Society these days can be pretty much a mess. You’ve got people complaining that the Netflix series Luke Cage is “being too black” (despite its setting and comic roots – and the fact it’s awesome), and let’s not forget about would-be voters clawing away at the many flaws between Hillary Clinton and Donald (ick) Trump. But leave it to Eidos Montreal to weave these sort of troublesome society issues into a futuristic setting with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed Human Revolution, which helped put the franchise back on track just a few years ago.
The future is a messy place, as the human race is divided between human kind and those with augmented bio-replacements to their limbs, enhancing their performance but also putting them in question when it comes to morality. In the midst of all this is Adam Jensen, a man who’s got his fair share of augmented assistance in terms of limbs and bio-readings. He’s using them to his advantage, though, as he works alongside an agency to shut down potential baddies – only to find that there’s a much bigger picture to look at here.
Mankind Divided gives you some interesting options when it comes to the style of play you prefer. If you want to play the stealth route, you’ll be happily rewarded with lethal (or, if you prefer, non-lethal) kills; but you can also run and gun if you prefer that style of play, using a number of weapons and specialized skills under Jensen to shut down thugs. Whatever way you choose, don’t expect an easy way, as you’ll have to contend with a lot of enemies and carefully make your next move.
It’s quite cool how both styles of play come into formation with Mankind Divided, rewarding different kinds of players for unique actions. Granted, the missions run about the same in terms of structure – go in, stop bad guys, complete certain tasks – but the way you can do it, just like in Human Revolution, is totally up to you. And having that level of freedom is something else, as both of these approaches have great gameplay tacked in, whether you’re snapping necks or simply avoiding trouble as much as possible, occasionally using a fail-safe to get to the objective.
A number of upgrades come into play with Mankind Divided, and it really depends on your style of play. Still, opening up Jensen’s potential, no matter which route you take, is really something, and you’ll find plenty of cool things to choose from. I prefer the arm blade myself, but the various styles of energy that are included can also play an excellent factor. You’ll spend hours perfecting your choices to your will.
In addition to the main story mode (which will take you a while), the game also includes a fun Breach mode, in which you can take on several hacking challenges for the best score you can possibly muster. You’ll also earn plenty of cool goodies this way, including weapons and other cool stuff. Definitely check it out, as it’ll aid you in the long run. (And, fortunately, hacking in Mankind Divided isn’t a tireless activity.)
Mankind Divided looks fantastic, with beautiful visuals that go to a great extent beyond Human Revolution, while keeping true to its similar theme. The staggering city-line is impressive, and the animations are cool to watch, especially when Jensen dispatches of someone with a well-placed elbow stab. It’s possible Eidos Montreal’s finest work to date – and that’s saying something considering its resume.
The game also features a stunning soundtrack that brings the landscape to life, along with quality sound effects right out of a Blade Runner-esque experience. The voice acting, however, is spotty in places, with Jensen sometimes getting the better of someone just with a few well-placed words. He still sounds like a low-grade Kurt Russell too, but at least he hasn’t changed from Human Revolution.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is solid proof of what can be done with a franchise if you take the ideas that worked so well with its return in Human Revolution, and build upon them with great care. There are times the missions can run a little tiring (particularly with certain boss fights), as well as wishing the voice acting was better. Still, it tells one hell of a story, and watching it play out with so many possibilities is a great part of the fun. This is one world you won’t get enough of – even if you’re tired of issues in the current one.
