Disappointing 360-PC port.
Allow me to describe my PC's hardware for one moment. I am running a 2.5 quadcore CPU with a Nvidia Geforce GTX 260 (wired by a 700w power supply) on a 21" monitor with a 1680x1050 resolution. Any game the runs on Unreal Engine 3 I can run all settings at max at a solid 60fps with vsync active. I can run Crysis 2 on max settings (yes, even with the high res downloads and what not) with anit-aliasing turned down a bit at 50+ fps with vsync on. The Witcher 2 I can run all settings at maximum (minus Uber Sampling and with the draw distance set back by a single notch) and I manage at least 40 fps. The Witcher 2 has been the first game that has ever really pushed my system's hardware.
Now back to DXHR, If I touch any of the visual settings (whether I was going from higher settings to lower or vis versa) the game force closed on me and tells me my system can't handle the changes I just made. Which is bogus. And even at the games default graphical settings (which my system would easily run even if it was open and running twice) the game runs terrible. The game doesn't look that amazing compared to other games earlier this year. Such as the few I mentioned above. This game has a very inconsistent framerate jumping anywhere from 30-60 fps with vsync active. And despite vsync being active there is a ton of screen tearing that takes place; which "tears" me away from the "illusion" of being in a different world; trying to gun down some thugs and hack some computers and what not. The game also sports some of the most low resolution texturing and images I have seen in a game in a while. Plus, the character models are very low polygon and just look plain ugly up close, which is a problem in a first person game where everything is up close. Adam Jensen's character model doesn't even look that great when you're pinned against a wall for cover from oncoming bullets. Now, I understand that this game was apparently optimized to run on AMD graphics processors. But my question for that is "why?" This has been the first game in a long long time to be produced in such a manner. Anyway, I'm done slamming the graphical performance of this game. On to audio.
Voice acting is decent overall. Adam Jensen's voice seems forced, trying to come off rough and tough. This makes Adam Jensen not really convincing as a character, and also just not interesting. Other sound effects and ambient noises sound like what you'd expect. There is a ton swearing in this game which is just as unintelligent and mindless as it ever is in anything. Seriously, let's grow up and get past using swear words to get our emotions across. On to gameplay.
The gameplay is boring and not satisfying. Shooting a gun doesn't feel right. Keeping inventory is a chore. Hacking (repeatedly mind you) is a chore. And when are there ever massive air ducts the lead to every single room in a building that a full grown man can easily maneuver through? Apparently they exist in the world of DXHR. Get used to them, because you will go air duct crawling often and repeatedly. Awesome gameplay element... Adam Jensen can't take a hit either. Despite being half robot he can't take more than a couple shots before you have to duck back behind some cover and wait (for a while actually) for your health to regenerate back. The melee take downs you can do when you get close to an enemy are kind of neat, if unrealistic and scripted. But you can't do them often, because they use battery life. Ridiculous, because the future apparently never figured out how to power a couple of robo arms to be used by some person that sees a lot of physical action. What are military characters suppose to do in the future when having to combat via cqc? They probably need to take a couple of pointers from the scientists that crafted the Nanosuit. Just sayin.
My opinion overall falls in the category of this being a terrible 360-PC port. If a development team can't take time to do a port right, it doesn't need to be done at all. I can't say I didn't enjoy some of what this game has to offer. But all the issue I had keeps me from playing it seriously, and makes it hard for me to recommend it to others. I guess if you really want it, get it for the system it was optimized for, the Xbox 360.
I'm picky because we have to drop anywhere from $50-$60 + tax on these games. And they need to be completely worth every dollar to warrant a purchase.
This game can eat it! @5.5/10