Deus Ex: Invisible War

 PC
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 350 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 139 out of 350
  2. Mixed: 132 out of 350
  3. Negative: 79 out of 350
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  1. egn
    Mar 12, 2013
    6
    I /want/ to give this title a better score, but I just can't. While it has better graphics and the combat dynamics are improved over the original Deus Ex, It still is missing a lot in the area of...depth and choice. the choices presented in this game are generally false and ring hollow in the long term. They don't matter much. Play styles don't matter much either; every (tiny!) levelI /want/ to give this title a better score, but I just can't. While it has better graphics and the combat dynamics are improved over the original Deus Ex, It still is missing a lot in the area of...depth and choice. the choices presented in this game are generally false and ring hollow in the long term. They don't matter much. Play styles don't matter much either; every (tiny!) level is more or less the same formula, kill the bad guys and get the Macguffin. Did I mention the levels are tiny? Overall it was a big disappointment compared to the masterpiece of Deus Ex. Also, this game does NOT run well at all on modern PCs; the way the engine works is very...odd...and there is a constant switching of open windows for every area transition that is undergone in this game; of which there are very many, because as I said the levels are TINY. If you are a fan of the series, or want to see where things have gone after the events of DE1, then this game is worth checking out. But on it's own merits, there are really better choices out there.… Expand
  2. SolidSevchinko7
    May 30, 2013
    6
    Instead of being the one of the best sequels of all time, this game succeeds in being the most disappointing sequel ever made. There is almost no cause and effect like in the original title, no weight in your choices. Everything in this game feels rushed, from the dialogue, the story, the graphics, the controls, even the HUD and item screens. It wasn't worth the wait, nor would you missInstead of being the one of the best sequels of all time, this game succeeds in being the most disappointing sequel ever made. There is almost no cause and effect like in the original title, no weight in your choices. Everything in this game feels rushed, from the dialogue, the story, the graphics, the controls, even the HUD and item screens. It wasn't worth the wait, nor would you miss much if you skipped it and went right into Human Revolution.… Expand
  3. BrianL.
    Dec 1, 2003
    1
    This game can be summed up in five words: awful awful awful awful awful.
  4. NotSoAngryGirlSomeone
    Feb 15, 2009
    6
    "A game people either love or hate" - well, I think they love and hate it for all the right reasons. Brainless, heartless, but not gutless - it's pretty much a straight SciFi-FPS with a DX story, fun to play if you skip all the boring, badly acted conversations (if it weren't for those looong level loading times!). The new augmentations are a real improvement, but I'm "A game people either love or hate" - well, I think they love and hate it for all the right reasons. Brainless, heartless, but not gutless - it's pretty much a straight SciFi-FPS with a DX story, fun to play if you skip all the boring, badly acted conversations (if it weren't for those looong level loading times!). The new augmentations are a real improvement, but I'm missing a really difficult setting - the enemies are as brainless as in the original DX. And nobody has come up with a "hardcore" mod for it. We have yet to see whether DX3 continues the trend, but it's funny how the Tomb Raider series has become obsessed with "character", while Deus Ex is heading the opposite way. To explain the "brainless" part in DX2: You don't get different story threads or conversations based on choices you make, the secondary NPCs have only 1-liners, there are no computers to hack or secrets to uncover, and the whole DX moral framework is missing - so what you end up is a dumbed down version of the almost living world DX1 created. DX2 isn't remotely in the same league as its predecessor, but it is better than the Matrix sequels 2-3 compared to The Matrix. It has a strong storyline that adds an interesting twist to the plot - to kill JC - and a new brand of enemies that DX3 will use too, the biotech-haters aka "Templars" (I think it would have done both DX1 and 2 a lot of good to rely less on ancient mythology, it just sounds so ridiculous). DX fans have to accept to the fact that great things rarely come in series, the classic Star Wars and Alien X-logies excluded. I don't doubt that installment 3 will disappoint in some ways, too. Hopefully it will take the series into new territory.… Expand
  5. RogerB.
    Sep 18, 2004
    6
    - picked up from the budget basket - great story & graphics - patch 1.2 needed for decent framerates Would give 8 points but: the game wouldn't work on a benq dw1600 dvd drive because of copy protection (DVD version only)! Beware! It's a shame that this hasn't been given atention by Eidos! Running on a cheap lite-on dvd rom works okay however.
  6. hodub
    Aug 9, 2012
    5
    I've only recently played through Deus Ex: Invisible War, and, after completing the first Deus Ex game as well as Human Revolution, this one was disappointing in comparison. Its Havok v2.0 physics engine mitigates the low score, since it's one of the first games to utilize ragdoll physics - the engine on which Valve's Source engine was based. But as far as gameplay is concerned, the mapsI've only recently played through Deus Ex: Invisible War, and, after completing the first Deus Ex game as well as Human Revolution, this one was disappointing in comparison. Its Havok v2.0 physics engine mitigates the low score, since it's one of the first games to utilize ragdoll physics - the engine on which Valve's Source engine was based. But as far as gameplay is concerned, the maps are small, the missions are unexciting, and the controls are somewhat confusing. The universal ammo system is a terrible idea - if you run out of ammo for one gun, you run out for all of them. Some of the characters from the first Deus Ex game return, but there's no feeling of intimacy with any other characters in the game. You still have the option to choose different paths and endings in the game, but it does little to enhance gameplay experience. The first Deus Ex game is superb, the third one is also quite good, but don't feel like you're missing much if you wish to pass this one up.… Expand
  7. A.R.
    Nov 3, 2007
    3
    Forget the lobotomised combat, level design and character customization system. I could deal with these things, like the poor AI and graphics of the original. However, simultaneous to consolisation technically, the characters are all one-dimensional and unconvincing and the narrative is alltogether forgettable. I didn't just come to trust the original Tracer Tong's judgments, I Forget the lobotomised combat, level design and character customization system. I could deal with these things, like the poor AI and graphics of the original. However, simultaneous to consolisation technically, the characters are all one-dimensional and unconvincing and the narrative is alltogether forgettable. I didn't just come to trust the original Tracer Tong's judgments, I made it so that he trusted me. I understood The Smuggler's motivations and situation. I returned to warn him in to leaving New York. Alex and Jaime had their reasons for leaving UNATCO, Carter had his own opinion, opposing and just as legit, about staying - Ideological reasons. I actually REMEMBER the story behind completely peripheral and ancillary characters like Sandra Renton when I ran into her again in LA. Jock made me respect his closed nature, but I sure had fun digging around in his HK apartment reading his Emails to figure him out (indeed, a location I only found after numerous run-throughs). The info was there, it was a detailed and subtle world inhabited by complex characters. I felt sorry for Nicolette when she reminisced at the old Chateau about her past. Even minor characters like Lucius Debeers presented an unclear, heavy moral dilemma above coffee wars. I can remember the deep philosophical insights of the prototype AI in its side-room. It's ideas made me feel for where our own world is headed. It wasn't just believable, it in fact, resonated with reality. I can't even recall the names of Invisible War's secondary characters, let alone their motivations and background stories, if they had any. I do remember that you could basically double-cross all the factions and nobody really cared, though. I remember that Klara was pretty much just a vapid, ambitious nonentity. But I only remember that 'coz she was hot. The game is half the length of the original and that half is not even half as detailed. While the consolitis is inexcusable, I think it's a microcosm for larger, sustained and crippling problems with the game's narrative design and setting establishment. I felt like I was controlling the narrative more than that the world was happening around me. I'm going to give this a three. It would be nonsensical to rate this against other FPS on the market before comparing to it's predecessor. It is, after all, a sequel.… Expand
  8. Sirwootalot
    Mar 16, 2011
    6
    Enjoyable but terribly shallow - like going into the kiddie pool as an adult. The levels are atrociously tiny and the art direction looks like a saturday morning cartoon in the worst way possible, but there's just enough plot and other fun mechanics (biomods, scavenging, etc) to keep it worth playing.
  9. DavidW
    Jan 3, 2010
    3
    Very disapointing and frustrating game. Completely unbalanced combat. You are either up against weak and incompetent opponents or over-powered Paladins that you cannot fight because there is not enough ammo available in the level to take them down...so the only option is to run past them to the next area. All the levels are cramped and poorly designed. The AI is non existent; there were Very disapointing and frustrating game. Completely unbalanced combat. You are either up against weak and incompetent opponents or over-powered Paladins that you cannot fight because there is not enough ammo available in the level to take them down...so the only option is to run past them to the next area. All the levels are cramped and poorly designed. The AI is non existent; there were loads of times I thought "the AI should not be allowing me do this" or "why is that turret not firing at me? what kind of security is this?". The only feature I like is the option to choose whether to kill or render unconscious you opponents. Generally a pretty crap game overall IMO.… Expand
  10. SammyJ.
    Dec 3, 2003
    2
    A game that led many to have high expectations, but with massive graphic reductions earlier in the year, with questionable design decisions it is hard for a fan of the original to enjoy anything in the game. Worth considering if you like slower paced action shooters, worth avoiding like the plague if you were expecting a worthy sequel to the original.
  11. WarrenS.
    Dec 3, 2003
    1
    I am very disappointed to have the sequel to Deus Ex be something as low quality as this. I apologize to the fans, and hope that the lack of graphical detail, gameplay complexity, adequate performance, quality AI, and general lack of polish will not deter you from considering Deus Ex 3. Do not worry, Harvey Smith will have nothing to do with it... we shall make a sequel that lives up to I am very disappointed to have the sequel to Deus Ex be something as low quality as this. I apologize to the fans, and hope that the lack of graphical detail, gameplay complexity, adequate performance, quality AI, and general lack of polish will not deter you from considering Deus Ex 3. Do not worry, Harvey Smith will have nothing to do with it... we shall make a sequel that lives up to Deus Ex and surpasses this garbage DX:IW in every way.… Expand
  12. EricH.
    Apr 1, 2007
    2
    One of the worst, most bug riddled releases ever to be produced. Thsi game, sequal to one of the best, most open and free-form games ever made is a pure travesty. More over this dispicable nonesense is entirely the fault of Microsoft. Yes, you heard riight. After that big, fat cheque was cashed by the dev team to ensure that the XBOX version got priority, the PC version was destroyed. One of the worst, most bug riddled releases ever to be produced. Thsi game, sequal to one of the best, most open and free-form games ever made is a pure travesty. More over this dispicable nonesense is entirely the fault of Microsoft. Yes, you heard riight. After that big, fat cheque was cashed by the dev team to ensure that the XBOX version got priority, the PC version was destroyed. Because they had to make a powerful, potentially very capable game scale down to the pathetic likes of that hobbled console, we ended up with the worlds ugliest textures, hysterical physics, TINY levels (you cab run across some in 3 seconds!!! Literally!) and totally linear design. This last part alone is inexcusable - Deus Ex was one of the first games to offer real choice and real consequences - In this game, nothing you do matters. It is just a corrider FPS with conversations. There is a reason that Warren Spector (Lead DEV of this game) no longer works in the industry, and this game is it… Expand
  13. AnthonyB.
    Jun 2, 2007
    2
    Absolutely not a good game, not on it's own merit, -absolutely- not compared to the original Deus Ex. Bug riddled with ridiculously long load times, poorly designed levels and gameplay (universal ammo, tiny clausterphobic levels, horrible interface, few story choices or morality play), and ripped in half to fit on the XBOX console, this is just a bad, bad game, and a hideous example Absolutely not a good game, not on it's own merit, -absolutely- not compared to the original Deus Ex. Bug riddled with ridiculously long load times, poorly designed levels and gameplay (universal ammo, tiny clausterphobic levels, horrible interface, few story choices or morality play), and ripped in half to fit on the XBOX console, this is just a bad, bad game, and a hideous example of "money > all" -- Warren Spector would turn over in his grave... the Warren Spector that doesn't suckle the tit of big money, that is. The one that made the original Deus Ex because he wanted to play a fun game, not the one that made this absurd "sequel in name only" to cash in on the console fad. Disgusting.… Expand
  14. SeanW
    Dec 6, 2009
    2
    Every bit as awful as you've heard, and a complete travesty on an absolutely brilliant original game. The good news is at least this seems to have spelled the end of Harvey Smith's burgeoning game-destroying, I mean game-designing career. I have never despised an individual game developer before, but his ham-handed ruination of Deus Ex was enough to do it. He should be flipping Every bit as awful as you've heard, and a complete travesty on an absolutely brilliant original game. The good news is at least this seems to have spelled the end of Harvey Smith's burgeoning game-destroying, I mean game-designing career. I have never despised an individual game developer before, but his ham-handed ruination of Deus Ex was enough to do it. He should be flipping burgers instead, which he's far more suited to (although I wouldn't count on him being able to stick to the complex recipe required of most basic burgers). Hope DX3 is enough to erase this garbage from our collective memories.… Expand
  15. Keet
    Aug 18, 2012
    4
    It's just bad. It's just really really horribly awful.
    After playing this alongside other similar titles from the same era in a marathon today, I can finally put into words WHY its's bad.
    Atmospherics- There are none. Literally. I'm not talking about the graphics being outdated. There just simply wasn't any thought put into the areas whatsoever. The outside city area feels    It's just bad. It's just really really horribly awful.
    After playing this alongside other similar titles from the same era in a marathon today, I can finally put into words WHY its's bad.

    Atmospherics-
    There are none. Literally. I'm not talking about the graphics being outdated. There just simply wasn't any thought put into the areas whatsoever. The outside city area feels claustrophobic and sterile. The inside areas feel bare and unused. The entire game feels like it's made out of plastic or that one episode of the Twilight Zone where everything was a child's diorama. It's as if a business executive poked his head into the design team's studio, glared at his watch as the team were painstakingly planning corridors then just screamed "PUT A NEON SIGN ON IT. THERE ITS A CITY. You're costing me money" before storming out.

    Characters-
    Every NPC in the game is a paper cut-out of a human being. Their motivation seemingly written by a child. I AM A MANAGER I LIKE MONEY. BUSINESS IS BAD. NEED TO MAKE BUSINESS GOOD. I am a worker, beep bop boop. Work is hard. I hate working. I am lazy beep bop boop.
    It's hard to feel any remorse when you throw their corpses around as they were never really alive to begin with. I know that in this era, AI was still rather rudimentary, however, after rubbing a dead guard against a non-hostile live guard's face, I was expecting some kind of reaction. A simple "put that down" or attack action would've been fine. Instead I got nothing, and that's where the problem in Deus Ex lies. It isn't wholeheartedly filled with terrible ideas. It isn't filled with anything. The game is just bare and unabashedly gleeful as can be about it. Story characters aren't given any sort of backstory beyond a vague summary probably written on a dirty napkin in a design meeting. Within the first hour or two you're already confronted with your "factions" argument, a trope that has seen better days.

    Story
    The story resembles a "my first betrayal" pop up book and is highly characteristic of these sorts of games. This alone isn't a failing merit but nothing new has been done with it at all. There are vague elements of Beyond Good & Evil, a more well polished, sucessful game that came out only a year or two prior, only they're executed without any finesse. Whereas BG&E gave you a reason to want to uncover the truth and convince others to see it Invisible War doesn't really care what you do either way. It's just irritated that you're taking so long, so there are no hints or subtleties, just cereal box headlines rammed down your throat. Bad map design, terrible hollow combat, almost useless stealth features and a character customization system that has no customization. I've played everything and this is just terrible with no redeeming features.    … Expand
  16. jake38
    Jul 14, 2013
    0
    Wow. i get shocked every time i see how bad this game is. The sequel to deus ex one of the greatest games ever, is THIS. this pathetic excuse for a game is the prime example of corporate cash in.
  17. Priami
    Dec 19, 2012
    4
    While IW is good compared to most shooters of it's time, it's just horrible compared to first DX due clear console-lobotomization. Level design is dull, combat is dull, pretty much everything is dull and monotonic.
  18. AndrewC.
    Apr 4, 2007
    5
    Compared to the first game this one is just terrible. It was too simplified, the story was boring compared to the first, and it feels a good bit shorter/easier. It's a game made for the Xbox, and it shows.
  19. SmellyTerror
    Aug 7, 2006
    3
    Oh hell no. It runs fine on my machine, but gameplay that involves backtracking through areas over and over, through mulitple loading screens, is just stupid, horrible design. Yuck. Shots fly through people without hitting, the AI scripting is abysmal, the optional quests are dull, and the gameplay is repetitive. Loved Deus Ex, hate this.
  20. BlutiF.
    Jun 29, 2007
    3
    This game has so many bugs it crashes, fails to reload games, freezes up, gets stuck in loops when replaying dialogue....completely frustrating and ruins the play.
  21. Pelu
    Jan 6, 2011
    8
    I gave DX1 a 9, so this will get 8. What makes it slightly worse, is the level design that is somehow a bit ruined for the xbox. But it think this sequel also has one strength compared to the original: the plot runs smoother, and something important is always happening. The levels are not so boring long as in the end of original Deus Ex. Traditionally I'm a console hater, but universalI gave DX1 a 9, so this will get 8. What makes it slightly worse, is the level design that is somehow a bit ruined for the xbox. But it think this sequel also has one strength compared to the original: the plot runs smoother, and something important is always happening. The levels are not so boring long as in the end of original Deus Ex. Traditionally I'm a console hater, but universal ammo seems good to me, as I never enjoyed masturbating with 10 types of different ammo.… Expand
  22. Mike
    Mar 5, 2008
    1
    This game in no way lives up to the original. Its horrible and most of the game play elements that made the first one great have been entirely cut out.
  23. Tubie
    Oct 23, 2010
    6
    Sometimes sequels work others they don't. This game is a shame because of how good the original was. I still have hopes the upcoming game does justice to how great the original was.
  24. Pneuvo
    Aug 29, 2011
    7
    Unlike many other PC players of this game, I enjoyed this quite a bit. It is hard to take issue with most of the criticisms, so why did I enjoy it (I still do, actually)? It may be a measure of how much I wanted the story to continue. I wanted to hear Paul and JC again. A junkie going through withdrawl doesn't quibble about the quality of his fix, he just wants his fix!
  25. Anon
    Dec 3, 2003
    4
    This is not a horrible game, but it is also not very good. I'm sure I might enjoy it if I got more than 20 FPS with my Radeon 9800, but I don't. When the graphics look worse than a game a year old but manage to give me half as many frames per second, I know something is very wrong. Add in dumbed down gameplay (one ammo type? no leaning? horrid AI?) and you've got a game This is not a horrible game, but it is also not very good. I'm sure I might enjoy it if I got more than 20 FPS with my Radeon 9800, but I don't. When the graphics look worse than a game a year old but manage to give me half as many frames per second, I know something is very wrong. Add in dumbed down gameplay (one ammo type? no leaning? horrid AI?) and you've got a game that makes me thankful I can return it! Thank you Software ETC!… Expand
  26. EdwardH.
    Dec 3, 2003
    3
    While it seems like my fellow reviewers are as mindless as the game, I'll try to put a bit of honesty into this section. Nope, this does not surpass the original. While everyone's favorite "hardcore" (haha, sarcasm is fun) gaming mag GamePro claims it's perfect, it hardly is. I noticed most of the people below didn't even buy the game, which explains why they talk While it seems like my fellow reviewers are as mindless as the game, I'll try to put a bit of honesty into this section. Nope, this does not surpass the original. While everyone's favorite "hardcore" (haha, sarcasm is fun) gaming mag GamePro claims it's perfect, it hardly is. I noticed most of the people below didn't even buy the game, which explains why they talk about dynamic lighting (looks nice, but has zero effect on gameplay), havok physics (horribly implemented, and has no affect on gameplay, and odd design decisions (one ammo, minimal RPG elements, cramped levels?). If you liked the original, and consider yourself intelligent do not get this game. If you never even knew there was an original, and consider Halo to be the best thing since sliced bread then give this a shot. Consider it the lobotomized version of Deus Ex that chugs along at a horrid framerate.… Expand
  27. PatrickS.
    Sep 17, 2006
    4
    It just wasn't what the hype was all about.
  28. FrobozzTheMad
    Aug 20, 2008
    2
    DX2 while nice in concept was awful in many ways. As mentioned, the characters were flat and uninteresting, the systems (like ammo and combat in general) too simplified and the levels far too small. DX2 is a perfect example of what happens when a perfectly good computer game is redesigned into something it shouldn't be... i.e. a console game. The worst part about the game is that DX2 while nice in concept was awful in many ways. As mentioned, the characters were flat and uninteresting, the systems (like ammo and combat in general) too simplified and the levels far too small. DX2 is a perfect example of what happens when a perfectly good computer game is redesigned into something it shouldn't be... i.e. a console game. The worst part about the game is that even with a powerful system and a good graphics card, the movement still seems clunky and unnatural. I admit, I consider the original DX one of the greatest games ever made and praise it along with the likes of System Shock 2 and Escape from Butcher Bay. DX2 is only a shadow of the original, and even if I give it the benefit of complete separation from it's predecessor, and treat it as it's own stand-alone game, It's barely worthy of a gamer's time. I ended up playing through it twice within about a 3-day period before retiring it to the dusbin of my CD case. While I load up and maybe play through the original about every year or so, DX2 hasn't seen the light of day since.… Expand
  29. MattW.
    Dec 3, 2003
    2
    Wow, I felt obligated to respond after I saw "J. S." write such a phony review of a game he clearly has never played. If he had played it, he'd know the graphics aren't even in the same league of games like UT2003 or Call of Duty let alone Half-Life 2 or Doom 3. If he had played it, he'd know the Havok physics and lighting system do nothing to improve the game. If he had Wow, I felt obligated to respond after I saw "J. S." write such a phony review of a game he clearly has never played. If he had played it, he'd know the graphics aren't even in the same league of games like UT2003 or Call of Duty let alone Half-Life 2 or Doom 3. If he had played it, he'd know the Havok physics and lighting system do nothing to improve the game. If he had played it, he might have decided to not give it a 10. Actually, looking at most of these reviews makes me laugh as it's clear people haven't even played the demo let alone the full game. 10s? Have you seen the AI, the laughable physics, the shoddy graphics, and horrid interface? Wow, you folks really must have bad taste in games if that gets a 10 from you. Or maybe... maybe, you thought this was a 1-100 rating scale? If so, then yes... 10 sounds about reasonable.… Expand
  30. ChrisC.
    Dec 3, 2003
    1
    I cannot believe this is what came to be the sequel of one of the best games ever. They took out all of what was good, made bad AI even worse, and then locked the framerate at under 20 on high end systems. I'm not sure to laugh or cry... but this is one very mean joke on the parts of Ion Storm. Where's Deus Ex 2? This is garbage.
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Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Best PC Game of 2003
11
#11 Most Discussed PC Game of 2003
41
#41 Most Shared PC Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Total Video Games
    90
    One of the most captivating and thoroughly polished titles in recent times. It’s not perfect, however anyone who has an interest in well-crafted Sci-Fi storylines a la "Minority Report" will find themselves completely captivated with this game.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gameworld
    80
    A somewhat disappointing, but fun sequel.
    Read full review
  3. eToychest
    50
    It absolutely defines mediocrity.
    Read full review
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