🚀 go-pugleaf

Mike Noren <mike_no...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message news:<lk39mu4op6b2rrunr...@4ax.com>...
> I've bitten the bullet, and am playing it right now.
> 
> My impressions so far (I'm currently clearing out a hangar at the NYC
> Airport):
[snip]
> 2) Story? What story?

You are hardly getting started at this point. What you've been through
so far is just a warmup.

> 3) Depth? What depth?

Comment again when you've finished the game a few times trying out
different styles of play.

> There's only been one minute plot twist so far, in that the UN troops
> have turned out to be evil occupants flying around in black choppers
> and releasing gene-tampered viruses on the unsuspecting public,

That's incorrect - investigate some more.

> whereas the Patriot terrorists are really the nice guys trying to
> bring the antidote to the poor and homeless. I'm sure everyone was as
> surprised and shocked at this turn of events as I was <cough>.
>
> There's been ample leads the UN troops are also in league with, or
> perhaps controlled by, space aliens wanting to invade Earth. All the
> more reason to stay on the UN team!

LOL! You need to finish the game. Oh, and watch the introduction
again.
 
> The only thing missing now is a What Man Was Not Supposed To Meddle
> With plot twist, and I can feel one coming on. Other plot items
> looming overhead is a fight against Hermann the bio-engineered german;
> the tragic death of my lawful good brutha; and a fight against version
> 2.0 of Me, whose existence has been hinted at in some emails.

It looks like you haven't read any of the strategy guides or
walkthroughs. If so, good for you! Your speculations inadvertently
support the premise that Deus Ex has depth in story.

> Maps are laid out so that there are always two routes to the goal: one
> big freeway lined with gun turrets and enemies, and one air duct you
> can crawl in to get through behind the enemies back. Whenever one runs
> into heavy resistance, you just have to start looking for that air
> duct or secret passage.

Deus Ex allows a huge variety in play styles - multiple ways to solve
most any problem depending on _your_ style. Most reasonable approaches
will work. You can go in guns blazing like a Terminator - or ghost
through maps unseen by your opponents. There's a depth that isn't
obvious until you've played through a few times.

> So far, ten or so hours into the game, it plays like a much sneakier,
> much darker (literally), somewhat prettier, and quite a bit less
> interesting version of Half-Life, with rather unimpressive weapons and
> irritating micro-management of the inventory. 

What do you find irritating? Personally, I think Deus Ex has the best
inventory system around. Do you realize that _any_ item can be
assigned to the 9 quick access slots?

> ... The rpg element, the character development, has so far been purely 
> cosmetic.

Perhaps it seems that way. But, as I said before, you are hardly
getting started. The most important choices for character development
are yet to come. You've probably already made a few - initial skills,
that first augmentation - but haven't played enough to really
understand how much they matter.

> ... The background
> info seems solid and well researched (relayed via hacking computers
> and reading newspapers strewn about - I have to hand it to the writer,
> he actually managed to predict the future fairly well).
>
> Hopefully the story picks up speed & momentum later on.

;)
 
> Incidentally, I selected the black guy for hero, and he looks exactly
> like Wesley Snipes in Blade. Coolness point awarded.