Mankind Is Divided In The Next ‘Deus Ex’

Square Enix and Eidos Montréal have announced a sequel to the best-selling franchise reboot Deus Ex: Human Revolution is coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The next game in the series is titled Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. An official release date has yet to be announced, but the game is already available for pre-order at select retailers, including the official Square Enix Online Store, GameStop, and Amazon.com.

Technically speaking, Mankind Divided is the sequel to a prequel, given that Human Revolution is the prequel to the original Deus Ex released in 2000. After the critical and financial success of Human Revolution, the same development team created the mobile game Deus Ex: The Fall, a spin-off game that tells the story of the Human Revolution tie-in novel, Deus Ex: Icarus Effect.

As depicted in the trailer, Adam Jensen returns as the protagonist in the aftermath of the events of Human Revolution. Mankind is divided into two classes: those with bio-technical augmentations and those without. Those who have survived augmentation are treated like second-class citizens. Propaganda on both sides is provoking violence and showing no signs of a peaceful resolution.

Jensen appears to be on a quest to uncover the truth while mowing down dangerous folk from either camp. According to the newly redesigned official website, Jensen has new augmentations, weapons, and skills for players to unlock. The core elements of combat, hacking, social, and stealth that defined the gameplay in Human Revolution are returning in Mankind Divided. Player choices are going to continue to impact Jensen’s character development and the overall storyline, as well.

The plot is heavy on ethics and conspiracy theories, a formula that seems to work for the franchise. As David Anfossi, head of studio Eidos-Montréal, puts it in a recent press release, the topics tackled are as relevant today as they were 15 years ago when the series launched.

“For 15 years, Deus Ex has been a point of conversation across the games industry and beyond, whether the topic is the franchise’s unique gameplay or topical narrative focused on advanced biotechnology and human augmentation…”

Anfossi assures members of the gaming community the Deus Ex legacy will see an augmentation of its own through the storyline and the choice-based gameplay mechanics.

“What began with Deus Ex: Human Revolution goes to a whole new level in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, diving even deeper into this discussion and, in turn, offering fans an all-encompassing experience, one which will challenge their skills as players and emphasize decision-making based on real world topics.”

Also seeing a significant improvement are the game’s graphics. The trailer also shows off the stunning visuals created by Eidos Montréal’s new Dawn Engine. Back in December of 2014, Eidos Montréal unveiled the new engine on their official blog, noting it is a “heavily modified version” of the Glacier 2 engine from IO Interactive and noting it is planned to be used for all Deus Ex projects in the near future.

Fans eager to learn more about the upcoming game can rest at ease since more details are en route. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has earned the cover spot of the May, 2015 edition of Game Informer magazine, along with exclusive interviews and news that will be unveiled on their website throughout the month of April.