The Deus Ex series has never been one to hide its political influences, with the constant struggle of augmented humans mirroring real-world apartheid, as well as Neill Blomkamp’s masterpiece District 9. The game’s latest trailer, shot in live action, paints a desolate picture of what an “augmented vs. humans” future could look like, and continues the series’ bold political message.
“This is an attack on humanity and the universal values that we share,” says secretary general Peter Roberts in the trailer as a news anchor reports that more than 9 million people have already been killed during the struggle, with the number quickly rising.
The anchor adds, however, that the people responsible for deaths were hacked and did not voluntarily commit the attacks. After an augmented woman angrily pushes her husband through a window, she looks down at her hands as if to say, “What have I done?”
“We can be politically correct, or we can be foolish,” adds senator Ross Sheldon. It doesn’t take a lot of thinking to figure out who Eidos and Square Enix want that character to represent.
News reports also indicate that a prescription medication required for augmented humans to not reject their robotic parts — and risk death– has begun to run short in supply. Something makes us think that wasn’t an accident. An “aug” activist adds that society has begun to build concentration camps as we see citizens set on fire and brutally beaten by the police.
“The separation act has been passed into law, effective immediately,” a PSA states. Protagonist Adam Jensen certainly didn’t ask for this, but he will have to stop it.
It’s all a tad on the nose and cheesy, but given the subject matter we’re dealing with in the Deus Ex universe, the tone of the trailer is close to perfect. We’ll find out if the game is as successful when it launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on August 23.