What If The Original 'Deus Ex' Came Out in 2011

Game Rant

By Rob Keyes

Published Sep 6, 2011

A parody video meshes the original 'Deus Ex' with the gameplay elements of 'Deus Ex: Human Revolution' for a satire on modern video gaming.

One of the better games to have released this year so far is that of Eidos Montreal's Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the long in-development prequel to the groundbreaking Deus Ex title that released in 2000. While we enjoyed DX:HR (read our review), there's no denying that the game showcased quite a few changes from its predecessors to better fit the modern console generation of games.

A new video, using protagonist J.C. Denton of the original Deus Ex along with some clever modding and editing, showcases many of the alterations Deus Ex: Human Revolution employed compared to the original and its sequel. More importantly, it offers a great parody on modern gaming and the criticisms newer games face.

The over-simplification of games to make them more "accessible" or mainstream has been a growing issue in recent years and many franchises that have been around since the days where more major games released only on PC than on console, have been victim to this controversial reality.

We've seen it in recent games like Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age 2 and in classic series including The Elder Scrolls with Oblivion and Skyrim, the dropping of options, details and depth that were once a mainstay part of each installment. Deus Ex: Human Revolution took some criticism from long-time fans for "dumbing down" some of the gameplay options as well but while we don't think Human Revolution actually suffers from this trend as much as other traditional RPGs, this video does help point out some obvious examples:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoFe8hRy42o&feature=player_embedded

This is a treat for players of the original Deus Ex and the new prequel, Deus Ex: Human Revolution. We couldn't agree more with some of the points this video makes, from the advent of DLC and pre-order bonuses for the full game experience, to the forced cinematic quick time events that replace melee combat, and the rest is there for a good laugh.

The best part however, are the subtle details like this line: "Protip: This is a dead body" as the player hovers the cursor over a downed enemy.

If you played the original Deus Ex, how do you feel about the changes made for Human Revolution?

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and OnLive.

Follow me on Twitter @rob_keyes.