Nowadays, we take multiple narrative paths and player choices for granted; games like The Walking Dead and Mass Effect have made them effortlessly commonplace. Back in 2000 though, choosing your own story in video games was almost unheard of. Enter Deus Ex, a game which succeeded in putting power back into players' hands. Nearly every problem in the game had different solutions, allowing for players using different skills to get around. In fact, getting through a certain way would render some of the game's content inaccessible, greatly increasing the game's replay value. Most importantly, there are consequences to actions within the game - killing certain people or completing an objective a certain way will change how people treat you; it was pretty revolutionary at the time. So, inevitably, a sequel followed. Despite being well received critically, Deus Ex: Invisible War was trounced by fans. The game's storyline revolved around a conflict between two groups over nano-augmentations (tiny machines which give people superhuman-esque abilities) and at one point, your character has to decide which group to side with. Sadly, this huge choice affects little and that's a common theme throughout Invisible War. That sense of consequence was lost and the game felt significantly worse as a result. Fans have also criticised the game for featuring too many loading screens; for removing some of the game's RPG elements like the skill-point system; for featuring a ton of game-breaking bugs; for poor level design; for poor AI; for poor inventory systems... basically, nothing in this game has gone uncriticised by those who cherished the first game. Despite rocking a respectable 80 on Metacritic (85 for the Xbox version in fact), Invisible War will forever be renowned as a dud by a large section of the Deus Ex fanbase.
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
