| Deus Ex: Mankind Divided | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Eidos-Montréal[a] |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix[b] |
| Director(s) | Jean-François Dugas |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Richard Knight |
| Programmer(s) |
|
| Artist(s) |
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| Writer(s) | Mary DeMarle |
| Composer(s) | |
| Series | Deus Ex |
| Engine | Dawn Engine |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | August 23, 2016
|
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing, first-person shooter, stealth |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a 2016 action role-playing game developed by Eidos-Montréal and published by Square Enix for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in August 2016. Versions for Linux and macOS systems were released in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The game is the sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the fifth installment in the Deus Ex series. The gameplay combines first-person shooter, stealth and role-playing elements. It features exploration and combat in environments connected to the main hub of Prague and quests which grant experience and allow customization of the main character's abilities with Praxis Kits. Conversations between characters have a variety of responses, with options in conversations and at crucial story points affecting how events play out. Players can complete Breach, a cyberspace-set challenge mode, in addition to the main campaign. Breach was later released as a free, standalone product.
Set two years after Human Revolution in 2029, the world is divided between normal humans and those with advanced, controversial artificial organs dubbed "augmentations". After a violent event known as the Aug Incident, augmented people have been segregated; this prompts heated debate and an era of "mechanical apartheid". Main protagonist Adam Jensen, equipped with advanced new augmentations after Human Revolution, is a double agent for the hacker group Juggernaut Collective to expose the Illuminati, which is orchestrating events behind the scenes. The story explores themes of transhumanism and discrimination, using the series' recurring cyberpunk setting and conspiracy theory motif.
Production of Mankind Divided began after completion of the Human Revolution expansion The Missing Link. Eidos-Montréal wanted to improve its gameplay and narrative, and address criticism from fans and reviewers of Human Revolution. The gameplay and graphics engine were rebuilt from scratch for next-generation hardware. A greater focus on realism and the story's darker themes resulted in a subdued color range compared to the previous game. Human Revolution composer Michael McCann returned to write the score with newcomers Sascha Dikiciyan and Ed Harrison.
Mankind Divided was announced in 2015, after a lengthy promotional campaign. Subsequent marketing slogans were criticized by journalists, and a divisive tier-based preorder campaign was cancelled due to player backlash. Post-launch, story-based downloadable content was released in 2016. The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised its narrative, graphics and gameplay. Criticism focused on the brevity of its campaign and the handling of its themes. Although the game initially placed highly on sales charts, it was rumored to be a commercial disappointment and it was speculated that the series would be put on hold.
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