I'm not entirely sure how to review this, so I'll just jump right in.

First and foremost, Deus Ex holds a special place in my jaded, cynical heart ...

It was one of the first games I got really into. I recall trying to figure out which graphics card was best suited for the sisypheanly frustrating task of obtaining good frames. What's Glidefx vs DirectX? Should I use my Riva TNT or swap it for a Rage Pro? Should I stick with Windows 98 or embrace the NTFS based Windows 2000 pro? Why does my best friend's family computer (a Dell beige box with a PIII) run this better than my setup? What am I missing?

This was all well before I was fully cognizant of what rendering devices were. I was an amateur tech enthusiast floundering in a world beyond my full comprehension.

Not that any of that really mattered.

I was enthralled by the rich, engaging story. By the sheer interactivity and possibilities offered. By the audacity of a first person shooter to have elements from role playing games. This is the year 2000, mind, and you had very segregated genres. Diablo was a RPG. Unreal Tournament was a FPS. C&C was a strategy game. And they all stayed in their own lanes.

Then this came out.

It was an absolute shock to the system. Of how beautifully different genres could be melded. Of what an interactive, alluring gaming experience could be.

It's easily my personal best game of all time, followed closely by VTMB.

Now.

Obviously, my rose-tinted nostalgia glasses are called to question. It is a dated game. Some of the voice acting is a bit cringe-worthy. Some of the later levels feel a bit sparse. I don't align myself to the central narrative as my 11 year old self did. I guess that's growing up; realizing that revisiting old stories 20 some years later will invoke different feelings, emotions, and experiences.

But hell, if it isn't a brilliant story and experience to be had. Through and through.

I have nothing but respect, admiration, and accolades to bestow on the development team of this mod. What a resplendent curation of the best graphical improvements, mods, and remapping! All in one tidy package.

The levels are fleshed out and feel lived-in where the original felt sparse. Staying true to the spirit of the game.

The music is haunting and emotional. While there's a few tracks that I preferred the Alex Brandon originals - you can chose which iterations provide your best ambient soundscape.

The graphical improvements are thoroughly distinguished. I had to go back and replay the vanilla GOTY version to remember (nostalgia glasses) just how dated the textures and models, and even some level designs were. While it still looks like the unreal engine from 20+ years ago, it looks appropriately stylized instead of bluntly archaic.

The addition of achievements brought a smile to my face.

I cannot say enough good things about this mod. I own 500+ games and find myself gravitating towards a restomod/ revamp of a classic instead of hundreds of newer/ triple-A development titles. It's simply that good. It maintains the tonality, aesthetic, and mood of the original while augmenting some weaker areas.

In summation; a meritorious and respectful revitalization of one of the best games of all time. If you love Deus Ex, reinstall and spin up Revision. You'll be blown away.

Cheers <3