Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

If you want more: Cyberpunk, augmented abilities, consequential dialogue and actions
Notable differences: No open world (though the game rewards exploration of its “hubs”), less customization over the protagonist, greater emphasis on stealth
Availability:
Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Windows (Steam Deck: YMMV), macOS, Xbox 360, Series S/X, PS3, Wii U
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided: Windows (Steam Deck: YMMV), macOS, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5

Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided are prequel reboots of one of gaming’s most essential cyberpunk experiences. With Human Revolution coming out in 2011 and Mankind Divided following it in 2016, these are noticeably more modern games than the original Deus Ex or its sequel, Invisible War. If the older vibes of the originals don’t float your boat, these prequels offer a similar cyberpunk fantasy in a dark and twisted future but with a few more rounded edges.

Human Revolution and Mankind Divided have you play as Adam Jensen. An ex-cop turned security expert for corporate powers, Jensen isn’t as much of a blank slate as 2077’s V, but you’ll get a decent amount of freedom over roleplay and choice, leading to different outcomes for moment-by-moment encounters, as well as varied narrative results. These are rewarding games to replay.

As in the original games, Human Revolution and Mankind Divided perhaps prioritizes stealth a little bit more than Cyberpunk. And they feature a setting that, I’d argue, feels a bit more grounded (despite zany conspiracy theories as one of the main plot elements) and, though dystopian, isn’t as absurdly over-the-top bleak as Night City can get.

As prequels, you might be wondering whether or not you should play these before or after the originals. I find these prequels to work as solid “sequel flashbacks” to the originals—particularly after the ending choices of Invisible War. So play these after visiting the classics; a certain level of spookiness will creep into various conversations and missions in the recent ones if you’ve already played either of the first two games. I think that’s worth trying to preserve—especially for the cyberpunk genre.