Have you ever played a game that was so different from all the other games that you really couldn't put it in any one category? Then, you know what Deus Ex is like. It is an extremely unique game, in it's special way. Some people say that it is a Role Playing Game, others say it is a first person shooter. It's both, and then again it's neither one of em'. You look through the eyes of the character that you are playing (JC Denton), yet, unlike other first-person shooters, you aren't out to shoot everything that moves. There is immense character interaction, yet you most definitely get your share of action. It is a game all of it's own kind, and the Deus Ex fans love it for that.

So what's the hype all about? What is Deus Ex really about? Well here's the scoop. It is the near future and corruption is everywhere. Drugs and plagues are more common than commercials on TV. Terrorists and gangs operate openly, with not much in the way of fear or shame. On top of all this, a plague is going around called the Gray Death, that is killing thousands of people worldwide. In other words, the world is not a very pretty picture in the distant future. You assume the role of a nano-augmented, top-secret, trench coat clad, agent who works for UNATCO. What is nan-augmented, or UNATCO supposed to mean? Nano-augmented means that you are a human with machine-like characteristics implanted in your body. The cool part is that you can see in the dark, you can lift heavy things, you can be healed by bots, on top of that, it is really hard to get killed! (Okay, I want Nano-Augmentation for Christmas!) What is UNATCO? UNATCO is a division of the UN. This organization is dedicated to stopping terrorists and keeping peace worldwide. You work for these guys as their loyal agent. You are the one who sneaks around dark alleys and tries to find the weak spots of the terrorists' hideouts, rescue hostages, and retrieve stolen objects. As time goes on, you begin to question your fellow agents and UNATCO. Eventually you end up finding out the very dark side to UNATCO, and the UN. Hunted by the your former friends and allies, you try to unwind a conspiracy that is much larger than it seems. And with some pretty big consequences

What makes Deus Ex so fun is the design of the game. There is absolutely no predefined way to beat the game. If you needed to storm a warehouse, for example, you have many, many choices on how to approach the situation. You could just blow the door open and open fire, but then you might get killed. You might try to lock pick the door, but you might not have enough lock picks. You might try to find another entrance, or if you mingled with the crowd enough, someone might want to tell you the code to get into the door. These are just a few ways you might get into the warehouse. All puzzles are solvable with different solutions for people with different tastes.

Another interesting thing about this game would be the character interaction. Many of the missions take place in major cities around the world. (i.e. New York, Hong Kong, Paris) The cities are heaped with people who have different opinions, personalities, and looks on life. Many times these people can help you get through a major problem in the game.

The graphics are pretty good but not exactly eye-popping. The game play is what makes this game fun not the graphics.

This game is fun to play, but is it something a Christian might want to play? It depends. This game got the Mature 17+ rating for animated blood and violence. There is quit a bit of blood in this game, but that can be turned off. When turned off there isn't even a drop. However the thing that I think would offend Christians most would be where otherwise this game would excel. The character interaction factor. Out of the dozens of people you encounter in this game, some are pretty, shall we say, crusty characters. There are some foul language by some. Most of the time you can avoid it, but once in a while it is unavoidable. (Like during a debriefing, when your boss shows his disgust for his enemies.) The language in Deus Ex would be equivalent to that of a PG-13 movie. Another thing, some areas of town aren't so great either. There is a night club, bar, a drug dealers, and other pagan people and areas in Deus Ex. There is an underground world, and the black market is pretty strong in this game. However, Ion Storm makes it very easy to avoid these places, and almost all of the game, these people and places can be avoided. Yes, I said almost. There are times, though extremely rare, when you might have to interact in these places. However, I am pretty sure that that can all be avoided, if you have some self-control. This game is pretty dark overall, and if you interacted with every character and visited every place, it could easily pass as an R rated movie, with the blood turned off. (I, by the way, didn't visit every place and character, I have morals! I read the walkthroughs and other reviews. Please trust me here.) If you are a kid, I would check with your parents before buying this game, it is most definitely borderline, and would offend many Christians.

This is a game with good ideas. However, the deceitful heart of man has put factors that have blemished an otherwise great game. If you have self control and can tolerate some dark sides, you'll find that Deus Ex could be an enjoyable experience. Otherwise, I would discourage Deus Ex to most Christians.