I wanted to shed some light on the elusive Deus Ex 3. Being a rather obsessive fan of the first game, I'm always searching for morsels of information regarding the various elements of the title. This is what I've collected so far, I hope you find it enlightening.

Deus Ex 3 is effectively a prequel of the original game. Set some 30 years before the birth of JC Denton, you play as one of the physically augmented security agents of a large corporation. Though the actual nuances of the story haven't been leaked (and thankfully so), the premise is that the corporation you work for is attacked by an unknown group, and you follow the intrigue from there. Not much to go on, and quite similar to the second, by I remain optimistic.

Wild speculation over the secretive plot would lead nowhere, and only serve to depress me when I consider that the second game didn't hold a candle to the first. However, there are still quite a few nuggets that have been released that make me quite giddy with excitement.



Augmentation was what made you unique in the first game, and part of a select group in the second. In both games the idea was that you were augmented with nanotechnology. Now though the intricacies elude me, I've played enough games/watched sci-fi/read books to understand what nanotechnology is, and why being augmented in such a way would make anyone quite unique. An interesting theme throughout the first game, and partly in the second in regards to the Omar, was the relation between the advanced nano-augs and the physically augmented.

The main critique of the physically augmented in the first game was that they had to sacrifice social acceptance for mission performance. There was much friction between JC and the other, less advanced agents in UNATCO. The game gave you the option of being a bit of a d*ck about the whole thing, there were emails of the older agents voicing their concerns and generally a feeling that the physically augmented were being replaced by shinny new toys.

This was one of the aspects appearing in Deus Ex 3 that really appeals to me. In the past two games, you were always playing in the knowledge that you were a state of the art piece of technology, even in the second game you were using more advanced (and illegal) 'biomods'. However in Deus Ex 3, it appears as if the physically augmented are far more numerous and (if the forum musings concerning the cryptic trailer are correct) are being rejected by the general populace. Where this will lead I cannot say, but I am excited at the possibilities.

Physical augmentations have the added bonus of being teh awesomes. Only a few have been announced, and part of me wonders how official these are, but they sound sweet regardless. Punching your fist through a wall to incapacitate a guard is the kind of thing that doesn't get old very quickly. Whether that one will be due to improved strength and a special limb has not been revealed. Also there are 'bungee' tendrils that shoot out of your back, Doctor Octopus style, allowing you to safely (stealthily?) traverse long drops. Other screenshots have also revealed a subtle hand augmentation that appears to allow your fingers to retract and a large assassins blade to be utilized. And then there's the somewhat less subtle machine-gun arm replacement, giving you access to much Barret-inspired pew pew.

If I were to speculate, the augmentations shown appear to come in subtle and unsubtle varieties. This leads me to hazard a guess and say that perhaps you'll be given the same choice that was explored in the first game, namely that you can sacrifice your humanity for the sake of combat & field performance.



Moving on from the augmentations, the environment has been quite extensively established. Having human modification a central theme, sterilized labs are a must. Though not unique in themselves, it's the adjacent rooms and offices that really shine. Everything has a 'sci-fi Victorian' vibe, with holographic screens sitting atop large wooden desks, shelves of rather old looking books next to over sized consoles. The whole thing looks damn gorgeous. Its seems to summon up ideas of Renaissance Europe, with the all the social change, ulterior motives and court intrigue that brings. A highly suitable setting for the next Deus Ex game to say the least.

What else is there? Well guns appear to be getting a very sexy, and hopefully customizable, modular look. One of the things that has always poked and prodded my mind is that so many games don't seem to want to capitalized on weapon customization. Remember Hitman: Blood Money? That's what Deus Ex 3 seems to be getting. Considering you're a highly trained and awesomely augmented security guard, it makes sense.

The clothes, well at least what's been provided, look really imaginative. Mirroring the environment, they cross science fiction with early modern styles in a very creative way.



I could write a painfully long wall of text, musing away on what might be in the game. However I'd rather not dilute what I've provided with too much speculation. So I'm going to leave it there. When some more meat has been provided, I may write an update for this.