Deus Ex Diaries Part Two

This is my ongoing exploration of the Deus Ex Universe, in preparation for when Mankind Divided arrives later this year. Whether you’re a newcomer or an old-goer, I hope to make this something you can read along with and enjoy. We continue on with Deus Ex.

Last time we learned about the Grey Death and how the stop-gap cure Ambrosia is given to the 1%, which the terrorist group NSF are trying to put a stop to. As the newest nano-augmented recruit to join the government agency UNATCO, JC Denton did a couple of missions before being sent off to join his brother, and fellow agent, Paul Denton in Hell’s Kitchen.

After being dressed down for the completely-not-my-fault explosion, Paul told me that he needed me to find where the NSF had hidden a generator which was powering their security systems in the area. Meanwhile, he was heading somewhere else so that he could gather troops to storm the place once my job was done. He also mentioned that I should nip into his room at the Ton Hotel, where apparently JC had also been staying.

The swanky Ton Hotel

Exploring the area, I found a bar and got told that there are NSF holed up in the Ton Hotel. Despite the sign clearly saying Hilton, they call it that because only the Ton part is illuminated, unlike in Fallout where the sign has literally disintegrated over hundreds of years. That bugged me, but I continued. I headed into the bar and one of the patrons (or was she wait staff…?) begged me to check on her friend who had been taken into an alley. Sure, this sounded like NATCO business… But nobody was being any help towards my investigation, so I went out.

I decided to wait and see how the situation played out, as a guy argued with the girl in the alleyway, it turned out to be a pimp and his worker. I waited perhaps a little too long, as the guy got a gun out and opened fire on her before I could get my own weapon out. Luckily she was a tough one and shrugged off five shots whilst I beat and then shot him.

She thanked me and told me the password to get in to see Smuggler, but I thanked her and went back to the bar, where the friend thanked me. There was a pilot near the bar who wanted me to buy him drinks for information. He got one drink out of me before I decided to ignore him for not giving me useful info.

And this know-nothing reporter was also in the bar...

Outside the Ton I helped NATCO troops gun down some NSF, then went inside the Free Clinic. A number of people are inside who have the Grey Death, but there’s nothing anyone can do until there’s a cure, and a doctor assured a patient the costs of which would be underwritten by the city. I found nothing useful in the Free Clinic, so headed to the Ton.

I got told there were hostages up on the second floor, which as I went in, turned out to be the first floor because I forgot Americans label them differently… I took out two NSF on the ground floor, then ‘surprised’ the two on the next floor who hadn’t heard gunfire from the lobby. Two hostages and hotel owner were saved!

In Paul’s room, I found the first of a few easter eggs I noticed. Paul’s email account had one from a classic movie company, asking him to confirm his order for Blue Harvest — the codename for Star Wars. I collected some stuff (ie: all of his stuff) and left.

It was at this point I realised the resolution may be too small to actually read...

Whilst looking about the rest of Hell’s Kitchen, I found the back way into Smuggler’s place. After disabling the security system, I went ahead and spoke to him. One of his friends, Ford Sclick, had been kidnapped and he wanted me to find him to prove there’s some governmental conspiracy, due to how well equipped they were. He gave me a key to enter the sewers and sent me on my way. It was only when I was looking for the exit, that I found the entrance I already knew the password for…

So out of an underground lair and to the nearest sewer grate — and into the sewers I went. Alex Jacobson, the communications tech whom I met at UNATCO HQ and speaks to JC through his implants, came on the air and told me these sewer tunnels were not on the city blueprints. That seemed odd for the New York municipal system to misplace digital records for part of the sewage system, but perhaps it had been deleted and I’ll find out later.

There were three guards on lookout, which get dispatched pretty easily, then I headed down to the least accessible part of the area, assuming that must be where Ford was being held. I took out a guard, then a security camera before spotting a security panel to hack and disable the security (doy). I dispatched three more guards and realised they’re all wearing a uniform. MJ12 was on their helmets, so definitely not NSF terrorists. I found Ford and he explained that the guards were part of some biotech firm who kidnapped him, wanting him to create antibodies.

Whilst looking around, I hacked the nearby computer and found a second easter egg. An email from Harleen Quinzel — AKA Batman villainess Harley Quinn!

Not a funny email, however...

I grabbed Ford and we escaped the facility, then split up when he decided he could make the rest of the way himself. As there was another hole in the wall to explore, I took off in that direction. More cameras, another security panel and this one had turrets connected to it. Funnily enough, I had upgraded my skills to be able to hack security turrets just before meeting the MJ12 guards! So I hacked those and went through the nearby door.

Yeah, make your way back using the ladder that doesn't go anywhere, or into the sewage at the bottom of a 20 metre drop...

However this is where my play session finished. An application came up and killed the game, returning me to a black screen when I resumed it… I had saved just before telling Ford to start running, so I’m not missing more than a couple of minutes of playtime. What’s behind the door with the turrets? Hopefully a back entrance into the NSF warehouse. Otherwise I still have no idea where it is...

Well this looks promising...