Deus Ex
Deus Ex is a series of role-playing video games, set during the mid 21st century. Focusing on the conflict between secretive factions who wish to control the world by proxy, and the effects of transhumanistic attitudes and technologies in a dystopian near-future setting, the series also includes references to real-world conspiracy theories, historical mythologies and philosophies, and provides a commentary on capitalist values and division in society. The first two games in the series were developed by Ion Storm, and subsequent entries were developed by Eidos-Montréal, following Ion Storm's closure. The Ion Storm games were published by Eidos Interactive, and all Eidos-Montréal media was published by Square Enix until 2022, when ownership was sold to Embracer Group.
This article is about the video game series. For the first video game of the series, see Deus Ex (video game). For the dramatic device from which its title is derived, see Deus ex machina.Deus Ex
- Primary
- Ion Storm (2000–2003)
- Eidos-Montréal (2011–2017)
- Other
- N-Fusion Interactive (2013)
- Square Enix Montréal (2016)
- Feral Interactive (macOS, Linux)
- Eidos Interactive (2000–2003)
- Square Enix (2011–2017)
- Feral Interactive (macOS, Linux)
- Sheldon Pacotti (DX1, IW)
- Mary DeMarle (HR, MD)
- Alexander Brandon (DX1, IW)
- Michiel van den Bos (DX1)
- Michael McCann (HR, MD)
- Sascha Dikiciyan (MD)
- Dan Gardopée (DX1)
- Reeves Gabrels (DX1)
- Bryan Rudge (DX1)
- Ed Harrison (Breach)
Deus Ex
June 23, 2000
Deus Ex: Breach & Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – VR Experience
January 24, 2017
The series consists of six games: Deus Ex (2000), Deus Ex: Invisible War (2003), Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011), Deus Ex: The Fall (2013), Deus Ex Go (2016) and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016). The series has been generally well-received by critics and sold over 14 million units worldwide.
Gameplay[edit]
A unifying element across the series is the combination of gameplay styles from several different genres, including action role-playing, first-person shooter and stealth.[10][11][12] Role-playing elements are mostly linked to augmenting the character in a specific way, spending skill points to create characters that can be focused either on stealth or combat, or a balance of the two.[13] Player choice is a key feature of the series, with the actions of the player character affecting both the world around them and the way non-player characters (NPCs) react to the character: depending on which faction they belong to, NPCs might praise and be helpful, chastise, ignore, or even attack them.[10] This emphasis on player choice is most evident in Invisible War, where players can choose the gender and skin color of the main character before starting, and have the option of running quests for and allying with four possible factions within the game.[14]