Deus Ex 2

[Gohron]

Does anyone know if this game is still coming out on time (as in the month of November I think)? I'm really looking forward to this release, the first one was definately one of the most interesting and involved Single Player experiances I've had (at least on the PC). The graphics engine is looking really great but the story seems pretty confusing so far.

[NeoZeedeater]

www.dxinvisiblewar.com

December 3rd is the release date for both versions although the demo might be out sooner.

[BioMechanic]

Gamespot recently reported that the game is finished. The Xbox version was recently sent to Microsoft for final approval.

We recently had a chance to take an updated look at the PC version of Ion Storm's upcoming action/role-playing hybrid, Deus Ex: Invisible War, at Nvidia's Editors' Day press event. According to project lead Harvey Smith, development on the game is now complete. The Xbox version of the game has been sent off to Microsoft for final testing, and in the meantime, the team is working on PC-specific enhancements, in addition to already-implemented features such as full keyboard-and-mouse support and high-resolution character textures.

The demonstration took place about halfway into the game, at which point players should be equipped with a full suite of weapons, items, nanotechnology (the game's futuristic version of magic spells), and "biomods," the game's futuristic, ability-enhancing body implants. As Smith explained, Ion Storm hopes that players will creatively use weapons, items, nanotech, and biomods in ways that the developer could never have dreamed of.

Smith showed off two examples of such creative combinations. One of these involved using night-vision biomods, which see objects and characters in low light and through fog and smoke. Our character was engaged in stealthily infiltrating an enemy base and encountered an enemy guard at the top of a ladder. By climbing the ladder and blundering into plain sight, we attracted the guard's attention, then fled back down the ladder. As he pursued us, the chatty guard quipped, "What, did I scare you away?" We then tossed a smoke grenade up the ladder, which obscured his vision and caused him to choke, then turned on the night-vision biomod to draw a bead on the incapacitated guard and eliminate him.

We also watched another example of creative item-biomod combinations at work. Deus Ex: Invisible War, like the original game, features plenty of futuristic gadgets, including the spider-bot mines, which, like in the first game, can be dropped on the ground to crawl around and eventually explode. We used this item in conjunction with the "bot domination" nanotech, which briefly takes control of a robot, then leaves it an immobile, nonfunctioning mess. By dominating the spider bots, we were able to control them from a first-person view to silently scout the corridors of the enemy base, then leave them lying in doorways near enemy guards, where they could then be detonated by regular gunfire.

Smith went on to demonstrate some of the sequel's other new features, including black-market implants, which you can commission in addition to standard, over-the-counter biomods. We watched an especially gruesome illegal biomod in action that created a glowing red sphere of plasma that floated in the air and immediately hovered over any dead or dying enemy bodies and disintegrated them, and subsequently treated damage to our character. Smith also demonstrated the role of the game's environments, which factor into more than just the game's stealth elements, like how the game lets you close a door behind you to reduce the noise you make inside a room, or leave the door open so that you can hide in the shadow it casts. As Smith explained, many environmental objects can also be used as traps--for instance, in the base level on display, we were able to shoot out a nearby gas valve with a shotgun, causing the ruptured pipes to belch fire and set a hapless guard ablaze. We then finished the job with a flamethrower weapon, which caused the guard to run about in circles, screaming at the top of his lungs, before he collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Deus Ex: Invisible War's development is mostly complete. Though some members of the development team are continuing to work on the PC version of the game, most of the group will soon transition to full-time development of Ion Storm's other upcoming game, Thief III. Deus Ex: Invisible War is currently scheduled for release on December 2.

Can't wait, myself - I'll be scoring the Xbox version.

[BioMechanic]

The official site has been updated with a bunch of cool new content.

Also, Gamestop is giving away DX:IW t-shirts with preorders of either the PC or Xbox version.

Next month's OXM is supposed to have a demo (I think video only, probably the same that's on the site), with a playable demo not being available till after the game's release, as far as I've discovered. For what it's worth, OXM has also reviewed the game, calling it "brilliant" and scoring it 9.1/10.

What do you think about the redone HUD? I think it looks really cool - I guess the design is supposed to simulate the shape of the eye. The player can configure its transparency if it gets in the way - nice touch.

In a recent interview, Warren Spector says he thinks IW is hands-down the best-looking game on the Xbox. How's that for hype?

[epmode]

i can't believe this game is coming out so soon. i probably won't have a new pc by the time it's released, so l'll go with the xbox version. hooray for the x2vga adapter.)

[Videodrone]

Shoot, this is coming out soon...and I forgot to ask off from a week of work for the release.

[soundwave]

i played an early xbox demo at E3. Some things I were concerned about was the annoying load times (2 minutes wtf!?) and the chugging framrates (sub 30 fps for sure). I hope they resolved these issues because the game looked great on the system.

[Videodrone]

*shrugs* it was originally a PC title, that should have been left on the PC.

Not that I don't hope it turns out. It's just the style of game is more suited to a PC gamer...it'll probably tank like the PS2 version of the original.

[Mode7]

It's just the style of game is more suited to a PC gamer...it'll probably tank like the PS2 version of the original.

Oh, please.

Explain the success of Morrowind on the Xbox for me, then.

[Andy]

I think it'll probably do quite well on the Xbox. The Xbox market seems very open to PC titles, they've shown a lot of support for most of the quality PC ports.

That said, I'm certainly going with the PC version for sure. The kb/mouse support is enough to weigh the decision, and higher resolution will be nice. This really snuck up just like Max Payne 2 this year.