Why Do People Like Deus Ex

My Twitter: / pfassett
Patreon: / stratedgy
The How and Why of Deus Ex
For this video I tested two people who have never played any Deus Ex game before, and I found that on both occasions, both participants took the crossbow, believing it to be the safest bet, and when they used it to put someone to sleep, they found that it didn’t work the way they thought it would. Which makes sense. The guards when shot with a tranq dart, immediately turn and start shooting you.
People expected them to at least react to the sensation first. See most people associate getting shot with a tranq dart like getting stuck with a needle. We would at least look to see what we’ve been shot with before we turned to look for who shot them. The other issue is that the enemy automatically knows where we are and starts shooting. As players now, people at least expect to have to be discovered before someone starts shooting in random directions.
In a game of this tone, we tend to require a bit more of a simulation than an action game. If we get the jump on an enemy, we have come to expect a certain result. For me, I can’t think of a game that had done that before Thief. Hitting someone from behind with a club or a sword, or a carefully placed arrow, almost always resulted in a one hit incapacitation. In Deus Ex, it causes a minor annoyance. Except if you use a gun. A gun appears to be a one hit kill if you get a headshot, but with the addition of the shrinking crosshair, appeared to overwhelm the two participants.
Sources
arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/0...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_...
www.giantbomb.com/warren-spec...
www.ign.com/articles/2017/07/1...

[@GoreTorn16]

A few things to point out: 1. The Baton is never mentioned and it is a very effective tool to one hit knock out bad guys. 2. There is a tutorial level in Deus Ex called "Training." This gives the player a good idea what is to come and how to complete objectives, test some weapons, etc.

[@grahamcavan588]

Every time you mention Deus Ex someone reinstalls it.

[@Sheppards1984]

Too true :)

[@blackfox9102]

I have reinstalled it already

[@Karackal]

The same can be said for Vampire: Bloodlines.

[@smoochytehruiner]

Right you are. Reinstalling Vampire:Bloodlines now.

[@lupahole]

I thought that was Vampire the Masquarade: Bloodlines...hehehehe

[@UndeadBug]

I will never forget Desu Ex

[@UndeadBug]

Never

[@Amber57499]

Fuck me running, two weeb top comments. Awful

[@512TheWolf512]

you win the internet

[@jcdf2]

One of the best games I ever played.

[@elkillerRMD]

I love that game and I can't stop playing it T.T daaamn Lovee it!! It's like a little part of my life.

[@MandaloreGaming]

God damn this is quality

[@salokin3087]

MandaloreGaming good to see ya homie

[@scorcoz]

YOU need to do a review on this game. There isnt enough analysis on youtube about it

[@BoleDaPole]

He never hearted this lol

[@StratEdgyProductions]

Uhh, how did I miss this comment like from 9 months ago. Love your channel man (been watching for a while now). You got some quality vidyas!

[@foreverseethe]

No its not.

[@Stiksta]

People complaining about Deus Ex not having a tutorial? They actually have a good one where you do several courses in your base. You learn how to use several weapons, have to successfully complete a stealth course, hack objects, lockpick things, etc. Then it all culminates in a final challenge that's potentially lethal where you put all the above skills to use in whichever way you prefer, handholding off.

[@Zyklon_B_still_and_know_God]

Yeah lol the tutorial is separate from the main game, at the title screen

[@ncshuriken]

I can't remember the game having a tutorial (sounds almost like you're describing the semi-optional tutorial on System Shock 2) but I DO remember getting in trouble for going in the girls toilets too many times.

[@Heeroneko]

Yeah and making it optional is a godsend. I hate being forced through tutorials.

[@bergaouikais5951]

Exactly what I wanted to say, Deus Ex has a tutorial that you can access at the title screen, like in Half-Life.

[@Tannerj50]

i literally booted the game up to mention this, it's 5ft from the top on the main menu and is literally called training.

[@poiumty]

"Both participants said they wanted a tutorial" This is why Deus Ex has one of the most elaborate tutorials of any video game. Did you miss it? It's accessible from the main menu. "This is a difference between a sandbox and an open world". Deus Ex isn't an open world. That's not what that term means. Open world refers to a lack of loading screens and distinct cut-off levels. Deus Ex uses a nonlinear, multiple-approach style of level design.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

Pasting from another thread about the same topic: "You guys realize I didn't say there wasn't a tutorial, only that the participants were not thrown into a tutorial level first, right? It's a meditation on the importance of showing the player how to do something without telling them outright how to do it, and I break down how the level design of the first level does a great job teaching the player without the need of a tutorial, you just have to die, or fail a couple times to understand it." Also, I didn't call Deus Ex an open world, I called it a sandbox.

[@poiumty]

Either I misunderstood or you didn't point out clearly enough that you were trying to gauge how much the first level teaches the player specifically leaving out the tutorial. But I'd argue it's a somewhat pointless exercise given the tutorial level, which is fully voiced and even has some story as a reward if you find it. I wouldn't call Deus Ex a sandbox either. Unless you'd call Thief or any other "immersive sim" a sandbox.

[@RodniDemental]

Define sandbox and please consider or explain how this game doesnt behave like a sandbox for all intents and purposes. Basically, it speaks for itself doesnt it? You dont need fully open world to behave like a sandbox unless we're operating on different definitions.

[@poiumty]

A sandbox is a (usually) open-world experience where going from point A to point B is tangential or less relevant than having an open space to perform various activities in. Since Deus Ex is a mission-based system with no set activities other than those facillitating getting from point A to point B, and where said objective is the centerpoint of the mission itself, I would hesitate to call it a sandbox. Sandbox games have either some sort of creative mode or activities spread out over their play area. Like a literal sandbox you can play with. GTA, Prototype, Just Cause, even Assassin's Creed are better and more cohesive sandboxes than Deus Ex will ever be. Structured missions with multiple distinct levels that have a beginning and an end make it hard to be defined as any kind of sandbox.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

I can put you in a tiny room and give you a bunch of options for how to do something, like, for instance, Metal Gear Solid 3 and that becomes a sandbox. Sandbox comes literally from the word describing a child's play area, where children use their imaginations to entertain themselves, but a sandbox is a finite, and small area. An open world game is a big open world. Sometimes an open world can be a sandbox, but the two are not mutually exclusive. Sometimes an open world is just a setting that the game takes place in, like, for instance, Sleeping Dogs. I wouldn't call Sleeping dogs a sandbox because there is only really one option for completing a scenario, but it is an open world. An open world is about the openess and accessibility of the areas in that world. Sandbox is about player creativity. Deus Ex allows the player to express themselves in how they play through any given level and rewards that expression.

[@GraveyardTricks]

You always go with the GEP gun at the beginning of the game every time. The reason is because the tranquilizer and sniper rifle are able to found early in the game, but the GEP gun can't be found until much later in the game. So if you choose the GEP gun you can basicly start with all 3 guns if you know where to find them.

[@ericdenq9871]

give me the gep gun

[@robbiea5040]

GEP gun is really good for silent take downs.

[@Kenanm2000]

THE BEST way to do a stealth takedown on Manderley

[@sadjuliy9469]

Lol, and i was like I choose rifle because i'm good at shooting from distance. If i only know gep can kill bots, i will grab it like a hot bun.

[@usern4metak3ns]

Yeah but the gep gun is arguably pointless and excessive. It's a huge item in your inventory (if you don't glitch) it can't be used silently, it has limited use and a lam can do the same thing as the gep gun.

[@NicholasBrakespear]

Correction regarding the crossbow: Guns are not unique in their one-hit kill thing. You were just failing to take into account the fact that the crossbow darts have *drop*. After all, it's a very small crossbow with not much power. When you aim at an enemy's head, even at close range, the bolt usually hits their torso. You have to compensate for this arc; aim slightly above their head, just as you would apply lead to any non hit-scan weapon against a moving target. And if you actually aim properly and hit enemies in the head with a tranq dart? Instant silent knock-out. Also, I don't get the comment about newer games featuring tutorial levels. Deus Ex had a tutorial. The tutorial was even in the demo, so for most of us back when the game was first released, the tutorial was the very first thing we tried. It has some of the most memorable tutorial level music in gaming history. Sure, the game doesn't actually *force* you to do the tutorial... but back in ancient times, PC gamers weren't idiots and grasped the notion that they should probably voluntarily play the tutorial, the same way they might have skimmed a manual. And to be honest, this undermines any "what do modern gamers think of the first level" stuff you might engage in; if they haven't played the tutorial, the experiment is ruined. New players are supposed to play the tutorial; the game was designed around this. It's why there are no explicit tutorial instructions *in* the first level. Sure, the first level teaches you some hard lessons, in a similar manner to Dark Souls' undead asylum, but unlike the Undead Asylum, it's not intended to be the actual entry point for the game.

[@release2]

You can also get a backstab bonus, with any weapon, if you are right behind them. But you have to be physically bumping into the back of their heels. Even if there's only 2-3 feet of air between you and the enemy, then your melee attack (or gun), won't one-hit-KO them. You have to be extremely close. Also works with crossbow. It's not wonderful the way this feature is implemented, but I think the idea behind it (from the designers' perspective) was that if you get right up behind someone in real life (or in a movie), with any weapon, you can execute them with one attack.

[@Shinigami13133]

So, you're absolutely right about the crossbow having drop and a regular dark being a one tap, but I'm not so sure about the tranqs, I'd have to test that for my self

[@Caydiem]

@@Shinigami13133 Tranqs work instantly if they hit the head. Pretty much anyone who's ever played Deus Ex can confirm it.

[@TylerSane5]

Ah the battle of Projectile Bullet physics Vs. Hit Scanned Bullet Physics!! I'm a Projectiles type of person myself lol!.

[@robertsmalls2293]

@@Caydiem I’ve played Deus Ex a lot and I’ve never seen that happen. Not until you get your Pistol skill to Master level.

[@Phagastick]

Weird, I watched this video and after I finished it I realized that I somehow had reinstalled Deus Ex

[@YujiNakaSonic]

You know what I never get? Why ever uninstall it it cant take up that much space

[@Phagastick]

@@YujiNakaSonic 120 gig boot ssd, where there is only about 10 gigs free. And windows 10 requires that 10 gig to update

[@davep8221]

@@Phagastick Deus Ex is worth a new hard drive ;-)

[@TiberiumMineral]

One thing; You say enviro training is useless than go on to say the hazmat suit had no effect on the electrical beams in the garage; Couple of things about that: Environmental training is one of the cheapest skills in the game the only one that i think is cheaper is swimming; At high or max rank things like Hazmat suits and other consumable suits like the Thermoptic camo (A throw back to Ghost in the Shell) and the Ballistic vest become extremely powerful and in some ways down right broken. Normally you would need a Aug to cut poison rad and electric damage but with a Hazmat with a cheap investment you get extremely high resistances for a quite a long time at max rank. (I think its 85% flat reduction at max) The ballistic vest cuts bullet damage and bladed damage down by a similar amount and again has very high duration while being a rather common pickup in the game along with the hazmat. Therm Camo gives you not only cloak but radar cloak as well making you totally invisible to all enemy types at once for a short period of time (Like 20s) While not common you come across a few in the game and don't have to burn energy extremely fast like the cloak does. The rebreather with max rank negates the need for aqualung and swimming entirely. On Hard/Realistic difficulty's the vests are actually extremely strong Ballistic protection aug actually stacks with the vest, Along with Hazmat and Environmental resistance aug netting you a insane 92% damage reduction. Even in realistic with 200% more damage dealt by enemies these combined with regen aug and Aggressive defence system makes you almost invulnerable. By the end of the game JC can literally be super fast near invulnerable DPS god that can take out tens of enemy's at once with ease. The suits are vastly underestimated in how good they really are, And down right broken in some circumstances. With that setup you can facetank a Bot and melee it to death on realistic difficulty. Just another added layer in DX and playstyle overall, There's a reason its widely regarded as one of the best games ever made. PS20 does actually suck though :) It's almost a troll weapon.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

You know what? That is a good point. I've never really tried a run with those skills. I should give it a try on stream or something.

[@ohhcee643]

Swimming is basically a treasure hunter skill, where you get your extra gear in water areas. It also makes it easy to never really need the aqualung aug or rebreathers. It's counterpart is a hazmat replacement, so for one skill you're saving inventory space that could be used more efficiently. And yeah, I do happen to carry two heavy weapons and a sniper rifle all game.

[@seraphic8x532]

The thing about the PS20 is that it was nerfed alongside the Plasma Rifle because it was OP in multiplayer and as they changed the amount of damage plasma "bullets" dealt by a player (NPCs still dealt the full damage) the PS20 was also affected. Before that the PS20 was basically a small "you get one shoot, but it's the shoot" and a cool early peek at what it was then the great power of the Plasma Rifle.

[@raduarghiros7364]

The problem is, in the vanilla game, some items did not work properly and once you 'activated' an item (rebreather, googles etc) you could not turn it off. Unless you had good knowledge of the level it was difficult to use them properly. That was more of a second playtrough thing. Otherwise you might end up using an Ballistic vest for only 2-3 enemies. This was fixed in later (fan made) patches/versions and made them a lot better.

[@larsbrown9933]

A few years ago at Comic-Con I was waiting for Line H to file into the building when my friend pointed out Warren Spector standing nearby. Very classy man. I apologized for bothering him and geeking out, he said not to because he had plenty of things to geek out over as well. I remember telling him about how when I was looking for the game years ago a clerk thought I had said "Day Sex." Spector had actually considered this before the title came out and had been amused at the thought of that very thing happening.

[@the9revan933]

Lars Brown Yeah I hear you buddy, my friends in highschool thought I kept saying "Day of Sex".

[@MrDrury27]

Music/Song List: 0:00 Lost Years - Lightbringers 4:50 Lazerhawk - Redline 9:37 Mega Drive - I Am The Program 18:50 Miami Nights 1984 - Accelerated 21:39 Chromatics - Tick Of The Clock 26:11 Ladytron - Seventeen

[@Megatog615]

you'd think this would be in the video description at least. does strat-edgy have permission to use these?

[@MrDrury27]

@@Megatog615 seeing as the credits song got cut off, I'm thinking not good taste tho

[@Seegtease]

While Liberty Island may be one of the best introduction levels that FPS gaming has ever seen, the tutorial level is also one of the best FPS gaming has seen. It's very comprehensive and I think the first level was designed with it in mind (but still playable without).

[@StratEdgyProductions]

Desu Ex is a game from Japan where you play a ten year old girl who just got a new school uniform, but upon putting it on, finds that her vagina explodes into a thousand tentacles. Thief next? Also so no one else posts about the tutorial level (which they still will), here is my response to your question in form letter style: You guys realize I didn't say there wasn't a tutorial, only that the participants were not thrown into a tutorial level first, right? It's a meditation on the importance of showing the player how to do something without telling them outright how to do it, and I break down how the level design of the first level does a great job teaching the player without the need of a tutorial, you just have to die, or fail a couple times to understand it.

[@JimBeansSaloonCream]

Strat-Edgy Productions ok

[@JimBeansSaloonCream]

Strat-Edgy Productions makes sense

[@markokrstic3562]

Strat-Edgy Productions Yeah m8 thief is fine

[@noahboddie3482]

Strat-Edgy Productions Seems legit. Let me guess then she loses control of her bankai and enters her demon form granted to her by her magic grandpa.

[@benck7160]

Tiefu*

[@gwenhavoc5414]

The entire first level, including character creation and the UNATCO headquarters, was released as the demo that came on the PC Gamer demo disk way back in the day. Y'know, back when people relied on magazines for all their gaming info. Or had magazine subscriptions, for that matter.

[@JadeCordova]

I remember there were so many issues with players complaining they couldn't get on the boat and not mentioning they didn't have the actual full game.

[@thebatman68]

Yeah I remember, I didn't know what was the game until few years

[@jakew7982]

I played that demo level so much, and passed the demo disc to all my of my friends at school too.

[@geefreck]

God I liked those times.

[@JCBeastie]

Liberty Island is the real tutorial; teaches you everything you need to know about how to play the rest of the game. Daunting at first yes, but once you grasp it the game opens up to you. It's brilliant. Odd you had so many issues with your install, mine works off the original disk, and the Steam and GOG versions. Glitchy audio is kind of common, not had the skipping cut scenes though.

[@the9revan933]

JCBeastie That makes sense. I guess that's why Paul and the UNATCO soldiers were told to hang back so "they" could see what you could do; it gave you breathing room to figure the game out. I first played it on PS2 with frame rate that was probably closer to 20 than 30 so I learned quickly that full on assault was not an option due to the frame rate and the lack of automatic weaponry. I took my time, explored Liberty Island and stealth KO'ed everyone.

[@jorgenolsson692]

That time when I placed a LAM on the wall in Lebedev's aircraft which killed Navarre when she came running in a cutscene - and the game reacted to it without bugging up. "You killed her!" Impressive. Most impressive.

[@greengame9713]

Wait she died during cut scene??

[@DanielLopez-zt4ig]

​@@greengame9713shoot Lebedev a tranq arrow, run to the other side of the plane, when he finally falls Anna appears out of nowhere and goes to Lebedev then you shoot her with the sniper and Alex does not tell you anything because you are beyond the place that triggers his reaction.

[@sorokabeloboka8818]

You forgot another tactic that is presented later in the game: Come on and LAM!

[@uker3508]

its 2020 and we're already seeing these events unfold. scary times man

[@pickelsvx]

I didn't ask for this...

[@laster3753]

@@pickelsvx I never asked for this....* Also to quote the same man: "Yeah RIP."

[@CynicalAnomaly205]

How about some soy food? That always lightens the mood.

[@laster3753]

@@CynicalAnomaly205 You've got ten seconds to beat it before I add you to the list of NSF casualties.

[@themajesticspider-man6116]

@steam driver And here I thought there wasn't single sensible soul in this thread.

[@Arexion5293]

But.. Deus Ex does have a tutorial. It's right in the main menu.

[@HokutoDynasty]

Sad how the game didn't run properly on your computer, you could then have played the tutorial level that explains a lot about how the game works. For example, the Hazmat suit only reduces the damage from environmental hazards such as electricity or toxic gas. In order for it to provide better protection, a player has to invest in the environmental skill. The tutorial also has a very good stealth-based corridor segment where you can experiment the different ways to sneak past enemies without even touching them. I don't think the game was made so that players are directly thrown into the first level without prior explanation.

[@directr4288]

honestly this is the best title misspell ever

[@isimon234]

I like Desu ex and Desu ex: Kawaii Evolution

[@lukablaikie7119]

But what about Desu Ex: Moekind Divided?

[@davep8221]

@@lukablaikie7119 If you mean Mankind Divided, then I loved it. IMO, the second best (of course a distant second.)

[@Yzerbruh]

I didn't really like the sequel "Desu Ex Machinima: Animu Digilution"

[@stormthrush37]

A good analysis on weapon pick at the beginning of the game, however there's an important detail I didn't hear mentioned. The GEP gun is really the best pick at the beginning of the game regardless of your typical play style, if for no other reason than you encounter the two other weapons in level on your own very quickly, while the GEP gun is not until comparatively much later. I typically play low-tech/non-lethal, but despite that I always take the GEP gun, mostly for opening doors.

[@metavormgeving7576]

If you never use it it's useless, get the extra sniper ammo :)

[@Revixy]

Here's a fun fact. There is a tutorial level. If you skip it, you also lose some main story on how JC came to join UNATCO and the introduction to characters prior to meeting them in the main game. So.. for an observation for a person who introduce new people to a game this old, you should've given them the tutorial level. Dues Ex isn't a jump in everything works kind of game after all. You will get fucked over even if you're a veteran.

[@TomasEPC]

desu ex senpai

[@mawchy7292]

Nani?!

[@TomasEPC]

NANI?!?!

[@wrestlingfanman22]

TomasEPC Omae wa mou shindeiru

[@TomasEPC]

hey Revan how's Malak doing

[@toffeecrisp2146]

Watashi wa ondori o aisuru! Itadakamasu!

[@Monicaser]

Strat, thanks for reminding me that I need to replay this gem especially without a certain sword that's ridiculous. Excellent video bro.

[@MEXICAN673]

Moshi moshi Edgy Desu!

[@Aethgeir]

Deus Ex is still at the top of my favorite games of all time. And you're spot on, it's primarily the level design and the multiple paths through it that make it so good. The experience of your test subjects doesn't surprise me though. When I first played the game I found the first level frustrating and I didn't really get in to it until you go to Battery Park. Whenever I introduced new players to the game I always told them to play past the first level.

[@paulvarus859]

best game in the world , i didn't play so much games to judge .... because i'm addicted to deus ex i end it and replay it because this perfect game will never be surpassed and i'll be replaying it for the rest of my life.

[@_Braised]

You didn't really answer your own question as the title of the video though. It was really more 'what was done great in the first level, and have I already mentioned that first pillar?' Don't get me wrong its still a great vid and you show great research and reasoning- it just doesn't match up with what the vid advertises itself as, that's all

[@anubseran4774]

Deus Ex had a tutorial.

[@stackflow343]

A good intro level design, doesn't require a training mode or pop-up prompts. It utilizes the environment and level design in such a way it intuitively directs the player to discover the control scheme on their own. Not only does that reward the player with progress, but it teaches the importance of level approach and tactics.

[@KCGabe]

The synthwave in the background went so well with the video, good job.

[@stormthrush37]

Great analysis of the first level design! Would love to see more analysis like this of later levels.

[@BLIGHTROT666]

My favorite anime game Desu Ex.

[@satannstuff]

"Very careful and very accurate", reporting in. I've never left enemies alive in Deus Ex. I've actually managed to line up triple headshots with the plasma rifle on occasion. There actually is a tutorial that covers basically much everything. Those who have played the game before would likely always pick the GEP gun for a second weapon unless they're going for some sort of self imposed challenge because both other options can be found in the level.

[@dethmaul]

I like to pick the gep gun, because you can get the tranq bow and i THINK the sniper rifle in the first level ANYWAY. So that way i have all three lol

[@JadeCordova]

@@dethmaul Yes the sniper rifle is up the statue

[@stormthrush37]

You make a really great point about why the crossbow isn't as great of a weapon as it appears on paper: it simply doesn't function as you'd expect and ironically is largely at odds with a non-lethal/silent play style, short of your targets being separated by a large distance from one another. I typically play non-lethal but rarely use the crossbow for exactly the issues with it you describe.

[@fatpatorgi]

I love that you went into the actual psychology of difficultly in a game. Well done!

[@hinamiravenroot7162]

Title says "Desu ex"

[@hinamiravenroot7162]

kawaii desu neeeee

[@davecrupel2817]

Morgan Complex that explains all the shitty anime referances

[@ActionGamerAaron]

12:25 Thrown into a what? A tutorial? Oh you mean that thing it offers you when you start a new game? I mean, when you first started playing Deus Ex, did you have someone press "New Game" and skip the tutorial for you?

[@OfficialBiggBenn]

Stellar video. Keep up the good work.

[@allypezz]

As soon as i died the first time in Deus Ex, which was probably as soon as i got to the square pillar, i knew this game was a whole new beast. I liked how it felt nigh impossible to infiltrate the staute of liberty. It felt like a puzzle, and getting Gunther out seemed too much for my 11 year old self at the time. But as soon as the learning curve was learned, boy was it a good ride. Walking into HQ instead of a level select screen was just awesome and Unatco was pretty much the first type of hub level. Great stuff!

[@benmuzz]

“Participants said that if they had a tutorial first then they would’ve felt more prepared...” “Game should have had a better onboarding process” There’s literally an entire standalone tutorial mission complete with instructions from various in-game UNATCO characters, that goes through all mechanics - even stealth.

[@GREATGAIWAIN]

Is this fate? Is it some kind of cosmic divination that made you make this video mere DAYS after I successfully completed Deus Ex for the first time? It's funny that your guinea pigs led you to the results they did because I did almost the opposite of that they did. I went right at the first fork instead of straight. I didn't know about the front and UNATCO until my THIRD play through (that might sound a little misleading though. I had one save I intended to play all the way through and made a second save to play around the level a little more. I ended up liking my second save more and made that my primary before getting curious and making a third, which is the one I beat the game with). I actually like the stealth in Deus Ex. It took me a few deaths to come to grips with it but it works really well. On my first play through, I snuck past most people, only using the prod because I had terrible aim and no desire to shoot people (I am NOT an FPS guy. I actually threw away my pistol and stuck religiously to that prod). You are right about how the guards react though. They shouldn't immediately know where you are and not even attempt to react to what hit them. It's funny though. I didn't know about the safe house so you just taught me something new about the game. It is dizzying how many things are packed into this work of art.

[@Diskhate]

Always nice to see you upload! Cheers from your italian fan ; )

[@jackwalters3928]

Deus Ex is one of these games where I get worried and depressed after playing it for a while, on the thought that it'll end soon. I remember reaching Chinatown and feeling like shit because I knew I was nearing the end.

[@ryancjanus]

Really enjoying your videos, thanks. I bet it's not your kind of game, or maybe you never played it, but this video reminded me of the way I feel about Final Fantasy Tactics. The 3d level design creates many different strategic options, using height as an obstacle (walls), or to your advantage (archers raining arrows from above). The customization of your team is extensive, and there are many ways to compose a powerful group, but some events put you against foes that might overwhelm an unbalanced composition. Might not be up your ally, but if you've never played it, I'd recommend it.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

I... Fucking... Love... FF Tactics. One of my favorite ps1 era games. A bit too grindy for me now with my limited free time, but if I had an injury that would take a month to heal, I would be playing this game non-stop.

[@geefreck]

The end of times befalling, we're long past the apex, yet someone's reinstalling, a game called Deus Ex

[@emeraldwind4897]

This is why this is one of the greatest games today. No stupid navigation forcing you to go somewhere all the time, You get to choose your own path, and strategy. There are so many different tools and weapons to use, it's pretty cool.

[@Parbruek]

What I mainly used my weapons for was sniping grenades and cameras at a distance. I enjoy taking the time to get around the 'human' enemies on the level.

[@java20422]

The game has a tutorial actually, reachable from main menu, that teaches everything from stealth to hacking panels or turrets or lockpicking and even explosive placement / disarm, but not everybody plays it

[@DragonDoomLord]

This was pretty good but damn, that whole stretch about training and tutorials and you NEVER mentioning the extremely extensive optional tutorial the game has was frustrating x3 The analysis of the parts of the map itself and skill use was great though.

[@WillTaplin]

What a game. I didn''t play a ton of PC games back in the day, but I picked Deus Ex up pretty much completely randomly, had no info on it whatsoever prior to seeing that slick looking shiny foil box. Started up the game and thought it was "neat". Totally simple thing but after completing Liberty Island, I was expecting to see like a Doom-esque level stat breakdown, but when it just...went on, and you could go dick around, my mind was blown.

[@FrankAZHP]

Saw this video on suggestions. Good watch. Liked and subbed.

[@BastienAuxer]

Not sure if they just jumped into the game or saw that there was a tutorial level. But does not allow you to mess with all skills.

[@condor-yz6bo]

Would you be open to posting more short stories? I also have never played this game but your analysis really makes me want to try it.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

Yes. They don't do very well, view wise, but it is nice to get my writing out there any way I can.

[@markusmethod]

Will always love this game! Received a demo of this on a disc that came with a Macintosh magazine. Enjoyed it so much that I bough it ASAP. Excellent review, and enjoyed your use of the Chromatics track, "Tick of the Clock," apropos ;)

[@salvatoreshiggerino6810]

You can beat Liberty Island by just holding W and making a run for it all the way to the top of the base of the statue. In fact you can get all the way to the tunnel before LaGuardia without picking up a single item, before you have to use either a lockpick to turn off the steam or hack a panel to disable some lasers.

[@KidCracken]

The first level of Deus Ex is probably the level I've played most in any game.. I love how by making it a square they make a kinda small level feel pretty big, because you don't just travel from A to B and by putting the objective in the middle they make it feel super open, even though there's only like 2 ways to the objective. Amazingly simple and empowering game design

[@TheBestOfAll2010]

Deus.exe fixes the skipping and adds a few nifty things like propper hud scaling, FoV and modern resolutions.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

I actually ended up using that to record this video at the end of the day. It was the only thing that worked without changing anything significantly in the game logic.

[@damian.gamlath]

My goodness this is a great analysis video. And my goodness Deus Ex is the best game ever, but I never even contemplated the game mechanics - I was so immersed in the story that progressing through the game was more like stepping into the shoes of JC and living his life in the game, rather than completing objectives by using skills, paths, strategies etc..

[@maxwelpet]

Another great video. GOOD JOB.

[@baglayan]

Try GMDX, ten times better than Revision

[@TheSuperQuail]

GMDX might be the best mod ever. Faithful to the original but far improved under the hood.

[@paulvarus859]

@@TheSuperQuail idk why but i find revision so great and now i can't play DX without revision mod , some osts are ruined some are better while you still can use any ost you want OG or revision.

[@TrueMentorGuidingMoonlight]

Can confirm. GMDX was everything that Revision tried to be. Revision itself was a just a half-assed graphical overhaul that did nothing but provide an irritating orange filter over everything. Flash forward to today, and we have AssCreed 3 Remastered also having a crappy orange filter for no reason.

[@sexycavetroll2788]

Yeah for sure. Definitely the way to play in more modern times

[@AsianTheDomination]

They both have pros and cons. GMDX locks air vents and secret areas which are supposed to be there for the player. How the hell does someone "lock" a brick in the wall? There's also some pretty cheap enemy placement decisions and simons is now so ridiculously overpowered you're basically screwed if you're a stealth player. Revision wasn't perfect but it has weather effects, less bland levels, 3 ost options and many gameplay options for the player. First time players should stick with vanilla

[@JustLookinkAround]

Well... Who doesn't like a Day o' Sex, am I right? Don't worry, I already slapped myself.

[@UESCBattleDroid]

How to start in Deus Ex. Pick Lockpicking and Electronics for better use of lockpicks and multitools. Depending on whether or not you want a no kill game pick Low-Tech for the Prod and keep Pistol for the crossbow. If not them you can choose between Heavy or Rifle. When talking to Paul ask for the GEP Gun. One of the first enemy of the level has a crossbow on him and there is an enemy with a Sniper Rifle further in the level. There are several weapon mods in the first level including a Silencer very useful for the Sniper Rifle.

[@CSM100MK2]

See? Your serious work is so so good when you don't make a bad joke every minute. This is great.

[@silverscreemer]

Deus Ex did have a tutorial level.

[@HistoMagouri]

Most people won't agree with me, but I think Desu Ex: Invisible Underwear was a worthy sequel to Desu Ex in terms of the story and themes. I'm not as fond with Desu Ex: Kawaii Evolution or Desu Ex: Otaku Divided since I haven't played them yet, but I hope to snag Kawaii Evolution for a cheap price.

[@sexycavetroll2788]

I actually never played it. I owned it years ago but my computer sucked too much.

[@Abdega]

The *Aqua* -lung is useless

[@AsianTheDomination]

Every sequel sucked ass. orange revolution had shit writing and bland gameplay. By the end you basically have every aug because the game hands them out like dog treats. invisible fun has too many problems to even list

[@comicsans1689]

@AsianTheDomination Correct. Invisible War could have been decent had it not been developed primarily for the Xbox and had a good protagonist. Human Revolution turned Deus Ex into Mass Effect 2 (which is a bad thing) and completely thematically misunderstood the point of Deus Ex's story. And Mankind Divided was a further downgrade from Human Revolution.

[@AsianTheDomination]

@Comic Sans I feel the industry became streamlined during the era invisible war released. Nobody took the immersive sim genre further despite the potential it had and now with the insanely high budgets for games it's too late. No developer will make complex maps or code content the player might not see, which is why in hr you've seen everything the game offers after 2 playthroughs. Even bioshock and dishonored dont compare to thief or ss2. They seem to think "massive open worlds" make up for discarding open ended gameplay, when all they do is serve as a backdrop littered with cookie cutter npcs you cant talk to and copy/paste textures.

[@danielhathaway1498]

I chose the GEP gun originally all the way back in 2000. I didnt really know why, it just felt right. Ive now played all the way through dozens of times, picking the gep each and every time. You see, you can get a crossbow elsewhere in the first level, and a sniper rifle shortly thereafter. However, you dont find another GEP until wayyy later, underneath La Guardia.

[@Darkphantaria]

I was already prepped for this game seeing as I was a die hard Thief player back in the day. I had already been taught to be patient and to check every where before committing to an action, I already knew that I had to uncover what every available option was before picking the best one.

[@Ammoniumbicarbonat]

Started playing Deus Ex recently after completing Thief: The Dark Project which I absolutely adored. It's the only game ever where I've died during the tutorial

[@dashontelamarcus1814]

Sekiro

[@GeorgeGabrielTemplarKnight]

Can someone list out all the dope soundtracks used in this video ?

[@vincentbartels1111]

My second favorite game of all time. Absolutely fantastic story and a perfect mix of action and rpg elements. I remember when I figured out I could save Paul and Jock (both died on my first play through), simply by making some different choices, but not choices that were thrown in my face. Also, killing a major character earlier than the game intends for you to (Anna on the jet), and then finding out that was ok to do. Amazing game. I must have played through this 30ish times at this point. No mods or graphics updates. It's a perfect game.

[@the_numb_skull]

I like the idea that Half-Life did, have an optional tutorial level separate from the main game itself in the main menu, that way if people WANT to they can but it’s not intrusive.

[@noneofyourbusiness9813]

Has anyone here played the GMDX mod? Because that mod makes this game very difficult in the best kind of way.

[@soldier7200]

Jared Gradwell I'm playing gmdx 9.0 on hard, first time using that mod and I don't feel it that difficult right now, maybe cause' I haven't got that far into the game yet. It's a great mod with nice features added.

[@XxMeatShakexX]

Everyone hates on swimming and environmental but I took them one run and they pay off real well. They're mega cheap and give you access to stuff like the dragon's tooth a few levels early among other stuff. You miss out on so many unique areas and events if you skip out on that stuff. Also I think a tutorial would ruin this game. You're a fresh agent thrown right into the middle of everything and the world's on your shoulders the first minute in. You go through this insane struggle and the dude in charge of everything at the end of the first mission is... a peaceful guy who would rather chat. This sets up the game as a constant flow of preconceptions getting shattered. Your boss doesn't matter, your organization is a shell that gets replaced constantly while the media says the replacement always existed, everything's so fleeting and manufactured. It becomes a game of figuring out what's real and who's actually honest. The game even sets you up to fail with your character, JC, being so confident and cold in his lines making you think he actually knows anything either and early explanations he gives are there to put your head in certain places so you don't see the twists coming. A tutorial would just shatter all immersion and honestly wouldn't make you any better at the game or prepare you any better. Playing slow and taking caution are the best teachers. Also save scumming but that's for scrubs.

[@toffeecrisp2146]

It did actually have a tutorial, it was just optional, accessable from the start menu, if I recall correctly (which is, in itself, debateable) It pretty much explained everything you needed to know about how to disarm mines to hacking, rendering enemies unconscious etc. It was kinda cool as you are led through each section by characters such as, damn, what was her name... flatlander woman, and gunther and you can see Simons observing your performance.

[@ArtyoumPlays]

There's even a swimming tutorial. Took me several minutes to finish as one of the training ED-209s roaming around the area had recently parted my top half from my bottom half just in the last room.

[@XxMeatShakexX]

Pretty ironic I scrub the game for details and miss the tutorial :~)

[@cvtt3194]

Reinstalled it a month ago after 15 years and it's still as good as I remember. Holds up really well today if you can ignore the late 90s graphics.

[@luiscarvalho7899]

Great vid! I enjoyed that ladytron at the end!

[@Met182]

I much prefer this Deus Ex over the new Deus Ex. Original Deus Ex is probably my favourite video game ever, partly because I'd never played anything like it back in 2000 and partly because of how well designed it was and the replayability of it. I bought Mankind Divided on release day and I've not even got around to completing it yet. It doesn't grab me at all.

[@echelon2k8]

Have you tried the mod Give Me Deus Ex (GMDX) yet? I love the original game, too, but I strongly recommend this mod to anyone for its massive improvement of the original game's AI, among other things. Give it a go if you haven't, you won't regret it.

[@Selvyre]

I dunno, I played Deus Ex because I heard the writing talked up to high heavens for its deep themes, and I left unimpressed, personally. The gameplay isn't my complaint with Deus Ex, mind anyone, because there is a lot of a freedom to experiment with and do things your way (within the scope of the game), but the writing left a sour taste in my mouth. Those deep themes everyone brought up? They took second-row to the first-row's 90s conspiracy action flick, and even if you delve into the themes as the game itself brings up they don't go particularly deep into any of them. It's kind of disappointing given its praise... like people are just praising the themes themselves more than the writing.

[@JadeCordova]

@@Selvyre not deep? Did you actually read the newspapers, books, or info screens throughout the game?

[@Selvyre]

@@JadeCordova If I could rewrite what I wrote 2 years ago, my opinion would remain unchanged. The only thing I'd change is that I would clarify that I speak only for me given how I have grown since then. The problem with "deep" as comment on something's writing is that it's subjective, and for me, Deus Ex wasn't particularly deep. Don't get me wrong, the atmosphere and themes were amazing, and Deus Ex is probably my favorite franchise in terms of gameplay, but the writing has never struck me as deep. It still doesn't. But ultimately, like "pretentious," "deep" can mean something different from person to person. If you found it deep, then I'm happy for you! I really am, and I wouldn't have it any other way, because it feels great to resonate with something, but that didn't happen for me here. And yes, I did read the book excerpts, the newspaper cutouts and the info screens. But to me, bringing something up doesn't make something deep. It's what you do with what you brought up that catches my attention, and all it did for me was get put into the pot of late 80s and 90s conspiracy theory soup and get called good. The endings of the game exemplify my problems with its writing depth by simplifying what their various philosophies entail to the point that there is little in the way of nuance.

[@JadeCordova]

@@Selvyre Well, therein lies the difference: our approach. I played the game without any expectations except for entertainment. The dialogue and all in-game material were top-notch at *the time* (2000/2001) and may seem pretentious to some, but they did tightly hold the many popular conspiracy theories and meshed it quite well into the game. That's the "deep" part for me - the incorporation of the themes into almost every aspect of the game (if people took time to explore). I was too immersed in the gameworld that I didn't have time or inclination to nitpick or breakdown whatever issues I had with the writing while playing. I knew then that the game needed definite endings, so obviously things had to be simplified. As you said, the experience is subjective and I also stick with my opinion since I play games without a hypercritical eye. "I" was JC and nothing with the dialogue or texts jarred me out of "being" the character.

[@gary7867]

"why are you locked in the bathroom?"

[@Paratroopersteark]

i am playing Deus Ex as i watch you talk about Deus Ex. And i am Loving it

[@bergaouikais5951]

Deus Ex is just a legendary game. Another plus I think you should have talked about is the fact that there is no map in this game, you just get some satellite photos sometimes or even a hand made map or whatever, and imo I think this is a huge plus which encourage players explore and discover the possibilities themselves.

[@JavierSanchez-mo2ef]

You can deactivate the gas grenades :-/

[@cooloutcoexist]

Is that some Lazerhawk playing in the background?

[@wrathchild7218]

it's megadrive - i am the program

[@wrathchild7218]

and miami nights 1984 - accelerated

[@DelinquentDemon]

It’s Deadmau5 - Sandstorm

[@vermithraxplays1615]

and the good shit just keeps coming. great video.

[@ladyvoltz]

This game changed my life. I will forever love the cyber punk dystopian future theme.

[@CineRage]

...the game prompts you with an option to play a tutorial level before you take on Liberty Island. The results you got from the people playing for the first time were probably heavily affected by the fact that they never got the option to learn how the game works.

[@Totenglocke42]

CineRage He did it on purpose because he wanted them to complain. Talk about rigging the fucking results.

[@CineRage]

And he has the balls to call it a "study" with "subjects". What an inflated ego. Unless he can come down to the comments to explain himself in feeding his audience misinformation, I'm pretty skeptical about this guy's content now.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

If your goal is to see how the first true level of a game teaches a player, you can't run them through a tutorial. You will bias and skew your data unnecessarily. There is a reason why systems are streamlined now, because people complained about having to be run through a tutorial and hand held, then they would complain that they didn't understand the game, that is why games like Dark Souls teach you how to play the game through clever design in the first area of the game. Also, how do you know I have big balls? It's a medical condition and it's really none of your business.

[@CineRage]

If the tutorial was a scrapped level hidden within the game's directory, then I would be able to see why you'd skip it. But the fact that it's not directly integrated into the story isn't really good enough a reason in my opinion. Deus Ex is from an era of gaming where such a thing was tolerated and even welcomed by new players. Is it clunky? By today's standards, of course, much like a solid portion of the rest of the game. But the developers did what they could at the time to meet and exceed the expectations of their audience. I think it should be judged by those merits. Also, the game is all about dropping you into the middle of uncharted territory. That's pretty much how the game works the entire time and how much of its popularity has been sustained. To have an integrated tutorial would misrepresent the rest of the game's style and cause for a weird imbalance. Oh, and the ball condition. Just stretch out the rest of your body until it's proportionate with what's down there. It may take months, or even years to master, but it is an essential skill held dear by the most talented of wizards.

[@TSF_Ukraine]

+Strat-Edgy Productions Since the game has a dedicated tutorial level (a whole bunch of them, in fact), then it's obvious that the developers intended for you to play through it first, and then jump into the game already knowing about all of the mechanics, thus, it is highly possible that the first actual level wasn't even designed to act as a tutorial level at all, and all the things you've cited as being great or bad at teaching the player about the game might be pure coincidence. And you can't really call coincidences factual results.

[@robadc]

Anyone commenting now has not even seen the video XD. Also Desu Ex?

[@HLima-jk8vi]

You made me wanna try it. I just finished Gothic 1, so I'm used to unforgiven but yet clever gaming design. Greetings from Mexico!!!

[@grueti21]

good gameplay. Awesome setting.

[@Scroogs]

DESU EX *AHAHA*

[@Scroogs]

WOW I HAVE A HEART NEXT TO THE COMMENT *AHAHA* *I'M ON KZbin DO YOU GET IT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS ON THIS WEBSITE*

[@Heeroneko]

This video isn't really about why people like Deus Ex. It's about the level design of the first level in Deus Ex and how open world games tend to lack a clear goal in comparison. It wasn't worth the 27 minutes of my time.

[@sexycavetroll2788]

Clearly he is explaining the 1st impression that hooked so many players

[@AlexDenton0451]

GEP Gun is prolly the best choice since you can get all the other weapons in the first level. It also unlocks any lock with a physical weakness.

[@damazywlodarczyk]

I had the same experience with Deus Ex, i played it one time, and everything was difficult, dark and confusing, but two days later i tried again and completed the demo over 20 times!

[@thepetrifiedbard1646]

Deus has a tutorial it's on the title screen. in it you do some unatco training program. just thought I'd mention

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

Love the video, but I'm curious as to why you didn't allow your two subjects to play the tutorial level before throwing them into Liberty Island? The tutorial goes over all of the basic mechanics and would've better equipped them for dealing with the game at large, which seems like it would've circumvented the whole problem of a lack of understanding being a barrier to enjoying the game.

[@Anomaly188]

They probably weren't smart enough to realize that a game from 2000 doesn't do the "First level is a tutorial" trope.

[@StratEdgyProductions]

Good question, and since you didn't phrase it like: "Why the fuck didn't you do the training mission?" I'll answer it :) The purpose of the test was to see how good a job the opening level did at training the participants. It actually did a very good job, as the first participant completed the level without dying, and did a fairly good job. The second, less experienced participant did badly, and in 30 minutes, didn't even manage to get through the very first obstacle without getting killed. It was enlightening from a design perspective.

[@ilyaterk110]

Can you do a video about great old rpgs and how they aged? Maybe find some people for this one too, I think a lot of people could be interested in that since the fact that the game is old often stops people from playing it. Btw, love the content, keep it up, man!