Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is an action role-playing game from Eidos-Montréal, published by Square Enix. It serves as a prequel to the 2000 game *Deus Ex* and is the third main entry in the series. The gameplay blends first-person shooting, stealth, and role-playing mechanics. Players explore city-based hub environments and more scripted areas, completing quests that grant experience points and allow them to customize the protagonist’s abilities using items called Praxis Kits.

The story takes place in 2027. Players control Adam Jensen, a security officer at Sarif Industries, a company that produces controversial artificial organs known as augmentations. After a violent attack on Sarif, Jensen is critically injured and receives extensive augmentations. He then investigates the shadowy organization responsible for the attack. The narrative examines transhumanism, the influence of megacorporations, and their effects on social class, all within a cyberpunk setting that also incorporates conspiracy theories.

Development began in 2007 with a small team at the newly formed Eidos-Montréal studio, following failed attempts by original developer Ion Storm to create a sequel after *Deus Ex: Invisible War* (2003). The team drew inspiration from the myth of Icarus, a recurring theme in the series, and from Renaissance art and ideas, which shaped the story, visuals, and music while blending with the series’ cyberpunk elements. Creating the open-ended gameplay proved difficult; boss battles were outsourced due to time constraints. Composer Michael McCann focused on ambient, three-layered compositions rather than character themes or strong melodies. The game was announced in 2007, shortly after development started, with its title and release window revealed in 2010.

*Human Revolution* launched for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in August 2011. Critics praised its player-driven plot, gameplay, and freedom of choice in both story and character customization. Criticism centered on the boss fights and technical issues. A director’s cut later received praise for revamped gameplay. By November 2011, the original version had sold 2.18 million units. After release, a downloadable episode called *The Missing Link* was developed, featuring gameplay improvements.