![]() ![]() In addition to traditional lethal and non-lethal weapons, Adam has augmentations that range from increased strength and temporary invisibility to emotional intelligence tools that activate during conversations. It’s primarily a first-person game with a third-person cover system, a blend of shooting, stealth, hacking, exploration, and conversation. Mechanically, Mankind Divided follows closely in the very competent footsteps of Human Revolution. Most of the game is set in Prague, where they’ve been officially stripped of legal rights and are in constant danger of being shipped off to a slum nicknamed “Golem City.” The rest of the world is threatening to follow suit, and Adam has joined an Interpol anti-terrorism task force that may be related to the Illuminati. Where mechanical enhancement was controversial but hugely popular in Human Revolution, “augs” are now universally feared and hated, after a hack sent them on a global killing spree. ![]() ![]() Adam is back as your protagonist in Mankind Divided, but in a darker world. In Human Revolution, a former Detroit cop named Adam Jensen plumbs a sinister plot behind “augmentations” - advanced implants and prosthetics that enhance users’ bodies and minds. In the years since, the series has evolved into a meditation on transhumanism, set in the relatively near future of the late 2020s. Minor spoilers for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ahead. It was beloved for both the openness of its gameplay and for its exaggerated spin on real-world political issues like surveillance and domestic terrorism, peppered with cultural references that ranged from French situationists to G.K. The original Deus Ex, set in 2052 and published in 2000, was based on the idea that all (or at least all ‘90s right-wing) conspiracy theories were true, including a worldwide UN takeover, black helicopters, and Area 51. Mankind Divided is the fourth major installment in the Deus Ex series, taking place shortly after 2011’s Human Revolution. In some places, it nails that balance perfectly. The entire game hinges on being able to navigate these tensions: between pulp and serious social commentary, between pushing players out of their comfort zones and letting them enjoy the dream logic of video games. I also have giant blades in my arms, have dedicated my life to fighting the Illuminati, and regularly pause during life-or-death missions in order to read my enemies’ email. I am a dryly sardonic protector of the weak in a world controlled by corporate interests. In Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, I am a second-class citizen in a world that once celebrated my existence. ![]()
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