Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 screenshot featuring a space marine helmet
Games Everything announced at The Game Awards 2025
Best of 2025: Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed "We are hard to beat": 9 months since Assassin's Creed Shadows, its associate director looks back on what makes this RPG the best in series history
physint art showing a man in shadows
Action Games After Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima says he can make stealth games "while sleeping," so to amp things up Physint will "blur the lines between film and video game"
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead says "anyone who's a fan of our story" should read the French novel that inspired it
Upcoming PS5 games: A picture showing screenshots of Resident Evil 9, Monster Hunter Stories 3, Black Ops 7 and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Adventure Games Upcoming PS5 games: New PS5 games for 2025 and beyond
Divinity Original Sin 2 skeleton mage curling fingers
RPGs Larian says no Divinity: Original Sin 3 plans as new trademarks suggest Divinity reveal at The Game Awards
Assassin's Creed Shadows review gameplay showing Yasuke overlooking the sea and lush green scenery
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Shadows lead teases "things that are set up" in the open-world RPG "should keep happening in other projects and evolve" thanks to the Animus Hub
Resident Evil Requiem trailer
Events & Conferences 10 predictions for The Game Awards 2025: Half-Life 3, Resident Evil Requiem, and more on Steam Machine please and thank you
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Shadows associate director has a hot tip for the next Ubisoft studio taking on the franchise: "Pay more attention to parkour as its own pillar"
Clockwork Revolution screenshot showing the player character in conversation with a mechanical NPC
RPGs Fallout and Wasteland veteran calls his new time-hopping RPG Clockwork Revolution "the most complex game I've ever worked on," teases we've only seen "a tiny glimpse" of what it's about
Exodus
RPGs Mass Effect veteran's Mass Effect-style sci-fi RPG sure looks a lot like Mass Effect in its new trailer
Upcoming Xbox Series X games header image featuring State of Decay 3, Fable 4, The Outer Worlds 2, and South of Midnight
FPS Games Upcoming Xbox Series X games for 2025 and beyond
A screenshot shows a landlord holding an ice cream cone in the game No Law
FPS Games A story-rich open-world FPS with Max Payne and Cyberpunk 2077 vibes? All right, you have my attention, No Law
Screenshot of mother and daughter from new Divinity game trailer
RPGs Larian's next RPG is a new Divinity, and it's "even larger than Baldur's Gate 3"
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2's next 4 arcs are being discussed by Arrowhead, creative director promises to "deliver a bit more often"
Trending
  • Best Games of 2025
  • The Future of Total War
  • Fallout Season 2
  • Gift Guides
  • New Games for 2025
  1. Games

Deus Ex: Human Defiance - What we want and what we know

Features
By Jason Fanelli published 1 March 2013

The revolution won't be televised again

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A new Deus Ex is overdeus

A new Deus Ex is overdeus

Square Enix recently put in a new trademark application for "Deus Ex: Human Defiance." Some speculated that this could be the Deus Ex movie we've heard (so little) about, but we don't think that's the case. No, we believe that Human Defiance is a new Deus Ex game.

As we ponder the idea of another foray in human augmentation land, we present 10 things that the next Deus Ex game should include. As much as we enjoyed Human Revolution, there can always be "augmentations."

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12
Bring back Adam Jensen

Bring back Adam Jensen

Adam Jensen is a certifiable badass. He is literally a human butt-kicking machine, augmented with more gadgetry and weapons than any normal person should have. He was the perfect hero for Human Revolution, and we can only assume he'll be perfect in the next game.

It also helps that he was voiced by the amazing Elias Toufexis. The phrase "I never asked for this" wouldn't be the Internet joke it is without Toufexis voicing the character.

Page 2 of 12
Page 2 of 12
Give us more tools to make stealth fun

Give us more tools to make stealth fun

Part of Human's Revolution's success rested on the blending of stealth and shooting. Each situation could be solved multiple ways, however it always seemed like shooting our way through was just easier.

We want more of an incentive to take the stealth route, and we want more tools to make that stealth seem easier to achieve. Cloaking and silent steps are a good start, but we could use a little more to become the ultimate cyber-ninja.

Page 3 of 12
Page 3 of 12
Enhance the upgrade system

Enhance the upgrade system

The upgrade system in Human Revolution is a thing of beauty, splitting upgrades by body part and allowing us to pick and choose at will. Still, we always felt like we couldn't upgrade everything; we had to forego some augments we really wanted in favor of more practical enhancements.

We're not sure if the number of enhancements should be scaled back a bit or if there should be more opportunity to obtain more Praxis points, but we'd like to be able to give every enhancement its due. So what if we become an over-powered hero...isn't that the point?!

Page 4 of 12
Page 4 of 12
Include more obvious tie-ins to other Deus Ex games, especially older games

Include more obvious tie-ins to other Deus Ex games, especially older games

We know the original games came out almost 15 years ago, but that doesn't mean we've forgotten about them. Human Revolution did have some references to the predecessors, but old-time series fans didn't get quite the nostalgia fix they were hoping for.

Maybe we could run into J.C. Denton or meet with agents from UNATCO or MJ-12. We've already seen Bob Page in the opening of Human Revolution, why not give him more time? There are plenty of avenues to introduce some more old-time references, we just hope they'll be taken.

Page 5 of 12
Page 5 of 12
Set it after DX:HR, but before original games

Set it after DX:HR, but before original games

Human Revolution takes place in the year 2027. The original game is set in the 2050s. That's 25 to 30 years void of any Deus Ex lore, aside from in-game documents referencing those years. Why not put the next game right in the thick of it, further entwining the original concepts to the games of now?

The only way we'll agree to something after the original is if it's a complete re-imagining of Invisible War, because that game sorely needs it.

Page 6 of 12
Page 6 of 12
Let us explore new, larger cities (but make them just as detailed)

Let us explore new, larger cities (but make them just as detailed)

Detroit was an urban jungle, covered in the homeless, the sick, and the police. Hengsha was a sprawling metropolis on top of another sprawling metropolis. Both were majestic urban landscapes...but we know things can go bigger.

How about one city instead of two, but that city is the size of Skyrim? If the devs prefer multiple cities, how about some under-appreciated urban areas? Philadelphia comes to mind; it's the birthplace of America for cripes sake, why isn't it in more games?

Page 7 of 12
Page 7 of 12
Get rid of the boss fights

Get rid of the boss fights

Human Revolution's boss fights were, for lack of a better term, the proverbial turd in the punch bowl. They felt completely different from the rest of the game, they really added nothing to the story, and some of them were far too easy. We found out later that the boss fights had been outsourced, and that made a lot of sense.

If the big confrontations will serve no purpose, we don't even want to see them in the game. Leave them out, and find another way to challenge us. Don't do this again.

Page 8 of 12
Page 8 of 12
or make them make sense

or make them make sense

The only DLC for Human Revolution, The Missing Link, did have one boss fight at the end. However, its inclusion made far more sense in the overall scope of Deus Ex. We didn't have to bombard Pieter Burke with Typhoon ammo; we could be stealthy if we wished, or we could have bypassed the fight entirely. this is the way a Deus Ex boss fight should be!

As long as a new Deus Ex game follows the lead of The Missing Link and not the example of the main game, we should have no problems with bosses. Otherwise...ughhhhh.

Page 9 of 12
Page 9 of 12
Bring back Michael McCann for the soundtrack

Bring back Michael McCann for the soundtrack

Michael McCann's score for Human Revolution is sorely underrated. Every song is a masterpiece, from the energetic "Icarus - Main Theme" to the haunting "LIMB Clinic." There isn't a single song we don't like--even the main menu music gives us chills.

If a new Deus Ex game truly is in the works, McCann better have been the first person called for sound. His work on Human Revolution is far too good for him to be left out of a sequel.

Page 10 of 12
Page 10 of 12
Multiple, more varied endings

Multiple, more varied endings

For all the rage and multi-colored cupcakes that Mass Effect 3's ending caused, it's a wonder Human Revolution didn't have it even worse. There are four endings, yet all of them are the same piece of video with different voice-overs. Identical. Videos.

Look, we don't mind the "push a button" final choice at the end of Human Revolution--we get that choice. However, we want more from our endings than the same footage over and over, especially when there's a achievement for watching all four endings. Give us something we want to watch!

Page 11 of 12
Page 11 of 12
Our deus expectations are high

Our deus expectations are high

So, what do you think? We have high expectations after the recent prequel, and hope to see a next-gen Deus Ex in the near future. What sort of stuff do you want from the game?

And if you're looking for more, check out origin stories for game characters that you didn't know you wanted and the 100 most anticipated games of 2013.

Page 12 of 12
Page 12 of 12
Jason Fanelli
WHY HELLO THERE! Name's Jason, hailing from right outside Philadelphia. I've been playing the vidya games for well over 20 years, starting with the NES and making my way all the way up to the Wii U. My mother tells people that I taught myself to read at age 3 using Wheel of Fortune Family Edition on the NES. I'm the type of guy that will try anything once, but I do have a few favorite genres, fighting and RPG being at the top. I've been writing about video games since I finished my Broadcast Journalism degree at Temple University in December 2008, mostly for www.gamernode.com. Since then I've been to three E3s, two New York Comic Cons, the first ever PAX East, and many more to come (I hope). I hope everyone enjoys my stuff as much as I love producing it. Hit me up on Twitter @bigmanfanelli, I love talking games with anyone and everyone.
Read more
A screenshot compares Deus Ex 2000 to the upcoming remaster
Deus Ex Remastered announced, coming to PS5 in February to remind players 2000s RPGs were cool as hell: "Proceed with caution"
 
 
Deus Ex Remastered
Deus Ex Remastered is indefinitely delayed, and you know what, that might be for the best
 
 
Exodus
New sci-fi RPG from ex Mass Effect devs shares "some DNA" with BioWare's beloved series, but also Sony's Horizon and Nintendo's Metroid
 
 
Deus Ex Remastered screenshot
"Getting a GTA Trilogy demaster feeling about this": Deus Ex Remastered is meant to be a 2025 upgrade, but fans aren't impressed by PS3 visuals when Deus Ex GOTY Edition is right there
 
 
A close-up of the poster for the upcoming game, Physint.
Physint: Everything we know about Hideo Kojima's new game
 
 
Exodus
Mass Effect veteran's Mass Effect-style sci-fi RPG sure looks a lot like Mass Effect in its new trailer
 
 
Latest in Games
where winds meet how to leave a guild
How to leave a guild in Where Winds Meet
 
 
Feebas in Pokemon Legends ZA
Pokemon Legends ZA Feebas location and evolution explained
 
 
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil 2 lead Hideki Kamiya gets sucked into hot uncle Leon fawning
 
 
The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6 didn't make an appearance at The Game Awards 2025, and the RPG community is once again in shambles
 
 
Peak
Peak devs didn't win anything at The Game Awards, but they "still had a PEAK year" - just don't "hit Bing Bong up rn"
 
 
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 3 hopefuls have their dreams of sequel crushed by lack of news at The Game Awards
 
 
Latest in Features
Year in Review: The Best of 2025 main listing image for Best Movies of 2025 featuring images from Weapons, Superman, Sinners, and The Long Walk
The 25 Best Movies of 2025
 
 
Divinity
Larian's new Divinity game might mean a pivot back to classic RPGs and I can't wait to see it
 
 
The title card for Forest 3 shown during The Game Awards
Forest 3: Everything we know so far about the upcoming survival horror game
 
 
Artwork of Total War: Warhammer 40,000 showing a Space Marine, Orc, and Aeldar fighting on top of a mound of corpses
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 big preview: Inside Creative Assembly's ambition to develop "the seminal Warhammer 40K game"
 
 
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic – Everything we know so far about the new Star Wars RPG
 
 
Highguard screenshots
Highguard: Everything you need to know about the new F2P shooter
 
 
  1. Key art for Skate Story showing the glass skater boarding through a dark underworld filled with spikes towards a door of light
    1
    Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
  2. 2
    Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
  3. 3
    Sleep Awake review: "An all-timer horror premise is let down by tired stealth that I feel like I'm sleepwalking through"
  4. 4
    Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review: "The series' atmosphere has never been better, while being dragged down by a boring overworld and clunky psychic powers"
  5. 5
    Routine review: "This imperfect but wonderfully atmospheric moon-based horror leaves a strong impression"
  1. Freddy Fazbear in Five Nights at Freddy's 2
    1
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  2. 2
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  3. 3
    Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
  4. 4
    The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
  5. 5
    Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
  1. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
    1
    Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review: “Can the Duffer brothers stick the landing? It’s sure looking like they will”
  2. 2
    Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
  3. 3
    The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
  4. 4
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  5. 5
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...