Deus Ex: Human Revolution strives so high that imperfections feel like small blemishes on the Mona Lisa; the quest to achieve absolute perfection brings about tiny frustrations which I often struggle to decide whether I should mention. What feels more frustrating, a chip on a rusty old Peugeot, or a shiny new Bugatti? So let’s get this out of the way: Deus Ex: Human Revolution is worthy of some of the highest praise in videogames, and is certainly one of the most thoughtful and ambitious games on the 7th console generation.

Human Revolution’s grandiose moral narrative is one of the best stories in the series. While a complex weave of political, philosophical and personal choices, it’s also a relatively straight forward and understandable story that doesn’t rely on a complicated entanglement of Deus Ex lore. Human Revolution grounds itself on a central question: Should humans were able bypass the biological limitations of our bodies using robotics?

What I love about Human Revolution is how it avoids falling into tired stereotypes. Its political choices don’t rely on simple left and right wing narratives, or are purely anti-capitalistic in nature. Indeed, billionaire corporates find themselves on both sides of this game’s ethical debates. Whilst self-preservation is a factor in all characters’ motivations, so is the greater good of humanity. Advancements in cybernetics aren’t viewed through a tired lens of anti-corporate profiteering, but rather prompt genuine excitement over advancing mankind and increasing quality of life.

On the opposite side of the argument, scepticism over how we regulate technology that overwrites the limits of our biological body are persuasive. “More often than not, haven’t the machines we’ve made to improve lives, shattered the lives of millions?” Questions over the accountability of those who control our very bodies are justified and dip in-between conspiracy and legitimate concern. The game’s several ending cutscenes provide a sharply written and persuasive commentary on all sides of the argument, and there’s truly no “good” answer. And these questions extend outside of the game’s central themes, as the DLC poses several difficult situations to the player, asking how much pain and suffering in others can be withstand in order to help the greater good.

Human Revolution’s grand sense of scale is sometimes gimped by the older hardware it was designed for. Deus Ex prides itself on large, expansive levels which can be approached from multiple angles. Most buildings feature front doors, side alleys, back ladders, underground sewer entrances and ventilation shafts to provide multiple approaches to objectives. Human Revolution mostly continues this winning formula, but some environments – particularly indoors, can feel a touch claustrophobic. Outdoors you’re often funnelled into tight alleyways to break-up sections of the level or hub worlds, which can make traversal tedious at times. Sprint is an essential quality of life stat that you’ll impatiently be upgrading.

Human Revolution, both the original and Director’s Cut, are also hampered by technical issues. My first few hours of each game were spent messing with graphics options and jumping between distracting screen tearing or equally challenging input delay due to the game’s vertical sync. I eventually fixed this through a combination of Nvidia Control Panel options, but it did sour the beginning of the game.

Overall, Human Revolution is an accessible and inspired entry into the Deus Ex franchise with a beautifully written storyline. Special shout out to Michael McCann’s score which has been on replay on my Spotify, especially the main theme Icarus, which pulls emotional weight into the game’s philosophical themes. While technical issues can hamper the game’s impressive scope, the world is nonetheless engaging, morally challenging, and it’s well worth exploring every inch of it.