bthomson

Compared to the non-Director's Cut release, this version of the game is very buggy! Some textures are glitched out and the entire screen occasionally flashes white for no reason (hope you don't have epilepsy!). Apparently old mission/storyline bugs that were patched a long time ago have reappeared, have not been fixed, and probably never will be at this point. Not sure why none of the mainstream reviews dinged the score for this stuff... Did they play the same game we got? The changes that the Director's Cut made to the core gameplay basically make the game easier, which I find a bit baffling because the game was already pretty easy. Even on the highest difficulty most of the sidequests are pointless because the game already throws so many resources and ammo at you that you don't need any extras. The commentary is fun to listen to and highly recommended. Lots of funny stories and it's quite entertaining. Some technical details about how the commentary is implemented are silly: you can't leave an area while a commentary is playing and there's no way to skip a commentary section once it starts. Unless of course the game autosaves or you get a transmission, in which case the commentary will abruptly cut off. The commentary nodes are unfortunately also very easy to miss, because you only get a quiet audio cue and an icon in the corner of the screen while you're in the (usually tiny) area where it can activate. It's kinda funny: in the commentary you can hear the team talk about all the problems they had with the engine and how they were always working around its limitations. It sounds like they didn't have enough programmers on the team, and probably had none at all for this re-release (hence all the bugs). Conclusion: if you just want to play Deus Ex, then get the old version. If you really want to listen to the commentary (it is pretty good!), then get this one and try to ignore all the bugs.

I'd say this game is somewhat underrated here on metacritic. Probably not something you'll play forever, but it's fun while it lasts! Finally getting the perfect build order after initially struggling with a level is very satisfying. Unlocking new buildings is fun, and I like that the more advanced buildings don't replace the earlier ones. The advanced buildings are only better in certain situations and can be tricky to plan around since they take up more of your limited space. The voice acting (particularly your android companion) is good and the UI and 2d drawings are crisp and sharp, even at 2560x1440 (many games screw that up). Unfortunately after you've gotten 5 stars on a level you're pretty much done with it. Early on it can be useful to replay missions you've already 5-starred for extra cash, but usually there are one or two missions that pay better than all the rest so you'll be tempted to just grind out those ones. Not to mention that once you've memorized a level you can repeat it very easily, so why bother trying a different one. Like another reviewer mentioned, this game is really crying out for some kind of an "endless" mode so it has some replay value. If anything I'd say difficulty skews towards too easy, especially later on when you understand all the game mechanics. Some buildings are strictly "optional" (you can beat the game without ever building them). It might have been interesting if you were somehow forced by a scenario to use each building once after unlocking it, so you'd become comfortable with it. Experimenting with new buildings can often mean botching a mission, so it can be tempting to just stick with what you know. I have other nitpicks, too, but the game is fun for a while and that's what matters.

Had a lot of fun with this one. Great music, and I loved the crisp UI and colorful world graphics. Tried a couple of the sequels, but had a hard time getting into them since they are basically the same thing on a new map with other minor changes. In fact, if anything I'd say this original game was a little too long for my taste.

CONSORTIUM is one of those tricky games that will make you ponder over what could have been possible if the team had an unlimited budget and unlimited time to work. It gives you a taste and leaves you wanting much, much more. In particular the first time through is quite exciting. Although you're on rails, of course, it's not always obvious where the rails are. Replaying the game to find the ways in which scenes can be altered is fun, but also bittersweet because you'll see the limits of what was possible. The voice acting and direction are both excellent, and are critical to the experience (this game would not be nearly as interesting without the voice acting). I feel it deserves a 10 not because it's perfect (it isn't, not even close), but because it really is a "must-play" for fans of the genre. Play CONSORTIUM, and wonder about what's possible for this medium.