Deus Ex 2: Invisible War Review

Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Finally a game that implements everything that phrase says. Freedom and its consequences. What more could any gamer want?

Deus Ex: Invisible War: this sequel is nothing less than what we expected for a Deus Ex game; the first to truly astound us with its marvellous true RPG elements.

20 years have passed since JC Denton has learned that the Illuminati haven't died with Galileo. He was able, through their help to stop Page's evil schemes on dominating the world. Shutting down the uplink to the world's communications, the world has fallen into a collapse. What the Dentons didn't expect was how this would affect the human race afterwards.

A program that has been choosing select individuals, called Tarsus, has selected you, Alex D. You are the new recruit to the Security Operations Program. Upon receiving such a letter you go to sign up in Chicago. However, a disaster befalls the city. An unknown terrorist group have launched an attack against the city destroying it within minutes. Tarsus was wise enough to save you and transport you, along with the other new recruits, to the nearest Tarsus HQ. There, another disaster occurs as you wake up.  A terrorist group called the Order has launched an attack against the facility. As you move throughout the game you begin to uncover the dangerous plot which inhabits the world.

Alex D. as you might have guessed by now is no ordinary guy. In fact it is safe to state that none of the recruits are. Since you already might have known they are all biologically modified. As you move through the facility, directed only by mysterious Dr. Nassif, you come to know the nature of the attack. Unlike the previous title, the choice is given to you from the very start. Sadly the choices are too frequent in the beginning; you end up lost and don't know what to do.

The feeling is strengthened with the location you are thrown into after you escape the facility. It is easy to get lost, with too many factions to join and too many missions to do (whether they are primary or secondary). Also the primary missions are all contradictory from the very beginning. One good aspect though, would be how flexible your allies are towards your actions. Do a couple of missions for the Order and WTO won’t get mad at you. They will only try to win you to their side through a counter mission to the Order’s. Same goes for all factions.

Yet things are never as bad as they seem to be. With your new Modification system that allows you to either install legitimate or hacked Biomods (referred to in game as Black Market Biomod), same as the first Deus Ex. You are given three choices in each organ of your body ranging from cranium, eyes, hands, and legs. Some of the old Biomods make a comeback such as the cloaking Biomod. However others have been cancelled (like the bullet proofing Biomod). Not only that but you are also provided with a better, wider range of weaponry.

The standard Pistol and the Dart Gun makes a return with a little style. There is also the Flame Thrower, the Rocket Launcher and of course, our beloved energy sword in two flavours, a copy cat and the original sword from the first title. Each of the weapons you come to hold is provided with an alternative firing mod, whether it is a scope, EMP (electro magnetic pulse), or in case of grenades: explode on contact. One of the most major upgrades to be seen, and at last have been implemented beneficially, is the Stealth system. Now it works far more efficient than the first Deus Ex. You can now sneak more efficiently even if you don't have the Cloaking Biomod installed. Believe it or not but I managed to beat the whole game using the stealth technique easily and with almost no problem at all.

As with every RPG, the missions are always ranging from bringing an item, protect a person, kill a target or infiltrate a certain place. The missions are not different from the older Deus Ex title. A slight down-grade of the overall difficulty of the game can be felt. The AI of the opponents is really not a match for any player level. Too many times I managed to corner a pursuing enemy by jumping over a table while he tries to run "through" it to get to me. Most of the fights can be won easily using such techniques.

Most of the environments, while they are supposed to be new, have the feeling and looks of the old game areas. The first city you visit resembles much of China town you visited in the first title. Meanwhile, it was a good touch to be allowed to visit one of the primary areas you visited in the first title. This would later house the title’s finale.

Invisible War introduces a new level of freedom in RPGs that every RPG fan should consider having. Some weak points are present that can be disregarded. But with such diversity in endings and such limitless possibilities, it is safe to assume that Ion Storm didn't fail to grab our attention once more. Choose your side and choose it wisely.