It was not so long ago that the separate genre "stealth action games" didn't exist. Merging first-person shooter combat with an RPG is an even more recent development. Deus Ex played around with all three concepts, and its sequel, The Invisible War, dives even deeper into this mysterious abyss. It is Ion Storm's professed goal to make a game that offers just as much to those who enjoy shooting NPCs as it does to those who enjoy talking to them.

The most basic elements of DX2 are all taken directly from the first chapter of the First Person Shooter Handbook. The player infiltrates multiple areas filled with enemies, and overcomes them from behind the barrel of various weapons. The futuristic, sci-fi setting is also very familiar. The twist that concerns us RPGamers is the nano-implants that the player can receive. These take the place of traditional skill systems. Moreover, they grant the player special abilities, with the emphasis on the "special." They include life leeching (draining energy from corpses), thermal vision (beware of blindness when used near an explosion), and gaining the ability to possess robots (both for spying and slaughtering). Not to be forgotten is the ability to jump 40 feet, see through walls, become radar invisible, and regenerate body damage. There are also weapon modifications. Even though a great amount of fun can be had by experimenting with these various augmentations ("augs"), the player eventually has to decide what kind of character they want. There are 21 augs, but only nine slots. Augs can be overwritten, but not stored beyond the equipped nine.

This character customization is part of Ion Storm's desire to give the player a maximum amount of freedom. There are lots of side missions that support the main quest, and each has multiple ways to be solved. There will be a great temptation to just blast all the enemies in sight, or perhaps even blast some barrels that release poisonous gas onto all the enemies in sight. Entertaining as that may be, there could be even more fun had by hacking into the compound's computer system, turning off all the cameras, and sneaking to glory. Or perhaps one good jump will be able to clear the whole area. The possibilities may not be endless, but having multiple routes through a mission is still a relatively novel concept. Most games direct the player to a bunch of missions that each require a specific skill, and draw out variety that way. DX2's developers have gone so far as to claim that playing the game will allow players to make a moral statement, based on whether they kill the NPCs or not. Oh, what a twisted world we live in!

One complaint that some had with the original Deus Ex was the lackluster AI. Ion Storm has made a marked effort to correct these mistakes, especially since playing around with NPCs is a biggie among the strategy options. Now NPCs will have different reactions based on circumstances, such as whether they meet the player in a crowded hall or an empty corridor. They will also do soldier-type things such as notice corpses, detect the player's location by sound, and run away. Only if they feel they're outgunned, of course. It is also possible to have detailed, branched conversations with friendly NPCs.

The story takes place 15 years after the first game, which should put it squarely at 2045. The protagonist, Alex Denton, is a clone of one JC Denton, who had a role to play in the events 15 years ago. Although JC was decidedly male, the player has the option of taking on the role of Alexandra Denton. The explanation for this potential turnaround is not readily apparent, nor need be it. The important thing is that the game starts with the destruction of Chicago, and further investigation reveals the involvement of a strange cult, and a possible nano-terrorist strike in the near future. Alex's quest will take him or her to Seattle, Cairo, Antarctica, and Germany - if Ion Storm wants to implement free roaming, they aren't going to do it with a world map. All in all, the player can expect the same religiously tinged conspiracy theories were abounding in the first game.

Sound will play a big role in DX2. The environment makes the correct sound whenever modified, for example, a steel box falling on the ground sounds like a steel box falling into the vacuum of space. I mean on the ground. In keeping with this realism, Ion Storm has made the potentially unfortunate, if popular, choice of cutting down on music in favour of ambient noise. Reportedly the effect is worthwhile, however. Not that there has not been attention paid to the music - the developers have recruited an industrial band to make music for a fictional, holographic pop-singer called NG Resonance. Her talents can be accessed at holopads for a price. In addition, there are over 30,000 lines of dialogue in the game, although most NPC conversations will still be communicated through text.

Realism is also the name of the game in regards to graphics. The 3000 polygons have made for great character models, and Ion Storm made sure to address fan concerns regarding the NPC deaths. The much-bemoaned "rag doll" death, where just-shot enemies crumple up in ways unknown to physics, has been removed to provide more agreeable fatalities. The effect is complete with a fair amount of blood and gore. Although the game comes with the option of turning off the blood, the experience is likely lessened somewhat.

The main quest takes about 20-25 hours to complete, and throwing in the sub-quests puts it as high as 35 hours. That is quite a lot for a plain old action game, but then Deus Ex: Invisible War isn't any such thing. What it does turn out to be is largely up to the player.