Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Day One Edition A Complex, Cyberpunk Action RPG for Xbox One
Score: 8/10
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Day One Edition is a futuristic action RPG that delivers a deep, thought-provoking story set in a dystopian cyberpunk world. The game is the direct sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution, continuing the story of Adam Jensen, a mechanically enhanced security specialist, as he navigates a world increasingly divided by the conflicts between augmented humans and the rest of society. With a mixture of stealth, combat, and decision-making, Mankind Divided offers a blend of high-tech action and philosophical questions, but it does fall short in certain areas, particularly when it comes to pacing and world-building.
Gameplay: Mankind Divided continues the Deus Ex tradition of offering multiple playstyles and approaches to completing objectives. Whether you prefer a stealthy approach, hacking your way through systems and sneaking past enemies, or engaging in direct combat with a variety of weapons and augmentations, the game provides plenty of options. The games flexible progression system allows you to tailor Adams abilities to fit your playstyle, whether thats increasing hacking skills, improving combat proficiency, or enhancing stealth capabilities.
One of the most notable gameplay features is the return of the "Augmentations" system, where players can upgrade Adams cybernetic abilities, unlocking powerful abilities like cloaking, superhuman strength, or enhanced hacking capabilities. These upgrades are crucial to the games variety, as they can significantly alter the way you approach both combat and exploration. However, unlike its predecessor, the game sometimes feels more linear in how you acquire these upgrades, and theres a stronger emphasis on stealth rather than a full open-ended approach to combat.
The level design is also a highlight, with multiple ways to approach objectives. The environments are detailed, and many areas offer a high degree of verticality, giving you the freedom to navigate levels in creative ways. The use of different paths, secret vents, and hidden doors encourages exploration, rewarding players who take the time to dig deeper into the games environments.
Story and Narrative: The narrative in Mankind Divided is its strongest suit, continuing the themes of inequality, corruption, and the consequences of human augmentation. The game is set in a world where augmented humans are treated as second-class citizens, creating deep moral and philosophical dilemmas. Adam Jensen is once again at the center of the story, trying to uncover a global conspiracy while facing his own personal struggles. The plot is engaging and filled with twists and turns, though it can occasionally feel a bit slow and bogged down by exposition.
While the game attempts to touch on deep social themes, some players may find the story's pacing slow at times, especially in the middle sections where you may feel like there isnt much forward momentum. Despite that, the world-building, political intrigue, and moral decisions do create a compelling story that will keep players invested, particularly those who enjoy a narrative-driven RPG experience.
Graphics and Sound: Visually, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is stunning on Xbox One, featuring detailed environments that evoke the gritty, high-tech atmosphere of a cyberpunk future. The games futuristic Prague setting is beautifully rendered, with neon lights, towering skyscrapers, and industrial zones that make you feel like youve stepped into a living, breathing world. The character models are well done, with impressive facial animations, although some NPCs lack the same level of detail.
The sound design is another strong point. The game features a mo
