The proverbial saying is that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But hey, if you can add something awesome to it, just do it! Square Enix Montreal is on a roll when it comes to releasing turn based puzzle games that contain the right amount of brand recognition, mind bending challenges, terrific art, and play perfectly on mobile devices. Today marks the release of round 3 in the collection of GO games from the studio and it’s super solid, with a tease of more to come. Deus Ex GO is now at the power of your fingertips.
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If you are familiar with the previous titles like Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO, Deus Ex GO will seem like jumping back on an old bicycle. Just move our half man half machine hero Adam Jensen around the screen to complete puzzles. Like in the previous games, planning your strategy, watching out for enemies and attacking at the right moments will power you through the game.
What used to be surface level puzzle design has gotten more challenging with the addition of augments and hacking, both of which have upped the level of difficulty and force you to be more creative in your solution making. The invisibility augment is really amazing, allowing you to sneak around without getting detected (but remember you are only invisible, not untouchable) and permits hacking computers from a distance. The hacking system puts a puzzle on top of a puzzle, permitting you to take control of traps, floor mechanisms and enemies while maneuvering Jensen through the level.
As someone who played the two previous titles, I really appreciate the game training system that uses levels to teach you the new skills rather than writing it out verbatim, while still keeping in mind newcomers to the series and helping them along.
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There are a multitude of new enemies to go along with the Deus Ex world, ones that can not only hurt you but mess up your well laid plans, and ones that can attack from afar. Learning the enemies behaviors in this version of the game was just as important as learning Jensen’s powers.
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Another added feature to no. 3 in the GO series is story. Unlike Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO, Deus Ex GO follows a story that runs parallel to the Deus Ex: Mankind Divided game which is soon to be released. It’s a perfect way to get back into the setting before the triple-A game comes out on August 23rd, 2016.
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According to the press release, a few weeks after the launch of Deus Ex GO you will be able to put your creative skills to the test with the Puzzle Maker, which will permit you to design your own puzzles and challenge your friends. Since this aspect of the game is not out yet, I cannot pass judgement on it, but the concept intrigues me. User generated content always brings new life to a title, and I am sure the folks at Square Enix Montreal will learn some amazing things from seeing how their gamers use the tools they have developed for them.
Deus Ex GO is another must-play game from the folks at Square Enix Montreal. Taking the learnings from their previously critically acclaimed titles, and upping the ante in puzzle design through mechanics of the Deus Ex universe, they have made yet another awesome game to take on the road. I am confident that this game will have a long life span through the weekly puzzle releases, and post-Puzzle Maker launch we will be seeing a lot of it being streamed online.
DISCLAIMER: Deus Ex GO review copy provided by Square Enix Montreal. The opinions expressed in the article above have not be affected by, dictated or edited in any way by Square Enix Montreal. For more information please see Girls on Games’ Code of Journalistic Ethics.