Publisher: EIDOS Interactive Reviewer: Luckee Review Date: 7/9/00

Deus Ex Machina. Directly translated, "God from Machine." The phrase actually refers to something that provides an unexpected and quite sudden solution to a difficult problem, a miracle of sorts.

In this case, the game is Deus Ex, and the problem is a web of government conspiracies that could jeopardize the fate of the world. The solution? Why, you, of course.

  Straight from the mind of game design visionary Warren Spector comes a title that might very well change your definition of the term 'genre.' Spector is the same fellow who brought us groundbreaking titles like Ultima Underworld, the original System Shock, and the original Thief, each of which drastically altered the face of gaming at the time of their respective releases.

But if those previous games lit the fuse for change, then this current one is the stick of dynamite. Combining heavy duty role-playing with the quick twitch action of the finest shooter, Deus Ex presents a gaming experience totally unlike any you've seen before. Trust no one, believe nothing, and stay alert - they're out to get you....or are they?

The game takes place in the not-too-distant future. Aside from the nearly inexhaustible supply of computers and robotic life forms, not much has changed. The populace is still wary of the government, overcrowding has again reached epic proportions, and bad guys still sell drugs to addicts and harass upstanding citizens. The world is a dark, scary place, and Uncle Sam isn't doing a heckuva job making life any easier.