Deus Ex: The Fall
A mobile Deus Ex spin-off set during Human Revolution.
Deus Ex: The Fall is an action role-playing game released in 2013, developed by N-Fusion Interactive with oversight from Eidos-Montréal. It is a spin-off within the Deus Ex series, published by Square Enix. The game first launched on iOS in 2013, followed by Android and Windows versions in 2014. Its gameplay blends first-person shooting, stealth, and role-playing mechanics, allowing players to explore and fight through Panama City while completing quests that earn experience points and enable customization of the protagonist's abilities.
Set in a near-future cyberpunk Earth, the game takes place during the same timeframe as *Deus Ex: Human Revolution*, following the events of the novel *Deus Ex: Icarus Effect*. The story follows fugitives Ben Saxon and Anna Kelso as they evade the Illuminati, a covert organization seeking global control amid a technological revolution that has produced advanced artificial organs called augmentations. The narrative was planned as the first episode of a longer series, but no further episodes were made, leaving the story unfinished.
Development began in 2012 and took twelve months, with a team of twelve to fifteen people consulting staff from *Human Revolution* to maintain consistency. They used assets from *Human Revolution* as references for the game’s environments, and composer Michael McCann created new tracks. The mobile version received mixed reviews, though many critics found it a reasonable attempt to adapt *Deus Ex* for mobile devices. The Windows version was criticized for technical and control issues.
Players control Ben Saxon, an augmented mercenary, navigating environments from a first-person perspective, with some actions switching to third-person. They can climb ladders, use cover, and talk with non-playable characters to advance the main story or take on optional side quests. Completing quests, fighting enemies, and interacting with the environment earn experience points. Players can choose a violent approach, using cover and shooting, or a stealthy one, avoiding guards and security devices. Melee takedowns offer lethal and non-lethal options, alongside a variety of weapons.
Augmentations are central to gameplay, acquired and upgraded with Praxis Kits found in the world, bought from vendors, or unlocked by accumulating experience.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Deus Ex: The Fall
- Developer
- N-Fusion InteractiveAdditional development by mobile division of Square Enix, supervision by Eidos-Montréal.
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Director
- Jeffrey Birns
- Producer
- Joe Parisi
- Designer
- Tyler Munden
- Programmer
- Jason Zisk · Matt Orlando · Josh Letellier
- Artist
- Carissa Isolano
- Writer
- Tyler Munden · James Swallow
- Composer
- Michael McCann
- Series
- Deus Ex
- Engine
- Unity
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Deus Ex: The Fall is set in a near-future cyberpunk Earth where the covert Illuminati seek to exert control over the world as a technological revolution prompts the development of advanced artificial organs called Augmentations. The story takes place after the spin-off novel Deus Ex: Icarus Effect but during the events of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, following fugitives Ben Saxon and Anna Kelso as they hide from the forces of the Illuminati. While intended as the first in an episodic narrative, the story remains incomplete.
The gameplay features first-person perspective with some third-person actions, allowing players to approach situations violently or stealthily. Augmentations can be acquired and upgraded using Praxis Kits, which are bought from vendors, found in environments, or unlocked by gathering experience points. The game includes a hacking minigame for accessing computers and terminals, and microtransactions that let players spend real money on Credits to buy items and ammunition (microtransactions were removed for the Windows port).
Development started in 2012 and lasted twelve months, with a team of between twelve and fifteen people. N-Fusion Interactive developed the game and came up with the initial concept, working closely with staff from Human Revolution including director Jean-François Dugas, lead writer Mary DeMarle, co-writer and Icarus Effect author James Swallow, and art director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête. Human Revolution composer Michael McCann created original music for the game.
Reader's Guide
Deus Ex: The Fall is notable as an early attempt to bring the Deus Ex series to mobile platforms, translating its signature blend of first-person shooter, stealth, and role-playing elements into a touch-based format. Reception of the mobile version was mixed, with many critics praising it as a serviceable attempt at translating Deus Ex into the mobile format. However, the Windows version saw negative responses from critics due to technical and control issues.
The game's significance lies in its role as a bridge between the novel Deus Ex: Icarus Effect and the main game series, expanding the lore of the Deus Ex universe. It introduces characters such as Janus, the unseen leader of the Juggernaut Collective, and Alejandra 'Alex' Vega, who later appears in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. The story was designated as the first episode in a longer narrative, but no further episodes have been released, leaving the story incomplete. This incomplete status has become a notable aspect of the game's legacy, as it represents an ambitious but ultimately unfulfilled episodic plan for the franchise.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by N-Fusion Interactive under the supervision of Eidos-Montréal.
- It is set during the events of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and acts as a sequel to the novel Deus Ex: Icarus Effect.
- The story remains incomplete as no further episodes were released.
- Microtransactions were present in the mobile versions but removed for the Windows port.
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