Available in the standard version and the robust Augmented Edition on Steam, gamers will be able to enjoy the Deus Ex experience of their choice. The Augmented Edition boasts a digital 40-page art book, a “making of” special, trailers, animated storyboard of the CGI trailer, motion graphic novel, soundtrack, and a free download of the Deus Ex Game of the Year Edition.

Telling the story of Adam Jensen, a man cybernetically augmented against his choice who finds himself in the middle of a global conspiracy to which he holds the key, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is set in a near-future world where humanity is at a turning point. By offering players the chance to play the game in multiple and vastly different ways, Deus Ex: Human Revolution challenges the foundations of gaming and provides an immersive experience where every choice has a lasting consequence.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is available now for pre-order on Steam at special limited-time pricing of £29.99 (standard version) and £39.99 (Augmented Edition), for release on August 26 in Europe.

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Consumers can preorder the standard edition game to receive the explosive Mission Pack or alternatively go for the highly collectable and strictly limited Augmented Edition.

The Explosive Mission Pack features an entirely new mission with a special cameo appearance from one of the original Deus Ex characters, plus the Automatic Unlocking Device, the M-28 Utility Remote-Detonated Explosive Device (UR-DED) and the Linebacker G-87 multiple shot grenade launcher.

The Augmented Edition boasts features the same exclusive mission as the Explosive Mission Pack, 10,000 extra credits to buy or upgrade weapons, plus a Huntsman Silverback Double-Barrel Shotgun, the SERSR Longsword Whisperhead silenced sniper rifle, the Linebacker G-87 multiple shot grenade launcher, an Automatic Unlocking Device and the M-28 Utility Remote-Detonated Explosive Device (UR-DED). If that’s not enough, the Augmented Edition also contains an exclusive bonus DVD featuring a 44 minute making of special, game soundtrack, motion-comic (adapted from DC’s official series) plus the E3 trailer and animated storyboard plus the edition will also contain a 40 page art book.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the return to one of the most critically-acclaimed video game franchises of all time, telling the story of Adam Jensen, a man cybernetically augmented against his choice who finds himself in the middle of a global conspiracy to which he holds the key. By offering players the chance to play the game in multiple and vastly different ways, Deus Ex: Human Revolution challenges the foundations of gaming and provides an immersive experience where every choice has a lasting consequence.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is developed for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

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There is a method to the madness in writing this first sentence and that is to say that Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is actually the first title in the franchise I have managed to spend a lot of time on.  So if you have felt you may have been left behind and wouldn’t consider buying this title because you haven’t played the other two then this review is to convince you that you need to go out to a store near you and buy it immediately!

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood follows on directly from the ending of Assassin’s Creed 2 with all the twists and turns laid bare.  For Assassin’s Creed II pros, the narrative will seem familiar immediately but for newcomers, you may want to brush up on the plot lines first to get a handle on what is going on.  Desmond is back again as a modern day pawn in the battle between Assassin’s vs Templars and using the Animus system, teleports himself into the mind of relative, Ezio Auditore, to relive his story in helping to find the stolen Apple Of Eden and redress the balance of Rome after the Borgia and Templars have imposed their influence.

The release of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood has had people wondering if this would be a scaled down version of the Assassin’s Creed experience but with the whole of Rome to explore, a solid storyline to back it up and a multiplayer experience that is addictive and fresh you will be safe in the knowledge that your money would be well spent here.

The size and grandeur of the world in which you explore is absolutely breathtaking and Ubisoft Montreal can be very proud of what they have achieved.  Whether it be moving over the rooftops for a stealthy assassination, exploring underground areas or simply mingling within the living and breathing city from ground level, Assassin’s Creed not only offers countless exploration options but also challenges you to dive into the wealth of side missions that are included.

For a first timer, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is relatively easy to get into and play.  When I first took a peek at the instruction manual and saw the amount of commands I was left with my jaw dropping on the floor but when you start to play the game you soon realise how fluid the system is.  In a game that has a heavy dose of stealth, vertical as well as horizontal movement and combat involved then you need the system to come alive and react well.  And very well it reacts too.  Movement feels natural from the controller as you find the best route up a building or flow with ease through a crowd.  Combat is as simple as locking on to your target and striking with deadly effect.  Counter strikes are intuitive and dependent on timing with options to block, grab, evade, kick as easy as pressing a button or two.

Although the main storyline features heavily (obviously) in the game, there are a serious amount of side missions that can be selected.  I have heard from people before that they felt that there wasn’t enough to do in the other titles but Ubisoft Montreal seems to have listened as my exploratory tours were, for the most part, sidetracked in constantly finding myself something new to do.  From Assassination contracts to taking out Borgia captains, the towers that they protect and the areas that they are occupying it is very hard to concentrate on completion of the story when there is so much more to do and trust me, that is a very good thing indeed!

You have heard me talk about Borgia towers and this is something a little extra that has been put into the game to add depth and to also utilise your strategic skills.  These towers are part of the Borgia occupation and control areas of Rome.  Each tower also has a skill level assigned to it which represents the difficulty in taking the Captain and tower down and thus liberating that area of the Borgia threat.  Kill the captain, burn the tower and liberate to open up a world of renovation and trading that will help bump your cash up as well as gain the respect of the people.  Be careful though, while these towers are there and an area is occupied you are restricted from entering it.  Get seen and a whole world of trouble will be coming your way.

Of course, this version comes with the added title, Brotherhood.  No longer are you the lone assassin out to shape the future but now you have a groups of assassins and vagabonds that you can recruit throughout the game.  You can call on these people for certain tasks if you so require, to help out and even train them whilst doing so to make them stronger. Although you should be able to complete most of the tasks alone it would be wise to utilise them for the harder Borgia tower tasks and can also become invaluable as an added strategic element in your planning of certain missions, especially when trying to gain 100% synchronisation by completing a task in a certain way.

So much sheen and polish has been put into Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood that you would think that the multiplayer element that has been added to this outing would result in a poor showing.  Many a time have I seen a title that has always concentrated on its narrative and compelling campaign be shot down in flames with a developer feeling that including a multiplayer component is a must have.  Normally, one of the two suffers but this is not so with Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood.

The multiplayer affair offers an insight into how, with good design and planning on the developers part, you can achieve a perfect partnership and synergy with both components.

Although in its infancy and limited in gametypes you are plunged into one of the many maps and are forced to assassinate a target designated to you.  Simple you may think but you are also being targeted by someone too.  Strategy and planning  are a must here as you decide whether to mingle with crowds to keep your chosen character, at least, a little safe or go all out for the kill and blow your cover.  Bonus points are awarded for more stylish kills and the winner is the player with the most points over a certain period of time.  Get the wrong person and you will be given a new target but you are also vulnerable to a counter attack too.

There are also variations of the mode which involve team based assassinations too which add to proceedings as well as a ranking system that will unlock “perks” and profile slots to customise your character with a couple of skills and weaponry.  It all works perfectly and is so addictive you will wonder where your time has gone.  Trust me, there is nothing more satisfying than sitting next to a character that is the same as you for your foe to get the wrong kill, see him start to run and you get up and bitch slap him for his arrogance in thinking he can take you down.  It never gets boring!

Overall, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a perfect buy for the AC fan or the newcomer.  A subtle, stealthy mix of compelling gameplay, generous side missions, stunning environments in both level and art design as well as a healthy dose of addictive multiplayer makes Assassin’s Creed stand out as one of the must have games of the year.  I am compiling my Editor’s Choice awards now the big hitters have hit the shelves and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is steadily becoming a front runner.

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We have also been able to secure an interview with the developers themselves.  Check it out here

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Is every option (choice you have to make in order to progress) obvious/presented clearly before you?

No. Absolutely not. Some choices will be presented in ways that the outcome will be more obvious but, a lot of choices will be more or less hidden in the challenges you face and in the narrative. Depending on how you react, later outcomes will vary. We didn’t want to make a game where all the choices are telegraphed because it makes the choice more often than not based on how you want to boost your character as opposed as being immersed in the fantasy of the game. It’s definitely more subtle than a lot of games.

Will we encounter books, news terminals, newspapers, ATMs; and will some even be influenced by your own actions?

You will encounter a lot of things to read like newspapers, eBooks, etc. Unfortunately, we had to cut the ATMs because we were running out of time.

How many items will Adam be able to carry, and does this exclude weapons?

Depends on the size of your inventory. If you invest in it, you’ll carry a lot and if you don’t, you’ll have to make difficult choices on what to keep with you or not. It includes everything but “story items”.

Regarding the Icarus Landing system: Is there any scientific research or advancement made that support the concept behind this aug? How can it be done?

The Icarus Landing System is a discreet augmentation surgically implanted in the user’s lower back, slightly above the coccyx at the base of the vertebral column. The device has an accelerative descent sensor built in; in freefall, the unit will automatically activate the patented High-Fall Safeguard System, an EMF decelerator generating a fixed-focus electromagnetic lensing field, projected downward along the plane of the drop. This field pushes against the Earth’s magnetosphere and slows the user’s descent to a manageable velocity, allowing him to fall from almost any height (within reason) to a relatively soft landing.

Will augmentations be permanent once installed, or can players mix-and-match augs or remove them?

There are indeed permanent.

How do augmentations like the claymore work when Adam wears his coat?

There are holes in his coat that allows for the claymore to work perfectly fine.

How are the augmentations divided amongst the four pillars that have been mentioned?

There divided in different categories like Cranium, arms, legs, torso, etc.

What are the augmentations that Adam starts out with?

Single Takedown, IFF, Retinal Prosthesis, basic hacking ability and the Infolink essentially.

How does health regeneration work? What will trigger it, how fast is it going to be, will it use energy?

When you take damage your health goes down. If you have being hit for “x” seconds, than it starts to regenerate somewhat slowly. It’s not as quick as games like Halo or CoD. You really need to stay out of the firing zone otherwise you won’t last long. When in trouble, you can use consumables (if you have any) to replenish it faster or to boost your health when it’s already full.

Will there be weapon stores for purchasing ammunition and tools?

Yes, there are some hidden merchants offering different kind of weapons and items. You need to find them though.

If players choose to play in a certain manner, they’re presumably going to be doing a lot of hacking throughout this game. Considering it sounds like the hacking minigame is quite complex (and presumably at least reasonably time consuming) what have you done to ensure that it doesn’t get incredibly tedious over time (Bioshock’s hacking minigame as a poor example)?

Every hacking session is different. Based on your level of hacking augmentations, the chances that the Sub-Routine will detect you will vary. And each time, you need to adapt to what happens. Also, there are some rewards (credits, virus programs, etc.) that can be accessed but always while managing the Sub-Routine system trying to catch you. So, it becomes a game of adaptation and  how much risks are you willing to take to get additional rewards.

Will I be able to pick all pieces of junk and different stuff just like in DX1 and use them to distract enemies or do something else with it?

You’ll be able to use different types of boxes to distract NPCs indeed. If you’re referring to things like a pencil or a glass the answer is no. We have a very detailed and rich world to discover so we had to make some tradeoffs in terms of the scope of interactive objects in order to keep a smooth framerate.

Why were BE cells, lockpicks and multitools removed?

We wanted to make hacking more important and deeper. And since we had so many features to develop for this game, we had to focus and lose some things like lockpicks and multitools.

Will the earlier Deus Ex music theme return?

Maybe…

Are we able to HOLSTER OUR WEAPON in Deus Ex Human Revolution?

Of course we are. Deus Ex is not a typical shooter when it’s all about gunning down enemies. Your journey brings you in civilized places where guns are not well appreciated. So, holstering it will make people more willing to speak to you. Who would chat with someone pointing a gun on our head?

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Army Of Two: The 40th Day sees our protagonists, Salem and Rios dumped into Shanghai on a mission to find out that it is about to rain shit on their parade.  What transpires are more action sequences than the Karma Sutra in a gun porn frenzy of a ride into Shanghai’s key locations.  This is the first difference to the game.  Army Of Two sets its stall out in parts of Shanghai with well designed, yet linear levels with enough cover to blast your way out of situations and use strategy’s to progress.

The game itself is a vast improvement on its predecessor in terms of working together as a team single player experience.  Army Of Two’s A.I. partner felt wrong and made the wrong choices at the most inopportune moments and this has been addressed by EA to not force you to find a friend or an online partner to play the game with.  The decision making has been remarkably improved and allows for a good single player experience without the frustration from its previous offering.  That being said, it is always a lot more fun to find a human partner to run through the game with as Army Of Two: The 40th Day demands team work to be able to enjoy the experience effectively but at least you’re safe in the knowledge that if you are on your own you will not be disappointed.

The enemy A.I. has also had a bit of an overhaul with more tactical responses from the enemy.  They will, if given the chance, try to flank you and take up positions that will put you under a little pressure which is a very good thing.  The use of the Aggro meter is actually an element that works now as you or your partner draws fire whilst the other finds a position to take the enemy out.  It is not perfect though as I have found on a couple of occasions that the enemy have remained stuck to their spot and do not fire at you even though you are looking straight ahead at them.  This has only happened a couple of times an has not really affected the gameplay too much, just made it a tad easier to progress through a certain area.

The combat in Army Of Two: The 40th Day is pretty solid too with enough going on to keep you on your toes and enough breathing space to be able to make decisions for you and your partner on how to take out enemies in an area of gameplay.  The control system is a lot more fluid but there are very minor problems with the hit boxes to the enemy.  Cross hairs have been on someone, only for the bullet to not make contact, this can be a little frustrating but again, only happens on occasion so it is not a big worry.  It seems to happen when you are trying to squeeze a bullet through a tight spot so watch out for that.  The cover system which the game builds itself around still needs looking at but is a vast improvement on the original.  It is a lot easier to take cover now but the way it is handled is a little wooly and can leave you with your arse sticking out, sucking up bullets if not performed correctly.  I hink everyone will agree that the Gears Of War cover system is the pinnacle of this style of gameplay and although EA Montreal have gone to great lengths to better this system it is still not perfect.

Graphically,  Army Of Two: The 40th Day looks beautiful with some amazing lighting effects and rendering.  There is the odd clipping moment but nothing that will put you off too much and is by far the biggest advancement on Army Of Two, along wih improved A.I. that I have seen in the game.

Overall, Army Of Two: The 40th Day is a well presented, vastly improved third person cover shooter and will provide a challenging and fun experience on single player, split screen and multiplayer experience that forces you to work as a team to progress.  The advancements in most elements of the game and array of customisation with weaponry will provide you with a lot of fun.  Army Of Two: The 40th Day is by no means perfect but has addressed quite a few of the major issues in the first game but just stops short of becoming the behemoth that Army Of Two could be.

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The trailer utilises the same incredible CGI technology last seen when Salem and Rios headed to EA’s Montreal studios.

Army of Two: The 40th Day is out on January 15th 2010 on Xbox 360, PS 3 and PSP.

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