Okay?
That was my first reaction when Warren Spector compared his upcomingEpic Mickey 2to his legendary masterpieceDeus Exin a PAX sit down I had with him earlier today. Actually, it was more of ahuh?But then the outspoken, talented designer started explaining himself and I started to get what he was saying. Well, Isort ofgot what he was saying.
Warren explained that inDeus Ex, players play the way they want and the game changes based on your choices. If you choose to play a certain way, the game adjusts to that style. Choice is important. InEpic Mickey 2, you can play the entire game with paint and not thinner (meaning befriending enemies rather than destroy them), just as you can completeDeus Exwithout ever using a gun.
He went on to talk about how player choice and actions are the driving force ofEpic Mickey 2, just as they were inDeus Ex. While admitting the stakes may not be as high inEpic Mickey 2, he believes the player is making similar choices on how to proceed as they did inDeus Ex.
Aesthetic- and gameplay-wise, the two games could not be more different, but Warren insists on empowering the player inEpic Mickey 2just like inDeus Ex. But this time it is with a paintbrush and not a gun.
A bold comparison, sure, but I have to admire and respect Warren’s love of videogames and player interaction.
