflict of Deus Ex. In the year 2027, the Aug incident occurred
which caused augmented people across the world to be driven to insanity. It was caused by
Hugh Darrow who broadcasts a signal designed to affect the Illuminati's biochip. This signal
caused augmented people all over the world who received the biochip to violently attack
those around them. This caused millions of deaths around the world.
Mankind Divided takes play two years after the Aug Incident in Human Revolution. Set
in the year 2029, the opposition towards augmentation has become an even bigger problem. Our main
protagonist, Adam Jensen, is caught in the middle.
Adam Jensen In the beginning of Human Revolution, Adam
Jensen sustained fatal injuries. But David Sarif took advantage of Jensen's genetic condition
and also a clause in his employment contract. He augmented Jensen to an extent which would
have been impossible for any other individual. Jensen received the most advanced augmentation
that Sarif Industries could produce. The result was the single most extensive cybernetic modification
that had ever been performed outside the Illuminati's Tyrants. However, the extent of Jensen's injuries
meant that most of the augmentations had to be left initially inactive. Jensen was sent
home to recuperate, but had a difficulty time with his new machine fused body.
In Mankind Divided, Jensen no longer works for Sarif Industries. Now he works for the
Interpol-funded Task Force 29 that deals with augmented terrorists that have risen up in
response to this backlash. However, his allegiance is split between Task Force 29 and a hacker
group known as the Juggernaut Collective. Following his discovery of the Illuminati
in 2027, Jensen is determined to bring down the shadowy group and collaborates with the
Juggernaut Collective in an attempt to achieve this. He is working as a double agent which
makes this situation even more complex.
His work for Task Force 29 brings Jensen to a transhuman "ghetto" in Prague, known as
Golem City. Here Jensen is tasked with locating the leader of the Augmented Rights Coalition
otherwise known as ARC, a group dedicated to protecting the rights of augmented people.
Although ARC doesn't officially endorse violence, it is branded as a terrorist group and therefore
receives unwanted attention from Task Force 29.
Talos Rucker Talos Rucker is the leader of the Augmented
Rights Coalition (ARC). He is a passionate, principled and charismatic leader who advocates
non-violence and political activism over violent terrorism. But someone is conducting acts
of terrorism and framing ARC for them, thereby discrediting the entire Aug Rights Movement,
and making Talos Rucker Task Force 29's primary target.
The public continues to turn against him and Rucker is aware that time is running out.
He suspects this is part of a conspiracy against all augmented people.
Victor Marchenko Victor Marchenko is an outspoken member of
the Augmented Rights Coalition. Unlike Talos Rucker, he has more radical leanings, and
his charismatic personality allows him to gather very devoted followers..
He is heavily augmented, with both his right eye and his two arms having been replaced.
He is thought to be responsible for organizing multiple attacks that he believes will help
to further their cause. However, Marchenko is not just a brute, he is also extremely
intelligent, and is well versed in the history of past revolutionaries.
The setting of Deus Ex is very dramatic and this harsh reality is made real by the developers.
They put detail and a unique setting in to every level. The art director for Mankind
Divided, JONATHAN JACQUES-BELLET�TE, stated:
"We try, at different degrees, to treat all of the environments that way. If you do that,
and if you always make the effort even with less important environments, they will look
like more than just video game environments. It�s a game where every single little detail
is as big as the big picture "
Gameplay The game will feature FPS, RPG, and stealth
gameplay elements. This gives players a wide variety of options about how they approach
each mission. There are several ways to complete each objective, with different player choices
leading to different outcomes.
Many of the same tactics from the last game are still present. The hacking ability still
exists, but now Jensen can hack objects remotely. The "conversation battle" mechanic will also
make another appearance.
New augmentations have also been introduced. These include a detachable nano-ceramic blade,
a protective nanoshield, and a fist-mounted electro-shock system similar to a Taser which
allows Jensen to tag and take out enemies silently. On the contrary, some enemies have
similar augmentations so enemies are just as powerful as you are. Mankind Divided has
also simplified the use of augments. They no longer use non-replenishing batteries,
instead they have included an energy bar. When you use an ability it may gradually drain
the meter while that ability is active, allowing it to recharge afterwards. This system is
more forgiving but energy is still somewhat scarce, forcing you to make strategic choices
about when to use augments.
Combat The strong stealth mechanics are still here.
You can play through the entire game, including boss fights, undetected if you have the skills.
In fact boss fights have been changed significantly. The rest of the game's mechanics including
augmentations and conversation battles will have an effect on boss fights. Patrick Fortier,
the gameplay director, stated:
"There are ways to stealth them, there are ways to beat them in combat and there are
conversations that you can have that maybe give you a different means of dealing with
the situation altogether."
In addition they have improved combat and gunplay. Players now have more options when
they choose to go in loud. You can equip heavy weapons like shotguns and grenades. You even
have an ability called Titan Shield which gives you extra armor if you've taken on more
enemies than you were prepared for. They've increased flexibility, allowing players to
customize the sights and ammunition type of their weaponry. A new weapon called the Battle
Rifle has also been introduced.
You can designate specific loadouts for combat, stealth, or a mix between the two. It's really
your choice how you want to play the game.
Controversy There has been a bit of controversy relating
to the pre-order system for this game. Deus Ex initially launched with a tiered pre-order
bonus program that basically game-ified the purchase. There were limitations on what features
could be chosen and some tiers only unlocked if the total number of pre-orders reached
a certain amount. This resulted in tons of gamers raging over the features of the pre-order.
Square Enix cancelled the program recently and backtracked the situation when they made
this statement:
"When it was first conceived, we wanted the program to give you more choice about what
you received in terms of pre-order incentives - because we've seen in the past that when
we choose those packages ourselves, and split them across regions, it has caused frustration.
We quickly noticed that this approach created even more frustration than before, resulting
in a resounding amount of negative feedback."
Should you still pre-order the game despite the controversy? That's up to you.
Outro Deus Ex Mankind Divided brings a heavily dramatic
story that puts you right in the middle of this moral conflict. Packing in new combat
options but still maintaining stealth and the hacking aspect, Deus Ex is sure to be
a challenging game. What are your thoughts on Mankind Divided? Let us know in the comments
and subscribe to the skilled channel for more updates on great games.