LGR - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Review
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The city felt far too much like Half-Life without the benefit of Half-Life's playability. The game mechanics changed far too much from Human Revolution feeling more like Mass Effect (and possibly Fallout) than it should (and Mass Effect is not a game to copy. In retrospect, this game copied far too many other franchises (Halo, Mass Effect, Fallout, Dishonored, Half-Life, etc) in far too many familiar ways to feel like its own original game.
While the detail level of these game worlds has improved, it doesn't necessarily make the world better, only cluttered. Clutter works when it's part of the story. Without being part of the story, it's just visual eye candy with no reason for existing and only serves to camouflage enemies that might otherwise be visible. This forces you to rely on the augs rather then using your eyes. That's okay when the augs are fun to use, but in this game the augs are more or less treated like VATS in Fallout and are not terribly fun to use. Here you're supposed to be this, more or less, superhuman. yet, you're limited to using your 'powers' as a HUD. Not exactly the kind gameplay I'd expect from a more-or-less superhero kind of series. Overall, MD was a letdown in more ways than just the story.
Date: 2022-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 9
ParappatheRapper
I enjoyed HR a lot but just from what I see here this doesn't seem to be for me. A lot of the reason I liked HR was the environments, especially Hengsha. The plot is what kept me going too. Since the plot is apparently not as good and the environments look detailed yet unpleasant I might skip this. I'm let down that the only real hub is dilapidated Prague, not that I dislike Prague but the futuristic yet slightly dirty hubs of HR were nearly perfect for me.
As for the plot, I can't say I loved the endings of HR but through most of it I was pretty engaged in what was going on and I enjoyed characters like Sarif, Malik, and others. Even side missions had some interesting extra lore and stuff.
I just want to end this by saying I give them kudos for trying something different. I guess they could have played it safer and kept it more the same like I wanted but decided to take a chance. On the flipside, what the heck is that real money for in-game stuff? Like, can't you literally just modify game files for such items? I know not everyone can but that's so bizarre to me.
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I enjoyed HR a lot but just from what I see here this doesn't seem to be for me. A lot of the reason I liked HR was the environments, especially Hengsha. The plot is what kept me going too. Since the plot is apparently not as good and the environments look detailed yet unpleasant I might skip this. I'm let down that the only real hub is dilapidated Prague, not that I dislike Prague but the futuristic yet slightly dirty hubs of HR were nearly perfect for me.
As for the plot, I can't say I loved the endings of HR but through most of it I was pretty engaged in what was going on and I enjoyed characters like Sarif, Malik, and others. Even side missions had some interesting extra lore and stuff.
I just want to end this by saying I give them kudos for trying something different. I guess they could have played it safer and kept it more the same like I wanted but decided to take a chance. On the flipside, what the heck is that real money for in-game stuff? Like, can't you literally just modify game files for such items? I know not everyone can but that's so bizarre to me.
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GeekyEleanor
I just finished the game yesterday and I'm kind of convinced that, given the type of story, the pacing, the ending and the stinger, this chapter was written to be the second in a trilogy. I may be very wrong, but the ending as it is felt like sequel bait. Huge sequel bait.
I'm there with you with the self destructive DLCs and the microtransaction. Why? I mean. why? Anyway, loved the game, can't wait for the annoucement for a sequel (and the final tie to the original Deus Ex) and why not, a remake of the original with this engine. Because, let's say it, Deus Ex aged pretty poorly. Still one of the greatest videogames ever created, but damn the voice acting is cringeworthy when it's good and appalling when it's bad, really. come on!
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I just finished the game yesterday and I'm kind of convinced that, given the type of story, the pacing, the ending and the stinger, this chapter was written to be the second in a trilogy. I may be very wrong, but the ending as it is felt like sequel bait. Huge sequel bait.
I'm there with you with the self destructive DLCs and the microtransaction. Why? I mean. why? Anyway, loved the game, can't wait for the annoucement for a sequel (and the final tie to the original Deus Ex) and why not, a remake of the original with this engine. Because, let's say it, Deus Ex aged pretty poorly. Still one of the greatest videogames ever created, but damn the voice acting is cringeworthy when it's good and appalling when it's bad, really. come on!
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fanjoy
I luv DEHR. From what I can see you know they effed up badly when you see the game on Steam for $29. 99 when it first came out and then a couple of months later it was $4. 99. The same for Hitman because they were cutting up the game and squeezing out an episode at a time. It's like getting a book where you buy it one chapter at a time which I think is just too greedy. Not only that but the micro transaction and the buy once and use once only items. It's basically screwing their customers. At least Hitman 2 got a second life, but Deux Ex is on hiatus and who know if they will ever finish the game. Thanks for the review and as always very entertaining.
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I luv DEHR. From what I can see you know they effed up badly when you see the game on Steam for $29. 99 when it first came out and then a couple of months later it was $4. 99. The same for Hitman because they were cutting up the game and squeezing out an episode at a time. It's like getting a book where you buy it one chapter at a time which I think is just too greedy. Not only that but the micro transaction and the buy once and use once only items. It's basically screwing their customers. At least Hitman 2 got a second life, but Deux Ex is on hiatus and who know if they will ever finish the game. Thanks for the review and as always very entertaining.
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TheSteelRodent
I had the same feelings about the ending; the game ends before we reach a conclusion and it feels like there was supposed to be a DLC that tied up all the lose ends. But it's now over 5 years since the game came out and there's still no DLC or proper conclusion, and they've also made no announcement about whether there'll be more games. The final boss fight is also still super buggy and despite giving you multiple options for finishing him off, usually only one of them will work. Like for me only the most violent option worked, despite having played the entire game non-lethal.
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I had the same feelings about the ending; the game ends before we reach a conclusion and it feels like there was supposed to be a DLC that tied up all the lose ends. But it's now over 5 years since the game came out and there's still no DLC or proper conclusion, and they've also made no announcement about whether there'll be more games. The final boss fight is also still super buggy and despite giving you multiple options for finishing him off, usually only one of them will work. Like for me only the most violent option worked, despite having played the entire game non-lethal.
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alizarin
its a better overall game than HR, maybe not the story or characters like pritchard sarif etc but its very complex, only one hub city but its got a lot going on, there's tons of dungeons, secret areas, locations to spend a lot of time getting lost in, more ways to do things, its super fun, the DLC criminal past and system rift are also very good large areas with lots to do, i still love HR its one of my favorite all time games but MD is very good also, i would prob give them the same rating a solid 9 but for story edge goes to HR but overall locations and complexity that goes to MD.
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its a better overall game than HR, maybe not the story or characters like pritchard sarif etc but its very complex, only one hub city but its got a lot going on, there's tons of dungeons, secret areas, locations to spend a lot of time getting lost in, more ways to do things, its super fun, the DLC criminal past and system rift are also very good large areas with lots to do, i still love HR its one of my favorite all time games but MD is very good also, i would prob give them the same rating a solid 9 but for story edge goes to HR but overall locations and complexity that goes to MD.
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Eonymia
I loved Mankind Divided. It's such a shame that they've put the series on hold. I never had much of an issue with microtransactions because I never bought any. The problem with not buying a game like MD because -it has optional microtransactions- is that it sends the wrong message to SE, as we can see from them putting the series on ice. Instead of saying -we don't want microtransactions- it says -we don't want games like this-, or at least that's what the higher ups will take from it. Not buying microtransactions says - we don't want to buy microtransactions. -
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I loved Mankind Divided. It's such a shame that they've put the series on hold. I never had much of an issue with microtransactions because I never bought any. The problem with not buying a game like MD because -it has optional microtransactions- is that it sends the wrong message to SE, as we can see from them putting the series on ice. Instead of saying -we don't want microtransactions- it says -we don't want games like this-, or at least that's what the higher ups will take from it. Not buying microtransactions says - we don't want to buy microtransactions. -
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Krivulda
Oh, right, Deus Ex takes place in futuristic Czech Republic. I knew that. But why didn't I played it yet then? I don't know!
Clint, as always, thank You for hugely intriguing video, I don't know anybody who has better voice for reviewing something then you. Also, you are encouraging me to trying new games, I am awfuly conservative and that means I don't want try anything new. Without you I would never know about these good games, because nobody else can do it. Thank You again very very much!
Greetings from Loket, Czech Republic
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Oh, right, Deus Ex takes place in futuristic Czech Republic. I knew that. But why didn't I played it yet then? I don't know!
Clint, as always, thank You for hugely intriguing video, I don't know anybody who has better voice for reviewing something then you. Also, you are encouraging me to trying new games, I am awfuly conservative and that means I don't want try anything new. Without you I would never know about these good games, because nobody else can do it. Thank You again very very much!
Greetings from Loket, Czech Republic
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Gargoyle
Your review is making me feel like buying this game won't result in disappointment or rage. I lost hope in Eidos's ability to make good games when Thief 2014 was, well, the mess it was. Sad part is that game could have been good if they focused more on the surprisingly interesting world that had been used as a mere background.
The inclusion of microtransactions still disgusts me. I'll wait for the PC version to be less crap. Don't care about DirectX 12 since I'm still on Windows 7.
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Your review is making me feel like buying this game won't result in disappointment or rage. I lost hope in Eidos's ability to make good games when Thief 2014 was, well, the mess it was. Sad part is that game could have been good if they focused more on the surprisingly interesting world that had been used as a mere background.
The inclusion of microtransactions still disgusts me. I'll wait for the PC version to be less crap. Don't care about DirectX 12 since I'm still on Windows 7.
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john
Great review. I appreciate that you added in your thoughts about the not so great parts of the game without dwelling on them. I absolutely loved this game. It was perfectly streamlined, without being dumbed down. The gameplay was just immensely satisfying, so I found it incredibly really sad to read soooo many bad reviews on Steam, just because of one or tow annoying problems with the game. Nothing is perfect, and I found that the good far outweighed the bad in this game for sure.
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Great review. I appreciate that you added in your thoughts about the not so great parts of the game without dwelling on them. I absolutely loved this game. It was perfectly streamlined, without being dumbed down. The gameplay was just immensely satisfying, so I found it incredibly really sad to read soooo many bad reviews on Steam, just because of one or tow annoying problems with the game. Nothing is perfect, and I found that the good far outweighed the bad in this game for sure.
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