E3: Deus Ex impressions

[05.16.00] » Read up on ION Storm's game in the machine.

   Deus Ex, the first-person RPG from ION Storm, was on display at E3 and coming along very nicely. Gamers took control of J.C. Denton in the first level, where his brother Paul informs him of a terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty. The player must infiltrate, but how they do so is up to them. I went for the stealthy approach, crouching in shadows, non-lethally taking out guards with my cattle prod, and searching for a back entrance to the statue. Players at other kiosks were just as thrilled to take advantage of Deus Ex's massive arsenal to go in guns blazing through the front door. One particularly cool weapon was a retractable arm-mounted crossbow that shot tranquilizing darts--perfect for the stealthy infiltration.

   It was hard to get many more details on Deus Ex's gameplay or storyline, but the level designs and voice acting that we saw were great. Deus Ex will be released for the PC this July 2000, with a console release to follow at some unspecified point. With a combination of gameplay freedom, personal choice, and FPS gameplay, Deus Ex should be one to watch.