Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4) Review

Can't Kill Progress.

 The much anticipated Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is finally here. The latest in the Deus Ex series, hero Adam Jensen is back in this sequel to 2011's Human Revolution. This time, there are new augments to play with and improvements implemented. Initially, I wasn't excited for Mankind Divided, but after recently finishing Human Revolution, I couldn't wait to play it. Now having played it, there's a lot to talk about Mankind Divided.

STORY- 2029, two years after The "Aug Incident" - a catastrophic event in which augmented people all over the world have turned mentally unstable and lethal. In its aftermath, the mankind has been divided as "naturals" and "augs". We follow newly recruited Interpol agent, Adam Jensen, as he tracks down a group of augmented terrorists and the Illuminati, a rogue group of rich individuals that bury the truth with lies and misinformation. He also works as a double agent for The Juggernaut Collective, a group that is on the hunt for the Illuminati. Throughout the story, Jensen will be faced with many choices to choose from, which will ultimately affect the outcome of the game. As a person who liked the narrative of Human Revolution, I wasn't disappointed with Mankind Divided's story. While I found some characters and the ending to be somewhat boring, it was still great seeing Jensen back in action. 

Jensen's back in action. 

GAMEPLAY- Playing identically to Human Revolution, Mankind Divided mainly plays from the first person perspective but shifts to third-person when taking cover. It has RPG elements such as XP and dialogue tree system. As an augmented filed agent, Jensen can be equipped with features such as a radar, invisibility cloak, smart vision, and so on. Mankind Divided introduces new "hidden" augmentation that Jensen finds early in the story. They include a Tesla arcs, which unleash  projectiles that can shock enemies; the Icarus Dash, a brief yet quick dash; and the titan shield, an invincible hard-layered shield). 

There are lots of augmentations to choose from and upgrade.

 Furthermore, just like games prior, Mankind Divided is a very open-ended game. Throughout the large levels, you'll come across many hidden areas that offer some side-missions and loot to collect. Additionally, You can choose to either go undetected or go all lethal, which can alter the outcome of the ending. On my first playthrough, I chose a non-lethal, mostly stealthy approach by only using the stun pistol, tesla arcs, and gas grenades. I have to say, it was a lot more fun than just going all guns blazing.

The gameplay is a huge step-up from Human Revolution.

PRESENTATION- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is by far one of the most visually impressive games of the year. Thanks to the game's Dawn Engine, the environments and character models are stunning and detailed, and the lighting effects are also well-done. At 30 frames-per second and 1080p resolution, the game runs well despite a few hiccups. The vocal acting is great with many great performances. Mostly notably is Elias Toufexis, whom reprises his role as Adam Jensen. Like its predecessor, the soundtrack accompanies the futuristic aesthetic of the game well and was neat to hear. 

The presentation is one of the prettiest of the year.

OVERALL- As a person who loved Deus Ex: Human Revolution, I very much enjoyed Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. While I wished other characters besides Jensen were more interesting, I was still engaged by the narrative. What I liked most in the game was the fun gameplay, which is mainly due to the new experimental augmentations. The presentation is by far one of the best I've seen all year, thanks to the game's Dawn Engine. Despite some of its faults, Mankind Divided is a strong contender of "Game of the Year" for me and I hope it will win this year.