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[Jocund]

I can't articulate why, but waiting so long for what is apparently a prequel DLC is supremely disappointing.

Maybe it's because I don't have a reason to care about what Jensen's first mission for TF29 was. It apparently wasn't important enough to have much bearing on the events of Mankind Divided proper, because no one in the game mentions it. Hopefully this will be a solid self-contained story, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

 

[Harmen]

System Rift is okay, if you liked the Bank Heist mission in the main game then it's basically more of that. Also, Pritchard returns so it might be worth it just to hear his snark once more.

Oh, the bank heists are probably one of my favourite stealth experiences from the last couple of years (the news sidequest and the main quest). Will check it out then.

 

[Raven117]

I just finished the main campaign last night.

I enjoyed my time with the game. You really have alot of options in how to tackle something.

There were some consistency issues though. Some parts were simply fantastic...others...were a slog. I dunno. I didn't think Prague was a realized as Hengsha. Not being able to walk from Saint Vitus over the Charles Bridge into Old town to Our Lady of Tyn church completely misses the point of having it set in Prague.

That said...

Spoiler

nighttime

Prague was excellent.

 

[spindoctor]

Exactly, nothing of consequence will be learned or happen in the DLC, especially since Adam never thinks to mention it during all of MD. Can we please get some post-game DLC?

This is what bothers me about how this studio does DLC. System Rift was mechanically fine but the fact is that nothing you do in it really matters. The story is completely standalone. They reset your character skill build and items completely so none of the choices you made in the main game matter here, and none of the choices you make here will carry over into the main game.

When I started playing System Rift I was going through it thoroughly, as I normally do. Talking to everyone, exploring everywhere and all that. Then I got inside the building you had to infiltrate and I spent time checking out the offices and reading the ebooks and stuff until it hit me that none of this actually mattered at all. After that I just decided to use invisibility and basically walked through the entire level.

Missing Link had the same problem. Resetting your augs and inventory means you are no longer playing your Jensen and instead you're just starting with a blank slate that will not matter at all when you're done with it.

 

[SuperStiltzkin]

Janus isn't mentioned in DE1. We had to look to an art guide to find out the identity.

MD's story just doesn't go anywhere. There's a bombing in the ass-end of Prague and then we spin our wheels for 10 hours.

The CGI trailer they announced the game with contained all the plot you needed to know.

Spoiler

Wait, who is he then? There was a lot of speculation that Bob Page was Janus because he wanted to weaken the Illuminati for his coup.

Anyways, it's very apparent when the game starts winding down. From all the negative buzz I was hearing about the game ending abruptly I was expecting them to

Spoiler

get ready to go to London and then cut to credits.

 

[Jocund]

This is what bothers me about how this studio does DLC. System Rift was mechanically fine but the fact is that nothing you do in it really matters. The story is completely standalone. They reset your character skill build and items completely so none of the choices you made in the main game matter here, and none of the choices you make here will carry over into the main game.

When I started playing System Rift I was going through it thoroughly, as I normally do. Talking to everyone, exploring everywhere and all that. Then I got inside the building you had to infiltrate and I spent time checking out the offices and reading the ebooks and stuff until it hit me that none of this actually mattered at all. After that I just decided to use invisibility and basically walked through the entire level.

Missing Link had the same problem. Resetting your augs and inventory means you are no longer playing your Jensen and instead you're just starting with a blank slate that will not matter all when you're done with it.

Right. Unless this content sports some absolutely stellar scenario, character, etc. writing, or nifty new mechanics, I don't see a reason to purchase this.

 

[_Legacy_]

Hold up, the DLC took away all of your aug upgrades and made you start from scratch? If this is the same, I'm out.

 

[Rymuth]

Spoiler

Wait, who is he then? There was a lot of speculation that Bob Page was Janus because he wanted to weaken the Illuminati for his coup.

Anyways, it's very apparent when the game starts winding down. From all the negative buzz I was hearing about the game ending abruptly I was expecting them to

Spoiler

get ready to go to London and then cut to credits.

The guidebook spoiled that

Spoiler

Volkard Rand

is Janus.

 

[ffvorax]

Just started yesterday the main game!

Deus ex difficulty and going to be full stealth (that's how I also played and loved HR)!

Just arrived in Prague and for now it looks good. I played also HR story DLCs and liked them, so maybe I will get these also when in discounts...

 

[Lime]

you literally hate the very essence of deus ex dude, go to jail

Sorry, I know I'm a broken record, I am just done and bored with the character, especially when wasted on a relatively interesting genre setting like cyberpunk.

 

[Dalibor68]

Sorry, I know I'm a broken record, I am just done and bored with the character, especially when wasted on a relatively interesting genre setting like cyberpunk.

Pretty sure the next game will feature Adam Jensen again though, given at where the story is (middle of a trilogy at seems) as well as the secret background story. The one after that I could imagine to be a clean slate in terms of characters. Maybe moving more towards the Invisible War era.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Pretty sure the next game will feature Adam Jensen again though, given at where the story is (middle of a trilogy at seems) as well as the secret background story. The one after that I could imagine to be a clean slate in terms of characters. Maybe moving more towards the Invisible War era.

Invisible War is best left forgotten I'd say. I'm not sure if HR really sold well enough to guarantee the long term future of the current franchise though - one more game definitely, but Idk beyond that.

 

[Dalibor68]

Invisible War is best left forgotten I'd say. I'm not sure if HR really sold well enough to guarantee the long term future of the current franchise though - one more game definitely, but Idk beyond that.

Well I didn't refer to the game itself because we all know it wasn't very good, but the era the game is set in or even just beyond Deus Ex' 2052 (as opposed to the pre-2052 trilogy, if it ends up as a trilogy that is).

 

[spindoctor]

Hold up, the DLC took away all of your aug upgrades and made you start from scratch? If this is the same, I'm out.

Yup, that's how they did it in Missing Link and System Rift. You start off with a bare minimum inventory and about a dozen Praxis points to spend. You'll get a few more as you level up or find Praxis kits around the map and that's it. A side effect of this is that you are limited in the number of ways you can approach any situation. If you chose to upgrade stealth abilities then you probably won't be able hack most of the terminals in the game. The ability to play the game in multiple ways is a core tenet of the series which is just lost in these DLCs.

 

[GinoFelino]

The sooner this franchise gets away from Eidos Montreal (and Adam Jensen, etc), the better. DLC has been as mediocre as the main game so far.

 

[spindoctor]

The sooner this franchise gets away from Eidos Montreal (and Adam Jensen, etc), the better. DLC has been as mediocre as the main game so far.

While the DLC has been sub-par, I feel it's a little unfair to say that the franchise should get away from Eidos Montreal. They've delivered two really good games that have managed to retain the spirit of Deus Ex in their game design philosophies and narrative themes. Everyone knows how badly things can go wrong (Invisible War) if the studio chases after modern gaming trends.

 

[edgefusion]

With all the useless add-on junk littering the PSN store I didn't even realise they'd released a first DLC.

I'd disagree the game needs to be taken from Eidos Montreal, I think both their outings have been very good.Their approach to side quests in Mankind Divided was downright applaudable. We do need to get away from Adam as a protagonist though, he's too one dimensional. And his voice irritates the shit out of me.

 

[GinoFelino]

While the DLC has been sub-par, I feel it's a little unfair to say that the franchise should get away from Eidos Montreal. They've delivered two really good games that have managed to retain the spirit of Deus Ex in their game design philosophies and narrative themes. Everyone knows how badly things can go wrong (Invisible War) if the studio chases after modern gaming trends.

Heh. Let's agree to disagree

MD was my biggest disappointment of 2016. Eidos Montreal don't understand the spirit of Deus Ex at all imo. Dishonored 2 on the other hand...<3

 

[EmCeeGramr]

We have our first screenshots:

 

[etta]

We have our first screenshots:

Looks interesting.

 

[d00d3n]

When is this out, exactly? 2017-02-23 00:00? Universal unlock based on US time, or staggered depending on time zones?

 

[Smellycat]

I forgot about this!!! It comes out in 2 days. It should make the wait for Zelda tolerable lol

 

[Vic_Viper]

is there a trailer for this yet?

 

[Sacha]

When is this out, exactly? 2017-02-23 00:00? Universal unlock based on US time, or staggered depending on time zones?

Here are the launch times

is there a trailer for this yet?

There'll be one tomorrow!

 

[Gator86]

Yup, that's how they did it in Missing Link and System Rift. You start off with a bare minimum inventory and about a dozen Praxis points to spend. You'll get a few more as you level up or find Praxis kits around the map and that's it. A side effect of this is that you are limited in the number of ways you can approach any situation. If you chose to upgrade stealth abilities then you probably won't be able hack most of the terminals in the game. The ability to play the game in multiple ways is a core tenet of the series which is just lost in these DLCs.

I'll never understand why all the DX DLC doesn't just follow the Witcher 3 model. You keep your current character, all your items and abilities, and they expand the toolbox. The weird half-standalone nature of these DLCs hurts my interest even though MD was one of my favorite games last year.

 

[spazimoose]

I'll never understand why all the DX DLC doesn't just follow the Witcher 3 model. You keep your current character, all your items and abilities, and they expand the toolbox. The weird half-standalone nature of these DLCs hurts my interest even though MD was one of my favorite games last year.

Yeah, respeccing for every DLC is tedious. But I guess it would be difficult to balance 3 optional stories and the campaign (but not impossible) Its not easy to scale the difficulty without messing with your level/abilities.

The Witcher 3 does give you the option to start the DLC with a premade character though. It would've been nice to be given the choice at least. Encourage players to start over, but also let you use an existing save with a balance warning.

 

[d00d3n]

Here are the launch times

Thanks

 

[Strangelove77]

I'll never understand why all the DX DLC doesn't just follow the Witcher 3 model. You keep your current character, all your items and abilities, and they expand the toolbox. The weird half-standalone nature of these DLCs hurts my interest even though MD was one of my favorite games last year.

Yeah this really bothers me. I have the season pass but I haven't played the first expansion and I don't know when I'll get to playing this one.

 

[Ludens]

Is this the last dlc of the season pass, right?

 

[Ushay]

Sounds great, but some post game DLC would be perfect for this game. Still secretly hope they get enough sales to justify another game. Deus Ex deserves so much more than this.

 

[Toa Axis]

Sucks that this will probably be the last that we'll see of the series for a while, but I'll do my part when I can. Still need to get System Rift as well.

 

[Vibranium]

I'm excited to finish it but also sad knowing that Deus Ex will sleep for a long while. Still, the prison environment should be fun to explore.

If Eidos eventually do a final Jensen game someday, it should take place much farther in the future, maybe 5+ years. I'd like them to cover Bob Page's coup and end the prequel trilogy on that. Maybe cover the crazier parts of the lore, like having prototype Greasels and Greys as enemies while exploring secret Versalife facilities. And bring back swimming!

 

[d00d3n]

I'm excited to finish it but also sad knowing that Deus Ex will sleep for a long while. Still, the prison environment should be fun to explore.

If Eidos eventually do a final Jensen game someday, it should take place much farther in the future, maybe 5+ years. I'd like them to cover Bob Page's coup and end the prequel trilogy on that. Maybe cover the crazier parts of the lore, like having prototype Greasels and Greys as enemies. And bring back swimming!

They should contract Obsidian to make the next game, like they almost did after Human Revolution. Obsidian probably need the money after the recent cancellations and they would possibly be able to make the game on a budget that is more in line with what reboot Deus Ex sells

 

[MCD250]

I would be all in for this game's season pass/DLC if they just let you carry over your skills from the main game, even if the new augmentations were made inaccessible or something. As is, starting from scratch is simply not fun.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Any impressions?

 

[nOoblet16]

That was very meh because they just don't get it and have done it three times now

1) No one wants stand alone stories that have zero consequences on anything...much less a prequel. Because if it really matter it would have been mentioned in the main game. I give Missing Link a pass here cause it did fit into the main game and it was mentioned in the main game that Jensen disappeared. But still it had no consequence overall.

2) No one wants to have their augs removed in the DLC post main game after playing through main game for 20+ hours. Players already invested in their abilities and they already endured the no or few augs gameplay at the start of the main game. They don't have to be put through that again, DLCs should build upon the main game and be designed more similar to the end game rather than early/mid game. By taking away abilities you restrict players to specific playstyle. They allowed players to use experimental augs despite being a prequel so why the hell does anyone care if Jensen has all the shit unlocked for DLC.

3) I'd rather have the DLC be set in the best part of the main game i.e. Prague and add some side missions to it so that it actually feels like an extension of the game.

3) Lastly it was shorter than Missing Link, System Rift was even shorter. I kind of let Missing Link slide because it's a very long DLC with a lot of clever design especially with how you handle situations and can ignore the game's suggestions.