Deus Ex: The Conspiracy

Overview

Deus Ex is a 2000 action role-playing game developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos Interactive. Originally released for Microsoft Windows, it was released for Mac OS the same year, and for PlayStation 2 in 2002. A remaster for modern platforms was originally scheduled for release in February 2026, but was later delayed to an unspecified date. The gameplay: combining first-person shooter, stealth, and role-playing elements: features exploration and combat in environments connected to multiple city-based levels, with quests that can be completed in a number of ways and character customization based around cybernetic enhancements. Conversations between characters feature a variety of responses, with choices at key story points affecting how some events play out. A post-release patch incorporated deathmatch-style multiplayer.

Deus Ex is set in 2052, in a dystopian cyberpunk future beset by terrorist acts, economic inequality, and a plague dubbed the Gray Death. The player character, the cybernetically enhanced JC Denton, is an anti-terrorism agent who is deployed when a terrorist group interrupts supplies of a rare Gray Death vaccine. Investigating the incident, Denton ends up involved in a struggle between multiple factions for control of the world. The story is inspired by popular conspiracy theory motifs, incorporating groups including the Illuminati and Majestic 12.

The game was created by Warren Spector, who acted as director and producer, and put together a design concept during the early 1990s under the title "Troubleshooter". After being approached by Ion Storm about creating a project with complete creative freedom, Spector began pre-production in 1997. Staff included lead designer Harvey Smith, lead writer Sheldon Pacotti, and lead composer Alexander Brandon. The game was built using the Unreal Engine, which led to issues with coding and non-playable character behavior. Due to technical and time limitations, some planned features and areas had to be downscaled or cut entirely.

Official trailer

Game Intro. Watch on YouTube

Screenshots

Game details

Genres

Shooter, Role-playing (RPG)

Developer

Ion Storm

Publisher

Eidos Interactive, Square Enix

Series

Deus Ex

Engine

Unreal Engine 1

Platforms

PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2

Age rating

ESRB M

Modes

Single player

Yes

Local multiplayer

No

Online multiplayer

No

Co op

No

Age ratings

ESRB

M

Release dates

Playable today

Playable offline todayYes

Single-player only, with no online features.

Online

Plays offlineYes

Credits

Publisher

Eidos Interactive, Square Enix

Developer

Ion Storm

Released

2002-03-26

Age rating

ESRB M

Region

US

Time to beat

about 32 hours