[First Impressions] Deus Ex: Mankind Divided at NYCC 2015

I am a huge fan of the Deus Ex series. But I will admit one title in particular was not my favorite, and I believe you all know the title I’m talking about — I’m looking at you Deus Ex: The Fall.

But in hopes of redeeming themselves, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix are returning with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided on February 23rd, 2016 for the PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Adam Jensen returns as a seasoned security specialist covert operative on Task Force 29, looking for those responsible for the events that took place in Human Revolution. The Panchaea Incident led to millions of augmented persons attacking natural human beings. This resulted in massive prejudice against all augmented individuals living among them. Mistreatment of the augmented is also feeding an uprising.

Let’s get technical

The core mechanics of combat, stealth, hacking, and social interaction are very much a staple in Mankind Divided. The RPG elements of character and weapon customization, and inventory management return for this game. The readables that give more detailed information about the world around you are making a return as well. Hacking 2.0 has been tweaked to add challenges to the traps and to use robotics against your enemies.

Verticality has been pushed in Mankind Divided to provide a multitude of vantage points. This increases the various ways in which you can play the game, whether stealth or confrontation is your style. Exploration reveals all the hidden dangers that Jensen will face. This also allows for discovery of multi-paths and multi-solutions in pursuit of your missions.

Jensen loves his toys

The Nano blade, Jensen’s stealth weapon, can be charged to explode, eliminating a few enemies at a time. Takedowns are better than ever thanks to the increased verticality, and the new Icarus Dash and Icarus Ram. The Hypnotism injector is also fun. Smart vision is a bonus way to discover things hidden from normal eyesight.

The game will have a recap for those who haven’t played before or for those who have forgotten. Dubai is described as the “tutorial map,” and the “Devali Theater” is described as the expert map of Prague that opens up later in the game.

Verdict

The storyline and crisp graphics look amazing. All of the conflict regarding the Mechanical Apartheid looks like it will force you to challenge your moral compass. I loved Human Revolution, and Eidos-Montréal promises to make Mankind Divided even better. Can February 23rd, 2016 hurry up now?

Tune in to GameSkinny for more details and guides come release time.