Machina

Konichiwa,

How do you feel when a sequel to a beloved game is announced, but you know that many of the people who worked on the original have nothing to do with the coming iteration? Look at NiGHTS. Yuji Naka isn't even with Sega anymore; can it really recapture the magic of the Saturn release?

The reason I bring this up is Eidos' recently unveiled third Deus Ex. Loyal readers will recall that I am a huge fan of the first game. The lackluster DX: Invisible War was disappointing (especially because my video card was not supported and it would not run on my laptop) but if anything it gives me hope for the future. Project Snowbound, a FPS released a few years back was originally going to be a Deus Ex title until IW failed commercially; the fact that Eidos is willing to resurrect the franchise indicates to me that they have learned from their mistakes and will take the time to make it great. Hopefully. While the publisher could be looking for a quick buck by capitalizing on the franchise, the financial under-performance of the second game makes me think that would not be the wisest business decision.

Despite these positive signs, the excitement is still mixed with trepidation. Warren Spector, the director of the first game, formed his own development group after Ion Storm's dissolution. While one man cannot a make game of this caliber (unless they are Pixel) and complexity, I truly believe it was his effort and vision that brought all the disparate elements together into a cohesive, compelling whole. Will this new Montreal based team be able to create a worthy successor? Time will tell, I suppose. However, I am almost certain my computer will be unable to run the new game when it is released. Oh well.

Bravery is not a function of firepower,
JC Denton