GOG’s Preservation Program is an initiative to ensure classic video games remain playable on modern systems. Based on the article you shared:

• The program was announced in November 2024
• GOG has promised ongoing support for over 100 games to ensure they run on modern machines “forever.”
• The program just added 20 new games, including several notable titles:
  
  • Silent Hill 4: The Room (with “restored scenes never available on PC before”)
  • Deus Ex (described as the “best PC game of all time”)
  • F.E.A.R.
  • Fallout 2
  • Vampire: The Masquerade – Redemption
  • Alone In The Dark 1-3
  • All eight original Ultima games
  • Crystal Dynamics’ first three Tomb Raiders
  • Several other classics

The program specifically addresses the “existential crisis” of game preservation in the industry. GOG engineers are not just making the games available but actively enhancing them – for example, they discovered missing “hauntings” features in Silent Hill 4’s PC code and restored them.

GOG has stated that it has plans in place to ensure preservation can continue even if GOG itself were to cease operations. The initiative appears to be partly a response to publishers like Warner Bros. (mentioned specifically in the article), who have been shutting down studios and removing access to classic titles.

Most of these newly added preservation titles were reportedly on sale for at least 75% off when the article was published.

Deus Ex (2000) Review

Deus Ex stands as one of the most influential and groundbreaking games in PC gaming history. Released in 2000 by Ion Storm under the direction of Warren Spector, this first-person RPG/shooter hybrid redefined player choice and immersive gameplay.

Story and Setting

Set in a dystopian 2052, Deus Ex puts you in the role of JC Denton, an augmented agent working for UNATCO (United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition) in a world ravaged by terrorism, disease, and economic collapse. The narrative begins as a straightforward terrorism investigation but spirals into a complex conspiracy involving multiple factions: the Illuminati, Majestic 12, and other shadowy organizations.

What makes the story exceptional is not just its well-crafted conspiracy narrative but how it weaves philosophical themes about human evolution, transhumanism, authority, and freedom throughout. The game poses thought-provoking questions about the ethics of technology and social control that remain relevant today.

Gameplay

Deus Ex’s most significant achievement is its sandbox approach to problem-solving. Almost every mission can be completed through multiple approaches:

• Direct combat with various weapons
• Stealth and evasion
• Hacking and technical solutions
• Social engineering through dialogue

Your augmentation choices further customize your approach. Want to focus on stealth? Upgrade your cloaking and silent movement rugs. Prefer combat? Enhance your targeting systems and damage resistance.

The game rewards exploration with hidden areas, additional story elements, and alternative paths. This systemic design creates a rare sense of player agency where your choices genuinely matter to gameplay, not just dialogue options.

Technical Aspects

While its visuals have aged (built on the Unreal Engine), the art direction maintains a distinctive cyberpunk aesthetic. Alexander Brandon’s sound design and music create a perfect atmosphere, and the main theme is particularly memorable.

The voice acting is uneven by modern standards, with some performances becoming unintentionally comedic, but this has become part of the game’s charm for many fans.

Legacy

Deus Ex’s influence on game design cannot be overstated. The seamless blend of RPG progression, first-person action, and immersive sim elements established a design template that countless games have drawn from since. Its systems-based approach to player choice has influenced everything from Dishonored to Prey to modern Fallout titles.

Verdict

Despite some dated elements, Deus Ex remains eminently playable and engaging today. Its depth of gameplay options, combined with its intricate narrative and world-building, creates an experience that few games have matched, even decades later.