Deus Ex Human Revolution was originally released on the PS3, 360 and PC in 2011. It is the long-awaited sequel to Deus Ex which was a game changing shooter in terms of combining both RPG and FPS shooter elements in a seamless way. The series is heralded for it’s story and Human Revolution doesn’t disappoint, combining a fantastic setting with the ethical dilemmas of human augmentation, body modification and what constitutes right and wrong in those moral situations.
Human Revolution is visually quite average. Its saving grace is it’s fantastic art style. It provides a different look into a very futuristic world. It sports an extremely vibrant orange and black colour vibrant. These elements work together to create a world that you’re very intrigued to explore.
The voice actor for Jensen does a fine job but the majority of the voice acting treads a line between cringey and terrible, which is a shame since the game uses an abundance of cutscenes that push the plot. The cutscene presentation also contrasts slightly with the actual game, with better textures and darker colours in comparison, which clash with the overall presentation. The Wii U looks pretty similar to the PS3/PC version and it runs well.
Since the original game came out years ago, this review will focus mostly on the improvements on the Wii U.
Deus Ex Human Revolution: Director’s Cut was first exclusively announced for Wii U which is why Eidos Monreal and Straight Right have made such good use of the Wii U gamepad. It feels like it was made for the Gamepad and not as an afterthought like so many other Wii U ports. Navigating inventory and hacking systems is a lot easier to use with the touchscreen than with buttons. The game also supports off-screen play where the developers have been smart enough to use the sides of the gamepad in order to access things like mission objects or your map.
There are still a few things that feel tacked on. When you take aim using a rifle, your view switches to the Wii U gamepad in order to make your shot on the smaller screen. Whilst this is a cool idea, it something feels unnecessary and makes combat feel clunkier. Thankfully it feels incredibly smooth and actually helps the experience rather than hinder it in most other instances. There are also still a few issues with dumb AI that still seem to appear from the original.
The Wii U version also allows you to take screenshots to draw on and record short audio clips. You can share these with friends. You can also share screenshots through Miiverse if that’s more of your thing.
The Director’s Cut was always intended to be the definitive version of this game. It aims to fix a few niggling complaints that players had with the original. One of the main ways it does this is by giving more choice when it comes to the boss fights. You can now take the bosses down through ways other than straight up combat. It still feels similar and a little tacked on (endgame results that they still die no matter what route you take) but it’s nice to see that you can employ tactics that you’d use in other parts of the game to defeat these bosses.
The Director’s Cut version also finally includes the Missing Link DLC. They’ve also been kind enough to include the full strategy guide for your viewing pleasure. Another neat touch that has been included is a commentary track that allows you to get an insight into the developer’s initial creation process. You can also take a further look with the Making Of documentary. There’s a lot here for Deus Ex fans, and it’s worth the purchase if you’ve never played it before.
The Director’s Cut is without doubt the definitive version of this game. It’s absolutely exceptional on the Wii U and we found that it was the best way to play this game. Eidos have been smart enough to include enough for players of the original to come back. These include tweaked gameplay, riveting developer commentary and a new game + mode to explore. This is a must purchase for all Wii U owners.
