Deus Ex: Invisible War
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{{Infobox VG| title = Deus Ex: Invisible War
| image = [[Image:Dxinvwar.jpg|center|250px|Windows version box art]]
| developer = [[Ion Storm Inc.]]
| publisher = [[Eidos Interactive]]
| designer = [[Warren Spector]], [[Harvey Smith (video game designer)|Harvey Smith]]
| engine = [[Unreal Engine|Flesh Engine (modified Unreal Engine 2)]]
| version = 1.2
| released = <small><sup>'''[[North America|NA]]'''</sup></small> [[December 2]], [[2003]]<br /><small><sup>'''[[Europe|EU]]'''</sup></small> [[March 4]], [[2004]]</br><small><sup>'''[[Japan|JP]]'''</sup></small> [[June 17]], [[2004]]
| genre = [[First-person narrative|First-person]], [[Deus Ex: Invisible War#Gameplay|multiple]]
| modes = [[Single player]]
| ratings = [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: M (Mature)<br />[[Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle|USK]]: 16+<br />[[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 16+<br />[[Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia)|OFLC]]: M15+
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Xbox]]
| media = 1 [[DVD]], 2 [[CD-ROM]]s, [[Steam (content delivery)|Steam]]
| requirements = 1.3 [[Hertz|GHz]] [[Central processing unit|CPU]], 256 [[Megabyte|MB]] [[Random access memory|RAM]], 4X CD-ROM drive, [[DirectX]] 9, 2 [[Gigabyte|GB]] available [[hard disk]] space, [[Windows 98]]/[[Windows 2000|2000]]/[[Windows XP|XP]] | input = [[Computer keyboard|Keyboard]], [[mouse (computing)|mouse]], or [[gamepad]]
}}
'''''Deus Ex: Invisible War''''' is a [[First-person narrative|first-person]] [[computer and video game]] developed by [[Ion Storm Inc.]] and published by [[Eidos Interactive]]. Released simultaneously for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and the [[Xbox]] [[video game console]] on [[December 2]], [[2003]],<ref name="metacritic" /><ref name="metacritic2" /> the game is a [[sequel]] to the critically acclaimed ''[[Deus Ex]]''. ''Invisible War'' was well-received commercially, holding 80 and 84 scores at [[Metacritic]] for the Windows and Xbox versions, respectively, and selling more than 300,000 copies in North America.<ref name=gs2>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=25638028&part=rss&subj=6171079 | date=2007-05-17 | title=Eidos resurrecting ''Deus Ex''? | work=[[GameSpot]] | accessdate=May 26 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref><ref name=metacritic>{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/deusexinvisiblewar?q=Deus%20Ex | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' for Windows on Metacritic | work=Metacritic | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref><ref name=metacritic2>{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbx/deusexinvisiblewar?q=Deus%20Ex | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' for Xbox on Metacritic | work=Metacritic | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref> Despite this the game's critical reception was not as positive as its predecessor's — for example, ''[[PC Gamer]]'' gave ''Deus Ex'' a score of 94%,<ref name=pcgamer>{{cite journal | title=''Deus Ex'' review | journal=[[PC Gamer]] | pages=82 | date=September 2000 }}</ref> while ''Invisible War'' received an 83%.<ref name=pcgamer2>{{cite journal | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' review | journal=[[PC Gamer]] | pages=81 | date=January 2004 }}</ref> This was due to a large number of controversial design choices, which led certain critics to label the game as being dumbed down from its predecessor.
''Invisible War'' takes place twenty years after ''Deus Ex'', in a world being rebuilt after a catastrophic event called [[The Collapse (Deus Ex)|The Collapse]]. Following a [[Terrorism|terrorist attack]] that destroys the city of [[Chicago]], the player assumes the role of [[Alex D]], a trainee at the fictional Tarsus Academy, whose support is sought by several organizations. As the game progresses, the player learns of conspiratorial factions which seek to drastically change the world. ''Invisible War'' was designed to allow player choice in both plot and gameplay, with branching plot lines and [[emergent gameplay]] elements.<ref name=cvg>{{cite web | url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=97205 | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' - exclusive interview! | last=Bishop | first=Stuart | date=2003-10-07 | work=[[Computer and Video Games (magazine)|Computer and Video Games]] | accessdate=June 4 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref> This freedom of choice was widely praised by critics.<ref name=egm>{{cite journal | journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' review | author=Fielder, Joe | coauthors=Intihar, Bryan; Hsu, Dan | date=February 2004 | pages=124 | accessdate=June 4 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref><ref name=xbm>{{cite journal | journal=[[Official Xbox Magazine]] | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' review | date=December 2003 | pages=74 | accessdate=June 4 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref><ref name=gi>{{cite journal | journal=[[Game Informer]] | author=Biessener, Adam | title=Choose, But Choose Wisely | date=January 2004 | pages=152 | accessdate=June 4 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
== Gameplay ==
Like its predecessor ''Deus Ex'', ''Invisible War'' is a first-person game, playing from a character's eye view in a 3D environment. The game combines gameplay mechanics from multiple [[video game genres|game genres]], including [[Stealth game|stealth]], [[Computer role-playing game|role-playing]] and [[first-person shooter]].<ref name="rpgvault" /><ref name=gamepro>{{cite web | date=2003-09-17 | url=http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/31099.shtml | title=Interview with Harvey Smith | work=[[GamePro]] | accessdate=May 25 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref> Regarding the categorization of ''Invisible War'', [[Warren Spector]] stated, "... the whole genre thing, it's like 'Is ''Deus Ex'' a science-fiction game or a shooter?' Forget about shooter, role-playing, action and adventure... forget about those categories. ... [I]f I make a first-person perspective Western, is it a Western or a shooter? The whole idea of genre is a mess when you start applying it to games. It gets in the way of serious thought about games ... when you're in the trenches making a game, you're kinda just making a game".<ref name=gamespy>{{cite web | last=Turner | first=Benjamin | date=2003-02-11 | url=http://archive.gamespy.com/interviews/february03/spectordx2/index.shtml | title=Warren Spector on ''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' | work=[[GameSpy]] | accessdate=May 25 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
=== Player choice ===
''Invisible War'' emphasizes player choice — for example, the player begins the game by selecting the [[player character]]'s gender and skin color.<ref name=newgun>{{cite web | first=Wagner | last=James Au | url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.12/play.html?pg=7 | title=New Gun in Town | date=December 2003 | work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref> Some of the quests and dialogs varied, depending what gender was selected. The developers designed the game to allow multiple solutions for all of the game's situations, such as enabling the player to commandeer an airship by either bribing a guard, attacking with lethal force, or using stealth.<ref name="newgun" />
=== Role-playing game elements ===
The player character may be equipped with nanotechnological implants called "biomods", which — like ''Deus Ex''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s nano-augmentations<ref name=rpgvault2>{{cite web | url=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/441/441905p1.html | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' Interview, Part 2 | date=2003-11-24 | last=Aihoshi | first=Richard | work=[[IGN]] | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>—grant special abilities, such as [[Cloaking device|cloaking]], a [[neural interface]], or increased strength.<ref name=deiwmanual>''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' game manual</ref> There are five assignable biomod slots, with each slot granting different selectable abilities. However, each slot may hold only one biomod ability; thus, the player must decide which abilities to equip.<ref name="deiwmanual" /> Biomods may be upgraded twice after being installed. Some biomods drain the player character's "bio energy", which must be recharged with energy cells or repair bots.<ref name="deiwmanual" /> ''Deus Ex''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "skill points" are not present in ''Invisible War'' — instead, the player character does not have limitations on natural abilities such as aiming or proficiency with items. Biomods replace some of the previously skill point-based abilities, such as [[Hacker (computing)|hacking]].<ref name=rpgvault>{{cite web | url=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/440/440693p1.html | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' Interview, Part 1 | last=Aihoshi | first=Richard | date=2003-11-17 | work=IGN | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
''Invisible War'' contains a variety of items, including tools, weapons, food and others. An inventory, and a quickly accessible secondary inventory called a "toolbelt", provide twelve slots for storing items <ref name="deiwmanual" />, 15 with the strength enhancement biomod. Unlike in ''Deus Ex'', where the amount of inventory space used by an item varied, a single item in ''Invisible War'' takes up a single inventory slot.<ref name=actiontrip>{{cite web | url=http://www.actiontrip.com/previews/deusexinvisiblewar_i.phtml | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' Interview | last=Jojic | first=Uros | date=2003-03-21 | work=[[Actiontrip]] | accessdate=May 22 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
=== Combat elements ===
''Invisible War'' features several types of weapons, including mêlée weapons, grenades and firearms.<ref name="deiwmanual" /> Many weapons may be altered with "weapon mods" found or purchased throughout the game. The effects of weapon mods include silencers, fragmentary rounds and increased damage, among others.<ref name="deiwmanual" /> A single weapon may be equipped with up to two weapon mods, which cannot be removed. All weapons in ''Invisible War'' use the same [[ammunition]], explained in the game by a nanotechnology that dynamically configures itself to the appropriate ammunition type.<ref name="deiwmanual" /> Different weapons use different amounts of ammunition — for example, the rocket launcher uses more than the pistol.
When an enemy is hit, the amount of damage varies based on which area is wounded — [[headshot]]s deal much higher damage than shots elsewhere on the body.<ref name="deiwmanual" /> Unlike in the first game, however, the player character does not have separate [[hit points]] for his or her head, torso, and appendages.
== Plot ==
===Setting===
''Invisible War'' is set twenty years after ''Deus Ex'', and is based on the premise that a combination of all three of the original game's possible endings occurred.<ref name=gs>{{cite web | last=Shoemaker | first=Brad | date=2003-09-06 | url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/deusexinvisiblewar/preview_6074704.html | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' Hands-On Impressions | work=GameSpot | accessdate=May 25 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref> The actions of [[JC Denton]] in ''Deus Ex'' caused the world to descend into a period of war and economic depression known as "the [[Collapse (Deus Ex)|Collapse]]",<ref>'''Load screen message''': JC Denton's destruction of Area 51 plunged the world into a period of depression and war known as the Collapse. ''Deus Ex: Invisible War''. Ion Storm, 2003</ref> during which several factions built themselves into world powers. These factions include the [[WTO (Deus Ex)|World Trade Organization]] (WTO), which converted many of the world's remaining metropolitan centers into highly regulated [[city-state]]s; [[The Order (Deus Ex)|The Order]], a religious order which created a new world religion from elements of all major religions and [[Politics|sociopolitical]] principles;<ref name="rpgvault2" /> the "[[Knights Templar (Deus Ex)|Knights Templar]]", who advocate the complete prevention of biomodification; the "[[Omar (Deus Ex)|Omar]]", a society of heavily biomodified humans possessing a [[Group mind (science fiction)|group mind]], which runs a global black market, and wishes to become a [[transhumanism|transhuman race]] through biomodification;<ref name=devdiary>{{cite web | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/458/458421p1.html | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' Dev Diary | last=Pacotti | first=Sheldon | date=2003-11-06 | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref> and [[ApostleCorp]], which seeks to help JC Denton achieve his goal of biomodifying every human on Earth, and thus equalizing the race. While JC Denton is seen by the public as a threat to society, these organizations seek to use or eliminate his power to rebuild the world in the way they see fit.<ref name="rpgvault" /> In keeping with the series' [[conspiracy theory]] theme, several of the major factions are revealed to be secretly connected — the Knights Templar originated within The Order, while the WTO and The Order are separate branches of the [[Illuminati (Deus Ex)|Illuminati]].
The developers placed ''Invisible War'' further in the future than its predecessor to give it a distinct setting, rather than "rehash[ing] what had come before".<ref name="rpgvault" /> Lead writer Sheldon Pacotti stated that the advanced timeline "[loses] a little bit of the frisson of a near-future real-world setting", but is "more visibly shaped by time and technology", bringing the "social and technological issues ... more into the foreground".<ref name="rpgvault" /> At the same time, the developers wanted to make the game relevant to current world affairs, and focused on themes including terrorism, while placing the game in real-world locations "linked in the public consciousness", such as [[Seattle, Washington]].<ref name="rpgvault" /><ref name="actiontrip" /> Other criteria for locations included both a "distinct feel" and "recognizable landmarks", as well as "believable hooks for [the game's] conspiracies and fiction".<ref name="rpgvault" />
=== Presentation ===
Unlike in the first game, factions and story in ''Invisible War'' were not constructed with the intention of presenting a specific group as the "heroes" or "villains", even though the factions of ''Invisible War'' have parallel and extremely different goals. ''Invisible War'' is told in a completely objective manner: in other words, who the player perceives as right and wrong is intended to vary depending on who is playing the game. While this was true about ''certain'' factions in the original ''Deus Ex'' (such as the Illuminati), MJ-12 was set in stone as the "villain". In ''Invisible War'', every faction in the central conflict is eventually able to be sided with and presents a case that seems, at the very least, plausible to sympathize with. Additionally, the ability of the player to choose allegiance also increases his/her control over the storyline.
The story is now told more through character interactions than through game text. Books and newspapers in the game world are still readable, though the interface is now modal — it halts the simulation.
=== Story ===
{{plot|date=June 2008}}
''Note: Given the non-linear nature of ''Invisible War'', encountering certain plot elements depends on the actions of the player. The game also offers several subplots which the player may or may not encounter, depending on their actions within the game. This synopsis will concentrate on the main, unavoidable plot thread of the game. For simplicity, Alex D will be referred to throughout as male.''
[[Image:Templar purple goo.JPG|thumb|240px|A Knights Templar extremist destroys the city of Chicago.]]The player character, Alex D, begins the game shortly after escaping a massive [[terrorism|terrorist attack]] in Chicago.
Although Chicago is essentially destroyed, Alex, along with a fellow trainee [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Billie Adams|Billie Adams]] and the project leaders, are safely evacuated to another Tarsus facility based in [[Seattle]]. The other trainees [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Leo Jankowski|Leo Jankowski]] and [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Klara Sparks|Klara Sparks]] are enrolled there.
Alex and fellow program trainees are kept in the dark about what really happened to Chicago by Tarsus official [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Dr. Leila Nassif|Dr. Leila Nassif]]. Before they have a chance to find out the truth, the facility is attacked by forces of The Order Church.
Alex is contacted by Billie Adams. She reveals that she is a member of The Order and that the Tarsus Program is actually an experimental program for biomod technology with the trainees as test subjects. She urges Alex to escape and to meet up with The Order in Lower Seattle. Dr. Nassif, however, assures Alex that he is not simply a guinea pig and requests Alex to keep his loyalties with Tarsus.
Upon escaping the facility, Alex is next contacted by the WTO Security Chief [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Donna Morgan|Donna Morgan]] who orders him to meet her at the WTO Air Terminal. Chief Morgan instructs Alex to visit the [[apartment]] of Seattle's Minister of Culture (met later in Club Vox) who is suspected of illegal arms dealings. Alex finds Klara Sparks to be under the WTO payroll. Adams also instructs Alex to visit Nassif's apartment (in the same apartment building) for further details regarding the Tarsus Program and eventually finds that she is linked to the dealings with the Minister of Culture.
On his way to the Order compound in Lower Seattle, Alex D is forced to clean up a toxic spill on the Inclinator- the link between the WTO ruled prosperous Upper Seattle and the grim slums of the lower city.
In Lower Seattle, The Order's Second-in-Command High Augur [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Lin May Chen|Lin May Chen]] informs Alex that the group sent to Tarsus to mount a "rescue attempt" went rogue and Alex is entrusted to find what happened to them. She also tells Alex that [[The Knights Templar (Deus Ex)|The Knights Templar]] have been reported to rendezvous around the Inclinator. Upon visiting the Inclinator, Alex finds that the rogue group of The Order are indeed linked to the Knights Templar. The rogue element were attracted to the Templars by their more direct and extremist approach to matters than the peaceful approach undertaken by The Order. Alex also overhears that the Templars have commissioned a new super-weapon called the Mag Rail at Mako Ballistics in the [[urban rural fringe|outskirts]] of Seattle. The WTO wants to procure it and The Order wants to destroy it. Both urge Alex to fly to the facility to carry out their respective instructions.
In search of a pilot, Alex can choose to rescue from the WTO Air Terminal a woman named [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Ava Johnson|Ava Johnson]] who will agree to fly him for free, or he can hire [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Sid Black|Sid Black]] from the Greasel Pit bar in Lower Seattle after freeing his [[jet aircraft|jet]] from [[gangster]] Sophia Sak.
At the Mako facility, Alex meets up with the Chicago Tarsus Project Director [[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#Stan Carnegie|Stan Carnegie]] and learns that Nassif has gone to Cairo, where an ApostleCorp stronghold remains. Alex locates the Mag Rail and either steals it or assassinates its inventor.
At Cairo, the WTO-controlled [[Arcology]] is prosperous while the outer Medina is infested with a [[nanorobotics|nanite]] swell known as Plague-11 which contaminates the air. Alex meets with Leo Jankowski, who has now been hired as security for the Omar, and reveals Templar activity in the Arcology and a possible raid on the Omar. Alex finds the Templar in control of the ApostleCorp facility, where with the help of Klara Sparks he interrogates Dr. Nassif (and possibly kills her as the Order wishes, though Klara opposes this). He finds out that the director of Cairo facility (eventually revealed to be [[Paul Denton]]) was taken captive by the Templars, but that another founder remains, [[Tracer Tong]]. Tong is located in Trier, Germany, where the WTO and Order are about to hold a summit. Another revelation for Alex is that he is actually Alex Denton, the second [[cloning|clone]] of Paul Denton. (JC being the first.)
In Trier, Alex meets Tong and learns about the "Great Advance" that ApostleCorp has in mind. It is also revealed that ApostleCorp was created by Tong and Paul after JC Denton's disastrous merger with Helios at the end of the first game, which effectively brought about The Collapse. The aim was to find and perfect an universal biomod structure. Paul Denton was an earlier test subject but in a failed experiment he was comatose and had to be cryogenically frozen in Cairo, but is now in Templar captivity. JC himself now lies in an unstable state in Antarctica, waiting for a cure to come. JC's sanctuary can be reached through a teleporter (which can only be used by those having Denton DNA) in the abandoned Black Gate laboratories of the city, but the area is a Templar stronghold. Tong also reveals that the Templars have kidnapped the head of The Order, "Her Holiness", and are holding her in the laboratories. [[Chad Dumier]], head of WTO gives Alex a go-ahead to attempt a rescue.
Alex mounts a successful rescue, and in the process discovers that "Her Holiness" is actually [[Nicolette DuClare]]. She and Chairman Dumier are heads of the current incarnation of the ancient secret society [[The Illuminati (Deus Ex)|Illuminati]] and the WTO and The Order, are merely separate tools to achieve [[global domination]]. It now becomes clear that the Illuminati wants to revive JC Denton and control him to take control of the world. ApostleCorp wants to revive JC Denton to enable him a truly democratic post-human civilization governed by Helios with the help of the universal biomodification structure. The Templars want to destroy JC Denton and biomodification. After retrieving the stolen sequencing module from the Templar church nearby, Alex steps in through the [[teleporter]] to find JC Denton in Antarctica.
At JC's [[sanctuary]], Alex repairs Helios' memory core by transferring the DNA of his universal biomod architecture and by visiting several places held in JC's memory from the first Deus Ex, like [[Minor Deus Ex characters#Maggie Chow|Maggie Chow's]] apartment in [[Hong Kong]], [[Major Deus Ex characters#Joseph Manderley|Joseph Manderley's]] [[office]] at [[UNATCO]], [[Minor Deus Ex characters#Juan Ivanovich Lebedev|Juan Lebedev's]] [[bedroom]] at the 747, and JC's birth site at [[Area 51]] - where Alex meets Billie Adams. If Alex leaves Billie alive, she confronts him again at the last level in New York. After repairing the core, JC reveals his [[philosophy]] and future vision of the world and instructs Alex to go to Cairo and rescue Paul Denton from the Templars and revive him from his coma.
In Cairo, Dumier contacts Alex with instructions to murder Paul Denton. He also kidnaps Klara Sparks and holds her hostage. Alex meets Leo Jankowski who somewhat unwillingly has been subjugated to Omar biomodification and opposes every faction in the game, and can arrange the transport to Liberty Island. Saman again contacts Alex and requests Alex to give his blood to the Templar doctor at Flight Bay 24, where Paul is being held. Complying turns Alex into a Templar while greatly angering both the Illuminati and ApostleCorp. Refusing forces a battle between Alex and the Templar army. The player can also refuse giving the blood but can still kill Paul Denton by terminating [[life support]] from the computer of the [[cryonics|cryogenic storage]].
The final chapter takes place at Liberty Island, the starting point of the first game. Liberty Island is now frozen, and the broken [[Statue of Liberty]] has been re-erected as a light sculpture by JC using nanotechnology. All the factions have erected bases on Liberty Island and will contact Alex to upload the Aquinas Spec to their respective needs. If Leo is present he will give a fourth option to destroy all leaders, otherwise The Omar will directly contact Alex to tell the same. The Aquinas Spec can be uploaded from the Aquinas protocol at the abandoned UNATCO base. Depending upon whom the Spec is uploaded to and who survives the game can have four [[finale|endings]].
[[Image:Jcheliosend.jpg|thumb|left|240px|In one of the four endings, Alex D helps JC Denton attain his vision of a 'perfect democracy'.]]
* '''ApostleCorp's Great Advance''': JC's vision of universal biomodification becomes a reality and through a collective consciousness facilitated by Helios, the world becomes a perfect [[democracy]] devised by Helios/Denton.
* '''Illuminati's Age of Light''': JC and Paul Denton die, and the world becomes a positive controlled [[dictatorship]] under the Illuminati.
* '''The Knights Templar's Flooding''': JC and Paul Denton die, biomodification ceases to exist, and the Templars rule the [[Earth]] with [[religious]] [[totalitarianism]].
* '''The Omar's Scorched Earth Ending''': All other faction leaders die. Due to their high adaptability, the Omar take over the world as the rest of humanity is eliminated through constant chaos and fighting.
*'''Joke Ending''': Claimed to be "The Real Ending" when the player reaches it, the Joke Ending can be received on the last level after a series of steps. The player is then transported to a nightclub where various characters are all dancing and a number of Quote Files are floating about. The characters present are dependent on the player's actions during the game; if the player killed a character, he or she will not appear in the joke ending.
== Technical ==
''Invisible War'' uses a heavily modified version of the [[Unreal Engine technology#Unreal Engine 2.0|Unreal Engine 2]] developed by [[Epic Games|Epic Games, Inc.]] Amongst the added or replaced features are a custom renderer with real-time lighting and the ''[[Havok (software)|Havok v2.0]]'' [[middleware]] physics engine, as opposed to the Unreal Engine's ''Karma'' middleware solution. ''Havok'' v2.0 is also seen in such titles as ''[[Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne]]'' and ''[[Painkiller (game)|Painkiller]]''. Many objects in the world have size, weight, mass and can be picked up and thrown, nudged, or blown around by the force of an explosion. Lights can be moved, and this alters the shadows cast by objects.
As a consequence of console-oriented development, the game's levels are significantly smaller than those seen in the original ''Deus Ex''. Console-oriented development also has had consequences for the game's graphics; the game's characters are slightly less detailed and have somewhat lower [[polygon]] counts than those seen in, for example, ''Unreal II''.
== Reception ==
===Critical response===
''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' received largely positive reviews, receiving an average score of 80 for the Windows version and 84 for the Xbox version on [[Metacritic]].<ref name = metacritic /><ref name = metacritic2 /> [[MobyGames]] states a similar aggregate score for the game, listing an 82 and 86 for the Windows and Xbox versions respectively.<ref name=mobygames>{{cite web | url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/deus-ex-invisible-war | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' for Windows on Moby Games | work=[[Moby Games]] | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref><ref name=mobygames2>{{cite web | url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/xbox/deus-ex-invisible-war | title=''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' for Xbox on MobyGames | work=MobyGames | accessdate=May 21 | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
=== Fan response ===
Fan response to ''Invisible War'' is notable for being quite split. User rankings on MobyGames for instance are around 3.5 out of five for both versions of the game,<ref name = mobygames /><ref name = mobygames2 /> while Metacritic users awarded 6.2 out of 10 for the Windows version and 7.4 out of 10 for the Xbox.<ref name = metacritic /><ref name = metacritic2 />
=== Reasons for criticism ===
Criticisms of ''Invisible War'' generally drew negative comparisons to the game's award winning predecessor. The most common complaints seem to center around the length of the game (considerably shorter than the first installment), and the substantial reduction of RPG elements and the number of 'augmentation' abilities the player is able to find, and use.
==== Interface ====
''Invisible War'' dropped the skill system from the previous game and used a more simplified version of the biomod upgrade architecture. Also, the heads-up display was placed towards the center of the screen, but could be set up to fade out during play so as not to obstruct the player's view.<ref name=screenshot>{{cite web | url=http://www.firingsquad.com/games/deus_ex_invisible_war_review/images/01.jpg | date=2007-10-26 | title=Screenshot of Deux Ex: Invisible War from the player perspective | work=firingsquad.com | accessdate=October 26th | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
==== Graphics ====
The graphics in the Windows version of Deus Ex: Invisible War was notorious for demanding a powerful video card, effectively making a large number of the fan base unable to play the game. On the Xbox this was not an issue, and was largely the reason behind the higher-than-average rating of the Xbox version. Many graphics cards at the time, such as the Geforce MX series, did not support the [[Pixel Shader]] requirement. There is even a dedicated button on the CD's autorun menu for checking graphics card compatibility.
Additionally, many PC users noted the relatively low quality of in-game textures compared to other PC games, allegedly due to the simultaneous development of the [[Xbox]] and PC versions of the game coupled with the Xbox's 64 Megabyte RAM limit.<ref name="dx2_rebirth">{{cite_web| title=DX2 Rebirth: About| url=http://www.dx2rebirth.offtopicproductions.com/about.html| publisher=Off Topic Productions| accessdate=September 23| accessyear=2007}}</ref> User complaints in this area eventually led to the creation of a community-made "High Res Texture Pack".<ref name="high_res">{{cite_web| title=High Res. DX:IW Textures| url=http://www.john-p.com/textures/DX-IW/index.shtml| author=John P.| accessdate=September 23| accessyear=2007}}</ref>
==== Plot ====
An [[IGN]] review of ''Invisible War'' compared the plot of the sequel to the original game by saying "In all, it's a much more comprehensible story arc this time around. To be honest, by the time I finished the original ''Deus Ex'' on the PC, I could barely remember how the game started. This time, it's much easier to visualize the overall path of the action."<ref name=ignrvw>{{cite web | last=Butts | first=Steve | title=Deus Ex: Invisible War Review | work=[[IGN]] | date=2003-12-01 | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/442/442591p3.html | accessdate=November 30th | accessyear=2007}}</ref> However, others have noted drawbacks of ''Invisible War'''s plot when compared to that of the original game, considering its attempt at moral ambiguity as a flaw. A review of ''Invisible War'' on [[GameSpot]] says "There really is no clear sense of right or wrong in this game, which is interesting--though odd--and not always conducive to a satisfying experience," later also noting "The characters themselves aren't well developed."<ref name=gsptrvw>{{cite web | url=http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/rpg/deusexinvisiblewar/review.html | date=2007-10-26 | title=Deus Ex: Invisible War for Xbox Review - Xbox Deus Ex: Invisible War Review | work=[[GameSpot]] | accessdate=October 26th | accessyear=2007 }}</ref>
==== Inventory and ammunition ====
The inventory system from the previous game was dropped in favor of a slot-based system, where a slot could be filled with any one object or a stack of such objects. In this way, carrying a small object caused the same burden as a much larger one, but several identical small objects (like a group of candy bars) would only occupy one slot. Similarly, the ammunition management system from the previous game was dropped in favor of the Universal Ammo system, where all weapons drew upon the same pool of ammunition "points", with larger or more powerful weapons using more points and smaller weapons using fewer. This allowed some versatility in that you would not be forced to use another weapon or to hunt for ammunition when a preferred weapon was empty, with the drawback being that when one weapon was out of ammunition, all weapons were.
== Soundtrack ==
The fourteen main tracks for ''Invisible War'' were composed by Ion Storm composers [[Alexander Brandon]] and Todd Simmons, all but the Antarctica levels were by Brandon.[http://videogames.yahoo.com/newsarticle?eid=359445&page=0] All of these were released in April, 2004 for free download on the official site for the game.[http://www.eidos.co.uk/gss/dxiw/]
In addition to these, the songs of the fictional pop star "[[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters#NG Resonance|NG Resonance]]" featured in ''Invisible War'' were actually original compositions by the [[industrial rock]] band ''[[Kidneythieves]]''. The character's voice was also provided by lead singer [[Free Dominguez]]. All songs present in the game are included on the band's first album ''[[Trickster (album)|Trickster]]'', released July 28th, 1998 on the Push Records label.
<center>
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%; valign:top; color:black;"
|-
| valign=top align=left |
* 1. "Invisible War Title Theme" - 01:51
* 2. "Seattle - Tarsus Apartments" - 02:32
* 3. "Seattle - City Hub and Emerald Suites" - 02:55
* 4. "Seattle - Mako Ballistics Interior" - 02:21
* 5. "Seattle - Lower Seattle and Heron's Loft" - 02:34
* 6. "Cairo - Mosque" - 02:24
* 7. "Cairo - ApostleCorp Lab" - 02:21
* 8. "Trier - Streets and Black Gate" - 02:59
* 9. "Trier - Templar Compound" - 02:48
* 10. "Antarctica - VersaLife Base Exterior" - 02:19
* 11. "Antarctica - JC Denton's Lair" - 02:20
* 12. "Return to Cairo - Shantytown and Arcology" - 03:05
* 13. "Liberty Island - Statue Exterior" - 03:30
* 14. "Credits" - 01:34
|}
</center>
== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}
== See also ==
*[[Deus Ex: Invisible War characters|Deus Ex 2: Invisible War characters' biographies]]
== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.eidos.co.uk/gss/dxiw/ Eidos official UK site]
* [http://www.planetdeusex.com/ PlanetDeusEx Fan Website]
* [http://www.john-p.com/textures/DX-IW/index.shtml John P.'s Unified Texture Pack Project for the PC Version]
* [http://www.dx2rebirth.offtopicproductions.com/index.html Retexturing Project for the PC Version (outdated - rolled into John P.'s Unified Texture Pack)]
* {{moby game|id=/deus-ex-invisible-war|name=''Deus Ex: Invisible War''}}
* [http://www.visualwalkthroughs.com/deusexinvisiblewar/deusexinvisiblewar.htm ''Deus Ex: Invisible War'' Visual walkthrough]
* [http://download.dxalpha.co.uk/index.php?dir=DX2%2Fmusic%2F Full soundtrack download]
* Ion Storm and Eidos ''Deus Ex: Invisible War Install and Game Guide'' (2003), gives basic overview of weapons
* [http://uk.faqs.ign.com/articles/461/461564p1.html An article on the 'special weapons' and how to find them]
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