Interface

The interface screen

Deus Ex is a detailed interactive adventure, and as such, requires several interface screens to give the player access to all the different aspects of his character. Pressing F1 reveals an inventory screen that shows all the items and weapons that you're carrying. You have very limited inventory space, so you'll be constantly making decisions about which weapons you want to carry along and which items you'll be leaving behind. You can easily hot key any of your weapons or items to the number keys 1 through 9.

A med bot - your friend

You guessed it, a computer specialist

The tabs along the top also give access to a number of other key features. There's a log of conversations you had, so you can replay or reread all the important dialog. Another tab reveals your current list of goals and notes. The list of notes is for all the datacubes you find lying around the world. They contain key information to help you along, like security codes and login/password information for computers. There's even an images tab that stores all the images that get uploaded to JC's memory banks over the course of the game. This area stores useful maps and diagrams for key areas.

Yes you can 'play' pool in the game

Scandalous

Moving right along the list of interface screens, you'll also find a health tab that shows you the health levels of each part of your body - all four limbs, your torso, and head. When you take damage, it can occur in any of these six parts and in turn, affect gameplay. Wounds to the head affect accuracy and vision. Leg and torso damage affects mobility while arm damage hurts accuracy with weapons. Med kits and medical bots heal damage to your various body parts.

Augs and skills

The role playing aspects of Deus Ex come into play when you deck out your character with augmentations and skills. As you move through the game you'll find augmentation canisters that enhance the physical capabilities of your character. JC starts off with a light augmentation in his eyes that acts like a flashlight. Other augmentation canisters will endow such properties as superhuman strength (for lifting crates), enhanced running ability, super hard skin (to deflect bullets), and health regeneration ability. Any of these augmentations can be activated by a quick press of its corresponding function key, and they're all powered by bioelectric energy, which can be recharged in a couple of different ways.

The bartender even has augs

Room is dim - there are metal platforms over a pool of water

Skills are a little bit different - these include your ability to use pistol weapons, the ability to use heavy weapons, swimming ability, hacking proficiency, and so forth. The better trained you are with pistols, the more deadly and accurate you become with pistol type weapons. You can always use any weapon in the game, but if you are untrained for that weapon type, you take penalties in terms of accuracy and other areas. The way in which you train your character will go a long way in determining how you solve problems and make your way through Deus Ex. Skills are always in effect with your character - they needn't be activated like the augmentations. Also, you don't acquire skills through canisters. Rather, as you make your way through the game, you're awarded skill points, which you can then spend on the different skill categories. It's up to you if you want to specialize in certain areas or try to be generally proficient at everything.