Deus Ex is widely considered to be a huge staple in the evolution and design of PC games during that time period. Back when Eidos didn't rely on a out-of-proportion raider of tombs to rake in the revenue, Eidos was the mastermind behind some pretty stellar PC titles back in the day. Deus Ex was...well damn good. It had an interesting story, great graphics for it's time (I still think they hold up today, personally), impressive voice acting, and true immersion. I'm not talking about seeing the sweat on your character and dust flakes in the air. I'm talking about a world they didn't feel like it was built around you, a world that reacted to what you did as a character, from determining the fate of a sick man begging for the sweet release of death to being scolded for going into the womens' restroom. So I've decided to reinstall it.



I knew right from the start when I booted the game that I was when for something special when I heard that awesome theme song. However, I couldn't help but feel I was missing something. A little menu option that starts with an "M." I knew I had it the last time it was installed, but what was it.


I'm pretty sure that the missing mode had a little something to do with this.

That was it! Multiplayer! Well, after some Wikipedia searching I finally learned that the mode came with a patch. One quick download and install later, and I was online! Well, I didn't know what to expect at first. Old games like this are usually heavily modded, so I didn't know if I would be getting a normal experience or not. But, damn, newer games are pale in comparison to older games. Call of Duty 4's perk system is basically a total rip-off. The normal "augmentation" powers that the single-player game granted you were all here, and you got to pick and choose where each one went. Not only that, but you had the stats for running, jumping, accuracy, etc. (But not for "DMG" which added a little bit of realism and meshed the FPS aspects with the RPG aspects). Plus, doing things other than killing people, such as hacking or lock-picking, gave you skill points to spend on augmentations.


Augmentations are like this, but with more guns.

Though this game is very special to me, it does have it's problems. Though the single-player game only had a few, (Where in the holy hell is that GODDAMN EMP GRENADE!) The multiplayer feels well though out, but rushed. There is absolutely NO hack shield whatsoever. Hackers must be kicked by the people in the server. Also, unless the guns are restricted, get a GEP, a sniper, and a assault rifle/shotgun. The game even separates the weapons for you, with one window showing all the sucky weapons and the other with the ones you will actually use. One last thing, if you spend skill points on anything, upgrade your; well BE, but it really is just another word for MP; your energy shield, and your speed legs augmentation, as those are the only really useful ones. Oh, and get really, REALLY good with a sniper rifle. If not you are going to get fucked up.

Anyway, it was pretty fun. I took some getting used to, but I started to understand how to use augmentations efficiently, and I learned the way of the rocket snipe (Rockets can be zoomed in as much as a sniper rifle and include a lock on, making them very deadly). Other than that, it was a pretty much standard FPS, though something that deserves at least one match in multiplayer. However, just recently I found a server with a mod that could revolutionize multiplayer gaming.

It's called the...well I call it the Chinatown mod. It used to be popular back in the day, but now it's hosted almost exclusively by one server: Resistance Clan. In it there are four factions: Triads Luminous, Triads Red Arrow, McDonald's, and Burger King. In game, you start off normally, but you have to go around collecting things like lock-picks, weapons, and clothing. It's very quirky, including the fact that you can use those lock-picks to get in to various shops, including a weapons shop, clothing store, McDonald's and Burger King. Then the player who manages to get into the shops can take clothing off of the rack and use it to don a costume. Then you can collect the things inside the store to sell to other players, since a sign outside of the store will list the prices. There is also a prison that you must wait to be broken out of, and the secret admins' room. Usually there are only 4-5 players, but with large amounts of players and people to run the stores, it can often be a hilarious experience. As evidenced by everybody dressing up as either McDonald's or Burger King, stealing all the weapons, and yelling "Super-size that!" as a battle cry.


Back up, motherfucker! I've got a sword!

So in essence, some old games still have life in them. Besides the shameless advertising of my new favorite server, some things just go to show you, in the case of "Deus Ex Augmentations vs. Call of Duty Perks" that games haven't advanced that far, yet still manage to entertain us today.

(Also, I would like help with creating a blog title. Anyone who has some ideas, it would be GREATLY appreciated.)