Reviewed: June 19, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Eidos Interactive
Developer
Ion Storm
Released: March 27, 2002
Genre: FPS/Action/RPG
Players: 1
ESRB: Mature
9
7
8
9
8.3
Supported Features:
Even if you don’t play PC games you’ve probably heard of Deus Ex. Originally released in 2000, this Action/RPG/FPS game took the gaming world by storm and quickly became hailed as the game of the year – to some, the game of all time.
Conceived by Warren Spector (System Shock) and developed by the wizards at Ion Storm, Deus Ex: The Conspiracy is the PS2 version of the game that reinvented the first-person shooter by adding a rich story laced with cyberpunk themes, and integrating some unique RPG elements. There are even multiple endings and branching plot lines that let you replay this game differently several times through.
Cyberpunk fans will love the futuristic story that focuses on experimental nano-technology, super-soldiers, underworld crime syndicates, and just about every other dark concept you can think of including alien conspiracies and Area 51. The tech noir theme carries over into character design with a lead character that wears a leather trench coat and wears his shades, even at night. Supporting characters are equally as interesting and you are never sure whom you can really trust throughout most of the game. Even your brother becomes an enigma early into the story.
The story itself is massive and only small parts of it are hinted at in the opening movie. The plot progresses through additional cutscenes, mission briefings, and tons of reading material that you will find during the game. There is so much reading material that you might be tempted to gloss over many of them, but if you do read everything you will be treated to a story that is worthy of a William Gibson novel.
The first thing that you will notice that sets this game apart from your traditional FPS game is the implementation of a Skill system. You can pick and choose your initial skills then upgrade these skills and add new ones during the game as you gain skill points. Skill points are just like experience points in a traditional RPG game and can be earned by accomplishing your mission goals and exploring areas above and beyond the call of the mission parameters.
The next new concept is rooted in the concept of nano-technology. Your character is a cyborg of sorts with nano-implants – think of him as a cool looking Borg. You can add all sorts of nifty Augmentations that will enhance your strength, vision, healing, speed, etc. then upgrade these throughout the game. Combined with your skills, you have unlimited creative control over your character and the way you develop him will ultimately dictate the way you play the game.
If you focus on stealth and sniping skills you can slink your way through this game without engaging in hardly any combat. If you perfect your lock picking skills you can access a lot more areas with fewer lock picks, or you could work on those hacking skills so you can access computer terminals, obtain pass codes; activate security cameras and gun turrets, or do just about anything you want. There are multiple solutions for almost every problem based on the strengths of your character.
These RPG elements are not only great for allowing for unlimited replay potential, but they also serve to get the player invested in their alter-ego. The more you develop and tweak your character the more emotionally attached you become. Even though you can save and reload when you die there is almost a twinge of pain when you do, unlike traditional FPS games where you expect to die 10-20 times per level.
The lengthy tutorial introduces you to the complex world of Deus Ex. You will get familiarized with weapons usage, nano-augmentations, and the use of several skill sets and tools such as the Multi-tool, a PDA-like device that lets you hack keypads and electronic devices. You will learn to interact with your surroundings and manipulate objects such as boxes that you can rearrange to access inaccessible areas.
The interface in the PC version of Deus Ex was overwhelming using more than half the keyboard and all the mouse buttons. When I approached the PS2 version I had my doubts about the playability of this title. I assumed that there were either severe sacrifices made in the depth of the design or it would simply be unplayable. I was pleasantly surprised that all of the deep RPG elements have been retained along with a massively complex control scheme with a steep learning curve.
Moving around the game is pretty standard stuff and the control is actually flawless considering the twitchy nature of the analog stick. I was able to move about and snipe my enemies with deadly accuracy. Deus Ex requires a lot of interaction with tiny objects that require you to precisely target them with your action crosshairs. This too was surprisingly easy considering the lack of any auto-snap or lock-on assist options.
The controls get complicated when you start to manipulate the complex system of inventory, skills, and augmentation menus. I found no easy way to instantly access items. I could hit one of two buttons that would bring up either my weapons/item menu or my skills/augmentation menu and then pick items or move deeper into the interface. It’s functional but not nearly as easy or intuitive as hitting a single keyboard key for instant access.
I was surprised to find that there have been some slight modifications to the levels. While it’s nothing too major, those of you who have played the PC version will notice these changes as early as the Liberty Island mission. In comparison, the levels in the PS2 version make more logistical sense.
The PC version of Deus Ex was based on a heavily modified version of the Unreal engine; an engine that was already on the way out when the game first debuted. In the two years it took to get the PS2 port into the stores one would expect some improved graphics that would approach the graphical standard set by the newer games like Red Faction or Half-Life. Instead, we are given a lackluster port that falls into the same standard as another recent PC to PS2 port, No One Lives Forever.
The CG movies in Deus Ex: The Conspiracy are breathtaking, but they are also few and far between. Most of the movies are generated with the generic game engine graphics, which admittedly smoothes the transition between game and movie, but still fall short in quality of contemporary releases.
The interface has been totally reworked. The very cool augmentation screen from the PC version that featured a human body with placement points where you could assign your “augs” is now replaced with item sidebars that you can scroll through – functional but not nearly as cool.
Obviously, the resolution is much lower than the PC version and the textures have been scaled down in both size and clarity, but overall the game is still pleasing to the eye. On only a few occasions did I see blurry textures and that’s only when I was face-up against a wall.
The frame rate is pretty good considering everything that’s being put on the screen. I did notice some slowdown in large outdoor areas, or if I were in a detailed interior and spinning around things would get jumpy. It never affected gameplay and was infrequent enough that is was only mildly annoying.
Deus Ex features some great music with moody techno tracks and orchestra scores that fit each and every situation. There is plenty of supplemental music that work nicely when you are in areas like the nightclub.
Sound effects are perfect with metallic clanking security robots, thunderous blasts from the GEP gun, and unique sounds for all of your weapons, but where this game really shines is in the dialog.
The script for this game had to be huge. Almost every character you meet has something to say and if you keep talking so will they, often with multiple layers of conversations that range from mission-critical information to idle chitchat. All of the voice actors are perfect including the raspy voice of our hero J.C., the thick accent of Gunther, or any of the other cast members. This is without a doubt some of the best speech you will hear in any game; especially an FPS title.
Deus Ex: The Conspiracy is massive with a story that reaches epic proportions and gameplay that will keep you challenged for well over 30-40 hours. The ability to develop and customize your character and the game’s ability to adjust the gameplay around those skills allows for unlimited potential in puzzle solutions and replayability.
The story branches several times during the game including a major decision point near the end that allows for three very exciting conclusions. You will want to experience them all.
It’s a shame that given the time between the PC and PS2 releases that more attention was spent on enhancing the graphics to exploit the power of the PS2. As it is, the gameplay and fantastic story with quality voice acting is more than adequate to overshadow the visual shortcomings. This is easily the most unique and richest FPS game you can get for any system, but those of you with a suitably powerful computer would do better to experience this title on the PC.
If the PS2 is your preferred or only gaming option then you definitely owe it to yourself to get this title. It might not be the prettiest game on the block, but it manages to keep all of the core design elements that made it "Game of the Year", and it will definitely get you psyched for the DX2 sequel coming out later this year.