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It presents a morally gray issue and lets players draw their only conclusions. One in particular - a murder mystery - addresses the value of policemen and their duty to the citizens and/or country. The most memorable characters and moments in Mankind Divided come from these side missions, and they actually tackle the societal themes only hinted at in the central narrative. Side missions ensure players see all of Prague, though, and most of them eclipse the main missions that progress the story. Aside from specific buildings, one zone looks just like the next. The subway allows players to visit different zones in Prague, and while they all look visually impressive, they lack environmental variety. The game features a few story missions in which Jensen hops on a chopper to travel to different countries, but each of those locations is far more restrictive than the main hub world. Human Revolution was a globetrotting adventure, but most of Mankind Divided takes place in Prague. Unfortunately, Mankind Divided fails to establish the same sense of freedom in its world design. Once again, the emphasis on player choice stands front and center. Eventually it becomes less of a concern, but the first half of the game in particular forces players to make careful decisions. Thus, players must consider which augments to enable or disable. There’s a catch though - only so many can be equipped at once, otherwise Jensen’s system becomes overclocked. They range from an explosive typhoon blast to a focus enhancer that slows down time considerably. Mankind Divided introduces a handful of extra powerful augments in Adam Jensen’s system.
#Deus ex mankind divided side missions series
That’s not to say the most recent entry in the series fails to deliver anything new. Human Revolution touted the same philosophy, but small gameplay tweaks put Mankind Divided just a cut above its predecessor.
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All of this speaks to the promotion of player choice and freedom. Folks with a silver tongue can even talk their way through missions in an effort to avoid bloodshed. The abilities cater to individuals who prefer to sneak around just as much as those who take the “shoot first, ask questions later” approach. Players can become invisible, conceal footsteps, electrocute enemies, hack locked doors - the list goes on and on. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is no exception, and the tools are as robust as ever. The entire Deus Ex franchise gives players numerous tools to tackle a variety of obstacles in unique and inventive ways. It’s a stark contrast to the gameplay complexity of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, perhaps its greatest strength. Even Adam Jensen’s new role as an agent for Interpol remains unclear for most of the game.
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The game attempts to explain the various factions’ political motivations at a rapid pace and thus creates a jumbled mess. Much of that narrative complexity stems from information overload. Instead, the needlessly complex plot gets in the way of the game and struggles to present clear resolutions by the time that the credits roll. It’s a game in which its marketing materials use the phrase “mechanical apartheid”, and yet the writing fails to instill strong emotions associated with such phraseology. The premise lays the groundwork for a narrative with a meaningful message, but Mankind Divided fails to reach beyond the surface. In fact, at one point protagonist Adam Jensen infiltrates a ghetto for augmented individuals, a location that further illustrates the fragmentation of the world. The violent outbursts from augmented humans in the previous game creates a schism in society in which “augs” face scorn and ridicule on a daily basis. It’s a lot easier to overlook a convoluted narrative and uninspired setting when the emphasis on player freedom is as strong as ever.ĭeus Ex: Mankind Divided takes place two years after the events of Human Revolution. It allows players to focus on a gameplay system that rewards creativity, a defining characteristic of the Deus Ex franchise. Mankind Divided sacrifices originality for polish, but the five-year wait diverts attention away from its reliance on familiar mechanics. The follow-up to 2011’s Human Revolution adheres to the core Deus Ex formula: player freedom in a politically complex world. Big video game sequels don’t often receive five years of development time, and yet here we are in 2016 with the release of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
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