Deus Ex is everything you could ever want in a game, and more!
GAMEPLAY - At its core, Deus Ex is a first person shooter, but it's far greater than just that. There are also a ton of RPG elements, including being able to upgrade your skills at using weapons, tools, and the like. You're also able to have these things called augmentations, which you can choose between and buff up depending on how you want to play the game. Most importantly, there are choices. The game plays out basically the same way no matter what, but it gives you a choice on some things so you can actually give your character a well-developed role to play. Those who might have been disappointed with the recent release of Alpha Protocol should look to here, because it sounds like Alpha Protocol did try to reproduce what Deus Ex mastered, but didn't quite accomplish that. This is a true spy RPG/FPS hybrid like no other. - 10/10
STORY - You play as a genetically enhanced soldier named JC Denton. This game is set in the future, where certain individuals have harnessed the power of genetic augmentations that allow them to do things like regenerate body damage, turn invisible, give them super strength, etc. You work for a group called UNATCO, which is a police organization of sorts. Without spoiling too much, there is a much bigger picture outside of UNATCO that you eventually discover, and you're going to find a lot of twists and turns to this story as you go along. It's one of those games where you can't trust anyone, which makes for a great story from beginning to end. - 10/10
GRAPHICS - If anything, this is the weak-point of the game. The graphics definitely aren't horrible, but they're not that great either. For the time, these graphics were actually pretty sweet, but if you look at objects and things upon close inspection, you'll notice the "building blocks" they used to design certain things. Overall though the graphics here really don't bother me. If you can get past some awkward character models and oddly lit areas, there really isn't anything to complain about here. - 9/10
SOUND - The music in this game is really immersive. It's one of those games that has separate tracks for when you're in fire-fights and when you're just walking around. My personal favorite music is when you pay a trip to Hong Kong and are walking along the streets. The sound effects are about average, but what really shines through is the voice acting. You'll hear people talk to themselves as you go about your business, and you can listen in on conversations to get a little sneak peek on what's going on. Most importantly, the voice acting really helps to create some very memorable characters. - 10/10
LENGTH/REPLAY VALUE - I don't know why more FPS games aren't as long as Deus Ex, but it's unfortunate. This game will probably take you at least 3 or 4 days to beat if you're just cruising through it, but even then that's pretty long for a game like this. You won't find a great game with such a good amount of gameplay like this anymore. What's even better is that the replay value is just as great. If I remember correctly, you are able to carry over your weapons and ammo from a previous game, so if you're like me and don't like the big guns/explosives route the first time through, you can easily follow that path for your next playthrough once you've saved up enough ammo for the guns that fall under those categories. There's a lot to experiment and try out each time you play through, and best of all, it's pretty balanced-out, no matter what path you take. - 10/10
BOTTOM LINE - Deus Ex is a masterpiece of a game. This is one of those titles that needs to be re-done and re-released so that the next generation of gamers can enjoy it. I doubt it will ever happen though, since no one seems to want to make games this long anymore. If you have a PC or a PS2, however, go online and look for a copy of this game. Even though the new Deus Ex is supposedly a prequel to this, you won't find many games better than the original. I still have this game in my collection after 10 years, and I find myself going back and playing it about once a year on average. It's just that good. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. This is a title that game developers can take a lesson from, and that fans can really appreciate for all that it accomplishes. - 10/10