Deus Ex: Human Revolution action game

Released 11 years ago, the original Deus Ex was a giant leap forward for first-person action games. It provided, among other things, an unusually thought-provoking storyline and the ability for players to choose from a variety of different ways of approaching most situations.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is more evolutionary than revolutionary: rather than attempting to shake up the genre all over again it focuses on refining the successful elements of the original, bringing it up to date for a modern audience.

Set in the year 2027, you play as Adam Jensen, an ex-Swat-team cop who now works as a private security man for a large company that develops mechanical human ‘augmentations'. Early in the story, Adam inadvertently gains a few technological enhancements of his own, when an attack on the company leaves him mortally wounded and emergency augmentations are carried out to save his life. The remainder of the game sees Adam tracking down those responsible for the attack, using his newfound bionic powers to uncover a conspiracy of global proportions.

As with the original, Deus Ex: Human Revolution offers the player plenty of choice. You can, for example, take a straightforward confrontational approach – shooting bad guys and generally blowing things up – or you could rely on your stealth and sheer cunning to get you through.

There are many ways through each level, and numerous side-quests, mini-games and additional goals to complete. Along the way, you can upgrade augmentations and again there's a choice: you could concentrate on boosting Adam's hacking abilities, for example, or opt for physical strength and weapons skills instead.

Whichever way you decide to play, the game will reward you with a rich, absorbing experience that's only slightly marred by a handful of bewilderingly out-of-place boss encounters and some overly-recycled environments.

The game looks and sounds beautiful, with Blade Runner-influenced visual designs and electronic music helping to create a highly atmospheric, believable game world.

In most respects, Human Revolution lives up to the high standards set by its forebear. It's a smart, classy action game that never makes you feel like you're being forced to play by anyone's rules but your own.

Pegi age rating: 15+

Available on: PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360