DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED

2011's Human Revolution stayed true to the traditional Deus Ex formula. However, it was riddled with inconsistency, and the game was held back from becoming something truly great by the limitations of its developers. Mankind Divided seeks to break those shackles and deliver the compelling experience that was originally planned. 

The premise of this game and its prequel, Human Revolution, is set in a future where humanity has made drastic advances in scientific research. This entailed the curing of many diseases, advancement in technological research, weapons, biotechnology and cybernetics. Many people signed up to become "augmented" becoming more than human as they replaced their limbs and organs with cybernetic implants. This allowed them to outperform "natural" humans in every aspect. Due to the ability to dish out these augments, private corporations began to overshadow the governments of the world and consolidated their power. 

Set two years after Human Revolution, the dichotomy between augmented people and "naturals" has aggravated beyond control. The catalyst for this was the "Aug Incident" in which every augmented person in the world went into a fear-driven, murderous frenzy courtesy of a modified signal which was broadcasted to interfere with a biochip that every augmented person had to get implanted.  As Adam Jensen, you must delve deep into a conspiracy that is being instigated by immensely powerful individuals who seek to alter the course of the world for their personal agendas. 

The gameplay of Mankind Divided is similar to Human Revolution but eons better. Level designs feel more organic as there are a multitude of pathways to take to finish one mission. Enemy AI has been overhauled to be more realistic. They react to your actions in believable ways, work as a team, and use all of their abilities to take you down. Unlike its predecessor, Mankind Divided does not punish going all guns blazing into every scenario. There are new augmentations that you can use to make Adam Jensen more adaptable to your playstyle. For example, you have the TITAN shield, a neodymium shell that covers the entirety of Adam Jensen's body and gives him temporary invulnerability. Then you have the TESLA gun arm, a multitude of electrically charged darts that can non-lethally incapacitate enemies—perfect for a stealthy approach. Like these two, there are a plethora of other augmentations which are all interesting and fun to level up regardless of how basic their functions are. Gun play has marked improvements as weapons feel powerful and satisfying, a stark contrast to Human Revolution. 

All the augmentations make Jensen seem as if he is overpowered compared to his foes but that is not the case. All augments run on power, which can be charged up by biocells. As you use augmentations, power depletes. It does recharge after a short delay (which you can reduce by upgrading an augmentation, by the way) however, the maximum amount of power you can store decreases with each augmentation use. The way to remedy this is to use biocells. This is a very interesting mechanic in the game which encourages efficient energy usage to make the best of every situation. Thankfully, there is a plentiful supply of biocells in the game and you can also craft them.

Speaking of crafting, there are a multitude of auxiliary gadgets that can aid you in the game. The multi-tool, for one, can hack any terminal, turret, firewall, alarm system, camera, drone, you name it. The only catch is that it's a one-time use thing. You're going to have to craft more or buy them from vendors. Weapon customisation is a welcome addition and it might not be deeply extensive as Battlefield's but it gets the job done. You can make a normal pistol a fully automatic, silenced, armour piercing machine of death with the proper upgrades. 

While the graphics are nothing compared to Uncharted 4 or Rise of The Tomb Raider, they hold up very well. The game's overall aesthetics are incredible thanks to the fresh art design that embody the cyberpunk spirit of the game. Adam's augmented arms and legs are incredibly detailed, and this detail treatment is not exclusive to only the important characters. The tall, mech-suits of the police are also rendered meticulously. The hub worlds of the game are full of life, and well designed. 

The soundtrack follows the first game ardently which is a good thing considering Human Revolution had one of the best soundtracks ever. Audio design has made a huge leap as every single aural detail can be heard with precise clarity. Guns sound loud and impactful, augmentations sound deadly and elegant. Voice acting is spot on too. I loved Elias Toufexis's performance as Adam Jensen in the first game and he is back in this one as well. 

What the game does best however is how it highlights the treatment of a minority which is feared by all those who are not part of it. Augmented people are extorted, exploited, and abused by the police and the normal people as well. The game also delicately handles how socio-political influences can incite fear amongst both groups so much that they resort to extreme measures. For example, the police can be seen frequently harassing augmented people while many augmented individuals have joined up in extremist groups in desperation. How powerful individuals and corporations take advantage of this fear by weaving the conflict is also shown beautifully. Mankind Divided urges the players to take a stance on a conflict that is very personal. Do you empathise with the augmented extremists because they've been driven into this by force? Or do you take a stand against such behaviour and side with the naturals? Neither choice is wrong or right. The game is covered in moral grey areas. 

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a remarkable improvement upon its predecessor and is one of the few games of this year which has lived up to the hype. If you like open-ended gameplay where player choice is paramount, do play this one. 

Shahrukh Ikhtear is a gamer who doesn't rage. A writer who doesn't read. A musician without a teacher. Full time procrastinator. You can reach him on Facebook: fb.com/sr.ikhtear and email: shahrukh.ikhtear@yahoo.com