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The Complex And “Stark Emotion” Of Deus Ex’s Music

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is one of our most anticipated titles; the atmosphere and style are expected to be second-to-none.

And you know what you need for that unparalleled atmosphere? You need a fantastic soundtrack that "creates a stark emotional state." Those who really appreciate great music – and all the effort that goes into the composition of such music – should definitely check out a recent update at the PlayStation Blog , where we learn how "transhumanism" influenced composer Michael McCann. We're especially interested by "the duality between acoustic and electronic instrumentation," as this series has always been about questioning humanity. Hence, the music needs to encompass two competing sides of human philosophy, religion, science, etc.

It's a great read, and don't forget about the end part-

"Although it is a prequel, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is very much its own story – with unique emotions, characters, locations, visual design, and so forth. However, what I really liked about the original game’s score is the consistency of its very stark emotional state. You can really get into a trance playing the first game, and I think that’s very much due to the music. I’ve heard people describe the experience of 'taking the game with you' after you’ve finished playing. I very much wanted that same quality in this soundtrack – so that the atmosphere created in the game affects you even after the game is turned off."

We so want this game.

Related Game(s): Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex Developers “Very Confident” In PS3 Version

It's just about everything you've always wanted to know about Deus Ex: Human Revolution , and probably just a bit more.

If you're looking forward to the game, you just have to visit the PlayStation Blog , where director Jean-Francois Dugas and Producer David Anfossi talk at length about the game's setting, story, artistry, and gameplay. First off, they said it's important to view Human Revolution "as a new IP," and they're "re-imagining" the sci-fi world. You will play as Jensen, a security expert "who becomes the unwilling recipient of bleeding-edge cybernetic augmentations." Secondly, they claim they're "very confident" in the PS3 version. Said Anfossi:

"Since the beginning, it was very important for us to not treat the PS3 version as a ‘port’ — you can trust us on that. We’ve worked that way in the past with other games, and it was crazy."

Well, thank goodness for that. They go on to talk about how the game allowed Eidos Montreal to lure "top talent," and how the art direction was inspired by the Renaissance. Said Dugas: "We knew that transhumanism would be one of the main themes, so we started to dig for artistic connections. And Leonardo Da Vinci kept coming up." Being a fan of past Deus Ex titles, all of this sounds mighty encouraging…how's about you?

Related Game(s): Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Let The Human Revolution Begin On August 23

It was initially expected to release early this year, but they needed a bit more time to put the "revolution" in Deus Ex: Human Revolution .

And while the game may not be "revolutionary," per se, it should be quite appealing on a variety of different levels. Why publishers continue to insist on using Twitter to provide the gaming public with release dates, we don't know, but the results are in- Eidos says the latest iteration in the award-winning Deus Ex franchise will arrive in North America on August 23 . It'll drop three days later in the UK. You can pick up the standard edition or spring for the super cool Augmented Edition , which is only $10 more. The developers have also promised fans they would remain true to the well-respected roots of the franchise, while still offering some new twists and enhancements. For more on the game, make sure to check out our detailed preview ; it's still one of our most anticipated titles of the year.

And by the way, I seem to remember Invisible War being quite long, relatively speaking…so we had better get a lengthy campaign, damnit. It's all about the slick sci-fi atmosphere and story, after all.

Related Game(s): Deus Ex: Human Revolution

The Human Revolution Will Take About 25 Hours To Complete

It's one of the first questions a gamer asks these days: "how long is it?

Those who ask typically aren't into multiplayer (at least, not for the particular title in question), and want to make sure the experience is worth the $60 investment. Well, although you'll have to wait a while for Deus Ex: Human Revolution , length won't be a negative when it arrives. In fact, it's going to be a big highlight: in speaking to PC Gamer UK , the highly anticipated Deus Ex title will take around 25 hours to complete. Added producer David Anfossi:

"So far with them playing about six hours every day, most of them don't complete the game.

The ones that are more casual gamers, who are used to more 'corridor, cut-scene, corridor, cut-scene' type of gameplay – they play it that way for a while. Then suddenly, there's this new world that opens to them, and they start getting a bit more creative."

Actually, to those who are familiar with the franchise, this doesn't come as a big surprise. As these are action/RPG hybrids with a firm focus on character building and storyline, such adventures normally last much longer than your standard action or shooter title. I believe it took me a good 30 hours to beat one of them…might have been Invisible War .

But anyway, don't you worry about length when it comes to Human Revolution . Let's just hope the gameplay itself is worthy of your money.

Related Game(s): Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Eidos Talks “Multi-Path, Multi-Solution” In Human Revolution

Although Deus Ex: Human Revolution won't arrive as soon as planned, we're still looking forward to the promising project.

For more information on the gameplay and overall structure, visit the PlayStation Blog , where Eidos Montreal Level Designer Steven Ciciola talks about their emphasis on the "Multi-Path, Multi-Solution" style. This exists for "practically every challenge" in the game so in other words, regardless of the goal or obstacle, there are always multiple ways to reach the solution. He uses the example of the Police Station level shown at GamesCom, where the player can settle on one of four possible ways to approach the situation: Combat, Hacking, Stealth, and Social. That really sounds a lot like past entries in the series, and we're overjoyed to hear it. And in truth, there are more than 4 ways to go about it; you can mix and match and use a bit of all types, if you so desire. Added Ciciola:

"There are so many different ways to progress through that I couldn’t possibly list them all; and chances are there are even methods to progress through that we haven’t even thought of! While at first glance that seems like a nightmare for a level designer, what ends up happening is our level designs promote multiple playthroughs in order to try out many different styles of play. All we have to ensure is that we’ve provided the tools and the environment for the player to just explore, imagine, and act-out their creative solutions."

We just can't wait to give this one a try. Having so many options in a story-driven adventure is always a plus, and the newest Deus Ex experience really ought to be something special. If you're not familiar with the series, we strongly suggest you give one of them a try…provided you don't mind dated technicals.

Related Game(s): Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Square-Enix Projections Nosedive, Deus Ex Delayed

Things tend to go south when you release a big game that falls well shy of expectations.

Square-Enix has recently apologized for the mediocre technical state of Final Fantasy XIV , and they've vowed to make things better with an overhauled staff. They've also extended the free trial periods for new players. But this couldn't stop Square-Enix from drastically revising their profit projections for the current fiscal year: according to GameSpot , they've dropped the forecast by a depressing 92%, "with projected sales and operating income also seeing sharp declines." Originally expecting to take in ¥12 billion ($142 million, £91 million) for the fiscal year, they now only anticipate ¥1 billion ($12 million, £8 million). Furthermore, one of the more promising titles on the publisher's slate, Deus Ex: Human Revolution , has been delayed. It was supposed to be out in February but now, it's in Square-Enix's "next fiscal year" so…who knows when it might arrive.

They did say the delay was so developer Eidos could "spend additional time to further polish" the game, but with a new launch window of anywhere between April 2011 and April 2012, fans are going to be disappointed. The project still has a ton of potential , certainly, but now we've got a bit of a wait… As for Final Fantasy Versus XIII , we have no updates. And that isn't surprising at all.

P.S. Bear in mind that Final Fantasy XIII – which was hugely successful, of course – was released in Square-Enix's last fiscal year in both Japan and North America.

Related Game(s): Deus Ex: Human Revolution