#mankind divided

[criminalelementsart]

"Deus Ego" (2024)

Had this idea when I saw @raynerberg's redraw of the Deus Ex cover art with Paul in place of JC The name is probably grammatically incorrect but I thought it was fitting as this is what Google translate said:

[pedroam-bang]

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016)

[arwenstardust]

I don’t know what Adam Jensen would do to me, but I’d let him.

[mvaas]

[tempestuous-tempest]

Problematic Scrawny White Boys.

[twistedtummies2]

Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes - Number 28

Welcome to A Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes! During this month-long event, I’ll be counting my Top 31 Favorite Fictional Detectives, from movies, television, literature, video games, and more!

SLEUTH-OF-THE-DAY’S QUOTE: “Change never comes without pain.”

Number 28 is…Adam Jensen, from Deus Ex.

A specific friend of mine introduced me to the Deus Ex games, via their two most recent releases: “Human Revolution” and “Mankind Divided,” both of which apparently act as prequels to the rest of the series. I know absolutely nothing about all the other games in the franchise, but as far as these two games go…I think they’re pretty interesting! The games are a sort of combo of sci-fi and film noir, taking place in a futuristic world where many human beings have “augmented” themselves with bionic materials, for various reasons. In each game, your main character is this guy: Adam Jensen, a frankly much better cyborganic sleuth than Inspector Gadget. Then again, I think a pencil would make a better cyborganic sleuth than Inspector Gadget, and it’s neither a cyborg NOR a sleuth, so…take that as you will.

Anyway: voiced by Elias Toufexis (who apparently is a big fan of noir and pulp style fiction, such as The Shadow), Jensen starts off in “Human Revolution” as a security investigator for a tech company called Sarif Industries. After being horribly wounded in an attack on the company, Jensen is augmented without his consent, and his girlfriend – Megan – is apparently killed. Despite his MANY reservations, Jensen goes out to try and discover exactly what happened, using his newfound augmentations to help him along the way. His investigations lead to him uncovering a vast conspiracy, with ties to the Illuminati, of all things. In “Mankind Divided,” Jensen has left Sarif Industries in favor of working for Interpol, acting as an agent for an elite anti-terrorist squad. He once again runs afoul of the Illuminati in the process of investigating a railway bombing, and once more goes on the hunt to find the perpetrators, using his special tools and skills to track down the criminals. Along the way, in both titles, Jensen also comes across various other cases and side missions, each of which show the different dark corners of the world he lives in.

A big part of both games – and, from what I understand, the Deus Ex franchise as a whole – is the theme of what makes a person truly human. In a world where people are replacing their limbs and organs en-masse with “superior,” artificial contraptions, how much can you do to the human body before it stops BEING a human body? What makes an individual different from the crowd, and what separates people from the machines we build? How much choice and free will does one really have in the world? These are themes integral to both science fiction AND noir-style detective stories, and both titles meld the two genres exquisitely. Jensen, his allies, and the foes he faces present different viewpoints on a world like this, and offer different perspectives on this fundamental question.

Jensen is a classic detective character of this sort; he’s like a cross between the aforementioned Cole Phelps and a superhero of some sort. He’s not unwilling to use violence and direct force on his enemies, and he has plenty of firepower to go around, but much of each game is really about him tracking leads, picking out clues, and asking questions as he tries to get to the bottom of the truth of each matter. These are a couple of those lovely video games where the choices the player makes throughout the story – from simply deciding whether to use stealth or full-faced aggressive tactics, to deciding what messages to share with the people of the world – effect the plot and other characters’ perception of the main protagonist. But even with that said, Jensen has several things that remain consistent: his dry, sarcastic sense of humor, his stonefaced demeanor, and his somewhat cynical outlook on his own life. Perhaps the most noteworthy element, however, is his sense of independence. It’s interesting and fitting that Adam’s journey effectively begins with him being forced into situations beyond his control, because from that point on, you could argue his entire mission in both stories is to find exactly that. Jensen prefers to work alone, as much as possible, and clearly resents being put in the position he is. How he comes to feel about his augmentations, and the concept of augmented people in general, can change depending on how the player handles things, but overall it’s fair to say that, for all the advantages they give him, he also knows they have clear disadvantages, too. As the story of each game grows more complex, so do the choices Jensen has to face. As a result, the player goes from having no choice in what happens to having incredible responsibility heaped onto their shoulders. It’s a unique progression for both the character and each game in general, and it’s part of what makes this sci-fi sleuth so memorable.

Tomorrow, the countdown continues with Number 27!

CLUE: “The world will look up and shout ‘Save us!’ And I’ll whisper, ‘No.’”

[crispofftheblock]

Accidentally choosing the mean option in Deus Ex Mankind Divided

[trans-rights-adam-jensen]

I know there's a lot of people who think Aria gravitates toward Jensen because she has a crush on him, and/or because he's the only other augmented coworker she has, and that's all incredibly valid!!!!

But also consider:

She is also queer and immediately clocks his bisexual ass and goes "oh thank god I was dying of overexposure to the Straights."

[technowunderkind]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ♥️

waaaah thank you!!! ;o; <3

i wish i had more finished deus ex fics to share, but so far all I have is this one, and I'm very proud of it still :]

From A to Ž Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Adam Jensen & Vaclav Koller Would it be the wrong time to ask, considering that he's know him for three months now? (Or because he's actively working on the mechanisms of his augmented hand?) Or would it be worse to keep this feeling of not knowing when he could just get clarification now, instead of risking getting it wrong after all this time? Finally, after annoying himself with his own internal debate, Jensen asks, “Koller, have I been saying your name wrong?”

Finally, after annoying himself with his own internal debate, Jensen asks, “Koller, have I been saying your name wrong

as for four others...

I've always liked the atmosphere I built here:

House of Microcosms Control (2019) Mentions of all main characters MICROCOSM ; a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger. People with more experience under their belt at the Bureau would always talk about how it felt like a second home. Others would say it felt like an entirely different world— like crossing the threshold to work was really crossing a threshold into something entirely new. The agreement was simply this: inside the house, it feels almost like another world or life. The House is a wilderness you are stranded in, and it may kill you before the life rafts get here. It is not so much an enemy like the Hiss is— an invader here to consume you— simply an ecosystem that you must learn to survive in.

I think this might be one of my best short works I've done:

The Bends Alan Wake, Control (2019) Emil Hartman “It’s called Decompression Sickness,” the weathered instructor had said. “But most people just call it the Bends. It can ruin your entire life, so it’s not worth the quick ascension.” Hartman hadn’t even been planning on using a diving license. But the research into the Lake, and Zane’s passion for it, made him seek out lessons. He stood in a humid, indoor pool, in a gaggle of other random learners, all donning wetsuits. “To make sure you all really get why, I’m going to break down each way the sickness can affect you, so you never let your ego get ahead of you when you dive.” Hartman was stretched.

This just felt necessary in some ways, for myself and the character of 47:

A Grave Decision Hitman Agent 47 & Lucas Grey There is no body to bury. Yet his mind keeps wandering back to the idea. A marker, of some kind. An untraditional gravestone. Or traditional. Oddly sentimental. But what better way to acknowledge to Providence, to the world, I was human, I was here.

This was really fun to explore and get into and is more recent!:

Hope, as Necessity Dishonored Corvo Attano & Samuel Beechworth Your eyes search the muck and algae with a fervor you didn't know you still had. You watch for shapes that bob and sway in the wake you leave as your boat carves through the murky waters. The water thuds up against the sides and bow, echoing softly in the thick, silent air. The ache clutching your heart is a mix of hope and inevitability. (The guilt sticks to your ribs like the harbor fog clings and wicks onto the fabric of your jacket.) You poisoned Corvo Attano. No getting around that fact.

[bloodngames]

[pedroam-bang]

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016)

[tempestuous-tempest]

No context.

[narklos]

I'm sooooo funny.

[mojo-chojoo]

i might have a type after all

[theashenphoenix]

ADAM JENSEN • DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED (2016)