First Deus Ex 3 Details Emerge: Prequel Confirmed, Original Creators Approve

As teased, the first details on Eidos Montreal's long-awaited Deus Ex 3 have been revealed, shedding new light on the shooter-RPG that's due in...

40

As teased, the first details on Eidos Montreal's long-awaited Deus Ex 3 have been revealed, shedding new light on the shooter-RPG that's due in late 2009.

Set as a prequel to Ion Storm's original two entries, the title has the blessing of both Deus Ex and Deus Ex 2 designers Warren Spector and Harvey Smith. In addition, Deus Ex series writer Sheldon Pacotti has been brought on as a consultant.

As the new information appeared in the pages of PC Zone magazine, a PC version is given. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions are expected, especially given its use of the Tomb Raider engine, though the developer has yet to confirm those platforms.

More details, courtesy Shacker matthaeus and CVG, follow below:

  • It's a prequel set in 2027.

  • "The art direction is a beautiful meld of the renaissance and cyberpunk (tying into the game's Leonardo Da Vinci motif)."

  • "A 'powerful, layered' plot is promised for the third game."

  • "You're cast as average joe Adam Jensen, who works as a private security officer at a technology lab specialising in biomechanical augmentations."

  • "One day the path of his life is unexpectedly altered as a team of black ops commandos break into his company's HQ...a mass slaughter ensues and the conspiracy begins."

  • "Stealth will now rely on a cover system rather than shadows, and damage will be dealt with by a very Call of Duty-style auto-heal."

  • "Augmentations have been bumped up and sound fantastic. 20 have been promised for the final game, ranging from 'bungee jump' tentacles that shoot from your back and anchor to a wall when you jump off a building, and the ability to punch through walls to grab enemies in neighbouring rooms."

  • "Eidos Montreal says it's more than aware of fan reaction to controversial second game, Invisible War, and promises mistakes, such as limiting ammo types to just one, won't be repeated."

  • "You'll still garner experience points as you progress through the game. You'll then either choose to plug them into your self through your augmentations or your weaponry."
  • Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

    Filed Under
    From The Chatty
    • reply
      October 6, 2008 7:19 AM

      health system makes me want to cry...I'm so sick of it appearing in every game

      • reply
        October 6, 2008 7:23 AM

        But the Nano-bots heal you!

        • reply
          October 6, 2008 7:48 AM

          yeah I'm sure they'll probably explain it like that too...which makes no sense because it's a prequel to a game that featured health packs and med bots

          if anything this ability should be an aug that regenerates health over a slower period of time...deus ex had that as an aug and it was nowhere near as quick as cod4's

      • reply
        October 6, 2008 7:25 AM

        agreed. gay-ish regeneration totally ruined Crysis multiplayer.
        I can't find the reson why they chose this system. dx1 jad nice damage system with different body pars taking dmg separately. I mean c'mon it's an fps-rpg, why you have to dumd it down cod style.

        • reply
          October 6, 2008 7:29 AM

          Works just fine in Call of Duty 4, Rainbox Six Vegas, Halo 2 and 3, and more!

          • reply
            October 6, 2008 8:20 AM

            Im guessing thats sarcasm. If not, the point is Deus Ex is not any of those games. Nor should it be.

            • reply
              October 6, 2008 10:58 AM

              guess what....it is now.

          • reply
            October 6, 2008 9:57 AM

            shhh you're bothering his rant

          • reply
            October 6, 2008 10:39 AM

            Console games

            • reply
              October 6, 2008 3:51 PM

              Like DX2

              • reply
                October 6, 2008 9:43 PM

                Which was also a step down from the original.

                Whatever... bring on yet another simplified mutliplatform version (read: console version) of a once great game. It's strange how development has in many cases gone backwards, not really how I would've ever envisioned it a few years ago.

                • reply
                  October 7, 2008 2:48 PM

                  I totally agree with you. It seems to be that games are becoming increasingly simple. Not 'streamlined'... but simplified.

          • reply
            October 6, 2008 5:25 PM

            I liked those games, but they're first person shooters that revolve completely around gunfights. DX is not supposed to be that.

      • reply
        October 6, 2008 7:27 AM

        The last game I can recall playing without an auto-heal system (specifically, the user taking action to heal) was BioShock ; every single shooter (FPS, TPS) seems to use the health regen system nowadays. It's such a crutch to pack on "difficult" gameplay ("difficult" being 20x more baddies than you), instead of trying to work out better AI or the like.

        Once in a while it's fine. But we need to step back from the brink.

      • reply
        October 6, 2008 7:27 AM

        It's a shortcut for developers who are too lazy to balance item placement (healing items) and encounter difficulty. By using auto-heal, they can simply ignore the player's health state and set up encounters however they like.

        It sucks because you always go into a new encounter with full health. Some of my best gaming memories involve making it through multiple tough encounters with low health and low ammo by playing cautiously and using the environment to my advantage. Auto-heal effectively does away with all of that.

        Not that I care about Deus Ex (I don't) but this is still an annoying trend.

        • reply
          October 6, 2008 9:12 AM

          Very good point about surviving on slivers of health. Where's the tension gonna be now? :/

        • reply
          October 6, 2008 10:08 AM

          They also just butchered the whole 'prequel' aspect of the game with that one point. Why would we 'devolve' from auto heals between this game and DX1?

          Will there even be any sort of broken limbs or legs that you have to fix?

        • reply
          October 6, 2008 12:27 PM

          regenerating health systems are in games to give your stupid less hardcore buddy a chance to enjoy the game so it can sell more because it is a business.

          • reply
            October 6, 2008 1:26 PM

            So why not tie auto-health regen systems with "easier" difficulty settings, and health management / item usage with harder difficulty settings?

      • reply
        October 6, 2008 3:58 PM

        Ya, this sucks. Such a step back. It's been a while, but didn't Deus Ex have location -specific damage models (i.e you could get shot in the leg, so you'd be slower, etc.) ?

        Auto-regenerating health is just.. lame. I hope they at least make it optional.

        I could see the pro's and con's of the system design wise, but I really do believe it is just designers not being creative. I don't see how there could be much tension, or fear of death, if your health is 100% at the start of every battle. So, so lame.

      • reply
        October 6, 2008 6:58 PM

        There is a big design benefit. It allows players to experiment and explore tactical routes without long term penalty.

    Hello, Meet Lola