Andrew Ryan
One Who Chooses
Entirely average , IW wishes it could have been as deep in story and philosophy as the first game, but it never could because..well..you can't have the same impact twice. Deus Ex made me think, IW didnt because all the interesting questions were asked in the previous game.
Obviously the impact isn't the same; nothing can create the same kind of "wow" that a predecessor can. Oblivion was amazing, but Morrowind was more awe-inspiring because it pioneered the open-ended gameplay that was replicated in Oblivion. Bioshock 1 was scarier and more compelling because it introduces Rapture and all its bizarre history while Bioshock 2 - still a great game in its own right - can only add smaller facets to the setting.
I can see your point here in a sense. I certainly enjoy the first of the X-Men movies because it focuses less on raw action and more on setting a tone and for those who appreciate storytelling, realizing that tone is impacting simply put. But I would be lying if I said I rewatched the original one over and over and could never appreciate the others for the value they bring too.
For my part, I felt that the characters in IW were more interesting, the setting far darker, and the gameplay better balanced overall. Playing the first game outside of the 32 MB video card era is frustrating. The enemy AI is pathetic, the weapons are difficult to use because of arbitrary "points system" which determines accuracy outside of my control, and to be blunt - JC Denton is a boring protagonist. Most of the non-player controlled characters were forgettable outside of how they applied to the story.
s it stands im skeptical because i persnally feel, they compromised alot by trying to cater to the console market with the sequal, dumbed down the game mechanic - made it average -.
Here it is again - more vague reasons why IW is inferior. Let me ask you plainly:
- How is IW "dumbed down"?
You mean the lack of ridiculous skill attributes which did nothing to enhance the story or replay value of the game? Biomods, the most unique part of the character customization, still existed and was easier to use as well.
You mean the lack of manually punching in passwords or reading email? That's hardly worth crying in your beer.
Is it the shared ammo? Honestly, while it sounds ridiculous in theory it works well in practice and keeps the player's mind off of "Gee, is that sniper ammo in my super huge backpack or pistol ammo?". Micromanaging inventory is a huge waste of time in many games which focus more heavily on story and character development (i.e. RPGs); so why should Deus Ex cling to that ridiculous concept?
- What is average about IW? So far, here's the unified stance:
1. IW is "average".
2. It's "dumbed down".
3. It's not as "impactful".
4. It's not the "original".
Nothing conclusive. Just nostalgia. The same kind of nostalgia that props up Goldeneye over Perfect Dark when the latter is leagues better in every single way.
Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but I still think it's flimsy justification.
I'm starting to wonder if you ever actually played the original. I would respond but the person right above me has said it perfectly.
I have, the Game of the Year edition. Spent some time with the multiplayer as well, although it was not the best time spent that summer. Was Deus Ex a bad game? No, not by a longshot. Do I feel it deserves the praise it gets? Not entirely. The sequel was a more solid game with regards to how it played and how fun it was. I still replay it at least once or twice a year, and while I have ready access to the original at any time I look past it to play other games.