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Now that Deus Ex has been cancelled, what other games scratch the Deus Ex itch?

It's kind of sad that one of the greatest video game series is on hold for now.
Conspiracy theories, multiple ways of solving a mission, game lore hidden in computer inboxes...
Are there any (pre-2010) games that gave you the same feeling or do a similar thing?

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  • It's not quite as deep down the solving missions without bullets rabbit hole, but STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl is ripe with disturbing mystery and conspiracy. It gets darker and weirder with each abandoned secret lab that you explore, and as you get closer to the center of the Exclusion Zone. I wish I could replay it again for the first time.

  • As one person mentioned, EYE Divine Cybermancy. Not sure if it's pre-2010, but it's good. Iirc it was originally intended to be a Warhammer 40k game, but the devs couldn't get the license. As such, Warhammer 40k fans in particular will probably enjoy it, even if all the Warhammer 40k specific stuff has been stripped out or reskinned.

    A post-2010 game would be Cruelty Squad. Looks and sounds like shit, but the gameplay is fucking amazing and the crustiness makes sense in the context of the game's world. It's set in a "final-stage" capitalist/cryptobro hellscape where you work as a for-hire hitman. There are no good people left, morality is dead, and death is only temporary. Don't worry about collateral, everyone's evil in some way, so go gas a cruise ship to kill a mob boss and don't feel bad about it. Features an augmentation system which lets you use your appendix as a grappling hook or install an organ to generate ammo, so it's more biopunk than cyberpunk, but damn the game is fun. I know this is patient gamers, but it's worth the full price. Trust me, sire.

  • Ctrl Alt Ego is new, but is a fantastic immersive sim. If you want pre-2010 though, you're limited to System Shock 1 and 2, Thief Gold/2: The Metal Age, Hitman: Blood Money, and the original Deus Ex.

    Immersive Sims are coming back, but pre-2010 cuts you to essentially the formative classics of the Immersive Sim genre.

    If you want to branch out of the strict boundaries of Immersive Sims, Fallout: New Vegas and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines are both incredible.

    • Added Ctrl Alt Ego to my Steam Wishlist - never heard of it, great tip!

      • Indies are absolutely crushing it, especially in the ImSim scene. Not an ImSim, but In Stars and Time recently blew me away with how much I loved the characters, even if it was cheesy.

        I'm a half-patient gamer, I play older AAA and AA games, and newer and older indies. It's a good mix!

  • Doesn't check all the boxes, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater hits a lot of notes, most notably in the boss fight department.

    3rd person, Cold War spy, stealth, action game

    • A hunger mechanic that effected performance (stamina and at around 50% would affect aim or have stomach growls that would alert enemies) and could get food via hunting, trapping or stealing and in a few situations could be used offensively
    • Camo system
    • Majority of the bosses that you could defeat lethally or no lethally
    • Medical system was pretty nifty, not fully realistic doing first aid during battle, but had the spirit of battle injury management
    • Can get a lot of lore tidbits here and there by being stealthy and eavesdropping either being nearby or using a longe range listening device and by communicating with your operational support

    And there is probably other systems I am forgetting ( played it on a ps2 many moons ago). Seems there is a pc version but appears to be a port and with a controller requirement, but otherwise I thought it was a loaded game for its time ( released 2004)

  • You should play / replay Splinter Cell. Espionage, stealth action, some techy tools. Really would like to see this series or something like it return.

    There's also Metal Gear, Shadowrun, and the lesser known Anachronox produced by Tom Hall of Doom.

58 comments