Fractured Reality

For all you sorry people who missed out on the original Deus Ex, here is your chance to play something which, frankly, isn't quite as good. Deus Ex: Invisible War is soon arriving in the UK, three months after the US release. Invisible War takes place 20 years after the events of the first game, and once again plunges you into a world of nanotechnology, bio-modifications and intrigue.
And this time the world is beautiful - the textures and sounds are amazingly well designed, and the physics engine allows realistic interactions with almost any object in the game.

But a game isn't just about looks and sound, and DX:IW doesn't quite have the soul of its older brother. For a start, the story isn't as good. Characters from the original are back, but if you played it the plot of IW will be a bit transparent. People who missed out on DX however will not have the same insight, and can enjoy a similar experience to that delivered by the first game, provided of course; you have the latest patch (1.1) installed.

In addition, as IW has been designed for PC and Xbox with no major content difference, PC players will notice certain "consolifications" have taken place. The most obvious of these is size. Levels in DX were huge, but similarly sized areas in IW will frequently be interrupted by load screens. Also the skills system has been removed, and the number of biomods decreased. This has sadly reduced some of the role-playing aspect.

Ironically, choice is where IW excels. You get to choose your style of play - from sneaking in the shadows to blasting everything you meet. Restricted storage space and limited capacity for a universal ammo type also force careful decisions about what equipment to carry. But the greatest choices come in the main quest, where you can decide which faction to work for at any stage, depending on your moral standpoint or where the greatest rewards lie.

Congratulations should go out to Ion Storm for breaking new ground with another great game, it's just a pity that Invisible War doesn't quite manage to live up to the incredibly high standards set by the original.