Deus Ex (PC)

To be frank I have never heard of the Deus Ex franchise until recently when I have some time to kill and decided to catch up on older RPGs that I have probably missed....googled "top 10 MUST play RPG" and the rest was history.  Deus Ex is a futuristic 1st person shooter and role playing game set in the year 2052, the story follows protagonist JC Denton who is an augmented anti-terrorist agent working for UNATCO. Throughout the course of the game, JC uncovers the dirty secrets and conspiracies which include dealings with shadowy organisations such as Hong Kong triads, Illuminati and Majestic 12.

What makes this game a memorable one is the multiple options a player can choose and the consequences it will have on the entire game play and its ending. It is one of the first few RPGs that presents the players with a 2 to 3 choices which will lead to different outcomes. Certain aspects of the game plot will also change depending on a violent or peaceful(stealth) approach. Like any secret agent, you have the choice of specialising in a number of skills and it is impossible to master all available skills. So a player has to decide what kind of approach suits his/her style, either a sniper, heavy gunfighter, stealthy melee combatant or a jack of all trades.

For someone like me who immensly enjoyed Thief : The Dark Project, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the stealth approach gameplay very much resembles that of the highly acclaimed Thief. And since I am also an avid fan of Dragon age: origins, the multiple options gameplay was a welcome addition. The graphics were not as spectacular compared to dragon age or L4d but still considered excellent at its time..... but really what do you expect from a year 2000 published game??! =D

Below is a list of the skills and levels of training you can invest in:

SKILLS
Computer - covert manipulation of computers and security consoles

• untrained - agent can read bulletins and news
• trained - can hack ATMs, computers and security consoles
• advanced - achieve moderate increase in detection countdowns and moderate decrease in lock out time as well as gain ability to control automated gun turrets
• master - become an elite hacker that few systems can withstand

Electronics - By studying electronics agents can bypass a number of security using multitools

• untrained - agent can bypass security system
• trained - efficency to bypass security system incrases slightly
• advanced - efficicency to bypass security system increases moderately
• master - agent encounters almost no security systems of any challenge

Environmental training - experience with using hazmat suit, ballistic armour, thermoptic camo and rebreather in hazard situations

• untrained - agents can use hazmat suit, ballistic armour, thermoptic camo and rebreather
• trained - armour, suits, camo and rebreathers can be used slightly longer and more efficiently
• advanced - armour, suits, camo and rebreathers can be used moderately longer and more efficiently
• master - agent wears armour and suit like a second skin

Lockpicking - lockpicking is as much art as a skill and with intense study it can be mastered by an agent with patience and a set of lockpicks

• untrained - an agents can pick locks
• trained - the efficiency with which an agent picks locks increases slightly
• advanced -  the efficiency with which an agent picks locks increases moderately
• master - an agent can defeat almost any mechanical locks

Medicine - practical knowledge of the human physiology can be applied by the agent on the field allowing efficient use of the medkit

• untrained - an agents can use medkits
• trained - an agent can heal slightly more damage and reduce the period of toxic poisoning
• advanced -  an agent can heal moderately more damage and further reduce the period of toxic poisoning
• master - an agent can perform heart bypass with household material

Swimming - underwater operations requires their own unique set of skills that must be developed by an agent with extreme physical dedication

• untrained - an agents can swim properly
• trained - swimming speed and lung capcacity increases slightly
• advanced - swimming speed and lung capacity increases moderately
• master - an agent moves like a dolphin underwater

Weapons:Demolition - use of thrown explosives, including LAMs, gas grenades, EMP grenades and electronic scramble grenades

• untrained - an agents can throw grenades, attach them to surface as proximity device and attempt to disarm and remove previously armed proximity device
• trained - grenade accuracy and damage increases slightly, as does the safety margin to disarm proximity device
• advanced - grenade accuracy and damage increases moderately, as does the safety margin to disarm proximity device
• master - an agent is an expert in all forms of demolition

Weapons:Heavy - use of heavy weaponry, including flame throwers, laws, experimental plasma rifle and the GEP gun

• untrained - an agents can use heavy weaponry but damage is low and movement difficult
• trained - accuracy and damage increases slightly while reloading and movement is somewhat faster
• advanced - accuracy and damage increases moderately while reloading and movement is even more rapid
• master - an agent is a walking tank when equipped with heavy weaponry

Weapons:Melee - use of melee weapons such as knives, throwing knives, swords, pepper guns and prods

• untrained - an agents can use melee weaponry
• trained - accuracy, damage and rate of attack all increases slightly
• advanced - accuracy, damage and rate of attack all increases moderately
• master - an agent can render most opponents unconscious or dead with a single blow

Weapons:Pistol - use of hand held weapons, including the 10mm standard pistol, its stealth variant and the mini crossbow

• untrained - an agents can use pistols
• trained - accuracy, damage and reloading all increases slightly
• advanced - accuracy, damage and reloading all increases moderately
• master - an agent is lethally precise with a pistol

Weapons:Rifle - use of rifles, including assault rifles, sniper rifles and shotguns

• untrained - an agents can use rifles
• trained - accuracy, damage and reloading all increases slightly
• advanced - accuracy, damage and reloading all increases moderately
• master - an agent can take down a target a mile away with one shot