Your enjoyment of this game will be greatly enhanced if you go into it without the expectation of it replicating the openness of Deus Ex or other immersive sims. I would call this game a light immersive sim - it possesses many trademarks of the genre, namely the ability to approach levels in multiple different ways but does so in a manner that’s simpler than games like the original deus ex, dishonored or even something outside of the genre like splinter cell: chaos theory.
The game, however, is still very enjoyable. It has a pretty decent story, which while not as creative or complex as the original deus ex, holds together well and keeps your attention and curiosity throughout. The aesthetic design of the game is also great. It does the cyberpunk aesthetic pretty well and puts its own unique spin on things with the renaissance elements blended in. I’ve definitely never seen that combination before and it works quite well.
Gameplay is very enjoyable despite its shortcomings. Stealth and gun play both feel great - very balanced and responsive. Nailing both is definitely to be commended given the fact that many games that try to incorporate both can only do one well. Exploration is also enjoyable and replicates some of the sense of discovery the original provided. However, the general lack of meaningful rewards for exploration causes it to lose its luster by the end of the game. Most of your rewards for exploring will be useless hacking supplies as opposed to rare weapons or upgrades.
Overall the game is quite fun but doesn’t really excel at anything. If I could give more specific ratings I’d probably give this game a 7.7 or 7.6. It’s creative and fun enough to stand out and be memorable but not quite good enough be considered a classic of either it’s genre or generation.
As a final thought - this game came out in 2011, a time when the term “immersive sim” was likely unknown to your average console gamer. I was in this camp when HR came out, and I can remember the immersive sim elements of it absolutely blowing my 15 year old mind. This game does somewhat unexpectedly hold a very special place in many hearts and I think this is why: it was like nothing else being released at the time and was probably the first immersive sim for a lot of gamers. Many of those gamers, myself included, went on to play and love the classics on the genre, which does unfortunately cause Human Revolution to lose much of its luster. While Human Revolution probably won’t be remembered much in the future for the quality of its story or gameplay, I do hope it’s remembered for it’s role in introducing the immersive sim genre to a new generation of gamers.
Although if I’m being realistic it‘ll probably be most remembered for the eternal words of Adam Jensen, “I never asked for this.”
The game, however, is still very enjoyable. It has a pretty decent story, which while not as creative or complex as the original deus ex, holds together well and keeps your attention and curiosity throughout. The aesthetic design of the game is also great. It does the cyberpunk aesthetic pretty well and puts its own unique spin on things with the renaissance elements blended in. I’ve definitely never seen that combination before and it works quite well.
Gameplay is very enjoyable despite its shortcomings. Stealth and gun play both feel great - very balanced and responsive. Nailing both is definitely to be commended given the fact that many games that try to incorporate both can only do one well. Exploration is also enjoyable and replicates some of the sense of discovery the original provided. However, the general lack of meaningful rewards for exploration causes it to lose its luster by the end of the game. Most of your rewards for exploring will be useless hacking supplies as opposed to rare weapons or upgrades.
Overall the game is quite fun but doesn’t really excel at anything. If I could give more specific ratings I’d probably give this game a 7.7 or 7.6. It’s creative and fun enough to stand out and be memorable but not quite good enough be considered a classic of either it’s genre or generation.
As a final thought - this game came out in 2011, a time when the term “immersive sim” was likely unknown to your average console gamer. I was in this camp when HR came out, and I can remember the immersive sim elements of it absolutely blowing my 15 year old mind. This game does somewhat unexpectedly hold a very special place in many hearts and I think this is why: it was like nothing else being released at the time and was probably the first immersive sim for a lot of gamers. Many of those gamers, myself included, went on to play and love the classics on the genre, which does unfortunately cause Human Revolution to lose much of its luster. While Human Revolution probably won’t be remembered much in the future for the quality of its story or gameplay, I do hope it’s remembered for it’s role in introducing the immersive sim genre to a new generation of gamers.
Although if I’m being realistic it‘ll probably be most remembered for the eternal words of Adam Jensen, “I never asked for this.”