Deus Ex is every bit as good as fans had hoped

Critics have been getting to grips with Square Enix’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution for over three weeks now. And at long last the embargo has lifted, allowing them to admit their admiration for what is clearly an excellent title.

The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game are currently averaging a mightily impressive 90 per cent on Metacritic, with the PC version trailing just behind on 88 per cent.

To date four publications – GamesRadar, IncGamers, 1UP and OXM UK – have awarded the Xbox SKU a perfect 10/10.

I played DEHR without any massive preconceptions or expectations,” 1UP explained in its review. All I really wanted was a game that lived up to the cool demos and brash talk the developers have doled out over the past couple of years, and in that regard it’s more than exceeded my hopes.

Not only does DEHR contain all the open-ended, player-determined mechanics they’ve promised us, it all comes wrapped in an immersive game world and solid combat and cover mechanics.”

VideoGamer added: Perhaps the strongest compliment I can pay Eidos Montreal is this: with its grand design, dynamic play and sheer wealth of ideas Deus Ex: Human Revolution is reminiscent of the best efforts from the golden era of PC gaming at the end of the 90s. It’s a modern release imbued with the finer qualities of an age gone by.”

Destructoid, whose love for the game shone brightly in its 9.5/10 assessment, was even more enthused: Deus Ex: Human Revolution, like its augmented hero, is a step above its mundane peers.

With its flowing, open approach to mission structure, thoroughly engrossing story and gorgeous visuals, this is the kind of game that all others should strive to be. It is everything a fan ofDeus Excould want in a game, and it effortlessly embraces the arduous task of living up to the legacy, standing next to its 2000 predecessor and holding its head up in pride.”

Despite a few extra caveats, GameSpot‘s 8.5/10 write-up says the game is a must-buy: This is an extensive (20-plus hours) game that by the very nature of its complexity invites replay.

You glide from rooftops like a cyberpunk angel in a world on the brink of technological breakthroughs and socioeconomic disaster, and uncover conspiracies in the unlikeliest of places. The longer you play, the more the story grabs you and the more you appreciate the customizability of the game. Hybrid games like this are uncommon. Even more uncommon are games with Human Revolution’s power to eclipse its quirks with such enthralling atmosphere and exciting adaptability.”