Getting started in the game, I immediately noticed both extreme similarities and extreme differences from the original Deus Ex. The intro cutscene is now a full (beautifully) pre-rendered dealie, as opposed to being engine-powered. Following this movie, the player is given the opportunity to personalize his character by selecting from 6 different appearance types (two genders and three skin tones – that’s right, Alex D can be a male or female this time around), a HUD color scheme, and, finally, an option of four difficulty levels. That’s all there is to it. Gone is the involved creation process from the original game determining the player’s initial skill investment, due to the different approach taken in DXIW for character development. No longer is the player’s ability to shoot a pistol or perform a heart bypass with household implements determined by how many points have been sunk into those relevant abilities (points which were gained through exploration and certain events in Deus Ex) – those skills are all determined by the capabilities of the actual player now. If you miss with that sniper rifle, it’s going to be because you’re a drunken homeless guy who couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with a nuclear warhead, not because your shot randomly flew off the crosshairs because your skill level was so low and you didn’t take the extra time to aim carefully.