Waltorious Writes About Games

Game-related ramblings.

Tag: Deus Ex

Loose Ends: The Missing Link DLC

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On March 5, 2012

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I don’t usually buy DLC (that’s downloadable content, for those unaware). A lot of it strikes me as silly, like new character skins or some in-game items available for a few dollars. Not things I’m interested in. Then there’s DLC that adds quests or new areas into an existing game, which seems destined to be awkward — an obviously tacked-on affair that doesn’t gel well with the main game. More reasonable are the DLC offerings that are essentially the expansion packs of old: new levels, or separate game areas designed to be tackled after the main game is over. Still, I would need to really like a game to go for one of these, given how many other games I have to play.

But in the case of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, I did really like it, enough to grab it’s DLC add-on, The Missing Link.

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Final Thoughts on Deus Ex: Human Revolution

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On October 19, 2011

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Thinkin'.

I have finally finished Deus Ex: Human Revolution. When I recommended that you play it, I estimated I was only about halfway through, but it turned out it was more like one third of the way through. A long game, especially by modern standards, and I was worried that it might overstay its welcome or lose sight of its focus on human augmentation issues. I am happy to report that neither of these things happened; the game remained engaging right until the end, and I can now recommend it without reservation. Definitely play it.

What I didn’t touch on in my earlier post was the legacy that surrounds the original Deus Ex, which is considered by many (including me) to be the best game ever made. Can Deus Ex: Human Revolution live up to such a standard?

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On Tutorials

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On October 8, 2011

In Uncategorized

It used to be that, before playing a game, you had to read the manual. Otherwise you’d have no idea how to play, or what was going on. Today, no one reads manuals, although they are still included with most games. Instead, the games themselves teach us how to play; when you load up a game, the early sections introduce the main game concepts and explain the controls, so you can get playing even if you never touched the manual.

This is a great idea. It removes a barrier to entry for games, letting anyone jump in and have fun without having to prepare first. But there can be definite downsides, which are not always considered when a tutorial is implemented. One of the foremost is that when a tutorial is integrated into the beginning of a game, it can significantly detract from the game’s atmosphere and narrative by interrupting it with instructions to the player.

[Use your mouse to click the “Read the rest of this post” link to read the rest of this post]

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You Should Play Deus Ex: Human Revolution

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On September 28, 2011

In Uncategorized

I don’t always play old games.  For example, I am currently playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution.  I’m taking my sweet time with it, and I estimate I’m only about halfway through, but I wanted to write about it anyway.

If you play games, you have almost certainly heard of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and you’ve likely played it.  You also know that the gaming press has already written quite a lot about it. But if you are that person, this post is not for you.  Rather, this post is for those who have not played it, and perhaps have never even heard of it.  I am going to convince you to try it out.  The following contains only the mildest of spoilers.

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