Enjoyable but terribly shallow - like going into the kiddie pool as an adult. The levels are atrociously tiny and the art direction looks like a saturday morning cartoon in the worst way possible, but there's just enough plot and other fun mechanics (biomods, scavenging, etc) to keep it worth playing.

Brisk's review (see below) is spot on. Although not completely the perfect sequel that we hardcore fans were hoping for, this is still one of the most enjoyable titles that you will ever play. Any game bearing the Deus Ex name is going to be undisputably brilliant, and Invisible War is yet another masterpiece from gaming iconic Warren Spector. In my opinion the original Deus Ex is arguable the greatest game ever made, and those who do not play this sequel are missing out on what is the continuation of a truely outstanding francise.… Expand

A good game for those who've never played the first one, but if you've played DX1, you simply won't get over how terrible this is in comparison, and what a giant leap backward it is. Again, it's a good game, but difficult to enjoy if you're a fan of the original.

All right.

I absolutely hate a lot of the design decisions, the unified ammo, the new biomod system, tiny levels (i blame the 64mb of ram in the xbox), long load times, lack of skills etc. I hated it to the point where I shelved the game for a very long time (over a year), once you get over the shortcomings (in relation to it predecessor) what lies beneath is one of the best gaming experiences out there. An engaging story, intelligent combat, biomods (FTW!!) etc combine to make it a truly memorable and engaging game. It will begin as one of the biggest disappointments to players and lovers (but I repeat myself) of the original game, but about 1/2 way through you will realize that it is truly a deserving sequel. For those who haven't played the original...jump in -you'll love every minute (including the first third or so that the DX1 players will spend begrudging).… Expand

This game in no way lives up to the original. Its horrible and most of the game play elements that made the first one great have been entirely cut out.

Though not the brilliance of the first, IW is still a quality game in it's own right with an ongoing story in a world that feels it is a carry on after the event from the Deus Ex. The gameplay is what let the game down compared to the first. It's still good but when compared to the first game it isn't in the same league.

Very disapointing and frustrating game. Completely unbalanced combat. You are either up against weak and incompetent opponents or over-powered Paladins that you cannot fight because there is not enough ammo available in the level to take them down...so the only option is to run past them to the next area. All the levels are cramped and poorly designed. The AI is non existent; there were loads of times I thought "the AI should not be allowing me do this" or "why is that turret not firing at me? what kind of security is this?". The only feature I like is the option to choose whether to kill or render unconscious you opponents. Generally a pretty crap game overall IMO.… Expand

Okay, so I haven't played the full thing, but I feel confident enough to write out a little review ahead of time. The game looks amazing, and the play style is exactly what I'm looking for in a game, wide open, guns, sci-fi, absolutely beautiful! In another note - I'd like to point out that Alex D. got SCHOOLED by the Ed! Heh, read the part at the very bottom of the link where it says "4 Stars and an EC does NOT equal 80%". Life's good.… Expand

Hey ALEX D. you're forgetting, they also interpret the way they write the review. i guess they eliminate few things that doesn't matter ad doesn't hurt the game. some people could be very picky about stuff. anyways this game is one of the kind...of course after the first one.

You are so dumb to blame half of the limitations this game has on the XBOX. Everything that you guys say is missing on this release due to it being released on XBOX can be found on the XBOX. splinter cell its not like its not inconvenient for an XBOX player as compared to a PC player. I played this game on PC and own an XBOX but to blame on XBOX is just lame. Go .... and make your own sequel to the game.… Expand

Brian L, if you indeed DID go out and buy the game the day it was released, then installed and noticed it's so bad it could rival 007 Nightfire then I still don't understand the 1 rating, you fakster! Rating this game low is like saying you didn't enjoy any part of it, and may I ask if you enjoyed not part in the last Barbie movie you watched? AS for this game, as soon as I get my hands on it I'll play it for a week straight with awe FOR SURE!! … Expand

I am very disappointed to have the sequel to Deus Ex be something as low quality as this. I apologize to the fans, and hope that the lack of graphical detail, gameplay complexity, adequate performance, quality AI, and general lack of polish will not deter you from considering Deus Ex 3. Do not worry, Harvey Smith will have nothing to do with it... we shall make a sequel that lives up to Deus Ex and surpasses this garbage DX:IW in every way.… Expand

This is not a horrible game, but it is also not very good. I'm sure I might enjoy it if I got more than 20 FPS with my Radeon 9800, but I don't. When the graphics look worse than a game a year old but manage to give me half as many frames per second, I know something is very wrong. Add in dumbed down gameplay (one ammo type? no leaning? horrid AI?) and you've got a game that makes me thankful I can return it! Thank you Software ETC!… Expand

A game that led many to have high expectations, but with massive graphic reductions earlier in the year, with questionable design decisions it is hard for a fan of the original to enjoy anything in the game. Worth considering if you like slower paced action shooters, worth avoiding like the plague if you were expecting a worthy sequel to the original.

While it seems like my fellow reviewers are as mindless as the game, I'll try to put a bit of honesty into this section. Nope, this does not surpass the original. While everyone's favorite "hardcore" (haha, sarcasm is fun) gaming mag GamePro claims it's perfect, it hardly is. I noticed most of the people below didn't even buy the game, which explains why they talk about dynamic lighting (looks nice, but has zero effect on gameplay), havok physics (horribly implemented, and has no affect on gameplay, and odd design decisions (one ammo, minimal RPG elements, cramped levels?). If you liked the original, and consider yourself intelligent do not get this game. If you never even knew there was an original, and consider Halo to be the best thing since sliced bread then give this a shot. Consider it the lobotomized version of Deus Ex that chugs along at a horrid framerate.… Expand

I have played the first one. This game is overall decent and well worth getting once around 29.99 or so. It is shorter than the first, but overall compares favorably. I DO NOT like shooters overall and consider myself a wargamer and rpg'er and almost didn't get it after reading some of these reviews. My only conclusion is the negative ones were written by people who had to have a perfect remake to be satisfied. Trust me, Ion Storm did not sell out to the console crowd. Did they lighten the game for it? Yes. But it is still a satisfying game experience (although short - finished in about 15 hours of play with lots of reloads and exploration). In a market of many, many less developed games - I rate this one highly.… Expand

Not as good as the previous one, which is what a lot of people are saying why? 1)they removed the hacking skill - and along with it the fantastic ability to read other characters private emails - one of the best ways the original fleshed out its fantastic story, and the reason I upgraded my hacking skill the highest first I wasted blackmarket biomods on the hacking biomod thing, expecting to be able to do the same, but no 2)The size of the environments is reduced (levels really are tiny compared to the original) - i'd rather not have the fancy lighting in lieu of larger environments than the original - because lets face it - the lighting does little more than look cool - it doesn't affect the gameplay a great deal 3) the story wasn't as good as the original the choice of endings wasn't as good as the original - I chose to kill everyone, simply because none of the other choices had any appeal to me at all.… Expand

Felt compelled to tell you people how much this game sucks because it dosen't support the MX series of Geforce chips SO I CANT PLAY!

Far less than DX1. This should have been better! Visual interface clutter and reduce functionality, GFX requirements means lower resolution and less appealling. simplistication of plot and maps, lack of variety in objectives, no real conflict to complicate player choices, idiotic requirement to be an administrator before playing game, no cheat (except immortality, I like to root about once I finished the game without cheating), some elements suggests incomplete implementation (holographic displays with click-to-use but nothing happens). I am sure than given enough time I could think up more.… Expand

How can't you like this game you just had your expections a little to high.

When I first played this back in 2003, my expectations were unrealistically high. Like many others, I wanted the original Deus Ex with updated graphics, and better AI. Instead, I felt the game had been watered-down considerably, and many of the features that made the original so great (like ATM machines with real pins, a log you can add to etc..) were replaced with simple point & click operations. The graphics engine was also incredibly demanding at the time, and even those with the fastest PC's struggled to keep a consistantly decent framerate. The music wasn't as memorable as the original, and Alex Denton didn't seem to have the dark, gritty qualities that made JC so cool. However, I recently played through the game again. I found myself enjoying it much more when I tossed aside my sentiments of the original, and take DX:IW for what it really is - a reinterpration of the DX universe, which still has a great plot, interesting characters, and the same style of interactivity which made the original so special. If you want to get the most from this game, then play it with the mindframe that it isn't the sequel to the game we all love. You will enjoy it a lot more, and worry less about the faults, and more about the special things that this game has.… Expand

It just wasn't what the hype was all about.

This game definitely suffers from the unfair treatment of the Deus Ex fan community. Of course it is perfectly natural for people to compare this game to its predecessor, but people should realize that a sequel doesn't have to an upgraded version of the old one with prettier graphics and better sound effects. This is the thing at issue here, Invisible War is structured differently from its predecessor and a lot of people are extremely frustrated by that. People should try to overcome that failed expectation and evaluate this game for its own merits. This is a solid FPS/RPG hybrid with a memorable story. You want to be rocket slinging death machine? Then go ahead and be so. Or maybe you want to be super stealthy and avoid killing anyone, you can do that too. You can be brutish and destructive, or you can be subtle and diplomatic. The gameplay has loads of options to chose from, and Invisible War does a better job of portraying that than its predecessor. The story is original, it moves beyond the cliché “a sinister and all-powerful organization trying to take over the world” scenario of the original (although the original did a fine job of telling that cliché scenario). The story of Invisible War asks; “but what happens after that?” What happens to the world after everything people knew and took for granted came down crashing right before their eyes? And your character is right at the center of that story. Yes the game is smaller in scope than the original, due to Invisible War being a multiplatform game (the Xbox couldn't handle bigger levels). The universal ammo is an original and simple idea, but I wish the guns had an ammo capacity and reloading, which they don't so it kind of feels like they magically get a constant supply of ammo. The graphics and the sound effects, yeah they are good in context of the time it was released. I also have to add that, unlike what a lot of people say to the contrary, the music is better than the original. With the 1.2 patch the game is very stable, I played this game like probably 4 times, I really didn't have any problems with it. But at the end of the day, you will remember this game for its varied gameplay and its engaging story; which is why it deserves such a high score, and in my opinion makes this game at least as good as the first one (if not better).… Expand

One of the worst, most bug riddled releases ever to be produced. Thsi game, sequal to one of the best, most open and free-form games ever made is a pure travesty. More over this dispicable nonesense is entirely the fault of Microsoft. Yes, you heard riight. After that big, fat cheque was cashed by the dev team to ensure that the XBOX version got priority, the PC version was destroyed. Because they had to make a powerful, potentially very capable game scale down to the pathetic likes of that hobbled console, we ended up with the worlds ugliest textures, hysterical physics, TINY levels (you cab run across some in 3 seconds!!! Literally!) and totally linear design. This last part alone is inexcusable - Deus Ex was one of the first games to offer real choice and real consequences - In this game, nothing you do matters. It is just a corrider FPS with conversations. There is a reason that Warren Spector (Lead DEV of this game) no longer works in the industry, and this game is it… Expand

Compared to the first game this one is just terrible. It was too simplified, the story was boring compared to the first, and it feels a good bit shorter/easier. It's a game made for the Xbox, and it shows.

Absolutely not a good game, not on it's own merit, -absolutely- not compared to the original Deus Ex. Bug riddled with ridiculously long load times, poorly designed levels and gameplay (universal ammo, tiny clausterphobic levels, horrible interface, few story choices or morality play), and ripped in half to fit on the XBOX console, this is just a bad, bad game, and a hideous example of "money > all" -- Warren Spector would turn over in his grave... the Warren Spector that doesn't suckle the tit of big money, that is. The one that made the original Deus Ex because he wanted to play a fun game, not the one that made this absurd "sequel in name only" to cash in on the console fad. Disgusting.… Expand

This game holds the dubious distinction of being one of the most polarizing titles of all time. People either love it and think it's better than the original, or hate it and tack on words such as "mediocre" "Lobotomized" and "bland". Personally, I fall into a middle camp. I love this game. I love it just as much as I did its predecessor. But, they are not the same game. The mistake many reviewers make (or made) lies in sticking to the purist belief that Invisible War should be measured against the first game, but where do you begin? Depending on your belief, the skills, biomods and inventory system has either been "lobotomized" or "Streamlined". The reviewer's point of view dictates whether the plot is perceived as "dumbed down" or "Punchy". Invisible War should not be measured against the yardstick set by Deus Ex. Their plot is shared, but otherwise they are sufficiently different to warrant being kept apart. Reviewed on its own merits however, Invisible War is a gold standard game, an excellent addition to anyone's library, and classic example of how to tell a good story and tell it well.… Expand

DX2 while nice in concept was awful in many ways. As mentioned, the characters were flat and uninteresting, the systems (like ammo and combat in general) too simplified and the levels far too small. DX2 is a perfect example of what happens when a perfectly good computer game is redesigned into something it shouldn't be... i.e. a console game. The worst part about the game is that even with a powerful system and a good graphics card, the movement still seems clunky and unnatural. I admit, I consider the original DX one of the greatest games ever made and praise it along with the likes of System Shock 2 and Escape from Butcher Bay. DX2 is only a shadow of the original, and even if I give it the benefit of complete separation from it's predecessor, and treat it as it's own stand-alone game, It's barely worthy of a gamer's time. I ended up playing through it twice within about a 3-day period before retiring it to the dusbin of my CD case. While I load up and maybe play through the original about every year or so, DX2 hasn't seen the light of day since.… Expand

Every bit as awful as you've heard, and a complete travesty on an absolutely brilliant original game. The good news is at least this seems to have spelled the end of Harvey Smith's burgeoning game-destroying, I mean game-designing career. I have never despised an individual game developer before, but his ham-handed ruination of Deus Ex was enough to do it. He should be flipping burgers instead, which he's far more suited to (although I wouldn't count on him being able to stick to the complex recipe required of most basic burgers). Hope DX3 is enough to erase this garbage from our collective memories.… Expand

There's several areas that killed the game for me - most notably the atrocious level design. It's definately pretty for it's time, but everywhere is signposted in neon lights that don't actually give off any light. Pictures float where they haven't been aligned to the walls properly. There are holes in the scenery. Doors open in the wrong direction. Everywhere feels cramped and any sense of exploration is absent. Apartment blocks with only four rooms. 'Outdoor' areas that are actually enclosed in 40 foot-high walls. The first moment of disbelief was searching in Make Ballistics for a high-security lab that holds a prototype weapon - it was actually just around the corner from the reception desk. If not bad enough, the short corridor leading up to it ends abruptly before you ascent a short ladder to a balcony, where the lab is located. That's right, no stairs or elevator, a ladder inside a corporate building! This kind of junk should have never got past the planning stage. That said, there is glimmers of the opposite - the Cairo Arcology being notable and use of dynamic lighting. Encounters can be equally awkward. It seems that everyone wants to pour out every ounce of sensitive information they hold when bumping into them for the first time. Even worse, these are often in massive, monotonic paragraphs making these easily forgettable. These issues wouldn't be so bad if the core game mechanics were in place, but the game is shackled in shoddy AI, useless currency, and an almost unlimited supply of multi-tools and health kits to be found in every corner. Below average - another Daikatana. Exactly the sort of game that if purchased after release full price would leave people bummed and swayed toward piracy - and that sucks for all concerned.… Expand

This game can be summed up in five words: awful awful awful awful awful.

Wow, I felt obligated to respond after I saw "J. S." write such a phony review of a game he clearly has never played. If he had played it, he'd know the graphics aren't even in the same league of games like UT2003 or Call of Duty let alone Half-Life 2 or Doom 3. If he had played it, he'd know the Havok physics and lighting system do nothing to improve the game. If he had played it, he might have decided to not give it a 10. Actually, looking at most of these reviews makes me laugh as it's clear people haven't even played the demo let alone the full game. 10s? Have you seen the AI, the laughable physics, the shoddy graphics, and horrid interface? Wow, you folks really must have bad taste in games if that gets a 10 from you. Or maybe... maybe, you thought this was a 1-100 rating scale? If so, then yes... 10 sounds about reasonable.… Expand

I cannot believe this is what came to be the sequel of one of the best games ever. They took out all of what was good, made bad AI even worse, and then locked the framerate at under 20 on high end systems. I'm not sure to laugh or cry... but this is one very mean joke on the parts of Ion Storm. Where's Deus Ex 2? This is garbage.

Well, I tried to give Ion Storm the benefit of the doubt on this game, but sadly this game lived up to the expectations created by the demo. I won't bother to list the myriad of things wrong with it from console dumbing-down to unified ammo to pathetic AI, because they've all been said a million times now. And they're true. That is to say, one of the worst FPS games I've ever played. I tweaked the graphical settings and it's still a dog. I tweaked the control settings and it still plays so poorly that in the end I gave up and turned on auto-aim just to slog through the story to see if at least that part of the game was good enough to warrant playing the game. I haven't finished the game, but yes, the story is quite good so far. That's the only reason I gave it a 4, but at the same time it also makes it that much more of a disappointment when you realize how great a game it should have been (and would've been had it not been a straight xbox port with zero additional effort--they couldn't even be bothered setting up the ini files properly for a PC).… Expand

Yet another disappointment to add to 2003's roster. Throw in the Matrix sequels and it just hasn't been a good year. What's to say that hasn't been said ad nauseum a thousand times already? The game is a sick joke, primarily (though not only) because frankly, it's a second-rate console port. The game design decisions (unified ammo stands out as a good example) are so unfathomable, detrimental, and brainless that it really is a marvel. Suffice it to say DXIW is an awful, incredibly disappointing gaming experience for any fan of the original. Console kiddies may have better mileage, but nonetheless, its blasphemed lineage aside, this game is second-rate at best. May Harvey Smith, and the "team" responsible for this travesty, rot in whatever hell might be reserved for programmers who can so stupidly and wittingly betray the wonderful legacy they were given to build on. Resquiat in pace, Deus Ex.… Expand

Deus Ex the first kicked ass and so shall Deus Ex: Invisible War.

I've condisered the original Deus Ex to one of the greatest PC games ever. I was very excited to get my hands on the sequel. I didn't read any reviews before buying because I knew I'd buy it anyways... Boy, do I regret that decision now! DX2 Invisible War is one of the worst sequels ever in PC gaming. Eidos absolutely butchered this release. The game crashes to black screen causing me to reboot about 10 percent of the time. The game looks like a console. The game handles like a console. Invisible War has been dumbed down to console level. I could go on and on with the gripes about this game but I won't. I now very scared about how they'll butcher another of my favorite games, Thief. Thief 3 I pray will have some redeeming value. Unfortuneately Invisible War doesn't.… Expand

Briliant!!!

Unfortunately, not a great leap forward from the original, but a small step back... The shooting is now much more enjoyable in IW than it was in DX. Even going around the Tarsus Academy picking off Order Seekers with my weedy pistol was better than trying to hit those NSF terrorists on Liberty Island. The augmentation system has been revamped, with the new name Biomod. In my opinion both it and the weapon mod system are both far easier to use than in the original. But what's bad? Well the subtitles are gone, so while the random conversations between NPCs still occur, sometimes you can't make out what they're saying. Also, too much choice? Perhaps. But still, it and the original are the two best PC games ever to make it into my disc drive - may they continue to do so.… Expand

I dont understand why people didnt like this game. Ok yes the first one was better.....but this one has some genius ideas, graphics that still look amazing in 2005(it was made in late 2003), and a good plot with 4 endings. The pros: Graphics, new augmentations(Bot Domination is my new favorite), a new great story, reoccurence of characters from DX1, more open ended in terms of choosing which side to follow(you are never forced into anything like in DX1). The cons: about 40% long as the original, too easy(i beat it on normal dying about 5 times the whole game), TINY LEVELS(the first one had HUUUGE levels! Lower Seattle is about 200 sq. ft!), and yes there are some console aspects to it. However I agree with Chris B. on one thing that this game IS a PC game, the only real console-ish aspect is the level size. An amazing game.… Expand

Oh hell no. It runs fine on my machine, but gameplay that involves backtracking through areas over and over, through mulitple loading screens, is just stupid, horrible design. Yuck. Shots fly through people without hitting, the AI scripting is abysmal, the optional quests are dull, and the gameplay is repetitive. Loved Deus Ex, hate this.

Admittingly, Invisible War does not even deserve the 10 I’m giving it… but people hate it for all of the wrong reasons. Loading screens, of all things, is the worst reason to insult a game. HL2 has horrendous load screens. That doesn’t make it a bad game, does it? And as far as story goes, neither story was actually ‘good’. Deus Ex just dragged events out to increase gameplay, there are many times I can ask “why am I doing this” and get no response. (some ‘motivational’ interest but it often feels like ‘because I told you to’.) IW does the same thing… you just randomly jump between maps doing seemingly meaningless tasks as the story progresses. And what is with the insults on ‘universal ammo?’ Technically speaking, it will happen (in reality). But the reason you hate it, is most obviously because you can’t aim. If you take the time to take good shots you would never run out of ammo, and that’s the only reason TO complain. The complaints just stack up to the point of absurdity… but the end result is Deus Ex fans hate the ‘sequel’. And as a sequel, quite frankly, this sucks. Everything’s sort of patched together to ‘make’ the sequel. The weapon selection is very omni directional (meaning there are only a few weapons you would use). Biomods are a bit more ‘useful’ than they were with Deus Ex, but this time they have less impact on the game (besides getting TOO MANY biomod canisters). There are far too many RPG elements (or rather RPG Zones) meaning that you’ll be hearing more story and exploring than anything else. Of course, you can just shoot everyone, but I tend to hold my moral standards a bit above mass homicide.… Expand

This game has so many bugs it crashes, fails to reload games, freezes up, gets stuck in loops when replaying dialogue....completely frustrating and ruins the play.

Though nowhere near as deep as the original, and suffers from a few over-simplifications even for a console shooter, the game still provides a pretty good experience where player decisions matter, and shooting guys is fun.

This is the worst shooter I have ever played, bar none. The original Doom was more sophisticated. I am glad I only paid $15 for it. Deus Ex was awesome, but this is a steaming pile.

"A game people either love or hate" - well, I think they love and hate it for all the right reasons. Brainless, heartless, but not gutless - it's pretty much a straight SciFi-FPS with a DX story, fun to play if you skip all the boring, badly acted conversations (if it weren't for those looong level loading times!). The new augmentations are a real improvement, but I'm missing a really difficult setting - the enemies are as brainless as in the original DX. And nobody has come up with a "hardcore" mod for it. We have yet to see whether DX3 continues the trend, but it's funny how the Tomb Raider series has become obsessed with "character", while Deus Ex is heading the opposite way. To explain the "brainless" part in DX2: You don't get different story threads or conversations based on choices you make, the secondary NPCs have only 1-liners, there are no computers to hack or secrets to uncover, and the whole DX moral framework is missing - so what you end up is a dumbed down version of the almost living world DX1 created. DX2 isn't remotely in the same league as its predecessor, but it is better than the Matrix sequels 2-3 compared to The Matrix. It has a strong storyline that adds an interesting twist to the plot - to kill JC - and a new brand of enemies that DX3 will use too, the biotech-haters aka "Templars" (I think it would have done both DX1 and 2 a lot of good to rely less on ancient mythology, it just sounds so ridiculous). DX fans have to accept to the fact that great things rarely come in series, the classic Star Wars and Alien X-logies excluded. I don't doubt that installment 3 will disappoint in some ways, too. Hopefully it will take the series into new territory.… Expand

I am absolutely a Deus Ex lover; I have played the original game many many times, trying every single possible path to the finish. When a sequel came out, I was delighted to hear it, and bought it as soon as I could. Invisible War is a perfectly adequate game; it certainly is fun for a good while, and its freedom of choice gives it (at least to me) great play value. However, it has several elements which take away from its gameplay value considerably. First of all, and most noticeably, the engine is a load of baloney. It worked quite well for Thief 3, but it just makes everything in IW look terrible. Quite honestly, I think that they were looking a little bit ahead of their time; I don't think that the world was quite ready for full real-time dynamic shadowing. On today's hardware, it is perfectly playable, but on the hardware at the time, you had to have a pretty good graphics card to get any kind of decent performance. The second huge issue was the universal ammo system. I truly believe that whoever came up with this system should lose their job; it was a terrible idea, in that it drastically changed the ideas most players have about "ammo conservation". You couldn't save up good ammo to use on a boss or tough situation, because the ammo was all the same; you might use up all your ammo with the pistol before you actually need to bring out the big guns. And, it led to a homogenization of the weaponry which was really bothersome; all the weapons look exactly the same! There's no variety! Though difficult to explain in detail, I think most players will understand what I mean when I say that the universal ammo system really bites. Lastly, the greatest issue in the gameplay: the user interface. To put it bluntly, IW has possibly the worst UI of any video game that I have ever played. It looks bad, it takes up half the screen real estate, it makes things like, oh I don't know, different types of ammunition, completely impossible. The bad UI also made impossible certain elements which made the original DX so great, like keypad entry, or the original hacking system. Though the other elements are possibly forgivable, the terrible UI makes IW simply a pain in the butt to play. There are many other little things, as well; seasoned DX players certainly will miss the distinction between lockpicks and multitools. There are no more skills or skill points, which takes away an entire RPG dimension from the game. The storyline is pretty terrible. The bottom line is this: IW could have been really, Really good. With more modern technology, DX could have been taken into a whole new direction that would have made the game even better than it already was (which is really saying something!). But, instead, a series of bad design choices systematically destroyed everything good about the game, and turned it into a sub-par, even-less-than-mediocre sequel which left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Invisible War is quite a disappointment to the seasoned DX player.… Expand

As a huge fan of the original game that picked this up late I think I managed to avoid bloated expectations and after reading a few reviews I knew it was a different kind of game. I would agree with the statements of most people , the world wasn't as big and the story in some ways less complex but the atmosphere was amazing, as if you had been dropped into Blade Runner/Code46. especially the Cairo level standing out to me with nice touches throughout. a complex thrilling game with a bit too much fan boy backlash that sunk it.… Expand

Even if it's only half its prequel, it still deserves 10.

Quick update having just played the demo: Those of you still wondering whether to get this game might be better served by not playing this first demo. I would liken it to introducting someone to football (soccer) by making them watch Sky's player cam; you get an idea of what playing the game is like while having no idea what football is or represents. This short demo has unfinished graphics (I hope), almost no AI and a single level of a game that is meant to be one long immersive story and hence feels reather contrived. Many people will download it wondering what the big deal is to be confronted by an average FPS shooter - if you have no idea of the depth of the DX games, most of the subleties in the demo will remain hidden to you. I think games like this should stick to videos rather than demos to sell themselves.… Expand

Compared to dx1, this sequel reaks of the stench of console. Ion Storm, like so many corporations and people nowadays, could care less about substance over style. Ion storm used to have my respect as a game developer; however, after playing this joke of a sequel to one of the greatest games made, and then being lied to by Warren Spector in regards to not dumbing- the-game-down when it9;s obvious they programmed the game using the lowest common denominator(xbox), I will never again buy a game developed by this company. I assume they are going to butcher, oh, excuse me, STREAM LINE thief 3 so the xbox kiddies will like it. I don't mind being lied to Ion Storm, just don't piss on my face and then tell me it's raining....sell outs!!!!!!!… Expand

The game has minor flaws which should and can be overlooked.Stop comparing it to DX1 and enjoy it for itself,there is just too many cry babies out there who are not satisfied with anything.Spend a few minutes tweaking instead of bitching and maybe you will get a pleasant surprise.

I don't care what Warren Spector has to say this game has console written all over it. I can just read his mind now "aaa they bought and liked the first one they will surly go out and buy this one no matter what crap we give them". Computer Gamers Everywhere Revolt!!!!!!!!!!

Is it better than the prequel? No! Is it worse? Absolutely NOT! DX2 is an entertaining game, full of complex plots and story twists, packed with atmospheric graphics and dense locations. The unfied ammo doesn't bother me at all, 'cause like in DX1 you will have to think before you shoot. Can i afford the SMG? Or have i to use the baton? Or should i simply sneak around? It's the ole good DX1-gameplay! And to all those anti-console-fanatics: the interface is clean and simple to use. You hate it, because you hate consoles, and not because it's not useable (which it isn't after all!). Think about it and open your mind a little bit! Give DX2 a try, you will not regret it.… Expand

A very sad day for computer gaming. Deus Ex stood out because of the character modification (through both skill and biomods), the large complex environments, and the flexible gameplay. In this lobotomized sequel, most of the fun elements have been removed, leaving a sad, dreary-looking console port. The character drawings just look dumb, and the physics engine doesn't make them look any better after they've been killed. Skills are gone. "Universal ammo" is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever seen anyplace. Possibly the worst sequel in the history of sequels. … Expand

I haven't played this game yet ( I live in Europe... ), but I am a huge fan of the first Deus Ex and I just can't believe you guys who gave it 1, 2 or 4! I am sure that I will like it and with full confidence I give it 10. Spector, Smith and the other guys at ION can put bad console-like interface into the game, or uselessly simplify the ammo or do anything else, but they just cannot make a crappy game!( I hope so ) 10. I'll like it even when everybody says 'it's a total mistake'. 10. … Expand

Okay, first off for those of you upset at my first 'review' please notice the words, "hope" and "predict" - that's right, I wrote it as a 'PREview' (some two days before the demo was released). /Rant over. And now for my REview (ahem). Okay, so there will be two types of people who are going to read this, 1. the people who (like me) played and adored the original, and 2. the people who never heard of the original and are wondering where the hype came from. If you are in the 2. column, feel free to skip to the last paragraph. For the rest of us, let's hold off on the knives until we have examined the game a little more closely... Firstly, no this is not the prequel; DX1 inherited much from the likes of Thief and System Shock 2 (game dynamics and menu system), presonally I enjoyed sorting out my inventory, remembering passwords and keycodes, managing coutless types of ammo and counting my skill points until I could remove my sniper-shake. Almost all of this complexity has gone from IW and the blame has fallen squarely on the Xbox. The graphics on the original were let's be honest, a bit poor, I expected great things from this (something just behind HL2 and Doom3) but again, the Xbox limitations are blamed for poor visuals. I happen to think this is unfair, sure it is a bit of a system hog, but it runs well on my 2G AMD with 9800pro at 1024. The most important thing to realise with the visuals are, 1. Remove the damn 'bloom' feature - it's awful (and still doesn't do what it's supposed to do - wait till HL2's HDR...) 2. READ THE ION STORM FORUMS. Can't emphasise that last one enough. But what of the game - assuming it runs smoothly enough and we geeks can get over the fact that we have so few slots and only one type of ammo... Well I 'm beginning to think that perhaps it is not completely the Xbox's fault. Think back now, WHY did you love the original so much? Was it the inventory? Graphics maybe? Possibly the AI? Or maybe it was that you felt so much a part of an unfolding storyline that you couldn't care less what the game played or looked like? As a point of interest, when I first got DX1, I installed it, played it for 10 minutes and left it alone for five months before giving it another try. So what of DXIW? Okay, the graphics are not next-gen; no astronomic polygon count and badly in need of tweaking and patching; but the dynamic lighting (best since Blade of Darkness) Havok (such fun throwing things around), ragdoll-physics (such fun throwing people around) are superbly implemented. The weapons are only really tools that help you accomplish your goal, rather than the glossy graphic,ever-present at the bottom of the screen that you yearn to replace with a bigger one. The levels - well, they are environments, not paths with strategically placed guards, they are laboratories, hotels, clubs - places with backdoors, air conditioning (lots of that), stairs, locks, basements, roofs... The more you play this game the more you realise that the makers stripped away the geeky anorak of DX1 in an attempt to reveal the beauty that unerpinned the original to an audience that the orignal could never reach - they try to give unscripted, non-linear, player-centric gaming to the masses - not the elite (or 'Illuminati' as I like to be called). Yes there are bugs - I hate the breaks for loading (yes, blame the Xbox), the actual functionality of the ingame menus is very annoying (Xbox, thanks), the game engine needs polishing for performance (but then again, we would still be waiting for it otherwise) and a few other gripes besides those. But is it any good? Would I recommend it as I did in my preview? Yes and no. It could have been better, and I personally would have been just fine had they forgotten about the Xbox all together. But this is Deus Ex - there are no other games like it... I will give it a mark (probably not 10) but in truth the mark is all but irrelevant; THERE ARE NO OTHER GAMES LIKE THIS - developers simply don't care enough to duplicate the formula and really, it deserves to be in it's own category - something like ,"Immersive Interactivity" or "Other World Experience" or "Patient Computerised Living". No, this game is not perfect - break it down and criticise it if you will - but I think I will stand by my conviction that one day, all games will follow the road first trodden by Deus Ex. DXIW, given some faults is still the second step on that road.… Expand

Okay, first off for those of you upset at my first 'review' please notice the words, "hope" and "predict" - that's right, I wrote it as a 'PREview' (some two days before the demo was released). /Rant over. And now for my REview (ahem). Okay, so there will be two types of people who are going to read this, 1. the people who (like me) played and adored the original, and 2. the people who never heard of the original and are wondering where the hype came from. If you are in the 2. column, feel free to skip to the last paragraph. For the rest of us, let's hold off on the knives until we have examined the game a little more closely... Firstly, no this is not the prequel; DX1 inherited much from the likes of Thief and System Shock 2 (game dynamics and menu system), presonally I enjoyed sorting out my inventory, remembering passwords and keycodes, managing coutless types of ammo and counting my skill points until I could remove my sniper-shake. Almost all of this complexity has gone from IW and the blame has fallen squarely on the Xbox. The graphics on the original were let's be honest, a bit poor, I expected great things from this (something just behind HL2 and Doom3) but again, the Xbox limitations are blamed for poor visuals. I happen to think this is unfair, sure it is a bit of a system hog, but it runs well on my 2G AMD with 9800pro at 1024. The most important thing to realise with the visuals are, 1. Remove the damn 'bloom' feature - it's awful (and still doesn't do what it's supposed to do - wait till HL2's HDR...) 2. READ THE ION STORM FORUMS. Can't emphasise that last one enough. But what of the game - assuming it runs smoothly enough and we geeks can get over the fact that we have so few slots and only one type of ammo... Well I 'm beginning to think that perhaps it is not completely the Xbox's fault. Think back now, WHY did you love the original so much? Was it the inventory? Graphics maybe? Possibly the AI? Or maybe it was that you felt so much a part of an unfolding storyline that you couldn't care less what the game played or looked like? As a point of interest, when I first got DX1, I installed it, played it for 10 minutes and left it alone for five months before giving it another try. So what of DXIW? Okay, the graphics are not next-gen; no astronomic polygon count and badly in need of tweaking and patching; but the dynamic lighting (best since Blade of Darkness) Havok (such fun throwing things around), ragdoll-physics (such fun throwing people around) are superbly implemented. The weapons are only really tools that help you accomplish your goal, rather than the glossy graphic,ever-present at the bottom of the screen that you yearn to replace with a bigger one. The levels - well, they are environments, not paths with strategically placed guards, they are laboratories, hotels, clubs - places with backdoors, air conditioning (lots of that), stairs, locks, basements, roofs... The more you play this game the more you realise that the makers stripped away the geeky anorak of DX1 in an attempt to reveal the beauty that unerpinned the original to an audience that the orignal could never reach - they try to give unscripted, non-linear, player-centric gaming to the masses - not the elite (or 'Illuminati' as I like to be called). Yes there are bugs - I hate the breaks for loading (yes, blame the Xbox), the actual functionality of the ingame menus is very annoying (Xbox, thanks), the game engine needs polishing for performance (but then again, we would still be waiting for it otherwise) and a few other gripes besides those. But is it any good? Would I recommend it as I did in my preview? Yes and no. It could have been better, and I personally would have been just fine had they forgotten about the Xbox all together. But this is Deus Ex - there are no other games like it... I will give it a mark (probably not 10) but in truth the mark is all but irrelevant; THERE ARE NO OTHER GAMES LIKE THIS - developers simply don't care enough to duplicate the formula and really, it deserves to be in it's own category - something like ,"Immersive Interactivity" or "Other World Experience" or "Patient Computerised Living". No, this game is not perfect - break it down and criticise it if you will - but I think I will stand by my conviction that one day, all games will follow the road first trodden by Deus Ex. DXIW, given some faults is still the second step on that road.… Expand

No, its not as good as the orginal - but yes, its still worth checking out -MAJOR FLAW : the graphics engine sucks, big time and it crashes alot on my high end system.

I really cannot think of much more to say than simply; this is one of the best games created recently. It is not the "glorious breakthrough" of its progenitor, but in that regard only about 10% of any games produced in this day and age have anything to do with storyline or a real decision-making process on the player's part. Compare DX2 to other games currently on the market, and tell me it warrants any rating below a 7. This game holds a magnificent story, allows the player to actually think instead of pull the trigger and jump excessively (which is probably why a lot of imbeciles out there are griping), and said story is actually rather daring considering the recent state of world politics. Bravo, Ion Storm.… Expand

Short, simplfied, ugly, and uninspired. If you are a fan of Deus Ex and MUST play this game, then wait for the bargain bin.

I loved the original, but because everyone seemed so disappointed in this sequel I didn't buy it until I saw it for a low price. Now I just don't understand what people were talking about, as this is a fantastic game. There are some things that are very different than what fans are used to from Deus Ex, and there are some things that aren't quite as good as they were in the original, but Deus Ex: Invisible War still features the clever gameplay, the feeling of actually being in control and the interesting story of the original. This is a must-buy.… Expand

- picked up from the budget basket - great story & graphics - patch 1.2 needed for decent framerates Would give 8 points but: the game wouldn't work on a benq dw1600 dvd drive because of copy protection (DVD version only)! Beware! It's a shame that this hasn't been given atention by Eidos! Running on a cheap lite-on dvd rom works okay however.

There are definitely problems in the game, and nostalgic fans will probably be disappointed by how many changes they've made to the Deus Ex formula. Invisible War's pros: has one of the most engaging dynamic stories in gaming to date that will keep you addicted until the game's end; the graphics technology that powers the game is amazing (seeing every object in the game be affected by dynamic lights is nice!); the sound is extremely impressive (the game is fully voice-overed and it isn't bad at all, and every object has a differant sound for colliding into things); bio-modding is simple and fun. Invisible War's cons: levels feel very claustrophobic and are very small; too frequently will you have to load; load times are long; framerate is choppy (even on high end computers); At best, the A.I is about as smart as a small dog; Combat is never that thrilling, which encourages you to avoid confrontations. While there are definitely more cons than pros, the game still keeps you entertained. If you are an avid fan of Deus Ex 1 like myself you'll probably get quite abit out of this game, but it's definitely not the same experience you got out of the original.… Expand

Invisible War seems to get trashed by many fans of the original game because they feel it got dumbed down, or console-d. Personally, I never liked the original game much - i thought it was clunky (especially when it came to combat). Invisible War was fighting an uphill battle. It needed to fix some things about the original that many people didn't like, such as the combat, interface, and obviously the graphics. Unfortunately, many Deus Ex fans expected the exact same game but with updated graphics. To me, they mostly succeeded. Invisible War has incredible graphics - it needs a fast processor and video card to run well and look good. The interface is much easier and quicker to use than the original (thankfully), and the combat is much more in line with a FPS game. The story is deep, long and involving and the level design is magnificent. I enjoyed this game from beginning to end, and i'm a gamer who DESPISES dumb console games - folks, Invisible War is a PC game with PC controls, graphics and depth. It's one of the best FPS games ever. Is it as good as the original? Yes, but it's different.… Expand

No need in repeating the complaints of everyone else who gave it a <5 rating. But: Did anyone else notice the way the characters' arms never managed to quite come to rest at their sides - hovering several degrees short of a natural position by their sides? Was it due to the horrible not-quite-anime styling they seemed to have adopted? Or was it to make the arms stand out for the low-resolution of the console? Or was it because they rushed it out and didn't bother to rig the models properly? I suppose it doesn't matter, given the other horrific elements of this game.… Expand

This game is perfect. The only reason people keep giving it average scores, is because nothing will live up to its predecessor. You can't compare Deus EX 2 to a game like Deus EX, even if it is the sequel. The first Deus EX was like the holy grail of video games when it first came out. It set new standards in the gaming industry at that time, and showed us a whole new level of gaming we had never scene before. Its as if everyone expected them to do it again, when it was more important to continue the story and carry over the standards set before in the first game with a newer engine. That’s how this game should be judged, not compared to our reactions when the first one came out. The game plays very smoothly, I never had any problems with it. The story is well told, you can play as male or female, and there are even multiple endings, each with its own cut scene. True… you don’t get some super ownage sword like in the first game, but there are other highlights like better AI, better graphics, better user interface, new weapons, great voice acting, being given a choice in which skills to invest in, etc. Just like in the first Deus EX, you can make choices that will effect game play. I had fun going back using saved games, and choosing differently to see what would happen in a lot of situations. Great game that’s severely underrated. Two thumbs up!… Expand

One of the best! The game lets you be very creative in how you complete your missions. You can play this game over and over, and the outcome can be different every time. Graphics are good, physics are awesome. Storyline can be confusing, but still interesting.

There is great hope for this game and with good reason given the original. With the use of Havok2 physics and realtime lighting with the latest 3D cards, expect the graphics to be outodone only when HL2 and Doom3 eventually come out. But don't hold out for HL-redefining gameplay in it's sequel, don't hold out for a gripping ride in Doom3 either. Make no mistake; the makers of DXIW for all their efforts to make the game visually amazing, have concentrated on true, open ended gameplay which will help mark a watershed in gaming (being x-platform will also help). I predict that this game will help guide the future of computer gaming; the ability of the player to enter a world that they have full control over, where their decisions actually have impact on both environment and plot. Tell all your friends, get them to tell all theirs; even if you have to beg, steal or kill, get this game; witness the future of gaming first hand.… Expand

I can't even bring myself to finish the game. The overall look has lost the grit that made the original so real, and the menu navigation has become a pain.

Sometimes sequels work others they don't. This game is a shame because of how good the original was. I still have hopes the upcoming game does justice to how great the original was.

I recently bought this in a Deus Ex offer, DX1 and DX2 for a few £. I absolutely loved the original when it first came out and I still do. But this, "sequel", really has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. The gameplay is mundane and unexciting, the storyline is plain boring and uninspiring and the game design is just plain bad, objects falling through floors?! Despite all the problems that DX1 had with it's ambitious game design, DX2 doesn't even come close to being as good as the original. Pleased I didn't pay full price for this one and at least I've got the original to make up for it.… Expand

I gave DX1 a 9, so this will get 8. What makes it slightly worse, is the level design that is somehow a bit ruined for the xbox. But it think this sequel also has one strength compared to the original: the plot runs smoother, and something important is always happening. The levels are not so boring long as in the end of original Deus Ex. Traditionally I'm a console hater, but universal ammo seems good to me, as I never enjoyed masturbating with 10 types of different ammo.… Expand

A huge step down from the original deus ex. It's hard to believe that it's even by the same developers. There is still an interesting story, and there is some options. Unfortunately the world is tiny, and the lack of larger hub style, gameplay approach laden levels/worlds makes this less of a deus ex game, and more of a deus ex spin off. A good game? Absolutely. Holds a candle to deus ex and human revolution? Not even vaguely.… Expand

The game is not bad. It's not as good as the original Deus Ex but I still enjoyed playing it. Most levels still had that Deus Ex feel to them which I really enjoyed. I think people compare this game too much with the original game giving it a too low score.

Unlike many other PC players of this game, I enjoyed this quite a bit. It is hard to take issue with most of the criticisms, so why did I enjoy it (I still do, actually)? It may be a measure of how much I wanted the story to continue. I wanted to hear Paul and JC again. A junkie going through withdrawl doesn't quibble about the quality of his fix, he just wants his fix!

DX:IW is a chronological sequel to the original Deus Ex...but that's where it ends. Where the original game was an exhibit of outstandingly balanced gameplay, ingenious mechanics, and exemplary writing, DX:IW nearly completely lost sight of all of it. Writing was thin and with a minimally-engaging plot and stilted dialog, made worse by generally mediocre voice acting. Graphics, despite mechanically improved over the original, are poor; while the original DX suffered from old technology and limited polygon counts, it nevertheless created a visually arresting gameworld through creative use of what it did have to work with. DX:IW had access to better technology and while textures looked better and objects smoother, the overall effect seemed weaker than the original. The blame from this can be laid at the feet of parallel development -- the simultaneous design requiring the system be technologically dumbed-down to survive on a console killed it. Worlds are small, load screens are frequent, and scene-setting -- the placement of elements in the world that one would expect to see and, thus, improve the realism and feel of the game world -- nearly nonexistent. The console development impetus also resulted in an inexcusable compromise of the game's core design: choice. The option to go stealth, combat, or anywhere in between was largely eliminated, turning DX:IW into a more ineffective run-and-gun requiring (and allowing) little finesse. Players of the original Deus Ex frequently complained bitterly that the game had been dumbed down and rightly so; compared to the original, DX:IW is a weak, watered-down, unfulfilling game that seems to exist only to keep the name flag flying. But, taken on its own, DX:IW isn't an awful game. On its own merits, DX:IW does allow for some creativity in planning and flexibility in strategy -- not as much as its predecessor and definitely not as much as is successor -- but enough to distinguish it from a basic run-and-gun. In short, worth a pick-up from the bargain bin (where it can still occasionally be seen) or from eBay.… Expand