This FPS/RPG ought to make any Deus Ex fan drool. Though flawed, it's strong vision carries the player throughout.
"An Ambitious but flawed game, E.Y.E. has a strong artistic vision, robust RPG mechanics, and old-school run-n-gun shooting (and stabbing and PSI powering and hacking...). Though it's marred by numerous flaws, notably a complete lack of introduction to the game systems, it's still a compelling game with seamlessly integrated single and multiplayer. If you're a Blade Runner fan or a devotee of Deus Ex or STALKER, you ought to enjoy your time with E.Y.E."
Genre: FPS/RPG
Minimum Requirements:
OS:Windows® 7 32/64-bit / Vista 32/64 / XP
Processor:Pentium 4 3.0GHz, Athlon 64 3000+ or better
Memory:1 GB for XP / 2GB for Vista
Hard Disk Space:At least 6 GB of free space
Video Card:: DirectX 9 compatible video card with 128 MB, Shader model 2.0. ATI X800, NVidia 6600 or better
DirectX®:9.0c
Sound:DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Additional:Internet Connection required for multiplayer
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E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy is an ambitious game. Developed by French indie studio Streum on Studio, it was five years of self-funded work in the making and the result is impressive though flawed. In many aspects it resembles cult-clas*sic Deus Ex, but E.Y.E. is more of a standard shooter than the latter despite its robust character creation system that results in widely varying methods of play. As an indie game, it's not altogether surprising that there are some glitches and gameplay issues running through the entire endeavor, some more bothersome than others. However, if you're the sort to enjoy an ambitious FPS/RPG with a dark yet vibrant art design, there's no reason not to pick E.Y.E. up on Steam.
While it can be gauche to discuss the art design ahead of the gameplay, the world of E.Y.E. is so striking that it makes the first and most impressive impact upon the player. This is a futuristic dystopian world that is more reminiscent of Blade Runner than anything else. Heavily industrial with a sense of dark foreboding, the environments are really quite beautiful. Carefully crafted so that eye-popping visual markers leap off the screen, it's a world that's exciting to explore with visual payoffs around every corner. E.Y.E. does use the rather outdated Source engine, so don't expect cutting-edge resolutions or details, but Streum on Studio has put together a world so atmospheric, you probably won't really care. should also mention that the musical score dovetails well with the atmospheric environments present here, wandering between ambient sci-fi echoes and heart-pumping crescendos in appropriate measure depending on the action on screen. The world of E.Y.E. is pure bliss for the sci-fi aficionado. Of course, with strong artistic vision, there are bound to be players who don't buy in or care for the aesthetic, so I can see if it's a love or hate thing. As exciting as the environments can be, there does develop a sense that they're not entirely diverse, per se, and the streets feel empty as they are totally devoid of non-combatants. Additionally, there are enough overly adolescent advertisements abounding with seductive women showing off retail firearms to remind you that it isn't all polish. With that said, most every artistic aspect of E.Y.E. draws you deeper into the world in an impressive manner.
As impressive as the art design is, the gameplay is equally ambitious and if its successes are mixed, given a few snags along the way. At the outset, you'll roll for base character stats and select a few bonuses, though this process will definitely leave you in the dark. You have access to psychic powers, stealth tools, and a whole host of weapons ranging from your de facto samurai sword to pistols, sniper rifles, shotguns, and heavy arms. Sadly, there's little in the way of hand-holding despite the video tutorials in-game. Those, sadly, do next to nothing to teach you the rules system or gameplay, so it's largely up to you to figure things out on your own, including some of the more obtuse under-the-hood stats like karma and sanity. As you level up, you can put points into your base stats at your pleasure, though it's an equally good idea to select the auto-level, as the game will spec your character for skills you use the most. Furthermore, with your budding finances you can research new techs and cybernetic implants, which are especially critical and perhaps more important than your early character specs. The similarity to Deus-Ex does becomes noticeable here, as there are a variety of means to take on any given situation – from hacking turrets or enemies to join you and sniping your way around to the ability to dive into the fray, light enemies on fire and then finish them off with steel or bullet. Unfortunately, some types of gameplay are less viable than others – stealth, for instance, only works with a cloaking device, as enemies have eagle-like perception and snipers can hit you even when they stand beyond the game's draw distance (Yikes!). Despite the dearth of options available and their appeal, the lack of player insight into the character system is likely to leave a few feeling lost and disgruntled, especially if their build has issues later on. However, I don't think these snags are enough to undo what the developers got right here – namely a unique skill, augment, and research system which is extremely robust and intriguing to explore, even if it's not intuitive.
Thankfully the level design in E.Y.E. is superb, as it gives you ample ability to experiment with various means to achieve your in-game objectives. Each level is sprawling, with no load times to be had, and a tremendous number of nooks, side paths, alternate access points, birds nests, and all manner of means for you to exploit the hoards of enemies to your delight. These venues are large, scaled tremendously by artists keen both on the look as well as the functionality of differing approaches to each situation. You'll be driven forward in each level by a series of quests (including branching storylines) which for the most part do a good job of indicating your objectives. There's no voice acting to speak of, and some text translations are poorly worded as well as being obtuse and arcane at times, especially if you don't have an elephant's memory for names and factions. Quest-givers can also give confusing directions at times, though on-screen displays of distances to your objectives usually do what's needed to get you from A to B. There are times, however, when the mission screen doesn't really update very well, occasionally leaving you with objectives you might have skimmed over, abandoning you lost when the visual cue doesn't appear on screen. These moments are infrequent, but annoying when they occur.
Between you and your objectives you'll engage in a wide-array of combat. Enemies abound, respawning early and often, so you need to keep a look out at all times. Ranging from faction dissidents to psychical monsters, enemies can spot you a mile away and have better aim than you'd probably like. In fact, enemy AI isn't all that sophisticated to be frank. Not only do enemies have the ability to see you a mile away, but when they do they often run right at you. In part, the AI issues can be seen to boiling down to the complete lack of any cover system. This might be the most outdated aspect of play, given the development of shooters since Gears of War (way back in 2006). It also adds to the difficulty of the game. Thankfully, if you're feeling a little squishy at any time you can also partake in side missions which entail visiting a previous stage with some new objectives - a nice way to gain some needed levels from time to time.
One of the most unique aspects of E.Y.E. is the seamless integration of single player and 4 player co-op. Though playing with friends can still be a tad buggy, the developers have clearly set their sights on bringing both aspects together. For starters, experience gained in single or multiplayer games adds up cumulatively no matter what part of the game you experience, which is exactly how it ought to be. You'll also find there is no saving in E.Y.E., which is a little surprising when you're not expecting it. Instead, death is handled in two different ways. First, dying most often results in a respawn, which occurs in the location of your death a few moments later. You have up to 8 of these in any given playthrough. Respawning in the same place doesn't always make play easy, as at times you'll have gotten yourself in a sticky situation, but it does keep things moving forward. Other times, however, you may be killed "permanently", which essentially erases your experience progress and sends you back to the last mission checkpoint. You'll also probably have to learn the hard way that some deaths result in permanent stats drops, though I can't say it's the end of the world as your money at least is retained and is arguably more important.
Alas, not everything in E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy comes up smelling like roses. A variety of guffaws large and small can be found here, many of which I've already pointed out, and together they might be too much for those unwilling to spend some time figuring the finer points out for themselves. The most major gripe I have is that at times you'll encounter a game-ending bug (though rarely) and on occasion it seems that enemies might shoot through a solid wall. Probably the most annoying issue is that you'll occasionally die "permanently" but not know why, what caused it, or how to avoid it in the future: for instance the occasional insta-death when hacking. With further polish these could've been addressed, and though upcoming patches hopefully some of the more glaring issues will be addressed. As is, I found the game to be entirely playable, but that doesn't mean there's no trial and error to be had either. That sort of trial and error will likely appeal to the "hardcore" audience just as it will turn off the "casual" player. Because of that, I can easily predict that many major review sites will hold these issues against the game in an overbearing manner. However, I don't think that the flaws here are big enough to detract from the overall experience, which I've found to be quite compelling.
E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy is a flawed but incredibly ambitious game that's sure to gain, if not mass popularity, at least a hardcore cult following. The bestselling game on Steam for 5 days straight, it's incredibly enjoyable to play as experimentation in approach, a strong artistic vision, branching storylines, and some solid (no-cover) shooting all come together in a vastly unique FPS/RPG. As similar as it is at times to Deus Ex, it does a fine job of carving out its own compelling world, and with seamless singleplayer and co-op, you can play suits your whims. It may lack a little polish here and there, it certainly doesn't introduce you well to what's under the hood, and you'll likely also find yourself annoyed with a few glitches along the way. None of those things should hold you back from playing E.Y.E. in its present state, however. With tremendous scope and vision, E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy is my surprise game of the year.